Switchback Jacks, Trail Hogs, and Trash Trolls

I'm Mr. Bad Example, intruder in the dirtI like to have a good time, and I don't care who gets hurt"Mr. Bad Example" - Warren Zevon A lingering frustration with how people treat the amazing and beautiful world around us came to a head this summer as we traveled. Switchback cutters, trail hogs, and trash …

Natural Bridge State Resort Park: Balanced Rocks and Tight Squeezes

I would like to preface this post by reporting that after our delicious lunch at Miguel's Pizza (read here), and before we embarked on our climb to the natural bridge, we took a one mile out-and-back hike on the Sheltowee Connector Trail to see the Red River Suspension Bridge. This narrow pedestrian bridge carries the …

Miguel’s Pizza: Red River Gorging

We were coming off our third hike of the day (read here) and it was barely noon. Okay so, those three hikes had racked up less than two miles, but that didn't mean we weren't hungry! Would it be better if I said we hadn't had any breakfast? I honestly can't remember, so that might …

Red River Gorge: A Triplet of Trails

We arrived in the Red River Gorge on the evening of July 8, 2020. Finding a remote site within the campground, we set about making camp. Five minutes later, we were hastily flinging our gear willy-nilly back into the hatch of my Subaru Crosstrek. We were under attack and in full retreat. The assaulting army …

Ms. Becky’s Place: Kentucky Fried Lunch in the Rain

Following our early morning Canal Loop hike and brush with the eighth dimension (read here), we broke camp and headed for eastern Kentucky's Red River Gorge. There was a problem, though; we were hungry and had nothing to eat! Lisa got on her phone to find us some great post-hike chow. I had some very …

Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area: Stairs in the Woods

Stairs in the woods - apparently this is a thing. We were not familiar with this phenomenon, or urban legend, or rural legend, or whatever you want to call it, but a little Googling turned up a rabbit's warren of strange stories. The original story can allegedly be traced back to a Reddit user who …

Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve: A Home Where the Buffalo Roam

"Oh give me a home where the buffalo roam,Where the deer and the antelope play,Where seldom is heard a discouraging word,And the skies are not cloudy all day." ~ "A Home on the Range", Vernon Dalhart Technically they're bison; buffalo have never lived in North America. Similarly, no antelope play in the Americas either; what's …

Foothill Momma’s BBQ Juke Joint: Smokin’

Their T-shirts proclaim, "Our Butts Are Smokin'," but as far as we're concerned, what they're smokin' is their competition! If there even is any. This place is everything you could want in a post-hike chow spot. After two days and 24 miles on the Appalachian Trail, we wanted quantity, not quality, so when we pulled …

Tinker Cliffs and McAfee Knob: Doubling Down on the Triple Crown (Part 2)

Back from our trip up to McAfee Knob that afternoon, and after a trip to filter water, we set about making dinner. I was having Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles; Lisa had chosen Chili Mac with Beef. Lisa found it to be "filling and tasty ... and great!" She also used the word "bangin'". …

Tinker Cliffs and McAfee Knob: Doubling Down on the Triple Crown (Part 1)

Lisa, my wife and editor, is out of town producing an opera. To give her a break from the responsibility of helping me prepare posts for publication, I am digging into the "archives". The following two-part post and associated restaurant review were written 2015 but not previously posted. Enjoy! The southwest view from Tinker Cliffs …