We had a destination wedding in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. But to get there we had to go on the trip from hell. By the orders of the universe a giant rain storm passed through our connecting airport, delayed our flight for 5 hours and cancelled our connection. We spent the night at the airport, waking at the crack of dawn to get a red eye for an additional connection. By the time we got to Knoxville we had been inside and outside of airplanes, tarmacks, airport buses, terminals, baggage claims, and airport hotels. To say we were travel whipped would be more then accurate.
The sun sphere of Knoxville, Tn
So how happy was I to find a disc golf course in the center of Knoxville, Tn a mile from the sun sphere? Pretty darn happy! To be fair I had researched the park before we left since we were scheduled to stay in Knoxville overnight, however the travel scenario from hell made it all the sweeter. It was so nice to get out and move the feet and legs for more then the length of an airport gate!
Morningside Disc Golf
The Morningside Park disc golf course features an 18 hole course situated throughout the park. The park was wide open, with mature trees strategically spread out the layout.
The park itself was well manicured, but very hilly. It made for a great disc course layout. We were forced to hike some spots, but it made it invigorating and added an element of difficulty in shot placement.
The 18th hole. Land a disc vertical here and you're almost guaranteed to lose. This hill was a calf burner!
Too short and you were throwing and hiking a lot. Too far or too angled and you were chasing your discs down a mountain.
We had a blast and got a nice lung stretch walking up and down the hills and chasing our discs. And at the end of our game we found a fantastic Falafel joint in Knoxville, with baba ganoush to die for!
Monday, July 21, 2014
Yosemite National Park
In May we had the good fortune to visit Yosemite National Park in California. We arrived in the first week of May, which turned out to be a great time to see the park. Most of the roads had opened, with the exception of the Tioga pass road, which was still buried under several feet of snow. Still, we had a wonderful time despite not being able to see this part of the park.
The park was very quiet as far as crowds go. We had no problems getting in and out of the park and driving was no problem at all. We found ample parking and experienced no traffic. The first night we were there, it snowed in the higher elevations. We awoke to a light dusting of snow.
We chose to stay at Yosemite Scenic Wonders, which was a nice little efficiency/condo (with a grill) within 16 miles of the valley via Wawona road. The condo was higher up then the valley floor with an elevation of 6,000 feet. Our first night there we did experience a little resistance to fast walks, but that faded as we spent more time there and acclimated to higher elevation.
The Wawona drive was a treat because every morning and every afternoon we had the pleasure of viewing the entire valley from the tunnel overlook and was able to capture fantastic photos in all types of light conditions.
The first day we were in the park, the Valley was caught in a snow storm, that slowly cleared over the course of the day. Our first day we acquainted ourselves with the park and did several low key hikes and walks to soak in as many views as we could. The clouds from the previous night's storm were majestic.
The next day we hiked to Glacier point from the Valley floor. We left in the morning and reached the summit slightly after lunch. After eating a lunch with tremendously breath taking views, we mingled for a bit with the squirrels and birds and made the descent.
Our final hike was to Yosemite falls. You can see the lower falls from the valley floor, and the entire falls from the Glacier point trail.
But it is truly magnificent to hike the falls trail. Be sure to wear good sturdy boots, the trail is very steep in some sections and can be slippery.
We had the pleasure of seeing a bobcat on this trail. He walked right past us, and didn't even bother to look at us, which I am to assume is because he was well fed; or because he is a cat, and would only bother to pay attention to what he deems worthwhile.
I had an osprey day pack with me to carry extra clothes, first aid, food, and water, and you will want to take at least a small pack with you for any hike in the park as they will take several hours to complete. At the top of the falls, there is an access to the ledge where the falls begin their descent to the valley floor. If you are afraid of heights and/or tight places, this is not the place for you. However, if you are willing to see it, it is worth the slightly precarious rock steps to get there.
Here is a video of what I mean:
America has some magnificent national parks, but Yosemite is a special place that should be seen at least once in a lifetime. It is a fantastically beautiful and tranquil place that you won't soon forget if you get the chance to go. We flew across the country and drove 8 hours to get there and it was absolutely worth the effort to do so. I hope one day (if you haven't been there) you will know what I am talking about.
A quest to find what was never lost.
Journeys, travels, trips, adventures: they all describe the same thing. The leaving behind of what you know to seek out what you do not. However, when we leave a place behind, we take something with us. We leave a part of ourselves and take something from that place. It is in this process that we learn different cultures, meet new people, taste new tastes, and smell different smells.
We seek out different places not because we lack anything, but because we wish to give a little of ourselves to each new place. I think it is human nature to do so.
I enjoy the art of travel. Not because I am bored of where I am, but because it is exciting. I have seen many things as you all have, and I wish to continue to see more. A traveler knows that no two places are the same, yet everyplace has some familiarity.
So go forth and seek your new places, take a piece for yourself, and leave a piece of yourself so that if you ever go back, it will feel a little like home.
