with imagination

The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.
--Albert Einstein (1879-1955) German-born American Physicist

stewardship

The ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world that it leaves to its children.
--Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) German Lutheran Pastor and Theologian. 

Above: Roaring Fork Falls, Yancey County, NC.

one giant leap

When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap.
--Cynthia Heimel, author  

My boy "Blue" leaping into Watauga Lake.

achievement

None of us will ever accomplish anything excellent or commanding except when he listens to this whisper which is heard by him alone.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American Poet, Lecturer and Essayist 

Here's my friend Michael Kaal, visiting from Arizona where he lives and works as a landscape and wedding photographer, at Grayson Highlands State Park in southwest Virginia. Mike was a student of mine during his time at Milligan College -- and we also enjoyed many epic adventures hiking and photographing the area. Click here to visit his blog.

Where ya headed?

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading.
--Lao Tzu (6th century BC) philosopher of ancient China  

A sign found along the Appalachian Trail at Carver's Gap.

father's day

Good fathers make good sons.
--unknown  

My friend, Ed, with his little boy, E.J. on Father's Day - they've made numerous appearances on Appy Treks, click here, here and here to see previous photos.  The first link is to one of my favorite portraits.

Some Recommendations on Buying your First DSLR

Dragonfly, taken at Warrior's Path State Park, Kingsport, TN
Details: Nikon D90 w/ Tamron 90mm macro lens, f/5.0, 1/400, ISO 500

I often get asked by students and blog readers for camera recommendations - especially for those just starting out. But because cameras and the technology change so fast (and because I don't have the funds to try every newly-introduced piece of equipment first-hand), advice is hard to give.  Thankfully, there are lots of resources out there -- I always recommend two things: 1) do your homework (www.dpreview.com is my favorite source); and 2) buy from reputable dealers (www.bhphotovideo.com or www.adorama.com).  If a deal sounds too good to be true, it is.  Here are detailed reviews for the two most recent Nikon and Canon offerings that are intended for beginner/enthusiast DSLR camera owner:

• http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos600d/  
• http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond5100/

Both are about $850, and include the standard 18-55mm kit lens. Here are two helpful side-by-side comparisons of these very similar cameras...

• http://www.digitalreview.ca/content/Canon-Rebel-T3i-EOS-600D-Compared-to-Nikon-D5100.shtml
• http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Canon_EOS_Rebel_T3i_600D_vs_Nikon_D5100_comparison/  (includes videos)

I don't think you could go wrong with either camera - there are strengths and weaknesses to each. I tend to lean towards the Nikon, and the reviews seem to agree with that. But it's very close - both are excellent cameras for those buying their first DSLR camera.  For me, I'd really like to get the new Nikon d7000, but just can't justify spending the money right now!

Eventually, to have a full camera setup that will give you versatility to shoot landscapes, portraits, and macros, you'll probably want/need the following...
1. Either camera body
2. 18-200mm lens w/ circular polarizer
3. Macro lens
4. Portrait lens - 50mm f/1.8
4. Dedicated flash
5. Extra battery & SD card
6. Camera bag
7. Tripod

It gets pricey real quick. The good thing is that you don't have to get everything right away.  But know that you're really buying into a system of lenses.  Camera bodies don't last forever, they eventually wear out in 3 to 5 years and plus, the technology changes rapidly.  But the lenses can last for decades if you treat them well - so it makes sense to always buy the best quality lenses you can afford.

My final point is to not get hung up on megapixels. The megapixel war was begun as an easy marketing tool to win over consumers who thought (logically) that more megapixels always meant better images. But that's not the case. The 6MP Nikon D40 takes far superior images to any 16MP compact point and shoot camera on the market today.  That's because more important than the number of megapixels is the size of the sensor, the quality of the pixels, the quality of the processor, and the quality of the lens used. For the average consumer who wants to occasionally print out a high resolution 8x10 or 11x14 print, an 8-10 megapixel camera is all they'll ever need.

Hope this helps someone out there!

enchantment

Distance lends enchantment to the view.
--Mark Twain (1835-1910) American Humorist, Writer and Lecturer.  

The view yesterday from the Unaka Mountain Overlook, in Unicoi Co., TN.

contentment

There are two ways to get enough: one is to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.
--G.K. Chesterton (1874-1936) English writer

Above: Pine Ridge Falls in the Clark's Creek area of Unicoi Co. - For more information and directions, click here.

the glory of Roan

A rhododendron bud lavender-tipped.  Soon a glory of blooms to clash with the cardinals and gladden the hummingbirds!
--Dave Beard 

There are two Rhododendron Festivals taking place this weekend celebrating the glory of blooms on Roan Mountain...One is this Saturday and Sunday in Roan Mountain, TN and the other is on the NC side of the mountain in Bakersville, NC on Friday and Saturday.

persistence

In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins. Not through strength, but through persistence.
--Unknown

Above: Clark's Creek in Unicoi County, TN

Max Patch to Wolf Creek Falls

 

Here again is Wolf Creek Falls, a 30' waterfall just over the border into Tennessee near Hot Springs, NC. I wrote a couple weeks ago about the very difficult hike up Wolf Creek from the Hot Springs side (post here). Not exactly the ideal or recommended route. The more direct approach is to drive there after visiting Max Patch, since they are so close together.  With all the slow-traveling, gravel roads, it's easy to make a day of it visiting these two destinations. And after all, Max Patch shouldn't be hurried - it's a place to wander and wonder - to breathe the air and let the mountains extract the worries. 

After you have your Sound-of-Music-Moment at Max patch, it's a mere 9.5 miles up to Wolf Creek Falls. And while that's a short distance, it's not without its difficulties.  First, the road can be rough in places. Not terrible, but I'd still recommend a high clearance SUV or truck to be safe. I was surprised how long it took to get there from Max Patch -- about 40 minutes.  I took my time on this narrow, gravel road -- never knowing who might come flying around the corner in the other direction.  The second possible issue, depending on the time of year and amount of recent rainfall, you may encounter some difficulty with the creek crossing once you arrive at the falls. Neither issue is insurmountable by any means, but just wanted to let you know about them.

Directions from Max Patch parking area: Turn right onto Max Patch road and drive 4.7 miles. On your way, you'll pass by Max Patch pond (photo right) and further down a parking area for AT access, both on your right. At 4.7 miles, turn right after a sign pointing the way to Rattlesnake Gap, and continue up this road for 1.7 miles till you get to Rattlesnake Gap.  Once there, continue to the right again and drive an additional 3.1 miles to a wide area immediately before the road crosses a creek. Park here. The dirt road to the left will lead you to the falls (while it looks at first glance to be drivable, it isn't). It's probably a fourth of mile walk to the falls. There's a short path that leads to the top of the falls. It's a neat perspective, but you can't really see much from there (Be careful and don't attempt to step out on the rocks or stand on the edge of the falls!).  The better and much safer views are found by taking the short, narrow trail to the right that leads down to the base of the falls. Enjoy!

Roan Rhodos and Renovations

The road to the top of Roan Mountain was recently opened following a year of renovations which left the mountain closed to vehicle traffic. With $700,000 of stimulus money, they tore down and rebuilt the bathrooms in the Cloudland parking lot, re-paved the Cloudland parking lot, constructed an extensive network of cement sidewalks throughout the Rhododendron Gardens (photo below)  and replaced the old overlook deck (photo right).  Everything looks terrific. The walkways in the gardens are wider and more accessible and family friendly. The only thing on my wish list that they didn't have money for was paving the road and parking areas. But hey, I'm happy to once again have the mountain opened up to explore.

The rhododendrons are at their peak at Carver's Gap right now (top photo). From there it looked like the rhododendrons and flame azalea are at their peak on the balds (though I didn't hike up there today). Next weekend is the Rhododendron Festival in the town of Roan Mountain, TN -- and as usual, they've pegged the perfect weekend. The rhodos in the Rhododendron Gardens look like they'll reach their peak beginning about mid week next week.  If you remember, last year was a meager year for Rhododendron blooms. I guess the plants have a cycle to them and last year the plants put their energy into growing, not blooming. Well, this year it appears the plants are focused on putting on an outstanding show. 

While we were there we were reminded of the crazy weather on Roan. It was sunny and 90s when we began our journey. By the time we reached the top, the rain clouds opened, then the hail came. Soon it was 55 degrees. If you look closely at the bottom two pics, you'll see the remains from the hail storm.  My point is (and I have to always remind myself), be prepared for anything up there. Throwing jackets into the car when it's 90 degrees seems insane, but then again, that word is often used to describe the weather on the Roan.

I know I said I'd post more on Wolf Creek Falls...I will soon!

Max Patch

Max Patch has always been on my radar -- but it was just far enough out of the way, that I never visited until now.  This one's definitely worth the drive. It's not the tallest (only 4629'), but yet this gem offers some of the most spectacular views found in the southern Appalachians. These photos really don't do it justice - it's huge - over 300 acres - and the views (even on a hazy day) are magnificent, breathtaking in every direction. Here's a panorama looking west toward the Smokies....because of the haze, not all the ridges in the distance appear (click to enlarge). But just imagine this scene on a cool, crisp autumn morning!

While the origin of most of the balds in our region is subject to debate and speculation, the origin of Max Patch is known. In the 1800s, this knob was cleared and turned into farmland for cattle and sheep. For a time in the 1920s it was even used as a landing strip for small planes giving aerial tours of the area.  To maintain the views, the forest service mows the bald each year to prevent reforestation.

We came in following the road south of Hot Springs.  It offers many beautiful views and country scenes, but I dubbed it 'The Corkscrew' (not sure if locals have another name for it), but that seemed to me to be an appropriate! Eventually, you turn off the main road and follow a gravel road for many miles. So not only is it remote, but it's also slow going.  I thought it would be a bit more straight forward coming in from I-40, but the descriptions of that route seem to indicate the road turns to gravel and is slow going as well.  Anyone care to comment on that approach?

Ran into a couple of through hikers while there, always fun to talk to them about their experiences.  The one on the left is from Massachusetts, the one leading the way is from New Mexico.  The AT crosses over Max Patch, and both of these hikers commented on how the views and the cool breezes 'made their day' after hiking through the sweltering heat.  In that sense, it reminded me of the balds on Roan Mountain - where it's always 10-15 degrees cooler than down below.

Here's a photo of the map of the immediate area (sorry for the low quality, the plexiglass in front of the map was broken).  You can see there are various trails that loop around the bald.  After visiting Max Patch, we were determined to find Wolf Creek Falls again - this time by car.  I'll write about that next time...[Update: here's that post!]

Directions here.  Map showing route from Hot Springs, NC to Max Patch.

consider the lilies

One reason we are so harried and hurried is that we make yesterday and tomorrow our business, when all that legitimately concerns us is today. If we really have too much to do, there are some items on the agenda which God did not put there. Let us submit the list to Him and ask Him to indicate which items we must delete. There is always time to do the will of God. If we are too busy to do that, we are too busy.
--Elisabeth Elliot (b.1926) Christian author and speaker (click to read her daily devotions)



"Consider the Lilies"

Consider the lilies of the field,
How they grow, how they grow.
Consider the birds in the sky,
How they fly, how they fly.

He clothes the lilies of the field.
He feeds the birds in the sky.
And He will feed those who trust Him,
And guide them with His eye.

Consider the sheep of His fold,
How they follow where He leads.
Though the path may wind across the mountains,
He knows the meadows where they feed.

He clothes the lilies of the field.
He feeds the birds in the sky,
And He will feed those who trust Him,
And guide them with His eye.

Consider the sweet, tender children
Who must suffer on this earth.
The pains of all of them He carried
From the day of His birth.

He clothes the lilies of the field,
He feeds the lambs in His fold,
And He will heal those who trust Him,
And make their hearts as gold.

wild freedom

To me, horses and freedom are synonymous.
--Veryl Goodnight (b.1947) Sculptor 

Above: One of the wild ponies found at the spectacular Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia.

our task

Our task must be to...embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature and its beauty.
--Albert Einstein (1879-1955) German-born American Physicist