2014 Appalachian Treks Calendar

Just in time for Christmas...The 2014 Appalachian Treks Calendar. This twelve-month calendar features a different landscape each month of a beautiful scene from the mountains of Tennessee, North Carolina and Virginia. The calendar is spiral bound, measures approximately 11"x17" when opened, and is printed on high-quality card stock.

Give the gift of Appy Treks this Christmas!  :) 

On the cover...the Doe River passes under a footbridge outside of Hampton, TN. Visit the link above to preview the other images from the calendar!  It's a perfect gift for those who love Appalachia and the great outdoors.  Order now and receive 10% off.

love is...

Love doesn't make the world go 'round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.
--Franklin P. Jones (1887-1929) American Businessman

do something

A life spent making mistakes is not only most honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.
--George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) Irish playwright

darkness and light

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
--Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968) Minister and Civil-Rights Leader

The first of two tunnels found at Doe River Gorge outside of Hampton, TN where the old "Tweetsie" railroad used to run until the 1950s. The narrow gauge tracks were laid in the 1880s to run iron ore from Cranberry, NC to Johnson City, TN.  Even though I've taken photos of these tunnels numerous times, I still enjoy it.  I'm already looking forward to going back out there in the fall! I love the wind whipping through the tunnels (especially on hot, scorching days like today) and the interplay of light and dark in these shots. In the shot above, I also like how deceptively short the tunnel looks - as if you could take three big steps and come out the other side. In the shot to the left you see that the tunnel is actually fairly long; I was kneeling in the middle of the tunnel when I took this shot. Click here to see more photos from Doe River Gorge.

kindle a light

As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being.

--Carl Jung (1875-1961) Swiss psychiatrist

Another Doe River Gorge shot from last weekend. I always enjoy photographing the two tunnels there - there's something about the contrast of light and dark and the curving lines that just works for me. I can't image how difficult it was in the early 1880s to construct the "Tweetsie Railroad" from Johnson City, TN to Cranberry, NC. Those at Doe River Gorge Ministries have done a wonderful job restoring and preserving their section of the railroad. Click here to see a similar shot taken in autumn.

Finish. Find. Live.

To finish the moment, to find the journey's end in every step of the road, to live the greatest number of good hours, is wisdom.
–Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American philosopher and writer

a great adventure

Great things are done when men and mountains meet.
–William Blake (1757-1827) English poet and painter

A rustic cabin sits on the banks of the Doe River in the beautiful and majestic Doe River Gorge outside of Hampton, TN. Click here to learn more about the adventure camps and ministry of Doe River Gorge.

winter thrill

When I no longer thrill to the first snow of the season, I'll know I'm growing old.
–Lady Bird Johnson (1912-2007)

trust the engineer

When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer.
--Corrie Ten Boom (1892-1983) Christian Holocaust survivor and author

Applauding Softly

The leaves lay like hands upon the ground. When the wind rustles them, they applaud softly.--Laura E. Stevens

In the heart of the gorge

Here is another shot of the Doe River in Carter County taken from Pardee Point along the old Tweetsie Railroad. This is a point deep within Doe River Gorge where the tracks make a sweeping curve with the river roaring far below and sheer rock cliffs soaring high above. It's at this point that passenger trains would often stop to let people get out and enjoy the views. Click here for a interesting website that has many more photos and information about the Tweetsie and Doe River Gorge.

Walk the line

An annual tradition of mine is to walk the rails at Doe River Gorge each fall. Click here to learn more about this special place where the old ET&WNC Railroad (known affectionally as the 'Tweetsie' railroad) entered the narrow Doe River Gorge outside of Hampton, TN. Doe River Gorge is now a privately owned Christian campground and conference center, so plan to visit in the off-season during business hours and sign-in at the office. And let them know you appreciate their care and preservation and sharing of this beautiful place. Click here to see a video and to go along for a ride on the Tweetsie.

God Alone Suffices

Let nothing disturb you. Let nothing frighten you.

All things are passing. God never changes.

Patience obtains all things.

Nothing is wanting to him who possesses God.

God alone suffices.--St. Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)

Doe River Bridge

A footbridge over the Doe River in Carter County, TN.

Doe River Gorge

I guess you could say I have a lot of favorite places in east Tennessee. Doe River Gorge is certainly one of them. (I just can't be limited to one favorite!) Beginning in the 1880s this was an important link to transport iron ore over the mountains from Cranberry, NC to Johnson City, TN. The narrow gauge rail line, known as the "Tweetsie", ran until 1950. Click here and here for more history. Today, the area (just outside of Hampton, TN) is a Christian campground. The current stewards have done an amazing job preserving and improving the immediate area for campers and visitors. Visitors are welcome to walk the old rail line and venture down to the Doe River during the off-season (when the camp is not being used) -- all they ask is that you stop by the main office, sign a release, and respect the property. They also have an open house in mid-October for the public. Click here for directions.