kombucha taffy

3/3/2011

High 42, Low 27.

Lots of faces up here yesterday, Nice day. Looks to be nice today as well, and maybe start blowing in tonight.

"There is this to be said for walking: It's the one mode of human locomotion by which a man proceeds on his own two feet, upright, erect, as a man should be, not squatting on his rear haunches like a frog."

Juanita

3/3/2011 12:36:56 am

Oh Alex that waterfall looks so inviting. Are there any such places in the Smokies secluded enough for skinny dipping? My husband and I still love to go swimming in the buff, but we have our own swimming pool with a privacy fence in Florida. I don't want to cause anyone to be embarassed. There's nothing uglier in this world than the sight of two old people frolicking around naked like a couple of teenagers. LOL!

Susan B

3/3/2011 01:19:54 am

I love the waterfall picture! It looks so peaceful and beautiful. I wish i could be there! Come on spring and go away winter.

Awesome job this winter Alex and will miss you. I absolutely loved all your pics and blogs.

3/3/2011 03:38:35 am

Alex
Once again some awesome pics!!!! Thank you very much for everything you did this winter!! I hope your travels this summer are everything you imagine them to be!! Be safe!! Enjoy!! Happy trails!!
Jo

Galen

3/3/2011 03:59:34 am

Kombucha taffy. Hmmm sounds interesting.
How would you make that Alex? I made my first batch of Manchurian Tea, (kombucha). It was a little on the acidic side. I was told to add more brown sugar. I'm doing that with my current batch. Any ideas?

gary t

3/3/2011 04:00:49 am

there are plenty of places to strip down and go for a dip. beware though because all the water in the gsmnp is FRIGID! thanks for the warning, i'll be watching out for you- not!

Upchuck Norris

3/3/2011 04:08:45 am

Whooooooooooo amen brother. Cold, cold water. It does feel good on hot July and August days though. Juanita go to the south side of the park where it is far less crowded. You can take a ferry or canoe across Fontana Lake for easy access. Stay away from popular trails around Cades Cove like Abrams Falls. You kids have fun.

Tony

3/3/2011 04:33:11 am

Juanita, you are too much. You go girl!

Linda

3/3/2011 04:44:21 am

Juanita you are always into some kind of mischief. First feeding the bears and now swimming. Here is what the Park Service says:

Water recreation is not recommended in Great Smoky Mountains National Park due to numerous hazards and dangers. Drowning is one of the leading causes of death in the park. Innumerable injuries have resulted from people swimming and riding inner tubes in park waters. Serious water-related injuries occur every year in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. These injuries can easily be avoided. Medical assistance for injured persons may be many hours away. Closely supervise children at all times. There are no life-guarded swimming areas in the park.

ronnie

3/3/2011 05:11:45 am

Have fun this summer on your adventure. Like someone said, everywhere is in walking distance as long as you have the time.

Dad

Juanita

3/3/2011 05:23:33 am

Aw geez I aint going to drown. I never go in more than knee deep. Besides, I'm a very good swimmer and in good shape too. In addition to all my walking I do water aerobics at the community center two days a week.
I'm sorry about feeding the bears, but where do the rules end? Holy moly I'm just trying to get outdoors and have a little fun. Come on already, I'm begging you.

3/3/2011 05:28:13 am

Great pictures as usual. I have enjoyed your blog and pics a great deal. Good luck with your trip to Europe. Thanks again.

Dan

3/3/2011 05:38:57 am

You tell 'em Juanita. As long as you are careful on the slippery rocks, not putting pollutants into the stream and not disturbing any wildlife like the endangered native brook trout, why not go for a dip? Just exercise caution.

Tony

3/3/2011 06:03:35 am

If you're only going knee deep why would you be naked? Wouldn't shorts work? Be bad to drown and be found naked...of couse you wouldn't care if you were dead.

Galen

3/3/2011 08:11:42 am

Juanita I bet you are a hoot and the life of any party. They say you are only as old as you feel, so I figure you are actually 45 and not 72. :)
I know all the rules sometimes seem like too much but they are in the best interest of you and the wildlife. The Smokies have around 9 million visitors a year. Imagine if they could all do whatever they wanted to without regard for the plant and wildlife. It wouldn't take long before there wouldn't be anything to enjoy.
I had been coming to the mountains since 1974 and moved to the area several years ago. It's a wonderful place to live or visit so come on up and enjoy yourself. I think you will find you can have a great time and that the rules are easy to follow.
Post your hike dates on here and maybe some of us will see you on the trail.

Diane

3/3/2011 08:14:05 am

to Juanita--Not to be a party-pooper, but we used to hang out on the Little Pidgeon River in the summer after hikes. One day, my 6 ft tall father stepped into the river next to some harmless-looking rocks--and disappeared! Turns out there was a powerful, but unseen, whirlpool at the very place he stepped in. He did fight his way back up, but he was exhausted, and we were frightened by his disappearinig act.
to Alex--Good show! Love the first shot in the series today. Enjoyed your willingness to share your winter mountain existence with all of us over the past several months. Have a good summer, and return to us some time soon.

Mary

3/3/2011 11:13:53 am

Gorgeous pictures Alex, you will be greatly missed when you leave the mountain. Allyson has some big shoes to fill, but I know she is up to the job!!

Ernest Lancaster

3/3/2011 03:58:01 pm

Juanita,
I don’t want to come across like Debbie Downer saying you can’t come to the Smokies and have any fun, especially after my post last night about bears. Plus, I have only lived here a few years and learn new things every time I step into the park, so I’m not the ultimate authority.
Just keep in mind you are visiting a wild place governed more by Mother Nature than any rules the park can make. It would be accurate to compare playing in the park to going out on the unforgiving ocean. You would go out with proper equipment, knowledge and a plan instead of full throttle on a little Johnboat until you ran out of gas, and then say, “Hmm. What should I do now?”
Many take the term, “park”, literally and come expecting these woods will meet them on their terms and everything will be okay, like at Disneyworld. But the laws of nature always supersede the laws of stupidity. Some pay for their arrogance only with embarrassment or minor inconvenience. And then Mother Nature harvests a few fools every year - and occasionally an experienced outdoors person who did everything right.
You are taking a wise path in asking questions to educate yourself about the region. The Great Smoky Mountains Association offers a lot of guidebooks that give good advice about preparing yourself for meaningful experiences. One of your first stops in the park should be one of the visitors’ centers.
If you follow common sense precautions and respect the beauty and power of the natural forces at work here, you probably will find a rewarding time.
And the advice about the cold water is spot on. Not to mention that big swimmable pools in the Smokies are the exception rather than the rule. Swift streams with slick rocky cascades and waterfalls are more common. And the pools that do exist often come with undercurrents that have resulted in drowning.
Most people see the park from their cars. It isn’t difficult to find solitude if you are willing to hike some of the 800 miles of trails. Especially the ones other than the couple of dozen or so that are the most popular. And the trails to Le Conte are heavily traveled popular trails.
I hope you come to the Smokies and have a wonderful visit.

Wanda

3/4/2011 05:58:27 am

Ever heard of a place called "Slickrock Creek". I have backpacked there and it lives up to its name. As a flyfisherwoman, I can attest to the slick rocks in most rivers.

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