TWO down!

While my sis was here we did some DIY projects! I only have a list a mile long .....Its so great to have a good helper! She is driving back to her home in the Rocky Mountain State as I write.  Today it has been what our weather man is calling RAW and he is right!! Wind, Rain, Cold--and tomorrow we have our first frost freeze for the 2014 Fall season...so no chores or projects are happening today!!

Remember this.. the old sewing table I got  at the recycle dump?

BEFORE SHOTS

It was in pretty rough shape... we stripped the top layer off...and rubbed on some Tung oil..

I need to wax the inside with some Minwax paste to get a good sheen...but other than that Im very pleased with the refinish job we did....then we put my old machine inside, it had been mounted in a portable cabinet but it fit in here pretty good!

Here it is with the machine set up.

I have 2 home machines, this old one is a straight stitch machine...

Its very old I have had it since the late 1960's Im sure its way older than that ---the machine hole is a bit longer than my old machine, I will find a filler or sewing tray to cover that so my scissors and pins wont fall through..

I also have a couple of old zig-zag machines they both have the same problem...each one has 2 plastic cogs in them..and both currently wont sew due to failure of these plastic cogs! Why put plastic in these the rest of the machine is all metal? Maybe that's intended to give the machine a shelf life??  Here is the problem...see the plastic got brittle and began to fall apart.  If I order new parts I may be able to repair both machines...this is the machine I had hoped to put in the cabinet but it's not working for now I have no current sewing projects but I can do any sewing I want to with a straight stitch machine.

zig zag Singer 513 This machine was purchased in the mid 70's

the bad idea Plastic Cogs

I don't know whether to fix this machine or not---I don't know if I have the proper tools I could try...If I ever get a good day with NOTHING to do maybe--

another project we worked on was this---

Garden Benches---we have a matching pair they also are very old--


BEFORE

The wood has rotted! So we replaced the wood and the screws that hold it on...

we reworked both..when the wood seasons a few weeks then i will stain it... the wood I used was wider and thicker so they benches are much sturdier too.

I was happy to get both these projects done! 

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Whats in your Pack?

We had a nice sunset I thought these contrails were a little different...

I'm still getting things squared away after my trip cleaning out my day pack....

What do you carry in your day pack when you go hiking?? I keep 

the usual like water, food, or snack, a bandanna for sweat can also be used to stop blood flow if I get an unjury---

Top L > R: Cutters Bug Repel, 2 peppermints, blister pak, mini bins and compass bracelet, handheld fan,
Middle: whistle  Lower L > R: first aide kit, cling, bandanna, electrolite, benedryl, sunscreen, map and compass.

 I tend to keep my pack light due to my backpacking dayz....but if you're going for a hike of any length some things are essential.  I also tend to lean toward some emergency supplies....like I take along neosporin, band aids, at least one gauze square and some tension wrapping to hold it in place if need be.  

I take a blister pak, for obvious reasons,  some electrolyte tabs in case I lose too much salt, a very small tube of sunscreen,  a couple of sugary candies in case of low blood sugar...I take along a couple benedryl in case of an allergic reaction and some solid Cutters to keep bugs off me. 

I always take a map or trail guide of where Im going and a compass!!  I make sure I know what direction I'm parked in, I do a quick check before heading off to orient myself to which direction I will be hiking and what direction is my way back!.

I take a whistle, in case I get off the trail and get disoriented maybe another hiker will hear it if I blow it...I sometimes carry a long sleeve shirt and tie it round my waist and I take along a small battery operated fan to help cool me in summer!! I use my small opera binoculars to help ID  birds and look for distant landmarks when in the mountains!

I keep it all in this drawstring pouch and it weights 7 ounces! It goes in the pack along with my  food, water, and any other stuff...I take snacks for my dogs along too...

I wear a hat to keep the sun off my head...I found this hat on the road in Arizona!  Literally almost ran over it...I like the fact it can go right in the washing machine!!

 I have been using this sling type bag, no I didn't go to Newberry College....but Im thinking of going back to the regular style backpack, this one shifts too much when rock hopping...I think Ill pick one up at Goodwill! I had a nice one and sold it on ebay~duh just as soon as you get rid of something you need it!

I enjoy hiking but you gotta hike smart!  What do you take I'm sure there is something I'm forgetting that you take along with you...oh and sometimes I take Mace with me!!  I should take it every time I hike but I forget to take it out of the van sometimes...

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

The Best... till Last

I am now home just fired up the Keurig and had a nice cup of coffee, but I wanted to finish blogging about my much needed and ever so appreciative of getting the chance to do this road trip!! 

I left off at the natural Bridge I did that on Saturday...and Sunday was a driving day to get me back south via I-81 S to I-26 E through Kingsport, TN then into NC near Brevard/Hendersonville. The leaf color was still awesome!

 I planned to attend  the Tour'de Falls in Dupont State Forest in NC.  The whole thing is put on by the Friends of the Forest a very aggressive Volunteer group and they do 2 of these tours a year.  The history of the Dupont forest is connected to the chemical industry as the name implies...you can Google it up for more info I will hit the highlights!! OH---- these falls locations have been used in movies such as Last of the Mohicans, as well as Hunger Games!

from the web 

The tour included a ride on small gravel roads in a school bus  with lots of other like minded folks I enjoyed the company of for the day.  

MANY OF MY PHOTOS OF THIS TRIP ARE MISSING But scroll down to see what I do have. 

The forest is so packed with trails and WATERFALLS!! There's 6 on the property along with 2 lakes and lots of creeks, rivers, and TREES!

The first stop on our tour was the Triple falls! Its  huge each drop is about 30 ft..and it was gushing with water..

the upper levels....

some people for scale...

next on the tour was High Falls! and its just that...100ft! 

Tons of water!!  Notice the people in the lower right

I did make some videos I will upload when I get a chance...one cool thing about high falls is

It tumbles over the edge after passing under the covered bridge that we rumbled over in our little bus..

The 3rd on our tour was Bridal Veil...it has the veil ...

and then a long slide down!!

I slept that night at the Black Forest Family Campground..an awesome place to camp clean, roomy, fully loaded and pretty with a real friendly family owning and operating it they even have a pancake breakfast on their huge front porch on Sunday mornings..

Then Monday Casey and I hiked to the Hooker Falls it was not a long hike, maybe only 0.6 mi ...it was really a nice falls small but lots of water and quite wide!!

Lastly Casey slept in the cool shade in the van while I hiked the 2.8 mi to Grassy Creek Falls, kinda of disappointed in this as it should have been called a slide, but I did enjoy the hike and it was very pretty!!

Then I drove home!!! OMG I had a blast and could keep going forever!!

...and life goes on. 

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

The Natural Bridge-7th Of the Wonders!

Since time is a factor I turned South on Friday after traveling only a 1/3 of the 106 mile Skyline Drive in Shenandoah NP. On the way back down I drove I-81 It sort of Parallels the Parkway except its straight and you can drive 70mph I needed to make up some mileage...but I did stop at one attraction.  I've been here before with my Mom many years ago..now its all touristy and crowded but I stopped because back when we visited in the late 70's I didn't get any decent photos of it...I think I had one of those 126 drop in film cameras at that time--

Its billed as one of the 7 wonders, funny how there must be 1,000's of 7 wonders?

but in the ticket and gift shop area I found two of these! 

The penny Collector machine! I turned 2 this time--

The Natural Bridge is a wonder for sure,,,215 ft high 100 ft wide!

Painting by David Johnson c-1860 

from Wikipedia my photos lost

it was a cavern with an underground river-- years of erosion collapsed the cavern walls and the bridge remains.  It was purchased by Thomas Jefferson from King George III and he planned to make a tourist attraction of it! 

painting by Fredirck Edwin Church c-1852

Later he sold it to the a WOLTZ family and if you look closely you can see Woltz family names carved in the rock 1883...you can also see G.W. for this landmark was surveyed by none other than George Washington himself!!

This is his initials carved in the rock face. 

along with the bridge there is a replica of a Mohican Village, it was the Mohicans who first settled the Bridge area..artifacts have been found on this site.  This hut is covered with bark!

some pelts they had around...and Casey went for the butt sniff..ugh.

There is a small but scenic waterfall upstream from the bridge...

We enjoyed it although I think its pricey @ $18...there is a discount if your AARP, AAA etc...$2.20 and there is a free shuttle ride if you want to avoid the 138 steps back up.. Almost everyone along the walk had been introduced to Casey so when we asked if we could ride the shuttle back up the driver asked the other riders if we could ride... they all said, "YES come on in Casey"...no one knew my name  I was just the lady who was with Casey! ....lol.

T.B.C.

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Mile Post 1.0

...and still northward we go our intended Destination Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive! The Blue Ridge Parkway terminates and the S-NP begins..the only difference is an entry fee!! 

Meanwhile before we reach mile post 1.0, we stop at Humpback Rocks..we didnt do the hike to the rock formations....you just can't do it all ya know!  But I got a photo from long distance of some of the rocks up there...

But we (Casey and I) toured the Old  Farm Village across the road--

Then entered the park! the Ranger stamped my passport!! And I think Ill have to swing east to get my Blue Ridge Parkway stamp--- ALL week I kept forgetting to get it stamped!! I may encounter the Parkway again before I'm headed back to SC.  As I type this I'm near Bristol TN!  

taken from the Skyline Drive.  Thats 2 things off my bucket list! Photographing Mabry Mill in fall foliage and making it to Shenandoah Valley!

T.B.C.

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.