Tagged With "Smoky Mountains"
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 16, 2015: Franklin Automobiles in Tucson, Arizona
I’ve heard that, but I’ve also always wondered if it were true, since a driver holding the reins on a horse or horses would want to be able to exert equal force on either side…and all the pictures I can find of buggy drivers seem to show the driver in the middle! One site I just looked at suggests that Ford made the switch to make it easier for passengers to get in and out, by moving the driver away from the curb; the same site suggests that in the early days on the Continent, right-hand was...
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Re: Sept 1, 2016: Wild Roses on the River Side.
WILD ROSES Wild Fruit - before the birds eat them ! I've been told by other walkers that further along you can only smell wild Jasmine. On the waters edge - where these grow - can best be described as a cool climate. With the onshore breeze off the river it rarely passes above 21c / 70f. So about the same climate as your Mountain rose. The smell really takes you by surprise - like walking into a small room holding a large "Women's Institute"meeting ! Perfume overload !
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov 22, 2013: Moab before the storm
I keep coming back. Makes me want to hop on my (mountain) bike and cruise around! I'm not bold enough for a motorcycle, but do like my mountain bike. Love it, Mac!
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #15
I agree with Dan Carter that it looks like a ferry in the picture, but I don't see Maine out there. I believe I see two countries. Also, it seems to me that Gumbo may have climbed to the top of a mountain and continued to climb for a better view.
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #15
Originally Posted by WorkerBee: I agree with Dan Carter that it looks like a ferry in the picture, but I don't see Maine out there. I believe I see two countries. Also, it seems to me that Gumbo may have climbed to the top of a mountain and continued to climb for a better view. I can see now that I was mistaken about what Gumbo saw. Only one country. What is beyond the islands is a peninsula. And Gumbo climbed nothing except a few steps to enter an elevator.
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Re: Grizzly Paw Brewery and Restaurant, Canmore, Alberta
When I lived in Canmore, The Paw was one of my favorite places along with Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. I watched the Grey Cup at the Grizzly Paw.
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Re: Gumbo’s Pic of the Day, January 23, 2015: Postcard from Morocco: A long and winding road...
Amazing piece of engineering. Had a really long look at the road and I couldn't see any donkeys. Just like the mountain roads in the Sierra Nevada, Spain which don't have the luxury of the walls at the roadside. Great fun on a bus with 6 inches to spare on those bends !
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Re: Taos NM - Indian, Mexican, and Yarn
Great pictures!I wish I knew how to knit. You make it look fun and friendly. I have been to Taos four times for a writer's retreat at the Mable Dodge Luhan House , which is in walking distance to the Wired Cafe and other restaurants and shopping. It's also a quick drive to fantastic hiking. (Watch for rattlesnakes though.) And if you're up for a 13,000 ft hike or mountain biking, drive to the Taos Ski Valley . Kachina Peak has one of the best views in the world.
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Re: Spring Time on Table Mountain
A most beautiful place! I can see why it's special to you. Glad that there are still unspoiled places left like this in California. From your photos it's a little difficult to get a sense of the size and scale of Table mountain. Is it a huge place? A smaller oasis?
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Re: Spring Time on Table Mountain
I have spent whole days hiking Table Mountain and haven't even covered half of it. The top of the mountain is divided by the single two lane road that cuts up and over it. This day was spent on the West side of the divide. I couldn't find any information on the square mileage, but as a rough estimate I would say "huge". There are also caves, which I have never found, but then again I have never found Phantom Falls, either. Just North of this spot there is a "ghost town" called Cherokee.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, May 2, 2014: The Viceroy's Lodge in Shimla, India
Fascinating building, Mac! I was completely unaware of it. The story reminds me somewhat of Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka -- another cool mountain retreat the British loved.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#126)
Looks like a mountain lodge somewhere. Even reminds me of one staircase in the lodge I just visited on Mt. Hood. What kind of wood is that? Anyone know? That could help us locate this place. Is it Old World wood?
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, May 28, 2015: Logan Pass, Glacier National Park, Montana
Awesome pictures. I was in Waterton Park in the early 80s with work in early May before the season opened. The town site had dozens of mountain sheep everywhere. It was so beautiful and peaceful. We were about the only people other then residents there. Must certainly do another trip down that way and go across into Glacier Park as well. Thanks.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, April 13, 2015: Waimea Canyon, Kauai, Hawaii
Hi Marilyn and Garry Marilyn, I'm so glad you enjoyed this POD. Thank you for the kind words. They are much appreciated. If you have not yet had the chance, I do hope that one day you will be able to visit this magnificent canyon. Garry...if a lovely attractive lady asked me if I hiked to the top of a mountain to take these photos, the answer of course would be "Why yes...yes I did (cough cough)." Between you and me, I took the easy way by climbing the short staircase from the parking lot to...
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Re: Visiting Erupting Mount Etna
We were there in 2014 and it was one of the most interesting days to walk around this area. We had no idea the volcano had so many side vents. We did not purchase the guided tour on the big tire vehicle, but were very impressed, nonetheless. We stayed in Taormina for a week and took day trips to various locations in the eastern part of the island. One place we spent an afternoon was a mountain to town with my last name. It was very cool. This place does not see many travelers and everywhere...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? (#119)
Last clues for this puzzle. The "reveal" goes up on Monday. Here's a different view of the town Gumbo is visiting.... If you climb to the top of the ridge above the town and look towards the largest mountain peak, this is your view..... So where exactly is Gumbo visiting?
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #4.5, 12/6/13
Well, I'm kind of lost, because it's not any area I'm familiar with. I'm puzzled by the mountain business a bit, because they look low--I guess that's what Mrs. Briggs meant. You've picked out a lot of detail, but nothing as distinctive as the Paris bridge railing last week. Hmmm...are we wrong in being sure it's in U.S.? Dr. F--can you give us that much?
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo? #4.5, 12/6/13
WorkerBee - Indeed, it does look like that. Similar to pic below, if you ignore those buildings. Does Newport Beach have a mountain ? There must be a lot of contractors going up and down the coast of California, building and re-building similar piers.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 26, 2013: Zhangjiajie National Park, China
Glad you guys liked the pictures. Indeed, this place impressed us a great deal. Like Karl said it’s like something unreal. Stay tuned, in part II, I will show you what underneath those mountain pinnacles.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Dec. 10, 2013: Zhangjiajie National Park, China
Thanks Theo for your comment. That was exactly the intention to include a person in the picture Have not been in Carlsbad caves yet, perhaps should be added to the next destination list. The mountain pinnacles in Zhangjiajie stretch mils and mils, kind like Yellowstone. I was told the underneath cave system is the same. However, only a small fraction is explored and even smaller ones are currently open for visitors.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, December 12, 2013: Aerial Lift Bridge, Duluth, Minnesota
Hello again Theodore Sorry for the late response to your question. Personally, I do not think it is worth the time and effort it would take for you to drive to Duluth from Minneapolis for only one day in the winter time. The ride from Minneapolis to Duluth one way on Interstate 35 will take you 2.5 hours, and that's under good driving conditions. In the winter, chances are you will encounter bad weather, and that will definitely add to your driving time. Duluth doesn't shut down in the...
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Re: Tuktoyaktuk: A village on the Arctic Coast of Canada
Hi Tom. I live in the UK. We're not lovers of cold weather, but we did have a night 10 months ago when it fell below freezing for a few hours. Some say "Global Warming" but I say the Jet Stream got stuck in its usual "Summer" position and Caribbean winds kept us warm. We don't have a mosquito problem here ( 200 miles north of London) but I'm curious to know. Are there any noticeable changes to your weather ? Longer summers or wetter winters ? I remember studying the shifting Polar Ice Caps...
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Re: Tuktoyaktuk: A village on the Arctic Coast of Canada
I don't know much about global warming. I suspect that pollution contributes to it, but these things also happen on their own as we know from ice ages and warming periods in the past. I have noticed long periods of warm weather but then it gets cold again. I have read that the Arctic ice is melting but this coming winter is predicted to be very cold here in Canada. Although I have travelled in the Arctic, I have not spent enough time there to observe any climate changes. There are scientists...
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Re: Finding Reiner #2: Chasing Ghosts
Here we go! I am so eager to learn more about that old house which is pictured so beautifully in the mountain idyll of Poland. My fantasy is of undiscovered family treasures in the attic which the Polish police, who now occupy that building, would gladly be rid of. Whit, don't forget to search the attic when you get there. Ha! I am sure glad you are Finding Reiner.
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Re: Yosemite National Park: A walk among Giants. Hiking in the Mariposa Grove
Thanks for all your comments. Followup: DrY. Yes, you and your family should see this sometime. You would love it! We need to plan out a trip to California for you that includes its best parks and some city sites. PHeymont. Yes, you must DO Yosemite. I recommend mid to late May as the best time to go as the waterfalls are brimming with meltwater. I like hikes of all types and can still do "moderate" hikes, though no longer take on "challenging" ones. But the Mariposa grove is doable by...
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Re: Banff National Park: Hiking Johnson Lake
Fascinating to see that a hike in such rugged scenery can actually be an easy walk! There must be many more like that, that compare to a serious city walk and not to mountain-climbing. Good!
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, July 29, 2014. Shira Plateau, Tanzania
Hi Garry, By law, you can not climb or go on Mount Kilimanjaro without hiring a local "crew", which would include guide, cooks, porters. Most people do this as part of a travel package, as did I, which for me also included a week of wildlife viewing on the Tanzanian savanna. They take good care of you -- show you the way, warn you of dangers (mostly the altitude and dehydration), carry most of your gear and boil your water and prepare your food. So while remote, it was not a really tough...
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Re: High Atlas Bride Fair, Imchlil, Morocco
A fascinating piece, Mac! Would you know if the custom continues, or whether or things have "modernized"? And I also share your nightmares of passing massive lorries on those narrow mountain roads.
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A tropical oasis: Wahiawa Botanical Garden, Oahu
I'm fond of exploring parks and libraries in the cities I visit, for different reasons. Libraries are fun because I love and collect books, and because the quality of a city's libraries tells me a lot about that city's priorities. ...
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Visiting historic Skagway, Alaska
Skagway, Alaska owes its existence to the Klondike Gold Rush in the late 1800s. There were three main routes to the Klondike. One route was across Alaska. A second was the all-Canadian route starting at Edmonton and...
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Following the European Beer Trail: Oktoberfest to Sorrento
To answer your question. Yes, Italians drink beer. It’s not a well-known pastime of Italy, however it is becoming more common. But before we get to Italy let me tell you about my beer adventure that led me to central Italy. I started the...
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A springtime hike on the Yakima Rim Skyline Trail
After a rather long winter I was ready for a pleasant dayhike. While I’d rather head up to the mountains for a stroll in an alpine meadow, there’s way too much snow up there in April. Fortunately in the Northwest there are some...
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Washington State’s Long Beach Peninsula
For most travelers, the southwestern corner of Washington state is easy to bypass. It lies well over an hour’s drive from the busy I-5 Interstate Freeway. The broad mouth of the Columbia River limits access from the Oregon...
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The North Cascades: a National Park and Scenic Highway
The North Cascades Highway (Washington SR-20) offers the northern most route across the Cascade range in Washington state, just south of the Canadian border. The eastern (and highest) part of the road is...
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Columbia River Gorge, Where Gumbo Was #82
Gumbo was visiting the beautiful Columbia River Gorge, which straddles northern Oregon and southern Washington states. Specifically, Gumbo was enjoying the amazing view of the Gorge through the lobby window of the Skamania Lodge in...
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Tahquitz Canyon, Palm Springs
It's a great time of year to be visiting the desert regions of the Southwestern USA. The weather is warm and pleasant, the wildflowers are starting to bloom, and the oppressive heat of summer is a distant...
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The Minturn Summer Market
One of the pleasures of summer across the northern hemisphere is that farmers markets spring to life for a few months, serving a bounty of fresh produce along with other items people buy at a market, like handicrafts, baked goods,...
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Rocky Mountain High? Not at Denver Airport!
While Colorado has made recreational use of marijuana legal, it's also given business owners and building operators the right to ban it on premises—and both Denver and Colorado Springs airports have done so. Now, a vendor is suing the Denver...
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Road Trip, Day 1: City of Ten Thousand Buddhas and The Skunk
Gateway to the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas March 9, 2015 In the late ‘80s, I lived in L.A. for a couple of years. My S.O. knew lots of cool L.A. stuff. One of those was something he’d read that...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, April 1st, 2015: Cameron Falls, Waterton
Cameron Falls, Waterton The Cameron Falls are located in the townsite of Waterton Village. This serene cascade is well lit at night for viewers enjoying a peaceful evening stroll. These falls are also the site of the oldest rock in the...
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Enjoying the Wonderful Sites in Zacatecas, Mexico
Millions of tourists visit Mexico every year, mostly in the winter as people like to get away from the freezing temperatures and snow in the north. Almost all of these people visit the tourist cities of Cancun, Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas,...
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Mar 27, 2016: Ladakh—Tibetan Monasteries, Stunning Landscapes, World’s Highest Road…
Ladakh is a mélange of mystical, ancient monasteries, of breathtaking landscapes and remote, untouched villages and the world's highest drive-able road.
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, June 22, 2015: Rocky Mountain Sunset
For travelers like me who love mountains, the Canadian Rockies are about as good as it gets. One evening I was driving to Calgary from the Crowsnest Pass in southwestern Alberta, along highway 22x, the beautiful Cowboy Trail. The Cowboy...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, February 24, 2015: Where is Apache Trail??
Located at the northeastern edge of greater Phoenix area, the Apache Trail was recommended by our friend as Arizona’s oldest and most scenic driving trail. The winding 40 mile road takes you through the magnificent scenery of sometime steep...
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Visiting Santiago de Cuba
I really had no idea what to expect of Santiago de Cuba , afterall the next biggest city in Cuba is always overshadowed by Havana. So Santiago was going to surprise us - it could only leave a good or a bad impression right? We showed...
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Scottsdale By the Numbers
Scottsdale Attractions: 1) Hot Air Expeditions: Start your day in a hot air balloon soaring over the desert with the sun creeping over the mountains. 2) Taliesin West : Frank Lloyd...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, March 10, 2015: Oh Deer, you are Hungry!
Winter in Alberta is long and can be harsh. With snow covering the land, food for wildlife can be hard to get. That’s when we see deer wandering around the residential areas searching for something to...
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"World's scariest walkway" re-opens; may be safer
A skinny walkway crossing a mountain face above a gorge in Spain has been rebuilt and re-opened; it was closed in 2001 after five deaths, but people just wouldn't stop walking it. The new version has safety features and requires a helmet, but is still...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, October 27, 2014: Nene, Kauai
A nene is a goose native to Hawaii and is that island's state bird. The first time I saw nene was several years ago when my wife and I spent a week in Maui. We spotted them while on a drive to the summit of the dormant volcano,...
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Route 66 - Pasadena to Needles
Last summer I had the opportunity to do something I had always wanted to do - drive a significant portion of Route 66. Having spent 4 days in LA, I started a drive to Albuquerque to meet up with The Amazing Ms. D. Instead of rushing down the...