A Townwide Splash Down

Damascus, VA is the hiker friendliest little town on the Appalachian Trail. The Appalachian Trail runs right through downtown and at any given time, there are as many hikers in town as there are actual residents.  It's just a small town but it is bursting at the seams with beauty, nature, fun and genuinely nice people.  

Every year, Damascus hosts the Appalachian Trail Days Festival and it is one of  the most entertaining events of the year.  Hikers from all across the country come together here to celebrate the trail, hikers, those who embrace hikers, nature and simplicity of life.  To see a full list of events, see here.  

It all culminates in a hiker parade.  You are likely to see it ALL here and it's one of those things you will just have to experience first hand! Hikers dress in all sorts of costumes, they gear up (as does the entire town of onlookers) with water balloons and water guns and they march from one end of town to the other, while everyone literally pelts each other with water.  It's fun for everyone...  My pictures don't come close to the full experience, so next year I hope to see you there!

An Eagles View

This entry has to start with one word. Wow. Big Walker Lookout offers a spectacular view of Wythe county, the land layout, farms, mountains and neighboring states.  It's breathtaking up there.  On a clear day (like the one shown here, you can see five (5) states from the top at an elevation of 3,405 feet (that is well over 1/2 mile up) so while its not a trek for the faint of heart, those scared of heights or anyone with certain medical conditions... it is well worth the effort if you are able to make the journey.   If you have ever dreamed of seeing the world from the perspective of an eagle, this is your chance!

You can get to Big Walker Lookout the same way you get to the Big Walker Store (last post), or follow this link to see information specific to the lookout, including directions and the calendar of events. There is always something going on here.

Enjoy your visit.

Big Walker County Store

Traveling along the Big Walker Mountain Scenic Byway between Wytheville and Bland, VA on state highway 717 and US route 52, you'll pass many breathtaking sights but you will also be taken back in time.  You will get a glimpse of what life was like when things were simple.  The Big Walker Country Store pictured here has been in business since 1947 and is now an Internet Store as well.  They sell delicious home made goodies like jams and jellies, made locally.  They also sell hand made items that are made by over 30 local artisans.  See their store here.

But to experience it  for yourself and to enjoy an absolutely gorgeous scenic drive with plenty of places to stop and explore, get in your car and hit route 52.  Here's a map of the area.

Let There Be Light

There's a train at Steele Creek Park, in Bristol TN, that can be enjoyed by the young, the old and those who look for great photo opportunities.  This was one such occasion...  (see previous post for directions and information about the park)

Beauty in the Mist

As morning fades to day, the mist rises from Steel Creek Lake in Bristol, TN.  The ducks make their way across the water  with such grace and elegance.  This is a gorgeous park to visit any time of the day, any time of the year. It offers something for everyone or any age, interest or ability.  There are hiking, fitness and biking trails, playgrounds, a nature center, train rides, bird watching, sight seeing picnicking, Frisbee golf, volley ball and room any other activity you can get a group of people together for.  The list is endless.   In the autumn,  you don't want to miss the changing of the leaves.   

Need directions? 

 From Interstate 81:

     Take Exit 74A, pass by Wellmont Bristol Regional Medical Center.  Continue on toward Bristol.  At the
     2nd red light  

     (CVS will be on your right), turn right onto Highway 126.  Travel for 1 mile, turn left onto Steele Creek
      Park Drive. 

Outdoor Dreamscape

The Wier Dam, on the South Holston River in Bristol, TN sits nestled between picturesque mountains.  It's an easy to find and very accessible place to go hiking, fishing, picnicking, looking for photo ops or an escape to nature.  It also boasts as home to my beloved Osceola Island.

The dam does release a lot of water very fast so prior to venturing out, it's advisable to check the water release schedule here (it's updated daily).  It you want to hear what it sounds like when being released, you can do that here.   Use caution and common sense first, and this is a beautiful and enjoyable place to visit.

Ode to the Dandelion

Whether you call this a flower or a weed,  I call it a photographers opportunity.  It's a little work of art, intricate, beautiful.  It's springs first sigh silently announcing, "I have arrived!"  Dandelions are the first flower many children ever give their mothers, making them a mothers skipped heartbeat and heartfelt smile.  Before maturity, they are edible and after maturity, as seen here, they await someone with a camera or the breath of a child as they bid this world adieu.

The Bridge to Osceola Island

Osceola Island in Bristol, TN is beautiful. It's my home away from home. It's one of the places I escape to - and never go without my camera. There's nature, a 1.5 mile long trail around the island, a picnic area, fishing and water - lots of it (there is also the Wier Dam -another post). To me, it's Paradise.

Directions: From 421 in Bristol, turn right onto Emmett Rd. After about 2.5 miles, the road forks - bear to the right. You will drive straight into it. If you visit here, please remember to respect mother nature - take nothing you didn't bring and leave nothing you did.

Virginia Bluebell

The Virginia Bluebell is a spring woodland flower that can be found in Virginia and Eastern Tennessee.  It's a perennial with purple and pink blooms.  I found it blooming in abundance on a path near Holston Lake in Bristol TN,  kissed by an early morning dew. 

Frequently Overlooked Beauty

Just as you cross over the Holston View Rd bridge in Sullivan County, on the way to Osceola Island,  if you will look to your right (as opposed to being drawn to the left, as most everyone is) you will behold hidden beauty.  All you have to do is notice it.  There is so little traffic out that way if you go early in the morning, that you can actually stop on the bridge and enjoy both views. 

Kiawanis Club Sponsored Carnival in Bristol, TN

The carnival is in town! The carnival is in town! It's in the Big Lots parking lot on Volunteer Parkway in Bristol, TN and will stay around until Sunday May 2, 2010 barring rain. Yeah, I'm a big kid. I love carnivals (and yes, I still ride the rides and get just as much thrill out of them as I did when I was 8 years old) and I love colors. There is no better place in the world than a little local carnival to entice all the senses at once - colors, sounds, smells and (the anticipation, wait, thrill, fun) excitement abound. Sometimes we all need to let that kid inside have a little fun... and snap off a few fun shots while we are at it.

South Holston River Bluff City, TN

This was an image taken on the South Fork of South Holston River.  The editing effect is a technique called HDR (High Dynamic Range) editing, where several pictures are taken of the same thing with multiple exposure settings. Then, the images are merged together and the result is a very surrealistic effect where all parts of the image are 1) in perfect exposure and 2) very saturated so the image 'jumps' off the page.