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I met Courtney after I arranged a guided hiking and rock climbing trip in CO. A young, laid back guy with an easy going personality & a love of anything outdoors whom I assumed was a CO native. Surprisingly, he hails from my home state of FL.
During a day long trek up a 12,000 ft mountain, Courtney told me that he studied engineering at a state college. After 1 semester, he decided it wasn't for him. An Outward Bound course and a few internships later, he became a guide.
I heard stories about climbs up mountains whose names rang a bell but whose cliffs & crags I knew I would neither traverse nor climb. I took the different path. Stayed in school & went on to become something I was supposed to be. I lacked the awareness, & perhaps the courage, to pursue dreams less conventional.
But doing what you love comes at a price. "I'll never be rich," Courtney said, smiling & shrugging at the same time, accepting the tolls of the life he'd chosen while basking in the joy of knowing he could spend his days doing what he loves.
On day 2 of our excursion, after patiently struggling to make a rock climber out of an acrophobic city girl, Courtney told me that hiking & rock climbing required mental determination. He explained that rock climbing was mostly about getting past fear, while mountain climbing involved using mental energy to push yourself past your physical limits. We talked a bit about how these concepts applied in day to day life.
I haven't quit my job & moved out west, as I'd dreamed about while in CO. That wouldn't be the right choice for me. But I learned a bit about not giving into fear. And about perseverence.
At some point during the grueling uphill portion of the hike, Courtney found a piece of quartz rock which he gave to me. "For luck," he said. The rock sits in a box on my office desk next to a picture of an unnamed CO mountain similar to the one we hiked that day. I don't know how much luck it brings me, but it reminds me of those 2 days & helps keep the minor struggles in perspective. Leave a Comment
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Colin Fletcher used this phrase as the title of his book depicting his in depth journey through the Grand Canyon. But there is another man who devotes his life to exploring the great beauty and mystery that is the Canyon. He not only seeks that beauty for himself, but he shares it with others. His name is Jim Justham and he is a hiking guide.
I met Jim in November, 2003 when he lead me on a three day journey into the Grand Canyon. That trip was a dream come true for me, in a bittersweet way. For Jim, hiking in the Canyon is the dream that completes him. We both struggled with our demons on that trip, as well as a weather system which threatened to loosen the flodgates upon us at any minute. But, with Jim's determination, we made it through.
Jim is a fine example of an everyday person who is extraordinary without even realizing it. Jim's love of the Canyon is infectious. His story, and the experience, left an imprint that have stayed with me and inspired me to never quit.
Jim taught me that making things happen often requires more determination that we can imagine. Life can throw many roadblocks into the path leading to our dreams, but the power to achieve them lies within us. I'll always be grateful to Jim for making my dream a reality.
Jim's complete story, as told to me, and the narrative of that trip, can be found on my Grand Canyon Page Leave a Comment
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So, there I was, minding my business, not bothering nobody, when, all of a sudden.....
That's how I promised him I would write the story. I first met Tommy on a Saturday night in July in Pioneer Square. It was one of those off nights when I was wondering what to do next, just sitting on a park bench trying to decide whether to pack it in and go home or go forward, when this guy in a leather jacket approached, startling me out of my reverie and, to be honest, making me fear for my safety.
I have to smile at the last part as there's no one less frightening or more well intentioned then Tom. He is, in his own words, a character. An aspiring actor and part-time model, a bit rough around the edges till you get to know him and a man with wisdom hidden behind the drawl and the motorcycle.
Like many of us, Tom lost the path along the way. He lost it all, big time. But after a time of anger and frustration, he found his way back to happiness. And few people deserve it more.
When I met him, Tom reminded me of some of those steep twisting roads that wind dangerously close to the edge. The ones where one false move- a turn too fast, or simply losing sight of the road for a moment, and its lights out. But those roads have a way of evening out. And, if you follow them long enough, you reach less steep and more stable ground. The same could be said for Tommy.
Over the past few years, Tom has been my friend and mentor on my own personal winding road. His sharp insight and humor have cleared the path and made it more bearable. Tom's given me some of the greatest advice I've ever received from anyone, and inspired one of the toughest decisions of my life. Just another example of a life-long friendship found on Roadtrip USA. Leave a Comment
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The FAKE lighthouse at Harbour Town, on the southern end of Hilton Head Island, is more widely known, but the Hilton Head Rear Range Light is the only true lighthouse. ..
The actual Hilton Head lighthouse was one of two range lights. This six-legged tower rising to a height of 95 feet located a quarter mile inland served as the rear light.
The lights come complete with a Southern tradition, a resident ghost. A fierce hurricane in 1898 didn’t prevent keeper Adam Fripp from tending to his lights. In a driving rain, Fripp made his way to the oil house, and then to the tower and up the spiral staircase. Just as he reached the top, a powerful gust of wind shattered one of the glass panes in the lantern room. The strain of the ascent coupled with the shock of the exploding glass was more than Fripp’s heart could handle. Hours later, his daughter Caroline noticed her father’s prolonged absence and went in search of him. Wearing a long blue dress, Caroline climbed the tower where she discovered her dying father. Fripp implored his daught to "keep the light burning no matter how dangerous the storm". Caroline .. slosh[ed] through hip-deep water to replenish the lamps with oil...she died shortly thereafter. Since that time, sightings of a girl in a blue dress near the tall skeletal tower have been reported on dark rainy nights.
The lights were decommissioned in 1932.
I asked the concierge how I could get into Palmetto Dunes to take a photo of the lighthouse and she said it couldn't be done. But we got a pass - it was really easy - they had a drive-up pass window and the pass lady told us how to get there. We went through the first gate, and then turned on Leamington Lane and went through the second gate and down to the golf course and the lighthouse was there. It was right by what I think was a bathroom on the golf course.
After I finished taking the pictures I saw a big bird - possibly an osprey - land on the roof, and then another one did the same. I think they must have a nest up there. Leave a Comment
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Gasparilla Island light was one of three lighthouses built (and lit in first lit on December 31, 1890) to assist cattle ships going from ports in Charlotte Harbor to Cuba. Later it guided phosphate ships from nearby railroad docks that were built in 1909.
The lighthouse is a one -story dwelling on piles with green shutters, and a shingled roof with a black lantern on top. The light was a 3.5 order Fresnel lens that showed a fixed white light plus red flashes every 20 seconds. It served as a rear range light for vessels entering the harbor.
In an early evening of April 1940, a fire broke out in the washroom (a small building separate from the lighthouse). There was no water pressure to fight the fire. Fortunately, men from the nearby railroad came to help. A bucket brigade kept the fire from spreading until a 1,000 foot-long fire hose could be assembled from the railroad docks.
Peak shipping activity occured during World War II when over 30 ships called at the phosphate docks each month. The lighthouse continued in operation until in 1956, it was automated and unmanned. In the mid-1960's shoreline erosion threatened the site. The Coast Guard discontinued the light in the lighthouse in 1968 and established a new light (Port Boca Grande Light) on a 58-foot tall steel skeleton tower further inland. To distinguish it from the lighthouse, the new structure was called Port Boca Grande Light.
The lighthouse reached its worst state of disrepair in 1972. In 1980, the lighthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. With erosion now threatening the skeleton tower, the Coast Guard and the Gasparilla Island Conservation and Improvement Association reached agreement to sought permission to re-establish the light to the tower. In March 1999, the Boca Grande Lighthouse Museum opened in the lighthouse building. The lighthouse retained its later name of Port Boca Grande Ligh Leave a Comment
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This 6,288 peak, the highest in the northeastern United States, claims the dubious distinction of having the worst weather on earth. It is not a large mountain by world standards, however, its unique location causes it to sometimes experience weather extremes such as those found in polar regions, or by other mountains 3 or 4 times as high. On April 12, 1934, the ground wind speed atop Mt. Washington was recorded at 231 mph (372 kph), an all time world record that still stands.
There is an auto road to the top of Mt. Washington where you will find an observatory, gift shop, snacks, and restrooms. Built in 1861, this "Road to the Sky" was an unprecedented enginering achievement and became America's first man-made attraction. I took my son, Jeromy, up Mount Washington in mid June, just after he had graduated from High School. The views of the Presidential Range, White Mountains National Forest, and beyond were spectacular. As we started up the mountain it was clear and the temperature was around 70F. Just before we reached the summit a stiff wind blew a cloud cover across the sky and snow began to fall. Or actually the snow blew by horizontally in a blustery cold wind. When weather permits, the auto road is open from early May 'till late October.
Mt. Washington is also a popular hike, but not one to be taken lightly. Many have perished on its slopes because they were not prepared for the sudden dramatic changes in weather that can happen here. A cog railway also ascends the mountain, but I have saved that for a future trip.
Fee:
Toll for the auto road is $18.00 for a car and driver. This includes a bumper sticker which says "This car climbed Mt. Washington," and an audio tour on cassett or CD, in English, French or German. Additional passengers are $7.00 per adult and $4.00 per child. Even for a frugle guy like me, the experience is well worth it.
Address:
Mt. Washington Auto Road
P.O. Box 278
Gorham, NH 03581 Leave a Comment
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Point Lookout is a lighthouse on top of a regular house. It is on the northern (Maryland) shore of the Potomac River. Just like Smith Point in Virginia, the waters are often rough around Point Lookout. The first time we came around this point, windsurfers were having a marvelous time in the boistrous weather.
The 2nd picture was taken on the 4th of July 2000 when we took our grandson, SIL and daughter out for a picnic and anchored for lunch. Since then (in 2002), the lighthouse has been painted. The main picture was taken in July 2005. It is in the process of being listed in the National Historic Register. The lighthouse is said to be haunted.
The Point Lookout lighthouse is in or near Point Lookout State Park, which is the site of a notorious Civil War Prison where many southerners were held after capture. There is also a lake, with a channel from the river, and beaches and various other recreational activities available. The most visible items from the water are the various antennae and other structures.
The lighthouse, which was built in 1830 was sold to the Navy in 1965 and the interior of the lighthouse was dismantled. The lighthouse is not a part of the State Park, and normally is off limits. It can only be toured when all the lighthouses on the Bay are open to the public on a lighthouse tour.
The sign on the fence says:
Point Lookout
Tracking Station
Chesapeake Test Range
Naval Air Test Center
Patuxent River, Maryland
Call 863-1188
In 2004, U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer got the funds relocate the Theodolite Tracking System from Point Lookout to a safer, more secure location so that the lighthouse can become part of the State Park and eventually be opened again to the public. Leave a Comment
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Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse is a beautiful red screw pile lighthouse which was at the end of Bodkin Creek, near the Patapsco River. It was the second one built on the Chesapeake. Screw pile lighthouses are suspended above the water by a system of cast-iron pilings with cork-screw-like bases which are screwed into the soft mud of the sea floor.
Seven Foot Knoll was constructed with nine cast-iron screw piles supporting a gallery deck some nine feet above mean high water. It is the oldest surviving one in Maryland and was moved to the inner harbor of Baltimore in 1989. The house is unusual in that in addition to being red, it is round.
My husband's (and now my BIL's) home was on Bodkin Creek and they remember this lighthouse when it was active when the waves from wakes and wind would sometimes be 7 to 15 feet or more tall. The shoal is still there, but it is now marked only by a simple post .
The Seven Foot Knoll light is included in the Maritime Museum which also includes the TORSK and CONSTELLATION. Tickets are on sale near the Constellation. The Lighthouse Society does not rank this lighthouse in the top 50 lighthouses for visits.
Children under 5 years - Free
Children 6-14 years - $3.00
Adults - $6.00
Seniors - $5.00
Winter Hours
Friday - Sunday: 10:30am - 5:00pm
Spring hours start in March
Sunday - Thursday: 10:00am - 5:30pm
Friday - Saturday: 10:00am - 6:30pm
Ticket Booth closes 1/2 hour earlier than ships Leave a Comment
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This 54 foot tall cast-iron lighthouse was built to make the west side of Narragansett Bay safer. They used the pneumatic caisson method, Only 11 lighthouses were built this way including 7 on the Chesapeake. [Wolf Trap 1894, Solomons Lump 1895, Smith Point 1897, Hooper Island 1902, Point No Point 1905, Baltimore 1908 and Thimble Shoal 1914]
On September 21, 1938, the keepers looked out a window and saw a yacht passing by "at 60 miles per hour."
The History of Plum Beach Light says that the keepers took refuge in the 4th level of the lighthouse, only to see wrecked boats and buildings sweeping past them. The 30-foot waves broke open a door in the tower, washing away furniture and the station's boats. The two men went to the fog bell room (at the top of the lighthouse) where they lashed themselves, back to back, to the pipe that contained the weights for the clockwork mechanism that rotated the lens. They felt a gigantic wave strike the lighthouse but they survived.
Seven other people at lighthouses in the area were killed, and several lighthouses were destroyed or irrevocably damaged in what was the Hurricane of '38.
The 1941 bridge from North Kingston to Jamestown Island made the lighthouse obsolete and it was abandoned. The birds took over. The Coast Guard tried to give it to the state, but the state refused to take it.
In 1973, after this picture was taken, a painter hired to paint the lighthouse became ill from the guano.
Eventually, the lighthouse was restored by the Friends of Plum Beach Lighthouse. After the exterior was restored, 52 tons of pigeon guano was removed from inside the tower. The interior has not yet been restored
The lighthouse has been put back in service as an active aid to navigation. The best way to see the lighthouse is by boat, but there was also the Lighthouse Swim which was an annual event as early as the 20s.
Bay Queen Cruises, 461 Water Street , Gate #4, Warren, RI has several lighthouse cruises a year. Leave a Comment
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US is a country of superlatives.
One of them is the smalles post office on earth, in Ochopee, Florida.
They have everything you need when looking for a post office :-) Leave a Comment
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