Mid November and were back on the road.
With the autumn colors mostly lying on the ground in crispy deep piles of brown leaves and the hunters out in full force, we decide to dust the camper off and head out on a new adventure.
Our first morning at Morganton Point Rec area along the banks of the Blue Ridge Lake provides us with a beautiful sunrise.
October in the Nantahala forest can be quite spectacular with the autumn foliage. This year was no exception. The colors were awesome and the air was crispy cold.
So we park the camper in its garage for the month and head out on the local trails.
With the change in weather bringing much cooler temperatures Cabela and Ravyn were getting their energy and excitement back about going out and getting back on the trails. The heat of the summer usually has the two of them lifeless and lethargic. So, with the cold autumn mornings and the forests painted in dazzling reds, yellows and golds, the three of us are usually lined up at the door early in the AM ready to explore.
But with the beauty and excitement of fall comes the hunters. They are out with their packs of hunting dogs hunting bear so, Cabela and Ravyn are not allowed out without their bright orange vests. There are mornings that the sound of packs of hunting dogs on the chase and the blasts of guns turns us quickly around and we quickly head home.
Early September Cabela, Ravyn and my brother and I are camping on the coast of South Carolina in McClellanville.
We slept late this morning as it was wonderfully cool and breezy out. When we woke the sun was filling up the camper and the breezes were rustling the curtains. Cabela was looking at me wondering when in tarnation are you going to get up old man? I have to go out and pee!! Unless of course you’d rather i just peed….NO Cabela!!!!! I’ll take you out….
Today’s adventure brought us up to Mount Pleasant in South Carolina. We all piled into the truck and headed to Another Broken Egg. We sat outside in the cool breeze and had a great breakfast. No matter what Broken Egg you go to it is always the same great service and food.
Cabela was feeling great, and just a little bit frisky and just a bit hungry…. “Are you going to eat the rest of those pancakes old man? I told her absolutely you can’t have them. My brother tried to give her the check instead but she had no interest in the check. She finally looked at me with that, “fine stingy old man”. And she got down. I finished the pancakes and paid the check and off we went back up route 17 to Hidden Pond nursery to walk around their really cool selection of plants.
Our first adventure in several months finds us down in McClellanville, South Carolina – about 1 hour north of Charleston. Back in January Murhpy’s mom and dad, who we met back in January in Santee State Park, recommended we try Buck Hall Campground if we are ever in this area. It’s a really nice quiet spot right along the inter-coastal waterway. It only has about a dozen spaces and each has electrical and water hook-up.
Our first trip from the campground was to go visit Hampton Plantation just off Route 17. The plantation was built in the mid 1700’s and you can take self guided tours or guided tours. It’s a fun place to visit and spend the day.
A short drive through the historic area of McClellanville found us going through beautiful oak shaded streets and shrimp boat docks.
Early afternoon found us hungry and looking for a nice place for lunch. We landed at SeeWee seafood restaurant in Awendaw right on route 17. They are well known for their great seafood and is always a great place to stop to eat.
A walk along the Hiawassi River in Murphy, NC.
A Friday night concert at the John C. Campbel folk school in Brasstown,NC
A day in Hayseville, NC…..
probably one of the best dog friendly places we’ve eat’n at is The Back Dog Tavern in Hayseville. The food is awesome and they always welcome your dogs.
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!
Early May and we are planning another Punkhuskies road trip. Cabela & Ravyn were both really excited about a new road trip –
After a little bit of coercion and a few extra treats I finally got them to go along.
The first stop on our adventure brought us to ‘Another Broken Egg’ in Asheville. This is the old man’s favorite breakfast place.
It’s located in the Biltmore Plaza in Asheville, North Carolina. If you’re looking for a great place for breakfast where the food is excellent and creative and the staff is always friendly, I recommend you stop here. After breakfast we took a walk around the corner to REI outdoor store to look at all the really cool outdoor stuff they have. Cabela & Ravyn always have a great time shopping here and the store is always pet friendly.
The next day after we arrived in South Carolina, my brother and I took a day trip to Turbeville & Lake City. We had a nice lunch at Chat & Chew in Turbeville. They had an outdoor eating area but it was too hot for Cabela & Ravyn to sit out in the sun. (It was a wam 88 degrees.). After lunch we continued over to Lake City for an ice cream and a walk around town. Cabela & Ravyn each got a cup of whip cream ….
The next day was a day of golf for the old man …
After the old man’s golf day we got to take a trip to Georgetown, South Carolina. This was a fun day for us all but it was on the hot side. Lucky for all of us there was a nice breeze coming off the ocean that kept us from boiling over. Our first stop in Georgetown was for luch at Rollin Local. They had a great outdoor seating area in the shade. The old man and his brother had a big lunch and we got a great treat of some fine bacon as we meeted and greeted all the people that walked by.
After lunch we walked along the Harborwalk but it was getting a little too hot…
… so we walked along Main Street and poked into a few stores that looked interesting. In one antique store we went into we met two huskies who looked exactly like us….the store owner was really dog friendly as was everyone in Georgetown.
We dropped into Sweeties, a really nice home made ice cream shop but we can’t eat ice cream so we just had a bowl of cold water that the owner was so nice to give us as we were really starting to overheat walking around town. So after the ice cream shop we decided to head home. The cold AC of the truck was a nice treat as we ambled slowly home so Ravyn and Cabela slept most of the way home. All in all it was a really nice day and a treat to see Georgetown with all of the really dog friendly folks in town.
a day at the spa for Cabela & Ravyn…. The staff at Loving Care Pet Grooming in Murphy, NC are absolutely the best groomers. If you’re in the Murphy area and need a day at the spa stop by their place. You will not be disappointed.
Hiking the trails with Cabela & Ravyn is at the very top of the list of my favorite things to do. Three, five, eight miles – trying to wear out a husky is something I’ve only been able to do a small number of times.
January 2024 finds the three of us staying close to home. The last few weeks we’ve been hiking the trails in the Nantahala forest and enjoying the 25-30 degree temperatures. It seems the colder it gets the more Cabela & Ravyn come to life. Cabela & Ravyn’s neighbor Baloo usually joins us on our hikes as the 3 of them seem to get along really well.
Except for getting ready to go outside (during hunting season) our daily morning walks are always an excitement for Cabela & Ravyn. The split second they hear my feet sliding into my hiking boots they come running out trying to help me tie my boots up so we can get going faster.
Though Cabela always runs back into the bedroom when I grab the orange ‘don’t shoot me – I’m not a deer’ vest. It takes a while to convince a true southern belle that it’s ok to wear the vest.
Some mornings Cabela simply refuses to wear the vest. I tell her she’s not going hiking if she doesn’t put the vest on. So she marches off to the bedroom and goes back to sleep. I tell her, “ok, Ravyn and I are leaving”. She refuses to come out. So off Ravyn and I go to do our hike. But Ravyn and I have never gotten more than 3 minutes away when we both stop at the same time, look at each other and turn around to go back for Cabela.
When we return sometimes Cabela will decide to put on the vest, other times we go hiking without her vest on. I’ve learned that living with two strong willed huskies is a series of compromises and if I expect to win every argument with them the 3 of us will be in for a very fractious life together.
Once we’re all dressed and ready to go they both settle into a brisk walking pace and the old man just hangs on and follows the wagging tails through the trails.
Walking two strong huskies can be a real challenge at times. It’s tough on your arm sockets and your back. Cabela takes it very easy with me and is very compassionate but Ravyn has a tendency at times to run from one exciting scent to the other. Or she follows a squirrel of bird almost pulling me off the trail.
But for the most part I have learned to rely on their expertise at maneuvering the trails. Their ability to follow the trails is amazing to me. Even to the point where, occasionally, I think they are are going the wrong way only to find they have made the correct turns and we are right on the correct trail.
The old man has all he can do to keep from sliding down the side of the mountain as Cabela & Ravyn expertly maneuver any kind of trail in front of them.
No matter the temperature outside my two husky friends always seem to gravitate towards running water. They don’t linger in the streams as long as they do during the summer months but they still take a quick walk and drink in the cold mountain water.
Back on the trail we continue our gentle climb up the trail through the canopy of rhododendron shrubs and hardwood trees. The air is cold, the sun is warm and the huskies are full of energy. They were born to pull. It’s in their genes. It’s what they do and if you can hang on it’s one of the most exhilarating feelings to be behind them as they move through the trails – moving in total sync with watch other – as if the two of them were one husky.
Once at the top the old man takes a break on the trail as Cabela & Ravyn make sure I am ok.
I relax for a bit watching the blue sky agains the naked winter trees and realize again and again the pure joy that Cabela & Ravyn bring to my life.
When it’s time to turn around, sometimes it takes a little pep talk to get them to make a u-turn and head back. Huskies are really good at sitting down and ‘protesting’ anything they don’t want to do. Occasionally I have to threaten to pick them up and carry them if they don’t get going. (Yes, I have done that twice but a 50 pound dog doesn’t get carried too far.)
Huskies are constantly following their noses in search of anything that may be edible or will be an exciting chase or dig. Moles burrowing through the leaves are an irresistible pursuit for them and keeping them on the trail and moving forward can at times be a constant challenge. Once they lock on to some prey their focus on the hunt can be almost impossible to break.
Their ears go up, their body goes rigid and their nose points to the small or imperceptible movement. Then before you can try to talk them out of it their faces are plunging into the leaves – buried up to their ears. I have to keep telling myself it’s a husky thing. It’s what they do. What they love doing.
I start to get frustrated with them trying to get them to move on but then their irresistibly smiling face pops up from behind a log with a look of sheer happiness painted across their face and instantly my heart melts and I realize for the millionth time why I love them so deeply.
(Photos of the old man by Diane.)
2023 Adventures
Cabela, Ravyn and the old man wish everyone and their dogs a very happy new year.
Cabela & Ravyn’s favorite adventures of 2023
Cabela, Ravyn and I have spent the last few weeks at home enjoying the trails around Nantahala’s rivers and forests. It’s a time when I can spend more time rubbing their bellies, taking them to the creeks and streams to play and making them delicious home cooked meals.
As 2023 draws to a close we’ve been reflecting on the best places we’ve been this past year and of the places we’d like to visit next year.
It’s difficult to try to pick one single place that was the best since every place had its own unique beauty and we met really cool people in each place. So, we’ll pick a medley of the best places and experiences we had in 2023.
Probably the most awesome water falls we encountered were at Fall Creeks Falls in Tennessee. That’s going to be one place that we want to return to next year.
The most memorable hike we did was at Black Rock Mountain in north east Georgia. I don’t really know why as we’ve been on so many gorgeous hikes except that maybe the three of us were just so perfectly aligned that day.
The most fun that Cabela and Ravyn had on a hike was at Rabun Lake State Park, Georgia in the waterfalls along the trails. They jumped and played in those waterfalls like they were back to being 2 years old and just couldn’t contain their energy. This was so great to watch.
The most impressive I was with them was one day that we went to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. It was a typically crowded day on the sidewalks and difficult to make your way down the street. But Cabela and Ravyn made their way through Gatlinburg with relaxed ease, winding their way through the throngs of people effortlessly and all while staying on the sidewalk out of the crazy traffic in the road. At one point I wanted to go into the candy store and get some jelly beans. So in they went with smiles on their faces from ear to ear.
The most fun Cabela and Ravyn had dining out was at The Trestle Cafe in Conway, SC. Cabela couldn’t contain herself any longer and decided to serenade the other folks who were dining there with some fine husky howling.
The hottest places we’ve been to were in north Georgia during the summer months. By mid afternoon all we could do was stay inside the camper with the air condition on. Once the sun goes down it cools off and becomes delightful to go back out and walk.
The coldest place we’ve been to was last March in Fall Creek Falls, Tennessee where it was 15 degrees out at the start of our morning hike. Though I’m not sure the temperature had any affect on either Cabela or Ravyn.
The most dangerous place we’ve been was Cloudlands Canyon in north west Georgia. I stopped to talk to someone on the trail along the top of the gorge cliffs and wasn’t paying close enough attention and Ravyn had gone under the fence and was standing 6 inches from the edge of a 1000 foot vertical drop looking straight down to the gorge floor. My heart nearly came out of my chest.
The funniest moment for us was in Santee State Park in SC. We were walking through the campground and a couple comes out of their camper and says, “hello old man”. I knew I was old but no one every really comes right out and says that. I looked at them. Then they said, “and it’s Cabela & Ravyn”. I softened up to them a bit but still kept looking at them. Then they said, “your blog! Cabela, Ravyn and the old man. It’s on your camper. Punkhuskies.com. We saw it on your camper and looked it up. Really nice blog”. After feeling a bit embarrassed (I didn’t even remember my own blog) we all laughed and introduced ourselves.
The tenderest moment was when I was at a Mexican restaurant in Tennessee. Cabela Ravyn and I were sitting in their outdoor patio having our lunch. A young boy got up from the table with his parents, probably around 13-14 years old. He came over to our table and asked me if he could pet Cabela & Ravyn. I said of course. So he sat down eye level with Cabela & Ravyn and started petting them, talking to them and showing them more love than most adults know how to show. He did this for the whole time I was eating my lunch. When I was done he got up and said thank you and went back to his parents. I was left speechless. I didn’t know how to respond to the outpouring of love and respect this young boy showed Cabela & Ravyn. I watched him walk back to his parents and thought to myself that my only hope was that this young boy would have a lifetime of love and compassion bestowed upon him for the kindness in his heart
And finally… the best city we have visited, on numerous occasions, is Savannah Georgia. Hands down Savannah is a very special place for the three of us (actually four of us – my brother has always been with us when we visit Savannah).
Everyone we’ve met in Savannah either living in Savannah, working or just visiting have been the friendliest folks one could imagine. Even their dogs are friendly and always willing to meet other dogs. Walking through all the squares, the shops and sitting in an outdoor cafe for a bite to eat is the most enjoyable thing to do.
But be careful, sometimes the stairs can be a little steep down by the riverfront.
So with all these great adventures my recommendation to you is that if you have a family dog that you really love, take them out with you! Anywhere! Walk them down the street to the park. Take them to visit your neighbor. If you have a local cafe that has outdoor seating – take them to lunch. Sit on a park bench with them and watch the people go by. If your town is having a concert or a street fair, take your dog to either or both.
I took Cabela & Ravyn to the Fall Festival at John C. Campbel folk school in Brasstown, NC and they had a ball. They stopped to listen to the various musicians, they looked in the different craft booths and they had an awesome time meeting and greeting everyone the entire day.
So whatever you do, please…. take your dog with you. They will really enjoy the time you spend with them. Involve your dog in your life and I guarantee you will not be able to get the smiles off your dog’s faces. They don’t care where you take them just so long as you take them with you.
If you don’t have a dog think about getting one. Great things will happen in your life.
A 2023 Christmas wish:
Cabela,Ravyn and the old man wish everyone we met throughout this past year a very warm and happy Christmas. The three of us thank you for taking the minutes to stop and say hello at the campgrounds we visited, for extending a kind hand to rub the heads of Cabela & Ravyn along the trails and for the love you shared with us through your smiles. You made our travels/adventures a true gift that we will carry with us into the next years adventures.
May you and your families and pets truly have a very safe and joyful Christmas. See you next year along the roads and trails of this awesome country.
2023 Adventures:
- Santee State Park – South Carolina. November
- Lake Hartwell – South Carolina. November
- Tallulah Gorge – Georgia. November
- Chatuge Lake – North Carolina. October
- Savannah – Georgia. October
- Santee State Park – South Carolina. October
- Smokey Mountains National Park – North Carolina. October
- Camping World of Asheville – September
- Cloudlands Canyon State Park – Georgia. September
- Fort Mountain State Park – Georgia. September
- Fort Mountain State Park – Georgia. August
- Smokey Mountains National Park – North Carolina. June
- Fall Creek Falls – Tennessee. March
- Smokey Mountains National Park – North Carolina & Tennessee. March
- Santee State Park – South Carolina. February
Savannah – Georgia. December
Coming soon, another trip to Savannah!
Day 13 – We decided to spend Saturday driving to Myrtle Beach and going to the Bass Pro Shop there. I hadn’t thought about the fact that it was December 2, the start of Christmas shopping and traffic. So we took the back roads through Kingstree, Hemingway and Conway. Driving through Conway we noticed a magnificent mural on a local building and also an outdoor cafe so we decided to stop and explore the town of Conway. Our first stop was to an outdoor cafe called The Trestle Bakery & Cafe. The folks at the cafe were extremely nice and the whole place was very dog friendly as well as serving some really good food. I highly recommend this cafe if your traveling though the area with your pets. Cabela and Ravyn got a small plate of bacon which they shared. As usually they both got an enormous amount of attention which they both had a lot of fun with. People watching is one of their favorite things to do. https://trestlebakeryandcafe.squarespace.com
After lunch we walked around the town and visited some of the local shops which each and everyone of them was extremely dog friendly, providing Cabela and Ravyn treats and attention which they always love. We visited one of the most incredible murals I have ever seen on the side of a structure.
After heading out of Conway we went to Bass Pro Shop in North Myrtle Beach where the staff and the customers are all very dog friendly. They have no problem with you brining your dog into the store so long as your dog is on a leash and well behaved. At the large aquarium in the store Cabela was mesmerized by the puffer fish swimming around in the tank.
Santee State Park – South Carolina. November
A day at the beauty salon…
For the first time since I’ve had Cabela and Ravyn I decided to treat them to a day at the spa for a wash & dry and a good brushing. Needless to say I was petrified to let someone else have the two of them for the day, but they were so desperately in need of this (the tumbleweeds of husky fur were getting intolerable in the camper) that I had to get over my fear of letting go of them for the day. So off we went to the Dog House groomer in Manning, SC.
Upon our arrival the gentleman took Cabela and Ravyn in and as I started to follow them, the gentleman said I was not allowed in the grooming area. I looked at him like he had two heads. “What do you mean I can’t go with them?” “Sir, we’ll call you when they are ready.” “And when will that be?” They started to look at me with a slight bit of annoyance. I started to look them with an equal amount of annoyance. “You expect me to just get back in my truck and drive away leaving Cabela and Ravyn here all alone.” “Sir….(with a little less kindness in their voice) they will be fine, we’ll take good care of them.”
And so throughout the day my friends and family told me I really needed to relax. I told them all that my dogs are probably all upset and worried and I needed to get back to them. I was told in no uncertain terms they are fine and it was me who needed to really chill out. Finally by the end of an excruciating day, I drove back to the groomer and stormed into the place ready to execute a full blown Rambo style rescue of Cabela and Ravyn. They looked at me and quickly said your dogs are almost finished.
Well, they brought Ravyn out to me and my jaw dropped! She was absolutely gorgeous. Her black coat just shone like a brand new full moon. She was happy, smiling and she ran into my arms. Next Cabela came out. She didn’t exactly run into my arms but she looked like Scarlet O’Hara just ready to descend the huge staircase to the ball. Cabela was extraordinary. Gorgeous. Her coat sparkled like a diamond goddess. The Dog House groomers were absolutely awesome in what they did for Cabela and Ravyn. They both bounced out to the truck looking like Rita Hayworth and Vivian Leigh with huge smiles on their faces both knowing that they looked good. Really good.
Day 12 – Friday. Today we travel over to my brothers for the 3rd and final week of our adventure. During our week here at Santee State Park, we had met one of the coolest dogs I’ve met so far in our travels. On our final day here we were really lucky to actually be introduced to him. His name is Murphy. Probably one of the most laid back and very distinguished dogs in existence. His ‘mom and dad’ were so nice and just as cool as Murphy. They told us that Murphy would much rather be home watching TV than to be out walking. I could so imagine Murphy sitting home in his easy chair with his pipe and newspaper watching the stock market reviews. To Murphy and his ‘mom and dad’, it was truly a pleasure to meet the three of you.
Day 11 – It’s Thursday, our last full day here at Santee State Park. The 3 of us have a had a great time here in Santee State Park, though it’s been quite cold – the mornings are around 33 degrees. A few days ago when I woke up I couldn’t find Ravyn. I quickly scanned the camper but did not see her. My heart stated to race. I jumped out of bed and checked the door. It was secure. I looked back towards the bedroom and noticed that the bed quilt was moving at the bottom of the bed. I went over and lifted the part of the quilt that hangs over the bed. To my delightful surprise Ravyn’s cute little face popped out from behind the quilt and all was right with the world….
So after a hearty breakfast, we all bundled up and headed out to the trail that runs along the lake. Cabela and Ravyn were both full of early morning energy and we ended up hiking a little over 5 miles.
In the evening my brother came over to the campground and we all sat around the campfire and ate popcorn.
The next day was a cleaning and laundry day. In the afternoon, after we all got our chores done, we headed out for another smaller walk over to where the cabins are…
In the evening Cabela, Ravyn and I built another campfire. It didn’t take long for Cabela to get tired and she wanted to go in the camper and go to sleep, so Ravyn followed her and I sat out for a little longer enjoying the cold night air and the warm fire…
The next morning, our last full day turned out to be a gorgeous morning. We had a brisk walk in the 35 degree morning as we watched the sun rise over Lake Marion.
Tomorrow we head over to my brothers for the last week of our adventure. Next week the old man is playing golf with his good friends who he had many a great golf game with before he moved to North Carolina. He asked us to come along with him, but we politely declined. We had to tell the old man that golf was something that we would probably would not be able to hide our excitement with and it’d be best if we stayed behind. So, the old man’s brother will take care of us on Monday & Tuesday morning. This will be great because the old man’s brother lets us eat breakfast in bed!!
Day 8 – We’ve made our way southeast through South Carolina to Santee State Park. This is always a favorite place to stay for the 3 of us as the park is situated on the edge of Lake Marion and is always friendly and quiet with some real nice walking trains. Our first full day here rained so we were camper bound for most of the day. This led to some growly moments later in the day but we all managed to keep our patience with each other. Today the sun was out and it turned into a beautiful day albeit a bit on the cool side – 45 degrees. We got up and out as soon as we could and hit the trails.
A 2023 Thanksgiving wish to all…
Thanksgiving Day – Just about 5 days into our trip and so far it’s been great. Cabela and Ravyn seem to be relaxed and enjoying another exciting adventure. The folks we meet on the road are consistently very friendly and always enjoyable to get to know. Georgia is a very beautiful place to visit and is extremely dog friendly. I can’t think of anyplace we’ve been to in Georgia that was not friendly to Cabela & Ravyn. There are a lot of folks who travel with their dogs and we’ve never met a single one who was not in great spirits, friendly, and always compassionate towards dogs. As an old man who sometimes wakes up a bit on the prickly side, it doesn’t take either Cabela or Ravyn long to pull me back and show me how lucky I am to be a part of their lives and to be out here traveling around meeting new and exciting folks. To everyone we have met so far, and to those we have not met yet, the three of us wish you, your families and your pets a very thankful Thanksgiving and always safe travels.
Lake Hartwell – South Carolina. November
Sometimes when you book a campsite in a place that you’ve never been to you have no idea what it’s going to be like when you get there. Today, when we arrived at the campground at Lake Hartwell, I was seriously disappointed. It was an RV park with all long term residences. They all had built elaborate wooden structures and decks attached to their RVs. It was not at all the kind of place we usually go camping in. I was almost going to try to book a campground in a place a little more woodsy. But i was too tired and figured I would do this tomorrow.
But when the night came and I took Cabela and Ravyn for a walk I couldn’t believe the transition of the place. The entire place had turned into a carnival type atmosphere of very cool decorations and lighting. The ambiance was mesmerizing as we walked up and down the paths.
I woke up this morning to Ravyn whining at the side of the bed. There is a set of stairs on the side of the bed that Cabela doesn’t use to get in the bed – she’s a real good jumper. Now Ravyn is not such a good jumper, therefore Ravyn does not sleep in the bed, plus Cabela would never let her anyway. This morning when I looked over the bed at Ravyn she was halfway up the stairs nuzzling the side of my face. So, I told Ravyn to come up into the bed. She kept looking over at Cabela. I told her don’t worry about Cabela just come up here. So she climbed up the stairs and into the bed. With a little adjusting by the 3 of us we all managed to get comfortable and proceeded to watch a nature program on TV. Cabela looked up at me as if to say, “fine old man… I’ll let it go this time but were not making a habit of this!!”
Tallulah Gorge State Park – Georgia. November
The three of us have arrived at Tallulah Gorge State Park in Georgia on the first leg of our adventure. It was cloudy and just a bit drizzly but we managed to get a nice walk in along the rim of the gorge.
The following day turned out to be a very rainy day. We did manage to get a small walk in early in the morning but ended up returning rather wet and cold. A deer crossed the trail and Cabela and Ravyn almost pulled me over the edge chasing after the startled deer. Tomorrow shows some delightful sunshine so were looking forward to a real nice hike along the rim of the gorge.
In the evening we all retire to the punkhuskie b&b …
Life at Home – North Carolina
Cabela & Ravyn have a lot of fun around home when we’re not traveling to cool places. We go hiking in the mountains and along the river roads of western North Carolina.
Around the house they enjoy riding in the ranger…
Chatuge Lake, Hayesville, NC
We left South Carolina this morning and have now landed on the edge of Chatuge Lake. It’s a beautiful campground right on the lake.
A flock of Canadian geese pass under the moon just a bit before sunset.
Savannah – Georgia. October
Savannah Georgia is probably one of the friendliest dog cities we’ve been to. (Asheville North Carolina is another dog friendly city.). Living in the mountains of western North Carolina we never relish the idea of going to a big city for visits, but Savannah…. This is a great city to visit. We would go there any time we could for a visit. The city is a lot of fun to walk around, the people there are very friendly and the shops are all super nice to dogs bringing out to the sidewalk bowls of ice water and treats for the dogs as you walk by. There are a lot of sidewalk cafes to sit and have a relaxing meal with your dogs. I give Savannah all four paws up for their city and hospitality.
A walk through some of the beautiful Savannah homes.
A typical square in Savannah
Breakfast on the sidewalk at Clary’s on Abercorn Street in Savannah, made famous from the movie “the Garden of Good and Evil”.
It’s here!! The 18th annual Savannah Wag-O-Ween Halloween festival. It was a very cool day walking around all the squares with the many different dogs in their costumes along with the owners. Cabela and Ravyn had a really fun day meeting all the local dogs and getting to know them. We all had lunch at Clary’s Restaurant which was a lot of fun. We watched some of the dog races and then strolled around town. In the evening we went back out and had a real nice dinner at Corleone’s Trattoria.
Cabela and Ravyn land in Savannah Georgia for the 18 th annual Wag-O-Ween dog parade.
Cabela & Ravyn’s Halloween stash
Some of the other dogs in their costumes from the Halloween festival:
Ravyn making friends with the local Savannah residents…
Our stay in Savannah was at the Thunderbird Inn. They are very very dog friendly and Cabela & Ravyn really enjoyed their stay there.
The Thunderbird Inn was a very dog friendly place to stay (they are also people friendly too). Almost to the point where they should have a sign that reads: “Dogs welcome, and if you want to can have your owners stay here with you” Upon arrival each dog is given a welcome gift.
Santee State Park – October
A view of Lake Marion from Santee State Park
Cabela: “are there any alligators out there old man?”
Old man: “oh yes, but it’s a little too cold for them to be a nuisance to you.”
Cabela, “whatta ya say we head back to the camper? Like right now!!”
Cabela and the old man…
October 18, 2023
We’ve landed at Santee State Park in Santee South Carolina. The temperature has gone from a chilly 48 degrees in the Smoky Mtns to a balmy 65 degrees in Santee, SC. It’s a clear evening with the tail end of a nice sunset looking out across Lake Marion.
The three of us are tired and cranky and hungry, so we bid you a sleepy good night.
Smokey Mountains National Park – October
Back on the road for a chilly autumn trip. We’re at the Smokey Mountains right now as the old man didn’t get up early enough to make the long trip to South Carolina. It’s chilly and rainy but the autumn colors are spectacular.
Cabela, Ravyn and I were walking around Smokemont campground and we stopped to talk to a nice gentleman who was traveling around the area with his wife. Cabela and Ravyn did their usual thing of sitting down and waiting. A few minutes later the man’s wife comes out of their camper and Cabela jumps up and goes over to the lady and starts howling to the lady. Well the lady starts talking right back to Cabela. For the next few minutes the two of them carried on this conversation together. It was as if the two of them were old friends who hadn’t spoken to each other in years. Cabela was just howling on and on to the lady. The lady was going on and in with words to Cabela as if her husband and I were not even there. Then the lady went back inside and Cabela came back over to me and quietly sat down completely satisfied with her conversation. I looked at her husband who hadn’t missed a beat with his conversation with me as if his wife does this all the time. I looked at Cabela who looked back at me as if to say, “what?, I have things to say too you know…”. I smiled and went back to the conversation with the gentleman.
An Elk sitting on the edge of the Oconalufte River trail.
Smokemont Campgrounnd – Smoky Mountains National Park, NC
Camping World of Asheville
It was time to get some service done on the camper, so off we went to Camping World in Asheville, NC. They have an awesome service department with a great staff. Their friendly, funny and very competent. Cabela, Ravyn and I spent a good portion of the day in Camping World while the staff took great care in getting our home on wheels ship shape!
We did manage to sneak off early on to go over to the Broken Egg in the Biltmore Plaza for a much anticipated breakfast. (The old man’s favorite thing to do.) After that Cabela, Ravyn and I walked around REI camping store then to Barnes and Noble where they are always very dog friendly.
By the end of the day we were exhausted and stayed at a very friendly campground in Asheville, Bear Creek RV park, where Cabela snuggled up in bed and and dreamed the dreams that happy dogs dream of …
Cloudlands Canyon State Park – Georgia. October
We’re back!!! After a small hiatus for the old man while he got his heart repaired the three of us are back on the road traveling and having a grand time.
(Thank you to the heart surgeon and the staff of Mission Hospital in Asheville North Carolina for bringing the old man back to life and giving the three of us a whole new world of adventures. And thank you Cabela and Ravyn – you both were the reason I fought to come back to you.)
Our first adventure since March was to Fort Mountain State Park and Cloudlands Canyon in northeastern Georgia.
Cabela & Ravyn at Cloudlands Canyon State Park in Georgia –
Fort Mountain State Park – Georgia. September
Fall Creek Falls State Park – Tennessee. March
It’s March 19th and we’ve landed at Fall Creek Falls State Park in Tennessee to spend 6 nights exploring the trails and waterfalls. It’s Sunday afternoon, a brisk 38 degrees out but sunny. It was actually a beautiful ride up here through the Oconee gorge, through Cleveland Tennesse then through hilly farm country up to the camping area.
The camping area is huge but very nice. A quick stop at the visitors center and we’ve picked out our morning hike for tomorrow (if we don’t freeze to death overnight). It’s supposed to drop to 18 overnight. Well, time to eat some dinner, walk Cabela & Ravyn then turn in for a chilly night.
Monday March 20
We woke up at 6:00 am – it was 16 degrees out. By 7:00 am we headed out for some good envigorating hiking. It was still 16 degrees out. Cabela, Ravyn and I headed down the road towards the Nature Center where the hikes to the falls all started. On the way we passed ‘George Hole’. A very nice picturesque spot at the bend in the river with towering rock cliffs.
At the visitors center we quickly found a few of the beautiful falls…
In order to get to the trail that took us out to the various falls views, you had to cross a suspension bridge. The three of us thought that’s not so bad so off we went across the bridge. After 20 feet the three of stopped and quickly decided that this was not such a great idea. It started to sway and bounce up and down probably 50 feet or more above the falls below. We tried twice to cross it but both times we decided that we didn’t like this bridge at all. We went back to the nature building to see if they were open yet. They weren’t open yet but a really nice young lady who worked the nature center let us in out of the freezing cold so we could warm up a bit. She put the movie on in the small amphitheater indoors and we watched the history of the area while we thawed out. She told us that if we could not do the bridge we could drive over to the lookout for Fall Creek Falls. On our way out we decided to try the crossing one more time. This time Cabela and Ravyn made me go first across the suspension bridge. That seemed to work better (for them anyway!) and we made it to the other side and did the trail to the various outlooks for the different falls.
On the return trip across the bridge, Ravyn who is 99.3 percent of the time the fearless one, got about halfway across and froze. I turned around and saw Ravyn curling herself up against Cabela. Somehow Cabela seemed to get her calmed down and we all made it across without any further incident.
The walk along the crest of the gorge through the woods was by itself a really beautiful hike.
All in all it turned out to be a great morning. I never cease to be amazed at Cabela & Ravyn’s sense of adventure and willingness to go along with all my crazy ideas of what to do without every uttering a single bit of unwillingness to go and do anything.
Its going to be another very chilly night and morning. Maybe we can sleep a little late tomorrow and get up when it’s a bit warmer. But probably not as I don’t think the huskies feel the cold at all. The colder it gets the more energy they seem to have. But our plan is to do the Paw Paw trail out of the nature center. This is a 3-4 mile hike through the woods. It doesn’t seem to have the same breathtaking overlooks but still it should be a real nice walk.
Tuesday March 21…
It wasn’t nearly as cold today as it was yesterday. The sun was warm with clear blue skies above. We headed out on the Paw Paw trail through a beautiful forested trail alongside the creek feeding Rockhouse Falls.
Wednesday found us engulfed in rain. We did manage to work a few sightseeing adventures in between deluges…
Smoky Mountains National Park – NC & Tennessee. March
The owner of Sugar Bear’s ice cream and coffee shop in Cherokee is a very dog friendly person and Cabela & Ravyn had a great time there.
One of the things we love to do during our stay at Smokemont Campground in the Smoky Mountains is to park at the Oconaluftee visitors center and take the hiking trail from the visitors center into the town of Cherokee and have lunch at Paul’s Family restaurant. They have great food and the staff is very pet friendly. They have an outdoor seating area that you can bring your dog sit at the tables outside. The walk into Cherokee is 1.5 miles and then probably another 3/4 of a mile to the restaurant. The trail runs along the Oconaluftee river and is a very relaxing walk.
Santee State Park – South Carolina. February
February 2023
Our first adventure in 2023 brought us down to the low country of South Carolina visiting family. It was great to finally get away with Cabela and Ravyn after a long cold winter in the mountains.
We landed at Santee State Park along the shores of Lake Marion in South Carolina for a few days. Southcarolinaparks.com
A few days visiting family tucked away in the cotton and corn fields…
Off season the fields are usually bare but from May through September the fields are all covered in corn and cotton.
Savannah, Georgia
During the week we took a day trip down to Savannah. Walking through the squares we ended up at the fountain in Forsyth Park. For lunch we sat at the sidewalk tables of Clary’s Cafe – claryscafe.com – made famous by the movie “Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil”. Clary’s Cafe was very dog friendly. Cabela and Ravyn each got a few treats from the waitress along with a cold bowl of water. They sat quietly watching all the people and cars moving past fascinated by all the sights, sounds and smells while we enjoyed the delicious food.
From the park we strolled around Savannah. Passing the SCAD gift shop (Savannah College of Art and Design) Cabela and Ravyn were greeted by two lovely students in the gift shop doorway who were handing out treats and a cold bowl of water for passing dogs. They were both a little hesitant to continue walking on hoping for more treats. I was fascinated by all the artwork inside the gift shop and wanted to go inside but wasn’t sure the dogs would realize that the colorful artwork wasn’t to be eaten. shopscad.com
If your traveling to Savannah with your pets and need a place to stay that is pet friendly I strongly recommend the Thunderbird Inn. They are very dog friendly and the motel is a lovely place to stay. They include a small brunch in the morning. They are located at 611 Oglethorpe Ave. thethunderbirdinn.com
2022 Adventures:
- Isle of Palms. SC
- Smokey Mountains, NC
- Linville Falls, NC
- Smokey Mountains, NC
- Lake Rabun State Park, Ga.
- Woodring State Park, Ga.
- Cloudlands State Park, Ga
- Smokey Mountains, Tenn.
Our first adventure in the camper –
So we booked our very first camping trip together in Cades Cove in the Tennessee side of the Smokey Mountains. I wasn’t too sure that this was a good choice as the Smokey Mountain National Park is not too dog friendly. Dogs are not allowed on any of the trails within the national park and Cabela and Ravyn were starting to become real passionate about their hiking. The only place in the park I was allowed to take the dogs was on the paved roads and within the campgrounds.
The night before, I told the ‘girls’ tomorrow where going on our first camping trip!! The next morning at 6:00 AM, when i woke, i looked around the bedroom. No dogs. Puzzled, i got up and went into the living room. There in the middle of the living room two huskies were sitting upright staring at the bedroom door. When they saw me come through the door they both sprang to their feet in excitement. I looked at them in absolute shock. Half expecting to see each of them with a small suitcase packed and sitting neatly by their sides. I really could not believe what i was seeing.
As it turned out Cabela, Ravyn and I had a great time on our first camping trip. The Cades Cove Loop Road which is a 12 mile road passing through the meadows and forests is closed from Labor Day to Memorial Day to vehicle traffic. It is only open to walkers, bicyclists, runners and yes!! Dogs!!! So we walked the cove road, swam in the rivers, and met a ton of really nice folks traveling through the park. And the Rangers are also really nice and very friendly.
A word of caution though…. There are bears in the park, along the Cades Cove road and in the trees in the campground!!! So be careful, especially with dogs. The park rangers and not kidding when they warn you about the bears.
With our first camping trip being the complete success it was we decided to make a weekly camping trip a monthly adventure. We started to plan our next week long adventure. A trip to Cloudlands State Park in north western Georgia including a trip to Tallulah Gorge in north eastern Georgia.
On our second trip my brother came along with us. A little tight in the camper but not impossible. Cabela and Ravyn were not only starting to get the hang of camper life but really enjoying it. I was a little jealous about all the attention Cabela and Ravyn were getting from every person who passed by but it quickly faded when I saw the smiles on their faces and how much they were enjoying it. I was really happy for them and didn’t mind at all if I was just their Uber driver taking them from one meet and greet to the next.