Hiking to a plane crash site off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

 In the early 1980s, a small plane crashed into the mountain side near Water Rock Knob, above the Blue Ridge Parkway at MM. 451.2.

November 24, 1983, a Cessna 414 was traveling from Chicago, to the Jackson County Airport in N.C. The plane crashed at a altitude of around 6,000 feet.  Neither the Pilot nor the one passenger survived the Crash.  Weather conditions and poor visibilty at the time, was a major factor in the crash, among other reasons.

We drove up the BRP in July of 2017 with the goal of finding the crash site, and what remained of the plane.  I had read earlier in my research that only the engines were salvaged from the crash.  We parked at the Water Rock Knob overlook parking area, and began the hike of the paved trail to Water Rock Knob.  Per my research, I knew we would be looking for a faint unmarked trail leading to the left just before reaching Water Rock Knob.  We found the trail.  

To say the trail out to the crash site is unmarked is a under statement.  Makeshift signage on a tree, and a occasional piece of survey tape on a limb, was the only indicators we had.  We marked our track on the GPS in case we needed it to be able to find our way back out, but luckily, we did not need it.

 

The hike out to the crash site was strenuous at times, but beautiful.  On the way up, we encountered Turks Cap lilies, North Carolina's state flower.

Turk's Cap Lily

On the trail..

When the plane came into view, we wondered if the passengers died on impact, and if not what were their final moments like.  It was a somber experience.

First look.

We continued on down to the site, and observed a moment of silence to honor the lost.  We had a look around, took a few photos a left.   It was a strange feeling being there.  It was also a great adventure.

Here are some photos of the plane. 

Rest their souls.

The Georgia Guidestones.

The Georgia Guide Stones are a granite monument that was erected in 1980, in a small community in Elbert County Georgia.  Displayed on the Guide Stones are 10 rules for humanity.  The rules are inscribed in the granite in 8 different languages, English, Spanish, Swahili, Hindi, Hebrew, Arabic, Traditional Chinese, and Russian. 

The monument is standing at 750 foot elevation. There is a huge cloud of mystery surrounding these guide stones. In 1979, a man that identified himself  as Robert C. Christian approached the Elberton Granite Finishing Company on behalf of "a small group of loyal Americans", and commissioned the structure. 

We visited on a very cold winter day, to see the Guidestones and to also log a geocache there.  We were surprised at the amount of visitors that came while we were there.  Car after car of visitors came and went.

These are the Guidelines inscribed.

1. Maintain humanity under 500,000,000 in perpetual balance with nature.
2. Guide reproduction wisely — improving fitness and diversity.
3. Unite humanity with a living new language.
4. Rule passion — faith — tradition — and all things with tempered reason.
5. Protect people and nations with fair laws and just courts.
6. Let all nations rule internally resolving external disputes in a world court.
7. Avoid petty laws and useless officials.
8. Balance personal rights with social duties.
9. Prize truth — beauty — love — seeking harmony with the infinite.
10. Be not a cancer on the earth — Leave room for nature — Leave room for nature.

That day a Atomic bomb was dropped in South Carolina.

Yep, that post title will reach out and get you.

It is true though, one day in 1958, a Air Force jet on a training mission bound for England, accidentally dropped a atomic bomb here is South Carolina.  Mars Bluff is the exact location. The bomb was not armed, but the blast created a huge crater.

On March 11, 1958, a B-47e bomber released their nuclear bomb accidentally.  This type of event is referred too as a Broken Arrow, it is the only time a nuclear bomb has ever been dropped on America.

Historical marker about .40 mile away from site.

We had read about this site years ago, and have always wanted to view it.  We were in the area this weekend and decided to make a short side trip to the location.  Once we found the historical marker, the next problem was to figure out how to access the area.  After settling on a parking area at a nearby abandoned gas station, we walked onto property that many years ago was a RV park.

Old RV park, now overgrown

It was about a half mile trek through the park to where  we would enter the woods to find the crater site.  Apparently, there used to be a trail, and some type of metal signage in the area explaining about the bomb and damage it done to the nearby home and properties, however through neglect or vandalism, they are no longer there.

We had to bushwhack about halfway through the patch of woods until we entered a more open pine forest.   It was then a short trek to the crater site..

 Information board at GZ

A plywood sign indicating the size of the bomb

Large crater from impact

This area is very historic and we very much enjoyed exploring here.  I am however, sadden that area is so overgrown and in such  

need of up keep.  One would think the County

or the State would maintain this site.

I have included a link from Roadside America that has a more detailed story of the events.

Read more here.

Beach Sweep / River Sweep 2017

On Sept. 17th, we hosted another Beach Sweep / River Sweep at Lake Thickety.   We have hosted these several times since 2007.   It is a statewide event with many groups and individuals participating.

Our target was Lake Thickety in NW Cherokee Co.   Over the course of 3 hours, we picked up quite a bit of trash.  Some of the most prominent items were plastic bottles and 2lb. propane tanks.  The most unusual item in my opinion was a almost full container of acid.

Every year I walk away angry and confused as to why people trash the environment the way they do..

Alaska

It all started with a conversation on the dock last fall.  "I sure would love to visit Alaska", a statement uttered many times over the years when talking about travel.  Ok, enough talk, we are going to do this, next summer,  and so it began.   We both have traveled up and down the eastern seaboard, everywhere from Key West Fla., to Boothbay Harbor Maine, and west across the Mississippi into Arkansas. This would be the longest in both miles, and days we have done as of yet.

The first order of business was to consult a travel agent, again, something we had never done before.
We decided to go with Your Travel Agent out of Spartanburg SC.  We discussed with our agent Libby, what we would like to see in Alaska. Denali was a must! We also wanted to see glaciers, as much wildlife as possible and ride the Alaskan Railroad.  We were limited as far as the certain days we would be able to travel, thus due to the time of year, we did not get to see the Northern Lights, (They are known as 'Aurora borealis' in the north and 'Aurora australis' in the south.).  Every thing else on our to see list was accomplished.

Descending into Fairbanks AK.

We arrived in Fairbanks around 7:00pm, I was surprised @ how small the airport was.

Inside Fairbanks Airport

We were met at the airport by our guides Devon, and Ben who would be with us for the next four days on the land portion of our trip, before we get on the cruiseship.  We were taken to our lodge by motor coach, unloaded and settled, we went for a late dinner and a beer at the adjoining restaurant. 

Early up the next morning, we went to one of the oldest goldmines in Alaska.

 Gold Dredge #8 operated between 1928 and 1959 and played an essential role in mining and the economy of the Tanana Valley.  This was a grand tour with a lot of history.  Nothing hokey about this, like the ones near home.  After a very informative tour, we did pan for gold and was successful.  They appraise your find on site.  Lisa's hall around $19.50, mine just barley over $20.00.

After leaving the dredge, we went into downtown Fairbanks for lunch and to explore a little around town.  While here we found a couple of geocaches.  The town seemed very blue collar, but leaning toward a progressive downtown, with beautiful statues.

Downtown Fairbanks AK

After lunch we went to the Fairbanks Cultural Museum and welcome center.  The had some really nice displays there.   We ended our day at a old dairy that has been turned over to the state of Alaska and is now a wildlife refuge and a great birding area.

While @ the dairy we saw a Northern Goose hawk, which was a first for us.  We also saw Sandhill Cranes, and Barn swallows.   We returned to the lodge for a early dinner and a early bedtime, as we would be leaving for Denali National Park and Preserve the next morning.  Yay!!!!!

On July 6th, we boarded the Alaskan Railroad bound for Denali.  The train car was beautiful and COMFORTABLE.  Huge windows and a glass roof allowed for phenomenal views.  The seats were more like comfy lounge chairs with charging ports for your electronics.  The car also had a dinning room downstairs and well as a full service bar.  We rode through some of the most beautiful scenery.  I made a Gopro video of this train ride, which I will share at the end of this post.

Travel EDC

All aboard!

Waiting on breakfast

Our friends we met in Alaska, Mimi and Dom. We would enjoy their company throughout our journey.  They are from California.

Denali National Park and Preserve.  On arrival, we had about a hour or so wait before our Naturalist led tour through the park.  We went into the visitors center and enjoyed the beautiful displays and read about the history of the park, and we also got our coveted stamp in our National Park Passport.

4000+ miles later, finally arrived..

Our first National Park Passport stamp, woot.

The infamous Bear at the visitor center

Indeed thanks.

Denali is six million acres of wild land, bisected by one road.

  We had the choice of two different Naturalist tours, 30 miles or 60 miles into the interior.  We decided on the 60 mile journey.  One can only go into the interior this far by park run bus tours.

Park tour bus

Once we boarded the bus, we quickly began to miss the comforts of the train.  Our excitement however overshadowed what ever discomfort we had.  We were provided with a box lunch, as we would be on this tour for around nine hours.

Lunch box.

And so it began, I took a least a hundred photos, but none will adequately  express the beauty or the enormity of Denali Park.   We saw beautiful mountain ranges, Grizzly Bears for afar, many Caribou, Golden Eagles, braided rivers, and wide open spaces.  I have never seen such beauty, and it made me feel small.  We had three opportunities to see Denali / Mt. McKinley's Peak, but due to cloud cover we never got a glimpse at the peak.

Not far in.

These large rocks are Glacial Erratics

Large braided river bed

Caribou

Gypsies

I love this silhouette of a Caribou.

Look close, some of those clouds behind the mountain range are actually the lower range of Denali.

We are at the 60 mile point, our turn around, and also our best chance at seeing the peak of Denali, it wasn't to be.  Our guild told us the mountain was at this point still 60+ miles away.  This photo and the one above it does not begin to convey how large that mountain is.

Here is a zoomed in and cropped shot of what we could see of the base of Denali.

Our first grizzly sitting.  Guide said about two miles away.  We could see it well with our binoculars, not so well with camera.

Our 2nd Grizzly sighting, this one was a lot closer.

Caribou on a dry river bed.

After nine hours on the bus, and all the beauty we could tolerate, we retired to our room at Denali Village.  A privately owned area about a mile from the park.  The restaurant there had excellent baked lobster mac & cheese.

 

After a good meal, and a good sleep we were up early the morning of the 7th making our way to Anchorage AK then to Seward AK where we would board our cruise ship.

Inside the port

Seward Port from our ship radiance of the Seas. We enjoyed watching Bald Eagles from the deck prior to departing.

We spent our first full day on the ship at Sea.  Today would be the day we would get to see the Hubbard Glacier!!   After breakfast we attended a Naturalist presentation about the glacier.  We were told the ice on the face of the glacier is approx. 450 yrs. old.  The glacier originates in the Yukon and is approx. 75 miles long.  The face of the glacier is 350 foot tall!

About 1:45pm, be entered the Bay of Enchantment, and got our first view of the glacier as our ships Captain began maneuvering our ship for the best possible view.

Entering the Bay of Enchantment

 Hubbard Glacier

Growlers

Calving

After the Hubbard Glacier,  we had a series of Ports of call throughout the Alaska Passage. Juneau, Skagway, Icy Straights (our favorite) and Ketchikan AK.  We flew home from Vancouver BC, with a connector in Minneapolis MN.

Jeneau Alaska:

                                                                                 

Skagway AK

This photo below, is at the Skagway Port.  Ship Captains paint the rock wall across from the port with their name as well as the name of the boat they captain the first time in port.  The rock is massive, and this photo just shows a portion of it.

 

Icy Strait AK:

Ketchikan AK