Great Smoky Mountains National Park

My season ended Tuesday, and bright and early Wednesday morning, I headed home. I made a slight detour through Great Smoky Mountains National Park and it was well worth it and much needed. A ranger I worked with at CAHA and I had been planning this trip easily since July. She had worked five seasons in the Smokies and she was the perfect trip planner, coordinator, deal-finder, and guide. We stayed in this cute little cabin in Pigeon Forge, TN.
Early Thursday morning, it was raining, so we didn't hit the trail till it had stopped. It was really cloudy and over cast, but it cleared out as we started our hike. It was really cold, especially if you got caught in a windy place. We hiked eight miles, round trip, of the Appalachian Trail to a point called Charlie's Bunion. The colors had just changed a few days before we got there and the mountains were blanketed in greens, yellows, reds, and oranges. It was beautiful.

I'm hiking the AT!!!

The colors were magnificent.

My friend Jen at the sign for the Bunion. Notice the gloves, it was cold.

View from the Bunion.

Thursday night my friend Herbert flew into Knoxville from Texas. All three of us were up early Friday to hike up Mount La Conte, five miles one way on the Alum Cave trail. In the picture below I'm wearing a make-shift hat and scarf made from a fleece jacket. Did I mention it was cold?

Herbert and I at the lodge. They have the date on the wall which I thought was pretty cool.

Jen said once a year they airlift by helicopter all the non-perishable items they will need for the entire season. Three times a week, a llama train brings up the perishables and clean linens for the cabins. We were able to see the llamas before they made their hike down. Jen is feeding them left-over pancakes from breakfast. They seemed to like them. All I could get from them was a perpetual wary look.

We went a little farther to Cliff Top to enjoy the view. The wind there was absolutely biting but the view was well worth it.

We hiked down the mountain and Jen went to have dinner with friends and Herbert and I drove to Clingmans Dome, the highest peak in the park, to watch the sunset. We hiked up to the observation platform and made it in time for the sunset, but wimped out before the sun actually did its setting. It was uncomfortably cold. In our defense, I'd just spent my summer on the beach in the heat and humidity and had no warm clothing and Herbert had just come from Texas. What was cool, however, was looking across the valley from the observation tower, and seeing the peak we had been standing on just a few hours earlier.

Bright and early Saturday, Herbert and I left for Texas. We stopped at the capital in Nashville so I could get my cartwheel in.

We also stopped in Little Rock for the same. It was a high school's homecoming so the folks milling around in the back were there taking pictures.

I'm now back in Houston for a bit, applying for jobs again, and deciding what adventure I'll have this winter. I'm thinking someplace warm...

Last Day at CAHA

Six months has gone by so quickly. A year ago I was pulling into Des Moines, Iowa. And now, I'm back in Texas, after finishing a great season with the National Park Service at Cape Hatteras National Seashore in North Carolina.

Here is an aerial view of where I have been living the past six months. Where those thin ribbons of sand meet and turn, where it looks like there may be land, a smidge of green, that's where I was. The entrance to my duty station.

The last day the lighthouse was open for climbing was Monday, Oct. 11. Our last day of work was Tuesday. Tuesday afternoon, all the seasonals and our supervisors had one final climb of the lighthouse. Looking over the edge, there was a goose, and something white you would recognize if you've ever been in my car.

Here I am at landing five. This is where I would spend most of my time while in the floater position while on duty in the lighthouse. My favorite view, besides the balcony, was from this landing.

View looking down to landings four and three. The landings are on alternating sides of the lighthouse.

Here's the crew from the summer. From back to front, left to right: Erika, Jen, Tim, Eileen, Debbie, Savannah, Jason, Zach, Keri, Michael, Alexander, Me, Chris, & Kevin.

And the group on the granite steps. There are nine. These count in your 257 steps to the top.

I headed to one of my favorite places and watched the sunset over Pamlico Sound one last time. Then I turned ever so slightly, and watched the lighthouse light-up one final time. My friend Troy joined me and then 'cooked' (DiGiorno pizza) dinner for me since I had no food.

Final sunset over the sound.

It was a great experience and I grew a lot. To be honest, I do not know how much I will miss the place, but I already miss the people.

Halloween

The trailerhood celebrated Halloween in mid-September. Since we are all heading out in less than a week and Halloween was deemed a grand event to celebrate, Zach, the skeleton below, organized a grand shin-dig.

I spent quite a bit of time working on my hat. I had hot pink pom-poms hanging from it (thanks BTA for the yarn!), and had the top covered in all sorts of plastic fruit, purchased at the dollar store (great place). I then decked out my swim suit cover-up in prescription bottles (thanks Mom for scrounging!) of zoloft, cymbalta, prozac, paxil, and wellbutrin. I had some "prescription" M&M's I handed out. Any ideas as to what I was?

Above, me, Zach, and Jen.

Me with Savannah and her fiance Mike. They went as a piping plover and a fisherman. Had we given out awards, they would have won for best couple; I realize this only makes sense to those familiar with the current conflict surrounding the park. It was grand. I wish I'd gotten a photo of her bright orange legs!

Me and Alexander, who still has yet to shave off the cheesy mustache. His costume was a thrift store find and I can't remember the excellent title it had.

Eileen came as Groucho Marx and was in character all night; isn't she fabulous?! Erika was simply thrilled to be out of her uniform. We didn't realize how long her hair was since we'd never seen it down.

Me and the roommate, Rebecca.

Poor Mark was working the night shift, but was still able to make an appearance. I think he looks simply terrifying as a Ranger, don't you? Two months ago he came to the tail end of one of my campfire programs and intimidated some of my visitors.

Figured out what I attended as? Given up? Need a hint? I asked a few of my guy friends who were lacking in a costume idea to come as my weather man.

I love Halloween and I'm thrilled I get to celebrate it again when it's supposed to be celebrated. I've got to carefully pack my hat so the tropical depression can make an appearance in whatever part of the country I end up in at the end of the month.

Additional Pictures

Here are a few of the pictures my dad sent me from their visit.

The final flight on Dec. 17, 1903 marker.
The final full moon climb of the season. This is on the lighthouse balcony, full moon and Atlantic Ocean in background.

Mom and Dad at the point, Cape Hatteras.