South-East Kentucky Road Day

Work travels took me to Bell County in South-Eastern Kentucky, along the Tennessee line. It was hot and humid, with rain clouds hanging in the sky. Google maps offered me a shortened route that turned out to be half make believe. It sent me looking for connecting roads that didn't exist as I wound through the tree covered mountains. Once I could no longer find the road, the app tried to re-route me;...

Double Turtle Rescue

I brake for turtles! I'm constantly scanning the roadways for signs of these little hobos, carrying their home on their back. Turtles generally don't need any human intervention or rescue. However, I always feel like I've saved a life when I help them reach the other side of the road. Last week, I had the opportunity to save two within a dozen miles of each other. Shy box turtle While traveling...

April blooms in Frankfort

Spring has finally arrived and the capitol city of Kentucky is blooming. This is the most beautiful time of year to spend an afternoon in Frankfort. I walked around the Old Capitol grounds and enjoyed the flowers and fresh growth on the trees. Girls play in front of the Old Capitol. Frankfort is host to numerous flowering trees, including the native red bud and dogwood. A walk around the area...

Devils Market House Arch

Having spent many weeks in the field with the guys, I decided to try my own hand at arch hunting in Daniel Boone National Forest. I headed to Menifee County in Eastern Kentucky for my first solo run. I began by walking along old county roads which have long been decommissioned, and are now simply dirt trails. Using GPS, I was able to locate two large arches in close proximity to each other but not...

Cherokee Arch and Surrounds

It was a beautiful spring day on our last team hike in the Gorge. Skies were cloudy, but temperatures were above average and reached a high of 77°F/25°C. The weather was comfortable enough for t-shirts, which sadly means the camping crowds were also making their first appearance. Snakes are sure to follow, so we will have to wait until fall for more off-trail adventures. Thankfully, our last day together...

Star Gap Arch and Beyond

This week the hiking team visited Star Gap Arch and Arch of Triumph, two of the dozens of natural rock arches in Red River Gorge located beyond the official trails. Some arches are more accessible than others and these were along somewhat visible trails among a maze of switchbacks, campsite spurs, and dead ends. Good backcountry skills are required and sometimes so is the occassional cliffside scramble....

Townsend Mountain Lore

One of my most beloved places in Kentucky is Townsend Mountain, in Daniel Boone National Forest. The mountain is located at the intersection of Powell, Estill & Lee County in Eastern Kentucky, just south of Natural Bridge State Park. It is heavily forested and home to natural arches, rocky vistas, caves, cliffs, beaver pond, and the occasional black bear strolling along Kentucky's longest trail,...

Powdermill Arch

It was another unseasonably beautiful February day in Kentucky. I enjoyed a sunny morning hiking in Red River Gorge, from a new approach. Indian Creek lead to an off-trail natural arch, unique because it's cut from limestone, rather than sandstone. Lots of interesting cliffs and sink holes in the area. The capped the hike off with Blackburn Vista, which offered an expansive view of the Red River Gorge...