Tag: travel

Are you a mountain person or a beach person? Maybe you’re neither–or both.

by Pam Harris, "blind" writer
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This is the view from our cabin near Pigeon Forge this past weekend. We discovered cabin lodging about 25 years ago, and except for a few stays in a condo in our annual trip to the Smokies, we have stayed in nothing else.

Once upon a time, the Smokies were my “happy” place. The views, the colors in the fall, the things to do–it was a perfect fit for me. I enjoy the beach as long as I’m active. I’m not the type to enjoy sitting on the beach all day and reading a book. My idea of fun at the beach is walking on the beach at least twice a day, swimming, spending a little time on the sand (maybe an hour or two), going to locally owned shops, doing things like a dolphin cruise, and things like that.

When I was a teen, I enjoyed horseback riding at the Smokies. I enjoyed the ski lift, Ober Gatlinburg where I ice skated, going to Cade’s Cove, and exploring the mountains.

The years, however, have brought changes, some of which are good and some of which are not.

Pigeon Forge, once a sleepy little spot on the way to Gatlinburg from Exit 407, is now a commercialized chaos that brings bumper to bumper traffic, crowded restaurants, crowded stores and entertainment venues, and…well, crowds. To be honest, although I always loved the mountains when I growing hop and in early adulthood, I’ve never liked the town of Gatlinburg. Too commercialized even back in the day, with the fudge shops and places selling souvenirs and that sort of thing. These days, it’s more crowded than ever.

I get it. Places like that rely on the tourism industry. It’s the lifeblood of the community. They need those dollars, and I actually feel like I’m doing something good for someone when I spend money there.

The resort in which we stayed, Sherwood Forest, was secluded, not too far from Pigeon Forge, and very clean and comfortable. We grilled on the gas grill one night, enjoyed YouTube TV programming availability in the evenings, and walked the resort for exercise one morning instead of fighting the traffic to go into the park and find a hiking trail. The roads were sometimes steep but nothing too bad, although walking UP the hills was a cardio workout like no other!

Luckily, many visitors left Sunday morning, so the traffic became much better, the miniature golf courses and the Titanic exhibit not crowded at all, and no problem with dining out.

If you’ve never been, I do recommend going at least once. Go to Dollywood for the kids or the water park. Play miniature golf and do all those other things kids enjoy. Adults can take in shows, explore the artisan shops like Alewife Pottery (locals, did you know they’re from Martin?), and explore Cade’s Cove and other sites where you are likely to see a bear in the wild. Enjoy the beauty of the mountains. Relax in a cozy cabin..

As for me, I’m visiting the Smokies in my mind regularly these days as I write my third book in the Mandi series entitled Secrets of the Smokies. The Mandi series is for girls ages eight to 12, and I’m rewriting and revising (meaning improving, hopefully) the first two books The Ghosts of Graceland and Music City Mayhem. Notice the alliteration in all the titles? Cheesy, I know, but it just happened that way.

As for this trip, though, we made the mistake of scheduling it without checking to see if there was any sort of special event taking place. Or maybe it wasn’t on the schedule when we planned our trip. But Friday and Saturday were packed with people attending a Street Rod (Street Hot Rod?) convention. Those cars and people were everywhere.

So, when you plan your trip, research. Maybe go during the week instead of on a weekend. Even then, be prepared for the traffic. And don’t stay in the midst of all that chaos. Don’t stay in a hotel or a condo, unless they’re far away from the madness. Go to VRBO or find cabin rental companies. Find the cabin that is right for you and your companions. You’ll find luxury cabins, some in resorts with pools and even cabins with their own indoor pool, lodges, one-bedroom and two-bedroom cabins, and more. You’ll find some very high up with amazing views and others at lower elevations and surrounded by nature’s beauty.

Not everyone likes spending time in the mountains. I don’t love it as I once did, but my husband does. We’ve learned it’s more enjoyable to go with friends or family because spending time with them is part of the experience. It all comes down to your personal preferences and your situation in life. So for all you beach-lovers, continue to do what you like to do.

As for me, as long as I’m with friends or family, I can enjoy being anywhere…well, as long as you promise not to want to just sit around all the time and not do things.

An active life is a happy life. At least, it is for me.

The wisdom gained with age

by Pam Harris, "blind" writer

When I was growing up, I had three dreams that lasted well into adulthood: I wanted a dog (my parents wouldn’t allow me to have one), I wanted to own a ranch someday, and I wanted to be a writer.

Pretty simple, right? I didn’t have dreams of being a famous model or actress (well, I did for a short time like a lot of girls in middle school), and no doubt my dream of owning a ranch someday was totally unrealistic due to the fact my family did not own land nor did we own horses, but that didn’t change the fact that I loved the idea of it. No wonder I loved Janet Dailey’s Calder series.

In adulthood, our family has had two dogs, sweet Sable and our current dog Draco (the shelter had already given him that name and when we got him at seven months old, that’s what he responded to), and my joke is that with him I got a horse-dog because of his size. He’ll be five next month. All 70 pounds of him.

I never got the ranch, nor did I even spend time at a dude ranch at any point, something I regret. I don’t want to go now because I don’t want to chance getting hurt on a horse, but I loved the opportunities I had of riding horses belonging to friends or paying to ride at public stables.

As for the writing…well, you see how that is playing out. Not a best-selling author and not huge sales, but with the technology we have today, I am able to continue that passion. I love to write, whether fiction or non-fiction. And while I would love to make some money at it, I’m okay with just doing it because it’s something I love to do.

It’s like you sports people, those of you who grew up playing sports. Maybe you aspired to be good enough to get a scholarship to college or even to go straight from high school to a professional baseball team, but the high number of would-be professional athletes is tiny compared to the number of college athletes. Some who aspire to greatness achieve it. Others indulge in their love of sports by coaching or being passionate fans.

We all pursue what interests us.

There aren’t many perks to being “a certain age,” but one perk, in my opinion, is being able to look back on my life and realize that it’s okay to have achieved just one of those three childhood dreams–the dog thing. Have I mentioned I love dogs? And our oldest son is a dog magnet. They sense his attitude toward them.

But that ranch dream…unless I could have been wealthy enough to pay lots of hired hands, it would have been a grueling seven-days-a-week obligation. No rips to the beach. No trips anywhere. The vet bills, the reality of mucking out stalls and cleaning hooves and the ongoing expense…I’m glad that dream was never realized.

I know I’ll never be a best-selling author for many reasons, but if just a few people read what I write and enjoy it, I’m good with that. I always have story ideas spinning in my mind, so maybe one day I’ll be able to achieve some real success in that endeavor. To me, there are no negatives about writing. I love the whole process, including re-writing and editing and meeting deadlines for the publisher.

Maybe you can relate. Maybe your childhood dreams dissipated like the early morning fog as the sun comes up, and maybe you’ve found other ways to pursue your interests. And for the few who achieved their childhood dreams, I have this question: Was it what you had hoped it would be?

You may be wondering about the horse in the picture. This is the photo for my Facebook profile, and it was taken in July of 2024 when another couple and my husband and I did a quick trip to Lexington, Kentucky, where we toured a racehorse breeding farm. Claiborne Farms in Paris, Kentucky. The guided tour was about an hour long, and it was fascinating.

I fed a peppermint to two of the horses. This particular horse is worth–brace yourself–$85 million. That’s right, $85 million. The other horse? A mere $11 million. I doubt the quarter horses I planned to have on my dream ranch would have been worth anything close to that. And no matter how you feel about horse racing, you have to admit those animals are beautiful.

Wisdom gained as we age is a blessing. It helps us to appreciate what we have instead of what we don’t. It helps us to accept compromise and change. And it gives the ability to have peace and acceptance of whatever our situation may be, not to mention the joy we have in enjoying the adjusted versions of our goals and dreams.

Kentucky Derby weekend–anyone planning to try a Kentucky Hot Brown?

by Pam Harris, "blind" writer

July 2024 at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. I am feeding a peppermint to a retired race horse worth…wait for it…$85 million.

That’s right, $85 million. Just ten minutes prior to this I had fed a peppermint to his grandson worth $11 million.

I am not a proponent of the gambling involved with horse racing, but I do love the drama of the Derby, the build-up of talking about the horses, the two-minute race that keeps you on edge wondering if the horse you think will win actually does. And I love horses.

Last summer, some friends called to see if we wanted to make a quick trip to Lexington, Kentucky, with a stop at Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace and childhood home in Hodgenville, Kentucky. It was a great trip, one of those unexpected surprises when you really have no particular expectations and end up having a great time.

Claiborne Farm is a breeding farm and is the location of Secretariat’s grave. When a race horse’s career is over at a young age, he is then used for breeding. Our tour group was small with an in-person guide instead of the usual audio or iPad device, and we were able to ask questions as we walked from barn to barn. The walk was an easy one, nothing long or strenuous, and for a gal like me who longed to live on a ranch even into adulthood, it was extra special.

I learned that normally only three parts of the horse are buried–the head, the heart, and the hooves. In Secretariat’s case, though, the entire body was buried. We had seen the movie, but hearing about the famous racehorse prompted us to watch the movie again after we returned home and to pull up all three of his races that were a part of the Triple Crown on YouTube.

We also went to the Kentucky Horse Park where we saw more horses along with demonstrations, but the highlight for me was seeing the skeleton of Lexington, the horse on which Geraldine Brooks’s book Horse is based. Everyone knows that is my current favorite book. Like some of Lisa Wingate’s books, I listen to it at least once a year. I have blogged about it before, so go back to my previous blogs and look for a photo of Barry and me standing in front of a horse skeleton.

I told our friends that we would get together for the Derby in May 2025. I would make Kentucky Hot Browns, and we’d watch the race together. No, no large hats and no mint juleps and no wagering, but we’re going to do it. I’ve never made a Kentucky Hot Brown before, so this could be interesting.

And I’m going to share something about me. I seem to have an uncanny ability to pick the winners. My pics are often against what the odds makers say. No, I’m not going to post my picks so you can bet on a horse I think will win. But I want to see if my streak holds out. I don’t study the horses in advance. I just watch the preliminary information then watch each horse as the jockey rides it to the starting gate. That’s when I make my decision.

Will I be right this year? I’ll find out on Saturday. And even if I’m wrong, it will be a fun time with friends as we relive our fun trip and make new memories. You can’t beat that.

Great places I’ve seen, and places I want to go

by Pam Harris, "blind" writer

I took this photo in Nassau, Bahamas, when we went there on a cruise in 2023.

We live in an amazing world, and one lifetime is not enough to see all I’d like to see. After all, life has been full of responsibilities and busyness, not to mention financial considerations, so to think that anyone outside of the very rich could go everywhere they’d like to go is unlikely. Notice I didn’t say impossible.

Some people don’t like to travel to new places. I know many who prefer to go to the beach every year on vacation, and that’s fine.

But that’s not me. Maybe it’s not you. Maybe you’re still dreaming of all the places you want to go. Maybe you “visit” them by watching YouTube videos. Maybe you wonder if going there would be worth it.

Allow me to make a few recommendations:

  1. The Grand Canyon, specifically the south rim. No video or photograph can do it justice. It is a feeling as much as a view.
  2. Washington, D.C. Don’t think I’m crazy, but seeing our nation’s capital (and Capitol) is a must. The museums, the historical buildings, Arlington Cemetery, the house where President Lincoln died…be sure to go to Alexandria, Virginia, and ride the trolley down King (or is it King’s) Road (Street?) and hang out by the Potomac
  3. The Great Smoky Mountains. Whether you are into nature or into commercialization, you can pick and choose. Whether you choose to hike, go tubing or rafting, ride zip lines and mountain coasters, or spend hours shopping in one specialty/touristy shop after another, it’s all there. And rent a cabin. They have amenities to keep you busy or comfort to allow you to be lazy.
  4. The Outer Banks, North Carolina. Stay in Southern Shores or Duck. Go to Manteo to explore a replica of The Lost Colony, go to Kitty Hawk (well, Kill Devil Hills) to see the site of the Wright brothers’ first flight, and enjoy time on a beach NOT lined with condos but rather private residences and not as crowded as Florida beaches. By the way, I’m not a fan of Florida. It’s okay, but just not a fan.
  5. Sedona ad Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona. Enjoy Sedona’s shops, restaurants, red rock beauty, and surreal atmosphere. Enjoy an upscale old west environment in Scottsdale. Shop at Gilbert Ortega Galleries in Scottsdale, but be prepared to pay a high amount for anything you buy. Still, it’s fun to look at what they have to offer.
  6. San Antonio, Texas. Six Flags Fiesta Texas for the kiddos, and the whole family will enjoy Sea World. Be sure to eat at Mi Tierra and shop in El Mercado, take a boat ride on the San Antonio River by the mall across from the Alamo. And, oh, of course, visit The Alamo. It’s not very big.

I could continue with more, but I’ll move along to where I would like to go.

  1. All over Europe, specifically France, Spain, Switzerland, and Austria. Yes, blame “The Sound of Music” for Austria. Blame “Heidi” for Switzerland. Blame my majoring in Spanish for Spain. And blame my ancestry and minoring in French for France.
  2. New York City. Not a long stay. Just enough to see all the must-see stuff.
  3. Boston, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard.
  4. Wyoming and Montana.
  5. I once had a desire to go to Israel, but the area is too unsafe, so I am content watching “Drive-Thru History: The Gospels” and “Drive-Thru History: Acts to Revelation” on Prime Video. It’s free, by the way.

Now you know my top picks. What about yours?