Day 5. Making Lemonade.

Friday January 13, 2023

I slept 'til 7:30 inside the jeep, in a parking lot somewhere in London, Kentucky and wow did I sleep like a rock!

Not sure how rocks sleep actually...but they look pretty "out cold" to me! Kinda dead to the world right? They just lay there and don't move. Like my brother when we shared a bedroom when he was like sixteen. Man could he snore. I could've hit him with a rock and he'd still just keep that chain saw sound going. Think I did toss a college textbook at him once or twice to try and quell that awful sound. Didn't flinch. Think one time it hit him in the head too. That's another rock. Head like a rock. Out like a rock. Dead like a rock. Well that's how I slept last night. I barely moved at all. Heck I couldn't really move anyway if I wanted too cuz I had about twenty three inches of space to sleep between the two beautiful bikes. Man if I could find a woman that would always be there for me when I need her like these two bikes have been woohoo! They are always solid in my life when I need them. To have someone you can always count on to see you, hear you and be there for you when you need them...thats real right? I want to be that person for someone else too. To be the support and voice of love when she needs it. Geez sound so refreshing I can't wait!

But for now...

"Salsa to the left of me...Parlee to the right - here I am! Stuck in the middle with you!" Ha!

Ok geez gettin' off track here. ..

Speaking of out cold...it's cold out! There is snow all over my jeep. I grabbed the phone to organize my thoughts and check the weather - icy stuff all over the forecast wow. They're still predicting a snow/rain mix and right around freezing temps. I googled a few of the parks around the area too and it seems not only are the parks closed but they've closed a few roads in the area due to icing also. Guess the Universe is telling me it's another travel day.

So I first searched out a mom-n-pop coffee place to chill a bit (grab more of a local flavor and maybe get some tips on where to go next) and do some work on the computer. I can work on the blog with their wi-fi and I'm also studying to be a personal trainer - ya know the guy that stands next to you in the gym and tells you to lift things and crunch things and put things back down so that you leave the gym feeling totally wasted? Like you spent all your energy and all your money to feel exhausted? That guy. I'm not sure I'm big enough though. Most of those guys are all jacked n stuff. I'm in shape n all... but more of a string bean shape ya know? Not sure people will believe a green vegetable would know what he's talking about. Maybe nutrition advice!? "Eat vegetables and have skinny arms" could be my tag line. OK, I'll start doing more of these exercises I'm reading about. Try to strike a balancebetween cycling and strength building. SOunds fun actually.

Anyway, I'm lookin' forward to finishing this course (provided by NASM and it's pretty in depth) and adding this dimension to my retirement resume!

The coffee shop I found is called "Love is Real". Totally quaint, quiet, friendly and has wifi. Perfect.

I met the two owners, grabbed a hot Maple Pancake latte and stayed for nearly two hours between studying, writing the blog and chatting with them. I mentioned my journey and they suggested a hike to the Van Hook Falls in the Daniel Boone National Park. Exactly what I needed ...a direction! Perfect day to hike...well not perfect. Perfect is more like a 70 degree day hiking in Hawaii somewhere with a Mai Tai waiting for you back at the resort.

Do they drink Mai Tai's in Hawaii? Not sure. Maybe that's a Japanese drink? Not a clue. I even had to google how to spell Mai Tai so I could type it. My first shot was My Tie and that didn't look right : )

A hike seems like the perfect antidote to not being able to cycle anywhere. For sure it's better than riding on icy roads or trails!

I eventually found the trailhead they mentioned and prepared for the hike like I was going to be off the grid, in the woods and living off crickets for a week. Heck what do I know? I'm more of a cyclist. You know...fancy spandex shorts, taking up a whole lane on the road while we 'gossip' like a bunch of 'ol nannies. Then stopping in a coffee shop for muffins and a latte somewhere. The biggest risk is whether or not the barista will remember to use almond milk like we asked.

None of this walking into the woods where bears live and if you make a wrong turn you could be lost for days. Wait...why am I doing this again lol!? I think it should be called something other than hiking too right? More like dancing with death in really nice expensive boots.

I tell you, the first mile of the hike I really had doubts to my sanity. First, there was this sketchy looking dude in a truck at the trail entrance. Not doing anything but staring out the window at me and into nothingness. Second, I'm in the backwoods of Tenessesse with no one else I know near or around me. Third, I'm entering a trail all alone that I've never ever been near before. All these thoughts aren't felt when you read a blog right!? But wow when I passed this rocky-cave-looking thing about two miles in? Whew my nerves shot up! It looked like the perfect cozy living room for Mr. Bear and his family. You know the family he'd want to protect from New Yorkers hiking past his house? I threw rocks ahead of me to see if anything came out and to give myself a head start running away like my life depended on it. Cuz it probably woulda. Gosh I also shouldn't run either right? But rocks seemed logical at the time. But luckily! All was well...all this fear was made up in my head. Great to be cautious but whew my mind was taking off for a bit there!

Totally great hike though for real. It lightly snowed the entire time and the trail opened up into an area with an awesome stream and little water falls around. I sat at this turnaround point for a bit to breathe and absorb the view before heading back. The return trip was easy enough - it's amazing how familiar the path had become in one trek through it. I also didn't run out of water or trail mix (Yes! I actually had trail mix...on a trail! Think that's what I'm supposed to do right?) so I didn't have to use the hunting knife I bought to "search and destroy" for any meals.

Good thing cuz I woulda starved if I had too. I'm the guy that saves a spider in my daughters bedroom and puts it outside.

Bottom line...there were no animals harmed in the making of this blog.

Or crickets!

I decided to head closer to the Pigeon Forge area and The Great Smoky Mountain National park. So I took off south, stopped in Knoxville TN (which was an awesome city). It had a little nightlife happening and super friendly people everywhere. I love this southerly respect thing that's obviously instilled in folk down here. Yes sir, no sir stuff...so good. This NYer is not used to that. I decided it was too late for a campsite and hunkered down in the jeep again in Sevierville TN. So far this town seems to be a cool, quaint looking town that I'll check out tomorrow!

Inside

Some thoughts along the hike...the water in the stream flows naturally, not using its own "will" but allowing nature to kind of direct it. Maybe it's also the path of least resistance? Sometimes in life we bump up against obstacles and we're not sure what to do. I've often wondered if I was supposed to 'conquer' them or perhaps it's a sign I was just heading in the wrong direction? If the stream had it's own mind (like we do geez) the water could've tried to say..."no it's quicker if I just go straight down here instead of way around that way!" But sometimes an obstacle is meant to go around...and sometimes it's life challenging us.

I also noticed the stream that was a slow trickle fifty feet back was now crashing over rocks just a little further downstream. This also was a metaphor of life for me. Sometimes we're just chilling, everything's pretty casual and then all of a sudden whoa! It feels like life is moving at a hundred miles an hour and I have no control or idea where I'm headed! Nature is no different than us...or better yet...we're no different than it! We're part of it and the same - stuff - happens to us!

I also noticed all those little fears that cropped up along the hike...a sketchy path or a rock formation that looked like it might be a great bear napping spot. Funny how the mind works...I think that's why the fear verse in the below pic resonated with me. Use your head but also trust when it starts running away with itself!

Outside

Gosh just stunning nature all along the trails is today's "outside medal winner". The way the water was spilling over a rock in the stream creating the perfect soothing sound. The snow falling across my view and onto the path in front of me. Heck even just the quiet solitude of being alone in the woods. There is something about being in nature that rejuvenates the soul. I'll upload some pics....they tell the story better than words but yet still not as good as being there...

Upside

Today's upside winner is the title of the blog. So often we can look at what's happening around us and see "what's wrong' with it. I was totally thinking that I would be exploring by bike nearly everyday on this trip before I left - but Mother Nature definitely had other plans for me. These two bikes are sitting dormant in the comforts of the jeep just itching to go out like I am. But rather than focus on that...rather than be ticked off that the weather is not meeting my demands lol...I rolled with the hike suggestion and man - did that lemonade taste good!

When life gives ya lemons...make lemonade!

downside

Well, having made lemonade out of the weather/lemons it kind of took the sting out of this icy downside. Don't get me wrong, a bike lover loves to ride...but being directed to this hike really gave me a taste of something I wouldn't have touched if it were nice out. I also surmounted the novice fears a hiker can have, never really doing this before, let alone in a far away setting from what I am comfortable with. The sour downside weather? Turned that into something memorable.

Passed a car with this verse on a bumper sticker... Kinda resonated with me, especially on the hike when it felt like bear country a couple of times!

Coffee shop bathroom!

Knoxville TN

Love is Real Coffee shop

Harbor Church South for my Christian peeps

No idea what that is : )

Maple Pancake Oat mill Latte!