Above is a view of a section called "Little Jerusalem" in the Ave Maria Grotto, located behind Saint Bernard Abbey near Cullman, Alabama.  Beautiful miniatures of famous historic buildings and shrines from around the world crafted by Benedictine Monk Joseph Zoettl (1878-1961).  Born in Bavaria, he came to the Abbey in 1892.  Brother Zoettl developed a hobby of building miniatures while working at the power plant...his first pieces placed on the recreation grounds, but as the number of visitors to see his creations increased, a new site was selected in 1934.  He continued his hobby for over 40 years, with his last model being built in 1958...the Basilica of Lourdes.  Brother Zoettl died in 1961 and is buried in the Abbey cemetery.  Today, the Ave Maria Grotto covers over three acres of hillside with over 125 miniatures.  It is visited by numerous people from around the world.  For those who decide to venture to Alabama, this place is well worth the visit.

Yeppers, it's been awhile since I updated this thing.  Workweeks are busy and the weekends are relax time.   Of course I've been on the computer, but mainly for getting other tasks finished...which is still a work in progress.  Anyways, as soon as I'm finished posting this picturesque entry I'll be making my rounds and saying "hi" to everyone.  Dinner first, though.  Mmmm...SPAGHETTI!

Pictured above is the Opalescent River, located in the High Peaks Region of the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York within Adirondack Park.  While visiting my friends and relatives in the Finger Lakes Region a couple weeks ago, I decided to take a 20-mile (32-kilometer) round trip hike to and from Mount Marcy.  Many of the hiking trails I travelled followed waterways, including the Opalescent River and the well known Hudson River.  The Opalescent River flows downstream from just north of Mount Marcy to Lake Colden and Flowed Lands, and then from there to the Hudson River south of the hamlet of Tahawus.  As with many mountain creeks and streams, rapids and waterfalls are plentiful.  This region is no different. 

Flowed Lands is a man-made reservoir section of the Opalescent River, though the dam has fallen apart in recent years making the overall depth of the water shallow and a bit more of a swamplike setting.  Hikers can hear the croaks of many frogs which inhabit the reservoir as they pass by this area.  There are plans in the near future to fix up the dam so the water can fill up once again.  In the background north of Flowed Lands is Mount Colden at 4,714 feet (1,437 meters), actually bordered to the west by Lake Colden.  The bare spots on the mountain are from past landslides, which can be commonplace throughout the Adirondacks during heavy rains.  By that notion, avalanches are high probabilities during the winter months though not as extensive as out in the western mountain ranges such as the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada where elevations are much higher.

There are two trails to Mount Marcy which can be reached by a number of ways.  The most common route is walking the Van Hoevenberg Trail southeast from Adirondak Loj at Heart Lake seven miles to the summit.  During the summer months though, this path can be quite crowded.  On top of that, Mount Marcy has a large summit and has been known on occasion to have as many as 75 people on top at one time.  The problem with that is that many Adirondack peaks, including Mount Marcy, have an alpine summit with fragile plant life.  Some take many years to grow back if destroyed.  Preservation is a high priority so these precious species can be protected.  Luckily for me, I got there late in the day and was the only one on the mountain.  I had the summit all to myself.

Another way to reach Mount Marcy with a more gradual uphill walk than the Van Hoevenberg Trail is to take the Feldspar Brook Trail from Lake Colden east to the "Four Corners" col before dropping into Panther Gorge.  At the intersection, hikers have a choice of climbing either Mount Marcy to the north or Mount Skylight to the south.  En route to this crossroads is Lake Tear-of-the-Clouds (pictured above), the highest source of the Hudson River at 4,293 feet (1,309 meters).  This is not the actual source of the Hudson River, which is at Henderson Lake north of Tahawus.  Feldspar Brook outlets from Lake Tear-of-the-Clouds to the Opalescent River, and from there to the Hudson River further downstream.  Along the trails, it's not hard to miss with the lake being surrounded by dead trees.  The trail east to the lake is all uphill, which can be tiresome for those who don't hike or exercise on a regular basis.

Above is a summit view of Mount Marcy from Schofield Cobble to the south.  It is the highest point in New York State at 5,344 feet (1,629 meters).  The image may be too small to notice, but there are yellow trail blazes on the mountain marking the trail to the summit so that the fragile plant life is not trampled.  An interesting item which hikers will see are small piles of rocks which also mark the trail...sometimes helpful during the winter months when the blazes are covered with snow.  Mount Marcy is sometimes called Tahawus which means "cloud-splitter."  As previously mentioned, it's also the name of a community southwest of the High Peaks Region.  Although many sources state that the name is of Native American origin, there is no such term used by any local tribes and the word may actually be brought forth from Caucasian explorers to the region in years past.  From the summit of Mount Marcy, hikers can see many of the other Adirondack High Peaks as well as an aerial look of bodies of water such as Lake Tear-of-the-Clouds near the southwest flank.

The Upper Works Trailhead near Tahawus is the best place to start a hike to the Adirondack High Peaks Region.  From there, hikers can access more of the mountains than they can from the north near Lake Placid.  Secondly, there is a parking fee at Adirondak Loj.  I'd rather go to a free spot myself.   As people approach the Upper Works Trailhead from Tahawus, they will pass by five abandoned homes which were part of the old mining town of Adirondac...now a ghost town. 

Iron ore was found in this area in 1826, and the Adirondack Iron Works was formed to extract this precious metal.  The community of Adirondac was settled to house mine workers and station mining operations.  It was like other towns in the area with full local services including a bank and post office.  There were roughly 25 to 30 buildings constructed at Adirondac.  Furnaces were built on site to smelt the iron ore, of which the McIntyre Blast Furnace (built in 1854 as a last resort) only remains...located just south of the abandoned homes.  Things went well until impurities were found in the iron ore, making it difficult for the technology during that time to process.  In 1857, after a localized flood and a nationwide economic crisis, the mines were closed and the community of Adirondac vacated.

Pictured above is MacNaughton Cottage, one of five remaining buildings left in the old mining village.  It was built in 1845, and originally owned by Archibald McIntyre...a founder of the Adirondack Iron Works.  A few years after Adirondac was left to the wilderness, an organization called the Tahawus Club restored some of the buildings for the purpose of recreational use and lodging for hikers who visited the Adirondack High Peaks. 

On September 14, 1901, Vice President Theodore Roosevelt was staying at MacNaughton Cottage during his hike to Mount Marcy.  After climbing to the summit earlier in the day, his party set up camp at the col between Mount Marcy and Mount Skylight near Lake Tear-of-the-Clouds.  A messenger brought notice to Roosevelt that President William McKinley was near death after being shot a week earlier in Buffalo.  His party quickly hiked ten miles back to MacNaughton Cottage at Adirondac and the closest telephone to inquire on the President's current status.  From there, Roosevelt went to Long Lake where he hired a stagecoach to take him on the legendary midnight ride to the nearest train station at North Creek in order to get to Buffalo.  When Roosevelt arrived at North Creek, he received word that President McKinley had died.  Theodore Roosevelt was sworn in as President at Buffalo later in the day on September 15, 1901.  MacNaughton Cottage and other buildings used by the Tahawus Club and later by National Lead Industries were last occupied in 1963.  The Tahawus Club is still active today, located seven miles south of Tahawus near the hamlet of Newcomb.

Returning to the history of Tahawus, National Lead Industries reopened the mines in 1940...constructing facilities along Sanford Lake, about a mile south of the original operation.  The initial mining operation was also called the "Upper Works," and the latter operation the "Lower Works."  The impurities found in the iron ore during the original extractions was titanium dioxide, which later became useful and brought the need for new mining at this location.  A new community was established around Sanford Lake in 1943 to house mine workers which was, ironically, called "Tahawus."  Roughly forty million tons of titanium were extracted before National Lead Industries closed the mines in 1989.  The facilities were left abandoned with occasional patrol until they were demolished in 2006.  No buildings are known to remain from the community of Tahawus, which were 84 total.

Open Space Institute purchased much of the area, known as the Tahawus Tract, in August 2003 for the purpose of historic preservation and wildlife conservation.  As part of a grant given by New York State, MacNaughton Cottage and the McIntyre Blast Furnace are currently being restored as part of the project.  Presently, it is unknown as to what will become of the other four buildings remaining in the old mining village of Adirondac.  Hopefully, these will be restored as well...although one of the homes has already fell in.  We'll just have to wait and see what progresses.   For more information about the history of Tahawus, please view this PDF file.

Normally, it would take a hiker roughly six hours to reach Mount Marcy from the Upper Works Trailhead.  Due to the tiresome uphill walk from Feldspar to Lake Tear-of-the-Clouds and up Mount Marcy, it took me eight hours.  I'm one of those ones who doesn't hike or exercise on a regular basis, so it took longer.  Unfortunately, I had to spend the night on the trails as my spotlight went out.  I made it halfway back and was able to find an unoccupied lean-to (shelter) to lay in, although it was one without a wooden floor.  A damn dirt foundation which was damp.   Since I wasn't set on an overnight stay, I had to improvise a little.  Of course, being in the mountains, there was no phone service.  I wasn't able to call my sister until I got near Utica on the way back (about 95 miles) and let her know that I had to spend the night up there.  It was good though not having that annoying thing ring all the time.

Oh yeah, I went on a 17-mile (27-kilometer) bike ride through the northern portion of Great Dismal Swamp in Virginia two weeks before I went to New York.  I still have to sort through those pictures yet.  As a word of advice, insect repellent doesn't work on those pesky green flies.  I still got bit.   Anyways, on my return back to the trailhead along Williamson Ditch, I saw two black bears crossing the path.  They are commonplace in the swamp as mentioned in an earlier entry but not viewed that often.  At least I wasn't that close to either one, being about a half mile away from the closest crossing.  I also had fun following a great blue heron down the trail for a little bit, kind of a "catch-and-go."  I may go back there during the autumn months and see how the overall scenery looks at that time.

As for my friends and relatives up in New York State, they're all doing fine.  Everything is well back home too, though still hot and dry.  There was some needed rain the other day, but the area need much more.  Once again, we may have to rely on hurricane season.  It's not always a good thing, but any significant amount of rain will help.

Well, I guess I should finish up.  I'll have to go back out in a few minutes.  I will make my rounds to everyone when I get back.  Sorry, no more spaghetti.   Until then, later all!

Early June is peak time for mountain rhododendron blossoms.  The best place to see these beautiful patches of pink is at Rhododendron Gap within Grayson Highlands State Park in southwestern Virginia.  A hike south along the Appalachian National Scenic Trail from Massie Gap will take you through sections of these blooms along mountain flanks and passes to Rhododendron Gap near Mount Rogers.  Of course, views from peak summits are most worthwhile as well...especially when looking down at this awe inspiring valley as shown below.   Keep in mind that time is limited.

I was finally able to make it to the top of Mount Rogers as well.  As mentioned in a previous entry, the summit is covered in Douglas fir trees.  Therefore, no scenic views from the highest point in Virginia.  Many dead and uprooted trees were noticed along the trail on Mount Rogers.  Acid rain has been an issue to many mountin trees which contributes to this issue.  Other causes include age and various plant diseases.  Being part of the Jefferson National Forest, these trees are left for nature to handle and make great habitats for fungi such as moss and mushrooms.  A reminder to those who hike scenic trails...many areas carry endangered and sensitive wildlife and plant species.  Always stay of the designated paths so as not to harm these valued treasures, especially on alpine summits where many take a long time to grow back.  Insects such as ants, ticks and mosquitoes are a highly sensible exception.

This past weekend, I made a visit to the highest point in North Carolina...not to mention the highest east of the Mississippi River.  A state highway takes visitors from the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway to the top of Mount Mitchell at 6,684 feet (2,037 meters) within Mount Mitchell State Park.  Unfortunately, the summit was closed to the public as they are currently constructing a new observation deck to replace the old lookout tower.  It will be similar to the one at Clingman's Dome in Tennessee and handicap accessible, not to mention fully open.  Hmmm...this ought to be fun during windy conditions.  Hold on to your hats!   Mount Mitchell is named after University of North Carolina professor Dr. Elisha Mitchell, who determined its elevation in 1835.  He died after a fall at nearby Mitchell Falls during a return trip in 1857 and is buried at the summit of Mount Mitchell.

Since I couldn't view the surrounding landscapes from Mount Mitchell, I hiked a mile north to the second highest point east of the Mississippi River...Mount Craig at 6,647 feet (2,026 meters).  The Deep Gap Trail passes over many of the North Carolina high peaks on its way to Deep Gap and eventually to Bowlens Creek.  What the park staff didn't mention was that a portion of the trail is under renovations and one has to watch their step.  There were no warning signs either.  A frequent hiker would be used to such conditions from time to time, so it's nothing new.  The trail overall is rough and rocky anyway for the most part.  Watch for the colored blazes to make sure you're going the right way, especially during winter hikes.  Anyways, I was able to get great looks at the Black Mountains from atop Mount Craig, including one back at Mount Mitchell.  Maybe I'll post more photos on my weblog later.  You can see many of these on Foxx Trotter's Cavern.  Oh yeah, there was an ongoing wildfire in nearby Pisgah National Forest.  I didn't see it though from where I was.  The forest covers a wide area, and the incident could have been on the other side of the reservation.

As for my home port, things have been placid here.  The usual boring routine.  Our fundraiser and street event went well last month.  I'm still a busy beaver and work, work, work.   I'll be going to New York State next month.  The planned Adirondack hike it still on.  The goal only depends on the amount of hikers in the area during that time.  More pictures coming soon.  Until then, stay safe.   I'll make my rounds shortly.  Bye y'all!

Foxx (MLD)  

Yeah, yeah...it's been awhile since I've updated this thiggamajiggy.   My friend Adam Owen shot this and other aerial photos from a passenger jet of the desolate Mojave Desert region near Las Vegas, Nevada.  I believe it's the area around Lake Mead.  Images such as these I'm not able to get often for posting on my website without obtaining some from professional aerial photographers.  Anyways, this and his other pictues are posted on Foxx Trotter's Cavern.

Not much has been going on here, other that it's been bone dry once again.  There are thunderstorms in the area today though, so this should help a little bit with the drought situation.  I'm sure you've heard about many of the ongoing wildfires in the Southeast, especially in southern Georgia around the Okefenokee Swamp near Waycross.  I just heard on the news earlier today that another one has recently started in that area on the Florida side, and it is growing rapidly.  Hopefully, it can be contained quicker than the previous.  Natural historic landmarks such as the Okefenokee Swamp should not go up in smoke.   There was supposedly another one within the past week in the mountains of Shenandoah National Park up in Virginia, but I haven't heard much more about it nor have seen anything on the media sites.  It may have only been a minor incident.  Of course, don't forget the ones out west in California.

Speaking of swamps, I was able to take a trip to one on Easter morning.  Shown above is the Great Dismal Swamp, one of the largest in the country.  There are two commonly used trails in the area, the lengthy Jericho Ditch Trail and the Washington Ditch Trail.  These ditch trails are drive paths with small canals alongside to drain the swamp, and were intially used for logging.  This, along with urban development, depleted the Great Dismal Swamp to about half its original size.  As of present, the swamp covers around 110,000 acres in Virginia and North Carolina.  The Washington Ditch Trail, named for George Washington who first surveyed the area in 1768, is the most used due to it leading to Lake Drummond in the center of the swamp.  I took my bicycle with me in order to travel the 4 1/2-mile trail to the lake, as it would have taken almost three hours by foot.  A better bike seat would work better, as my rear end hurt by the time I got back to my truck.  The Great Dismal Swamp became a national wildlife refuge in 1974, and holds a number of species of plant and animal life.  Included are black bears, bobcats and alligators...none of which I saw while I was up there.  It was chilly that morning, so no mosquitoes at least.   To show you what these ditch trails through the swamp look like, below is a view of the Washington Ditch Trail looking west.  You can see the canal on the left side of the image.

Our fire department has its annual fundraiser next Saturday along with the town's street event.  Maybe the weather will cooperate and a large crowd will attend.  Chicken and pork barbecue, YUMMY.   I'ma gonna go back to tinkering with my Gamewell fire alarm box which I finally got working.  They're not used as much in the southern states as up north, but make great collector's items.  Mine is only being used as a demo.  Well, later all!

Virginia Tech has set up a memorial website for those interested in sharing condolences, thoughts and prayers for the people affected by the tragic events of April 16, 2007.  Just click the link here.  The site is moderated, so don't expect your comments to be posted right away.  They will be approved a quickly as possible due to the high number of entries.  I recommend everyone to leave a message.  Thank you for your support.

Yep, the world is yellow all right...with this damn icky tree pollen.   The stuff lands on everything in sight.  Shown above is what's on my mother's car hood.  For those who either live or have lived in the Southeastern United States, you'll know what I'm talking about.  Normally, this event happens here about mid-April.  Due to the mild winter we had though, it started almost a month earlier.  The pollen is expected to be the highest in many years.  Luckily, I don't have any allergies.  For me, it's just an annual annoyance.  We were hoping some rain would wash much of the pollen away, but that never happened.  Therefore, another yellow day upcoming.

You know there's a strong cold front coming through when there's a drastic temperature change.  The high for today at the Raleigh-Durham International Airport was 83° F (28° C).  Tonight's low is expected to be 39° F (4° C).  A freeze watch is in effect for most of North Carolina through the weekend, which means trouble for many of the spring flowers.  I see that winter doesn't want to leave yet.  At least no snow is expected here.      

Oh yeah, I plan on going to Mount Mitchell State Park on the west end of the state later this month.  Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi River at 6,684 feet (2,037 meters).  Unfortunately, it's one of those "drive-up" mountains.  It takes all the fun out of climbing, meh.  Anyways, more pictures coming soon.

Lemme find something to eat.  Buh-bye!