Home Sweet Home

Alas, this will be my final post.  The distillery was a great experience.  Everywhere you went there were unique smells, and each one was better then the next.  We started at the Rickyard, where they make the Sugar Maple charcoal to mellow their Whiskey, and a sweet smell of grain filled the air, it made me crave bread made from the grain out of the fermenters.  I envied the cows that got the feed from the spent grain.  Then we moved on to the distillery, where no photos could be taken because the air was filled with that lovely Whiskey aroma.  From there it was to the mellowing house, where the whiskey smelled even better.  Finally we moved on to the Barrel House, where the 'angel share' filled the air and I couldve spent all day in there just breathing deeply.  But the tour had to come to an end and I purchased a few select bottles to enjoy sipping in the cool Connecticut weather later this year.  From the distillery, we stopped in the center of town where all the buildings look like classic Americana.  I bought some merchandise at the general store and then we had some fantastic pulled pork with red beans and rice at the barbeque caboose.  There was live music from a few up and coming Tennessee artists paired with some old timers that was a toe tapping good time.  We even heard a local Tennessee version of rocky top from a Nashville performing artist that was in town for a radio interview.  After leaving Lynchburg, we looked around at the trees and the weather and decided that the Blue Ridge Parkway could wait until another trip.  We pushed on through and arrived back in CT early this morning.  With all my loot pulled out of the Mazda, its time for some visiting and then Dad is off to get himself back home, the road wearied traveler needs some time away from his car. 

A Good Morning

The day started as well as any day could, coffee and beignets from a New Orleans landmark.  We enjoyed them on a bench in the early morning sun overlooking Jackson Square being serenaded by a man playing the saxaphone.  Watching as the tankers slowly meandered down the mighty Mississippi, we sipped our coffee and tried to keep from covering ourselves in powdered sugar.  The local pigeons were all fat and had beaks covered in the sugary goodness.  We soon had to be going though, and it was on to Tennessee to visit the holy land.  The place where the Sour Mash I've enjoyed for so many years is born.  Even though it was off season, the local inn was full.  Apparently there was an employee event tonight and they wisely got rooms stumbling distance from the distillery.  So we backtracked and found a place to stay not too far away.  Tomorrow morning holds the promise of a tour and perhaps a morning beverage, then its off to the Smoky Mountains to begin our journey home via the Blue Ridge Parkway(weather permitting).  There is some snow in the forecast and it may not be the brightest idea to take a windy mountain road in the snow.

The Good Kind of Hurricane

As predicted, today was all about food(and drinks).  We had some bbq brisket for lunch and then made it to New Orleans for a late dinner at Pierre Maspero's.  I started with the fried Alligator, yes Alligator.  Then moved on to some cajun blackened red fish and jumbalaya.  Dad had jumbalaya and red beans and rice, then we split some great spicy gumbo.  A mint julip and a hurricane rounded out the menu, then it was off to Bourbon St to listen to some live music, have more drinks and watch the crazies.  There were some beads tossed to a couple of women for the typical reason, which was surprising because it was so cold.  Those two women, I couldve gone without seeing, but whats a guy to do.  We came back to the car and found another ticket, this time only a parking ticket.  Apparently, its illegal to park anywhere on a block where there may be a no parking sign within 50ft.  They must be running low on funds, but its only slightly higher then the paid lots that I offered to spring for...  Tomorrow, we plan to have some coffee and Beignets by the Mississippi and then head up to Tennesee for some Sour Mash.  We keep hoping for warmer weather, but now were going to be heading in the wrong direction for warm weather.  Its actually calling for snow in a few places on our way back.  We may or may not be using the tent anymore this trip.

Where's the grub

Last night was just as the picture says, good food, good drinks and great company.  Sitting over the dinner table and then later by the fire until the wee hours of the night swapping stories new and old about family and friends.  A good time had by all.  Dad got the spare room and Jacob was nice enough to lend me his room, so I had Spiderman and Superman keeping me company as I slept.  A quick breakfast and some playtime with the kids and then it was time to hit the road.  Today should be all about the food.  Some Good Ol' Texas barbeque for lunch and then on the New Orleans for some Cajun cookin'.  I like the trend we have going, not cooking and eating well.  Im sure I have some more tries at over easy eggs by the tent, but Im enjoying the break while it lasts.  We seem to be bringing the cold weather with us everywhere we go, seemingly every day we ask 'aren't we in the Southwest, why is it so damned cold?'. 

Hello...hello...hello

An early morning trip to Carlsbad, especially one off season is the way to go.  We were among the first to enter the cave and quickly motored our way to the head of the group, even beating some of the rangers to their posts.  The quiet and solitude really added to the overall cave experience.  This is by far the largest and most spectacular cave Ive ever been in.  I have seen some more interesting speleoform rock formations, but the sheer size and breadth here will never disappoint.  They designed a very nice cave loop that takes you down down down to 800ft below the surface where you can tour the cave on your way down and then loop around through the miles of rooms and formations back to a set of elevators that hauls you back up.  We were happy to see that we wouldnt have to huff it all the way back up the steep winding path.  With that great adventure behind us, we're off to the outskirts of Austin TX to visit the local Bunnell clan.  We hear the diminutive natives are restless...

Who would live here?

Morning broke, and while trying to stay warm in the mid to high twenties weather, I did my best to make eggs over easy work on the skillet Sue had done so well with before.  I managed 1 1/2 out of 3 tries, good thing I wanted scrambled.  Luckily, no mountain lions bothered us, though on daylight inspection of the campsite, I did find some tracks a little close for comfort.  The car packed back up lightning fast, its amazing how much faster it goes when you can see what you're doing.  On our way up to the cliff dwellings, the question was posed by the elder Bunnell, 'Why would you live here'.  Mustve seemed like a good idea at the time, but he persisted, ...I mean, you'd have to carry all your crap up here, water, food.....  Apparently it had something to do with little things like food and water, oh, and they were in much better shape.  Off now to White Sands, to see the Gypsum wonder in all its glory.  It was just that, something very unique, bright white sand dunes that went on for miles sparkling in the afternoon sun.  There was a boardwalk made of recycled products and aluminum that was quite a 'shock', there were warnings all along saying that you could become charged and then if you touch the aluminum, ZAP.  One man in a motorized wheelchair thought it was great fun until it shorted out his chair.  His very understanding and patient wife was doing her best to push the chair, but it was uphill and quite heavy.  We stopped to lend a hand, but dispite our best shadetree mechanic attempts at reset and restart, he still needed a push all the way back to his car.  After snapping some good shots and walking barefoot in the dunes, it was time to be moving on.  On our way to Carlsbad, we stopped in to a quiant little American Mexican restaurant for dinner and noticed that the only waiter/bus boy on duty was using a pair of rolling utility carts.  One to serve food and drinks and the other to bus tables, clearing the plates right there at the table.  It was a little odd, all he was missing was a large set of janitors keys.  We decided that with a pretty tight schedule tomorrow, that it would be better not to have to pack up the tent and supplies so we can get to Carlsbad caverns when they open.  I swear, it has absolutely nothing to do with the temps here dropping close to freezing overnight tonight.

Up Up and away

Monday started with the Pima air and space museum.  We toured both the AMARC(Aviation Maintenance and Reclamation Center, AKA the Boneyard) as well as all of the hangars and WWII+ vintage aircraft at the museum.  It took us the better part of the day to see almost everything and we couldve spent more time if we had it.  There were service retirees available throughout to tell you all there was to know about the planes and their missions.  It was quite fascinating.  We both of course spent time trying to figure out what everything was and how it all worked.  After picking the veterans brains dry, we set off to New Mexico and the Gila Cliff dwellings.  A trip that took us well into the night and on some one+ lane 'barely' improved roads that wound all the way through the Gila National forest to the foothills by the cliff dwellings were we camped.  We met a very nice man who was originally from Avalon NJ who warned us of mountain lions nearby that were killing dear throughout his 10 day stay.  That story I think we couldve both done without before hunkering in to our little tent for the night.  Every rustle and crack led to some stirring in the tent as it got colder and colder and colder, wasnt NM supposed to be warmer....