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Road Trip – Day 1

Deer

Wednesday, August 18

 

 

After visiting with Dave and Sandy and getting settled into our room, we drove on some local roads to check out the deer population, and weren’t disappointed. We saw about eighty – many which I did not photograph.

 

 

I liked this picture – with the old dump truck in the background.

 

 

I cropped the same photo. Notice the antlers on the one on the left. Even at a distance you can see that antlers are still in the velvet.

 

 

This was a beautiful area with lots of cattle on the hillsides.

 

 

Cerwin was pleased to see antlers on two of these.

 

 

Two deer at alert due to our presence

 

 

A doe and two fawns

 

 

This was the next photo in my series, and I see there are three fawns. I wonder if she had triplets or if there was another doe in the area?

 

 

Another doe with twins

 

 

 

 

This herd of deer did not mind when Cerwin stopped the car, but I had their attention when I got outside.

 

 

A close up of the three on the right.

 

 

I decided to walk closer to see what they would do…

 

 

It didn’t take them long to show us their tails – the reason they are called whitetail deer.

 

 

I was surprised to hear a snort nearby and see another deer run away.

 

 

The weather was starting to clear when we noticed these rainbow colors in the sky.

 

 

The wispy fog created a delightful atmosphere.

 

 

 

 

Toward dark we saw a few deer close to the road. This one and the next were close together…

 

 

…so I expect they were twins.

 

 

This fawn was standing along the road on my side of the car, making it easy to get a closeup.

 

 

This is what the deer looked like after dark. The two eyes on the right belonged to the doe and the eyes in the middle of the road were those of her fawn.

Dave told us there are a lot of small fawns for this time of year. They are usually born in spring.

 

~~~

It was an interesting, wonderful day.

~~~

 

 

 

Because you’ve gone out on a limb, committed yourselves to love and trust in me, believing I came directly from the Father, the Father loves you directly. [Jesus]

John 16:27 (The Message)

 

 

Road Trip – Day 1

D & S New Hope Lodge

Hornets ~ Dogs ~ Interior

Wednesday, August 18

 

 

This photo of the lodge shows what used to be the church’s entrance steps.

 

 

Sandy (the “S” in D & S New Hope Lodge) and Cerwin. She works at the Ranger Station – thus her ranger uniform.

 

 

I know that I am a bit slow sometimes, but I was home, looking at the pictures when I realized why the words New Hope are included in the lodge’s name. The name of the church was (and is) New Hope Church of the Brethren.

 

 

We came upon the new church when we were leaving the area on Thursday.

 

 

 

 

Back at the lodge, Sandy pointed out the hornet’s nest in their truck. Notice it above the upper right side of the back wheel.

 

 

This amazing creation is as deep as the wheel.

 

 

My internet research tells me that these are Bald-faced Hornets.

 

 

 

 

Dave & Sandy’s Bloodhounds

Oliver has a fabulous bay (howl) that seems to come from deep in his belly. I enjoyed leaving the lodge just to hear him bay. He always bayed for a bit when we went to the car or walked anywhere he could see us.

Bloodhounds are the oldest breed of dog to hunt by scent – and according to Dave and Sandy are good at tracking humans.

 

 

Isabelle’s bay is not quite so deep.

 

 

Daisy is a Redbone Coonhound and is pregnant with Oliver’s puppies. Redbones are a mixture of bloodhounds and foxhounds.

 

 

Inside the Lodge

They kept the raised pulpit area. Dave said it didn’t seem right to remove this area when they changed it from a church into their home.

 

 

A front corner of the pulpit – now kitchen area.

 

 

Another view of the kitchen as Cerwin and Dave visit.

 

 

A wider photo of the living room/kitchen. Their dining area is behind Sandy. Notice their daughter Kate behind Cerwin. The steps to her loft bedroom are behind her.

 

 

I took this photo with my back to the kitchen. The space above the steps (right) is another loft with a small lounge for Dave and Sandy. Their bedroom is behind the seating area.

 

 

A photo of a mounted fox as I came down the steps the lounge.

 

 

An area of the lodge behind the kitchen. They decided to not remove this painting from a children’s room that was part of the church. This space has beds for several hunters and is reserved for Dave’s family during hunting season.

 

 

There is a room in the basement that sleeps three or four hunters.

 

 

The main part of the lodge was originally the fellowship hall. This is where our guys stay when they hunt, and where Cerwin and I stayed on Wednesday night.

 

 

 

 

Cerwin and I chose the king-sized bed.

 

 

Our bed is in the background, then a single bed, and in the foreground is a regular sized bed. There is another bed, plus a sofabed.

 

 

It’s a great place to stay when traveling through this part of West Virginia.

 

 

 

Wait passionately for God, don’t leave the path.

Psalm 37:34 (The Message)

 

  

Road Trip – Day 1 Seneca Rocks National Radio Astronomy Observatory D & S New Hope Lodge Wednesday, August 18     A bit farther down the road we came to Seneca Rocks…     …a beautiful place to photograph, walk, or climb.     It was still drizzling, and since we just walked two-thirds of a mile in the cavern, I chose to photograph while Cerwin checked out the area with his binoculars.         We looked for climbers, but I expect a rainy day is not good for that activity.     Near Lake Buffalo, Cerwin turned in at an unpaved mountain road. He, our sons, and the other men who hunt with them have hunted here on occasion.     On our way out I spotted this fawn not too far off the road. It didn’t seem to be bothered when Cerwin stopped the car…       …but its ears perked up when it heard the click of my camera. Within seconds it was up and running to its mother who was mostly hidden behind nearby trees and brush.     This is the closest restaurant to the lodge where they stay during hunting season. Remember, Cerwin is wanting me to experience some of his hunting activities, so we enjoyed a delicious spaghetti supper at Ryders Restaurant.     We were back on the road only a short time when Cerwin pointed out the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in the distance.     I knew we would soon be seeing it, because we had lost cell phone service. There is no cell phone service for a wide area surrounding this large telescope.

The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, the GBT, or as it is sometimes called the Great Big Telescope. Its dish is the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope. The dish is larger than two side-by-side football fields–and seems to dwarf even the surrounding mountains. It is composed of 2004 panels, each corner-mounted on actuators that allow the panel positions to be adjusted, changing the dish configuration. A wheel and track design allows the 16,000,000 pound telescope the mobility to take in the entire sky above five degrees elevation. The receiver arm of the GBT stands higher than the Statue of Liberty.

 

 

We soon became acquainted with the more laid-back lifestyle of the south. This couple was asking for directions, and we were the fourth car in line behind the person giving directions. We waited a few minutes before anyone moved. Horns would have been blowing in the northeast, but everyone just patiently waited.

 

 

Our final destination for the day – D & S New Hope Lodge.

 

~~~

I’ll tell you about this refurbished church in tomorrow’s entry.

~~~

 

 

 

Watch what God does, and then you do it.

Ephesians 5:1 (The Message)

 

 

Road Trip – Day 1

Driving to West Virginia

Wednesday, August 18

 

~~~

Last Wednesday was the day we began a trip that was planned for last summer – before Cerwin fell and tore his rotator cuff – so the trip was postponed until this year.

Cerwin wanted to show me the area where he hunts near Dunmore, West Virginia, and this time we had reason to make Greensboro, North Carolina, our most southern destination.

~~~

 

 

We had a late breakfast at the restaurant where the guys usually stop.

We left the house about 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, after spending Monday and Tuesday getting odds and ends finished – he in the TFC shop and me in the office – plus mailing the September issues of the Highway News and TFC Prayer Calendar. 

 

 

The restaurant changed hands (and name) since last fall, but I got a feeling for the place they tell me about.

I love stopping at small restaurants because it gives me a feeling for the area. Everyone nodded or said good morning when we arrived, even several who arrived after us, looked our way and nodded a greeting. We were obviously the only ones who weren’t regulars.

 

 

It was a rainy day, so we missed seeing some of the mountain tops, but it made the day feel relaxing – or maybe it felt relaxing because I didn’t have to meet any deadlines.

 

 

 

 

We planned to stop to enjoy at least one place of interest on the way to the hunting lodge, and Smoke Hole Caverns seemed like a good choice, because rain does not affect caves.

 

 

Our guide told us that Smoke Hole Caverns got its name from when the Seneca Indians used the entrance of the cave for smoking their meat. Because smoke always seemed to be coming from this spot, it was called Smoke Hole Caverns.

The caverns were also used as a hiding place by soldiers during the American Civil War.

 

 

The cavern was utilized during prohibition by moonshiners. This is an original still. It is estimated that as many as twenty stills operated at one time.

 

 

Moonshine means it was made by the light of the moon. One X (moonshine) on a jug means it has been run through the still one time. Two X’s (Tangles) mean the drink is stronger – having been run through the still a second time. And you guessed it, White Lightnin’ has been run through the still a third time.

 

 

It has been a long time since we saw a cavern.

 

 

We saw a number of bats – some sleeping and several flying.

 

 

Hidden river

 

 

 

 

There was a constant dripping of cold water from the ceiling, so every once in a while a drip of water hit me on the head.

 

 

 

 

I am fascinated by stalacites and stalagmites. We learned a trick to remember which is which. Stalacites come from the top down – and hang tight. Stalagmites build from the bottom up – and might reach the top.

 

 

A natural, bubbling water fountain

 

 

A very large stalactite

 

 

We saw beautiful formations through out the cavern.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Herd of Elephants.

 

 

The Carrot

 

 

The Mop

 

 

Just a picture

 

 

The Ash Tray

 

 

The walk was about two-thirds of a mile and a very worthwhile stop.

 

~~~

Continued tomorrow

~~~

 

 

 

 How blessed the man you train, God, the woman you instruct in your Word, providing a circle of quiet within the clamor of evil.

Psalm 94:12-13 (The Message)

 

 

 

Trucker’s Day at the Buck

To Benefit Children’s Miracle Network

Saturday, August 14

 

 

 

We were pleased to be invited to take the International Chapel to this event.

 

 

It was another day of viewing beautiful rigs as they drove by the chapel.

 

 

I liked the smileys on each of the A.J. Blosenski rigs.

 

 

 

 

 

There are several large fleets at this show.

 

 

There are also things for children to do.

 

 

While Cerwin maned the chapel, I went to the auction and bought a crape myrtle tree, which added some beauty to our spot at the show. (You can see where we planted it on my previous entry.)

 

 

A reflection of the chapel on the side of this shiny dump truck

 

 

 

 

The interior of our rig looks like a small church – this one looks like a small store.

 

 

The exterior of the parts truck.

 

 

 

 I like the colors of this truck.

 

 

A closeup of a grill

 

 

 

 

While walking the lot, I met our friend Paul Rissler (left) from California, Missouri, as he sat in the shadow of the next truck visiting with the driver.

 

 

Paul’s truck is the white/green one on the right. He won third place in his category.

 

 

These dogs and their owners were enjoying a walk around the lot

 

 

Meanwhile, back at the chapel there were lots of visitors.

 

 

Chaplain Jake (front left) came to help us at the chapel, and spent some time in the chapel visiting drivers.

 

 

Vendors had to leave at 3:00 p.m. (we are considered a vendor) to make room for the cars and trucks that come for the evening activities. Watching the pull trucks arrive as we left, made us want to make plans to stay for the truck pulls next year. A representative of the show said we can park in the lot next door if we wish to stay.

 

 

So ended another wonderful day.

 

 

 

How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him.

Ephesians 1:3 (The Message)