Happy Memorial Day (and the Winner Is....)

We hope that everyone has enjoyed their long Memorial Day weekend. We hope it has been fun and safe for you all. We've been having our fun that's for sure, starting with our two 7-inning vacations on Friday. We spent the day at the pool playing ladder ball on Saturday (of course this was after taking care of some yard work). We followed that up with some much needed shopping on Sunday (frankly we were all in need of some new duds so we spoiled ourselves a little). Today, we played tourist in our own back yard Pigeon Forge, spending the day at Dollywood's Splash Country. We play tourist in Pigeon Forge about twice a year (once around Christmas Time to look at the lights, and at least once visiting attractions like Dollywood's Splash Country or Dollywood).

We are definitely wore out after having been beat down by the sun all day. I don't know how much longer we will last before our beds claim us for the night only to rest up and start the rat race all over again in the morning. However, the bright side to this are that after having today off, it's only a 4-day work week (Woo-hoo).

So before our bodies decide to shut down on us for the evening, I know you've all been waiting to see who won the "Orion Sky" print giveaway. You've all shared your favorite constellations, liked us and Random Joy Fine Arts and Photography on Facebook, shared the post on your walls, Tweeted and even mentioned the giveaway on your blogs. For that we thank you all for your participation and support of Appalchia & Beyond. So without further ado, we give you the winner of the "Orion Sky" print by Random Joy Fine Arts and Photography. After plugging in the 26 comment numbers into the Random Number Generator at Random.org, we are pleased to announce that comment #7 - Jobiwan is our grand winner. Joe, send us an email at appalachiaandbeyond (at) gmail (dot) com with your mailing address and we will get the print out to you in the next couple of days. We hope you enjoy the print, after reading your first entry comment we are certain that you will.

That's all we have this evening. Our bodies are ready to shut down at any time now, so we'll bid y'all adieu and hope you have a wonderful week. Stay tuned as we will have more posts to follow in the coming days and there may even be another giveaway opportunity for you to jump on too.

Happy Trails,
Tim and Robin

Impromptu Camping Under a Big Bright Moon

It's 4:30pm on a Friday afternoon, the weekend is just an hour away, what do you do? You suggest an impromptu, no-fuss camping trip to the wifey. I like to keep Robin on her toes from time to time. Of course she keeps me on my toes way more. LOL. But when I suggested a camping trip on Friday afternoon, she was hesitant at first, but was quick to say okay after I suggested we just take bare essentials and just go for the night. Besides, what better way to start off our camping theme week, than to go camping, especially with the Super Moon in the night sky thanks to it being at perigee?

Of course as always, I told Robin that I would help pack once I got home in the next hour, but by the time I got there she had our packs mostly ready and there was very little left to do. (Have I ever mentioned how much I LOVE her? If not, then words really can't describe it. "Insert cheesy 'More Than Words' song lyrics here"). Anyway, we decided that since it was going to be just a one night camping trip and we wanted to make it as little fuss as possible, we only took the bare essentials and pack our backpacks as though we were headed to the backcountry for a night, well sorta.

Within an hour of my arrival home we were all packed and ready to head out the door. We first had to drop the kiddo off at Joders as she didn't want to go on our overnight. We'd decided we would stay the night at Norris Dam State Park, and when we were there earlier in the week, the bathhouse in the east campground was still closed. For Ashby, that's a HUGE deal. Once we had her squared away, the next task was to get some food for supper. We figured since we would be arriving after dark, we would just pick up some "good mood food" rather than cook supper at camp. Remember it was a low-fuss trip so every corner we could cut to spend the night under the stars we were going to cut it.

With food obtained, we headed to the campground and began the search for a site. When we arrived we decided instead of the primitive campground, we'd take a gander at the west campground since we had never stayed over there. Much to our amazement, there weren't very many campers, and the bathhouse was open on this side of the dam. Can you say "BONUS"?! After picking out a site and paying the $18 fee to the ranger (it's $20 if you are RV'ing), we started to setup. First thing on the plate was to set up our tent. This was relatively easy as we only brought our 3 season Ascend Hiker 2 backcountry tent. It fit Wifey, Me and the Beene quite nicely. With a 20% chance of rain looming, we also put the rainfly on. After the tent was up and our sleeping bags and pads inserted inside, the next task was to find wood for a fire.

After about 20 minutes I had gathered enough to start a nice little fire to enjoy until bedtime. Of course, there were a few more wood hunting trips through the night but I didn't have to go very far. There's been plenty of windy days over the past couple of weeks, so wind fall was plentiful. With the wood gathered we decided to give the magnesium fire starter a try as we didn't bring any fire starter bricks (our normal campfire starter). This was indeed a lesson in futility. For one, the dead grass I gathered was still a bit damp from the monsoon like rains we've had over the past couple of weeks. For two, the wind was a bit brutal so we would extinguish any flame that was produced almost immediately. We did successfully produce a small flame with this method, but it wasn't enough, nor did it last long enough to produce a sustainable fire. After a few more minutes, we broke down and got one of the paper bags from our supper, and in seconds we had fire.

With the fire going, chairs out, and tent up, we were free to do as we pleased. We sat and enjoyed the fire for a few minutes and it wasn't long before Robin was up and grabbing her trusty camera and tripod to capture the Big Bright Full Moon. I guess we spent the better part of an hour capturing the moon, and then other night time shots. Of course, I didn't snap any shots as I'm not that experienced yet, so I was content to sit back, watch and learn from my master.

After the photo session, we returned to our chairs, stoked the fire and enjoyed the pleasant spring evening and each others company. It was indeed very relaxing and very enjoyable to watch the moon as it traveled across the sky. I think the Beene had just as fun a time as we did. As the hours grew later, we realized, once again, that we were the last ones up in the campground. What can I say, we are night owls, always have been and always will be. However, it wasn't long before we were tired and ready to call it a night. Besides, the wind had picked up and it was getting very chilly.

The next morning we were awoke by a barking dog somewhere in the campground. Not sure who's dog it was, but that's all it did for a good 5 to 10 minutes. It was all good though. It was early and something about camping always causes us to get up early so we can enjoy the day. The sleep for me wasn't bad. Of course I can sleep in pretty much any situation and I can sleep through a tornado. Robin on the other hand didn't sleep that well. She was up every 20 minutes or so. Something about being to old to sleep on the hard ground and her head being cold until she realized she could put her sweater over it.

It didn't take us long to emerge from the tent. Within minutes we were out, and I was working on a morning fire to enjoy our coffee by. As I worked on the fire, Robin worked on the coffee. We decided that we would wait until we got home to have breakfast, as we knew we had a lot to do that day we didn't want to dawdle too long at camp. We used our backcountry MSR Pocket Rocket stove and Jetboil fuel to boil enough water for our coffee. I have to say that once we figured out the way the wind was blowing in it didn't take long to bring the water to a boil. Robin had rigged the cookware to block it. **Something else to add to the want list: Windscreen** Boiling 9 ounces took 2 minutes tops with the burner at half power.

We sat for a while enjoying the fire, the soft morning light, and our camp coffees. These are indeed the moments in life to live for. Very simple. No worries invade at these moments. Just a calm presence shared with our companions in quite simple solitude. If every morning started in this way, I don't think I would dread going into the cube farm I call work as much as I normally do. Wait, never mind. Of course I would, because I wouldn't want to leave that for anything. :P

After a couple morning shots with the camera, and our cup of coffee down, it was time to break camp, pack up the car and head on our merry way to take on the day. Besides, our bellies were screaming for sausage biscuits and they weren't going to let up until they were satisfied.

Happy Trails,
Tim and Robin

The Geminid Meteors are Coming

This month, planet Earth will barge it's way through a stream of debris left by the extinct comet now asteroid 3200 Phaethon. This happens every year around this time resulting in what we call the Geminids Meteor Shower because the meteors appear to come from the constellation Gemini.

This year's Geminid meteor shower should peak around the 13th and 14th of the month. The moon shouldn't be much of a problem as far as light pollution goes as it will be setting around midnight, which is a good time to head out to catch the meteors. We usually like to head out around that time or just a bit later. The Geminids usually produce about fifty meteors and hour on a pretty regular basis making it one of the best showers of the year.

So if you haven't got anything better to do in the wee morning hours of the 14th head outside and look up. Of course you'll need to bundle up to the point you look like a cross between Randy in "A Christmas Story" and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. It's okay though as all that padding will make you comfy for laying down as that is the best way to view a meteor shower. Otherwise, you might end up with a sore neck within minutes.

Don't be dismayed if you have to get up early the next morning and that prevents you from getting out to watch the shower. You can go out the weekend prior to the 13th/14th, that is provided the skies are clear, and watch for them because Geminids start flying through the night sky around December 1st and continue through to the 18th. It just happens that the 13th/14th is the peak and usually produces the best rate of meteors per hour.

So everyone be sure to pray for clear skies next week as we would love to get out and freeze, err I mean, watch the meteor shower.

Happy Trails,
Tim and Robin

The Lion was a Lamb

If you remember correctly, we were wondering just the other day, what the Leonids meteor shower would be like this year, and whether or not we would get to see them. The big concerns included the moon, the weather, and school for the kiddo. As it turns out the weather was pretty decent for the occasion. The kiddo didn't want to miss school for reasons we won't discuss here. As for the moon, well let's just say that even if the Lion did roar, the moon light was far to bright to see much.

The night of the 18th we stayed up until 2am periodically going out on our back deck to see what was going on. Around 11pm there was nothing worth mentioning except that the moon was really bright. Again at midnight, nothing. Around 1:30am we were getting tired and the bed was calling our name. In a last ditch effort, Tim went out and stood for a good 15 minutes looking up at the sky. In that 15 minutes one Leonid flashed and skirted through the air in a matter of seconds. Just before 2am, Robin went out for the last time and stood for a good 15 minutes waiting to see one and was rewarded as well.

In looking at Spaceweather.com, it turns out that this year wasn't much of a show compared to past years when we actually got to go out and watch for hours. The average reported rate maxed out at about 25 meteors an hour at the peak in the wee early hours of the 18th.

Maybe next year will be a good year. All the stars will align properly and we can watch the Lion roar again. Of course a year is a long time to wait. For those that are looking for a good meteor shower, the Geminids are up next. Around December 13th, the Geminids should peak, and from early guesstimates, it should be a good show. You can check out EarthSky.com's Meteor Shower Guide for more information on the Geminids.

Happy Trails,
Tim and Robin

Will the Lion Roar?

This seems to be the question we ask ourselves every year around this time along with wondering what the weather will be like. If it is anything like the last couple years (and looking out the window it likely is going to be), then it really won't matter if the Lion roars or not. However if we have clear night skies and the moon is not an issue, which from what we've seen of the moon phases for the month, it shouldn't be much of a problem some time after midnight. So all we need to do is to bundle up, bring blankets and chairs, and maybe something to have a small fire. Of course, let's not forget the most important thing of all...Coffee!!!

What we are talking about, in case you hadn't figured it out yet, is the Leonids meteor shower. It occurs every year around November 17 - 18, at least that's usually the peak time. This has got to be one of our most favorite meteor showers of the year. During a storm, one can expect to see hundreds  of meteors shoot across the sky every hour. During calm years, you can still catch twenty or more an hour.

As we mentioned above we haven't been very fortunate enough to catch the Leonids in the past few years due to weather or moon conditions. However, this year could be promising other than it being a Wednesday and Thursday. This could potentially be a problem considering our yougin' has school in the morning and the best time for viewing the Leonids is usually well after midnight.

That seems to be the issue with any major astronomical event. You see these events don't take your time into consideration; rather you must take their time into consideration and plan accordingly. So this year we aren’t totally sure if we will be able to catch the heavenly show. Just keep checking here over the next couple of weeks and you will know if we were able to make it out.

If you plan to go out and take in the show, here's a star chart that we retrieved from Astronomy.com that you can use to locate the viewing area for the shower:

The image source is http://www.astronomy.com/News-Observing/Sky%20this%20Week/2010/11/STW%20NOV05to14.aspx

 For more on the Leonids for 2010, check out these links below:
- http://www.astronomy.com/en/News-Observing/News/2010/11/Leonid%20meteor%20shower%202010.aspx
- http://www.chiff.com/science/leonids.htm

Happy Trails,
Tim and Robin

Perseids Meteor Shower and Iridium 12 Satelitte Flare

So this week we had the pleasure of heading up to the field above Aunt Betty's house to take in the spectacular view of the Heavens. As a matter of fact we went up there twice this past week. The first time was Wednesday night. We headed up there, we as in the whole family (Robin, Ashby, Mom, Dad, and Clover the trusty sidekick) around 9:30pm after we packed the jeep with blankets, chairs, pillows, snacks and the like. We got up there around 9:45pm after a nice off-road trek up the ridge to get there as always. By 10:00pm we had the blankets spread, the chairs out, our binoculars at the ready and even the HT (Handy Talkie).

So there we were, all on our backs looking up at the celestial bodies when we viewed our first meteor streak across the sky. That's correct, our purpose this time was to watch the Perseid Meteor shower. Of course we were a night late for the peak but for good reason. On Tuesday it was cloudy and rainy so there was no chance to take in the event. However, Wednesday was just as well. We stayed up there for a two and half hours and in total, we saw at least 65 total meteors between us. I have to say it was an amazing show. We also took in the sites of Jupiter and three of it's moons with Dad's monster 200x binoculars. We also got to view our magnificent moon as it rose above the horizon. It was indeed a marvelous evening to view our great evening sky.

Our next trip up to the field was Friday evening. I had noticed on Heavens-Above.com that there was going to be a -8 magnitude Iridium Flare passing overhead that night and we decided we would head up there to check it out and see if there were going to be any more Perseids to watch. The flare was to occur between 10:18pm and 10:25pm. It was about 10:20 when I offered a dollar to the first person to spot the satellite. As it turns out, the Rugrat, with her eagle eyesight, was the first to spot it. It was a good thing to because it was just about to flare when we all glimpsed it. For those of you who don't know about Iridium Flares check out http://www.satobs.org/iridium.html. After that, we sat up in the field for another good two hours just passing the time with conversation, watching the evening sky, and catching a meteor or 10. We really didn't see a whole lot of Perseids that evening as it was pretty much the end of the shower. However, we did see a few and a couple that were not Perseids.

Anyway that was our time in the field. If you hear about an astronomical event coming up, like a meteor shower, visible comet, etc. my I suggest you get out to a field or a good viewing area outside of city light pollution and spend some time looking up. You'll be glad you did, I promise. As a matter of fact the Draconids will be coming up at the end of September first of October. Also the Leonids will be in November. I know it will likely be cold, but that's nothing a good sleeping bag, a few layers of clothing, and a thermos full of coffee or hot chocolate can't take care of.

Check out cool space stuff at www.spaceweather.com

Have fun and get out doors. God provided us with a beautiful masterpiece.
Happy Trails and God Bless,
Tim and Robin

2007, Where did it go???

Well 2007 is long gone and 2008 is well underway. I've decided that if I'm going to keep this blog up with entries on our various outdoor activities then I should stop trying to catch up on all that we did last year and just start fresh after this post. With that said, I believe I will give a quick look at everything else we did last year.

We ventured out to Frozen Head State Park again for a little fun. We cooked out Hot dogs and played and what not. We also went on two Appalachian Quilt trails. These are real fun as it lets you get into the heart of Tennessee. The cities and the downtown areas are great and all, but if you really want to see the heart of Tennessee I suggest you take a picnic lunch or something and get out of the house for a drive along one of the quilt trails. You will definitely see some beautiful country.

We finally ended the out of doors season with a camping trip to Frozen Head State Park. We camped for a whole week and really enjoyed ourselves immensely. Mom and Dad came out to visit a couple of days while we were out there. We hunted firewood almost daily, walked around the park, played, and rode bikes. On one of our last couple of days, we decided it was time to do a nice hike. We set out for Bird Mountain. This was a beautiful trail that runs along with the Cumberland Trail for a little ways. We stopped and ate lunch at one of the back country campsites. We finally continued our trek until at last we were out and back at the campground. If I remember correctly, the trail was 8 miles and there was an elevation gain of 1600ft in just over two miles.

As for the winter time, our out of doors activities were pretty limited due to the cold. However, we did get out for a few astronomical viewings. We watched the Leonids and Geminids or was it the Orionids. We went and gazed at Comet P17 Holmes a couple of times. We played with our video cam attachment to Robin's telescope a couple of times. We also saw a handful of Iridium Flares as well as watched the Space Station pass overhead one night. If you want to learn more about our astronomical Exploits, we have a separate blog dedicated to just that. You can see it here

As for 2008, well, I reckon I can start fresh with a new blog entry for our first two hikes of the year, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, and yesterdays O&W Bridge trail in the Big South Fork National Recreational Area.

Keep on the look out for these two posts as I plan to have them up this week.

Happy Easter everyone.

T and R.