We continued our northward journey today, traveling again along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Although not as intense as the peak color we had last week, the foliage was still quite dramatic. Occasionally, we encountered showers of falling leaves and the distinctive sound of them crunching under the weight of our tires. We started the day at the Rusty Rooster just outside of Mt Airy for an amazing breakfast (not to be missed on future travel to the area). We stopped throughout the day for photos including the one above of Mabry Mill, the most photographed location along the parkway, and for good reason. As the sun was setting, we turned our attention to lodging and dinner. After a few false starts we found our way to the Zen Suites at the White Lotus Eco Spa. When we arrived we found the entire facility vacant. Absent the confirmation e-mail we were expecting we had no way to gain entry to our suite. We decided to let ourselves into the kitchen and dining hall area where we enjoyed an authentic and delicious Salvadoran dinner that we had picked up in town. After much investigation, I discovered the confirmation e-mail in my gmail account and we used the code to finally gain access to our room.

The 400-year-old Angel Oak Tree measures 65 feet tall and its trunk is 31.5 feet in circumference. It is the largest east of the Mississippi and is magnificently beautiful. I visited the site this morning while Jeanine remained at the hotel to conduct a Zoom call for the consulting project she is currently leading.

My next stop was a brief visit to the Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. I could have spent the entire day there, but I had to return to the hotel to collect Jeanine. We started heading north at noon, but not before securing a pulled pork and chopped brisket grilled cheese sandwich for the road.

Jeanine and I arrived in the historic downtown district of Charleston early this morning. After a few hours of exploring on our own, we joined a walking tour, which really enhanced our understanding of the history and significance of the area.

The French Huguenot Church was of particular interest to Jeanine.

Jeanine chose to explore the International African American Museum while I chose the Charleston Museum where I encountered a replica of the U.S. Civil War submarine HL Hunley. For those who do not know, I am obsessed with all things submarine. On the evening of February 17, 1864, her crew of 8 rammed the Federal blockading vessel, Housatonic, with a spar-mounted torpedo. It was the first submarine to ever sink an enemy vessel. Unfortunately, it never returned to port and its crew including Horace Hunley were lost at sea.

I used my drone to fly to Fort Sumter from Sullivan’s Island and get a full-profile view of the USS Yorktown. We ended the day having ice cream in place of dinner.

We left Raleigh this morning destined for Charleston. Along the way, we stopped at the Vollis Simpson Whirligig Park. Vollis Simpson (1919-2013) created a whimsical environment of intricate, whirling whirligigs eleven miles outside of the City of Wilson in North Carolina. Simpson worked hard, building equipment for house moving and opening a repair shop on his property.  Over time, he started building whirligigs until his property held constructions over 50 feet tall. Powered by the wind, the whirling spectacles began to attract art lovers and tourists. The reflective material lights up in the moonlight or in the headlights of a passing car, creating quite a spectacle. Many became familiar with Simpson’s work when four of his whirligigs were installed in downtown Atlanta for the 1995 Olympic games Today, self-taught artist Vollis Simpson is internationally recognized as an important American artist.

Our next stop was Pawleys Island, where we enjoyed an extended walk on the beach. See if you can find Jeanine in the aerial photo. Pawleys Island is a charming coastal town located in Georgetown County, South Carolina, known for its rich history and serene atmosphere. The island spans approximately four miles and is part of the “Hammock Coast,” a region celebrated for its beautiful beaches and laid-back lifestyle. The area has been inhabited for thousands of years, originally by the Waccamaw and Winyah Native American tribes. European settlement began in the early 18th century when Percival Pawley received land grants in 1711, leading to the establishment of plantations aimed at escaping the malaria-carrying mosquitoes prevalent in the summer months.

Grits and omelets were on the menu this morning as Burton prepared another exceptional meal. We then made a short 30-minute drive to Heather and Burton’s daughter’s new house in Durham. Toni just moved into the top floor of this duplex and is thrilled to be a homeowner for the first time.

Her house is situated next to a state forest, where we enjoyed a leisurely stroll helping Jeanine to hit her 10,000 step daily target.

After fortification with hot beverages and a shared cinnamon roll, we visited the Duke University Chapel and sat in on a choral performance.

Today, we traveled to Raleigh, North Carolina, where we connected with my cousin Heather and her husband Burton. After a minestrone and charcuterie board lunch inspired by my father’s favorite foods, we enjoyed a lovely hike in the William B. Umstead State Park. Our subsequent attempt to visit the North Carolina Museum of Art was thwarted by overflow parking for the state fair.

My sister suggested we visit the North Carolina State Fair today. From a caloric consumption point of view, the visit was a total disaster, but in every other regard, it was a blast. Mayela and Stephen attend almost every year and know the fair intimately. Except for the midway rides, which none of us have an affinity for, we visited every nook and cranny of the fair grounds. I enjoyed the bonsai exhibit and blacksmithing demonstration most. Jeanine ensured we experienced the dog, pig, and camel show; hard to describe with words but thoroughly entertaining. Mayela and Stephen guided us to all the best foods and local artisans. The giant pumpkins (watermellons, gourds, sweet potatoes, etc.) were truely hard to believe. When the sun went down we boarded the State Fair Flyer for a dramatic aerial view of the grounds at night.

Our destination today was Sanford, North Carolina. Once again, we chose to drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway even though it added a few hours to our journey. The tradeoff in extra time is a ten-fold more beautiful drive with almost no traffic and zero trucks. If I had to pick the most beautiful road in all of the United States, the Blue Ridge Parkway would be a top contender.

When we arrived at my sister Mayela’s new home, her husband Stephen attempted to burn the house down while preparing bourbon butter sauce for our steaks. In truth, he is a masterful chef, and our meal was delicious.

Today, our road trip took us to Radford, Virginia, where we visited with our nephew, Rory. He gave us a complete tour of the Radford University campus, where he is working towards his master’s degree in organizational psychology. He then prepared homemade risotto, one of my favorite dishes, serving it with asparagus and beef spare ribs. What a delightful meal.

Our day started with a visit to Harper’s Ferry, where we got out and explored the historic village. The town is located at the confluence of the Shenandoah and Potomac Rivers and was a key battleground during the Civil War changing hands eight times between 1861 and 1865.

Jeanine managed to score us a private tour of St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church which was otherwise closed to the public.

We opted to drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway for as long as possible. When we stopped at Humpback Rocks, the ranger informed us that the trees were at peak color. Indeed, it was like driving through a tunnel of color interrupted by turnouts offering awesome vistas of the surrounding countryside. It was one of the best fall time drives we have ever taken.

Another day of perfect weather in Frederick and a second evening of outdoor dining with Vincent, Carol, and her twin sister Emily (and Millie the dog whose real name s Minnie – another story). Vincent grilled his famous salmon, and Jeanine threw together her “poked potatoes.” Understanding the extent of my cooking skills, I was wisely assigned to seat cushion placement and table setting. Dinner was followed by a few rounds of the spelling game Quiddler, in which contestants benefit from memorizing a list of sanctioned 2 letter words like “AA” and “ZA”.

Earlier in the day, Jeanine, Carol, Millie, and I made the short hike to Cunningham Falls, at 78 feet, the tallest cascading waterfall in Maryland. We approached by way of the moderately difficult Cliff Trail and returned by way of the easy Lower Falls Trail. Jeanine continued to question the accuracy of the moderately difficult trail characterization throughout the remainder of the day.

Today, we continued south on our road trip through Pennsylvania stopping throughout the day whenever the spirit moved us. I suspect we are among a very small group of people who have ever stopped to see the Pioneer Woman Granny Statue in Altamont, PA relegated to a back alley way.

We also chose to detour slightly to stop in Hershey. The Hershey Story museum chronicles the community’s creation as a model town for the workers at Milton Hershey’s chocolate factory. Hersheypark opened in 1907 as a modest green space but grew to include rides and attractions, including a zoo. We decided to spend our time at Hershey Gardens which also features a butterfly house (with a few frogs).

Our final destination was Frederick, Maryland where we are visiting my cousin Vincent and his wife Carol. After a lovely walking tour of the city, we sat down for a delicious feast followed by a screening of short holiday movies created by Vincent and family members. They will not be up for any Emmy awards but will remain an enduring tribute to our crazy and hillarious family.

For the second week in a row, my soccer team played short-handed (footed) but still managed to pull out a 2:1 victory against a skilled Russian team. Once again, I did little to distinguish myself on the pitch but played my position well and made no mistakes, carefully conserving my energy for an hour of playing time.

After the match and a brief stop at the aprés, Jeanine and I packed up her car and took off on the first leg of a 2-week road trip to visit with family. I plotted a course designed to follow the fall color. We traveled west across Massachusetts through the Berkshires to Albany and then south to Binghampton, skirting the Catskills. Our desire to arrive before nightfall did not permit stopping for photos, but the entire journey was a feast for the eyeballs. It was without a doubt the most dramatic fall drive I have ever taken with peak color along the entire path.

Pictured above is the St John’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church located a stone’s throw from our hotel. Binghampton has a large Ukrainian community, many first generation who came to the US under refugee programs offered to Christians leaving the soviet bloc during the Reagan and Bush senior terms.

Maya and Fiona were our guests at the River House last night. This morning, they took the kayaks out to enjoy a perfect fall day on the water. They took off like bats out of hell, perhaps unaware that the Head of the Charles is being contested on a different nearby river this weekend. I took advantage of early voting and completed my civic duty for this election cycle. It will be one less thing to worry about when we return from our upcoming road trip to visit with family.

Fall color has arrived in Concord, a worthwhile reason to spend the morning capturing it. Pictured above is Warner’s Pond. Below is our stretch of the Sudbury River. If you look very closely, you can just see the roof of our house on the left side of the photo. Later in the day, I traveled to Kyle’s house in Medford. Together we installed a frosted glass door in the basement apartment to partition the laundry area from the kitchen. I returned to Concord just in time to for dinner. We were joined by Maya and her friend Fiona who are spending the weekend with us. Guests also include our good friends Irene and Eric and their new and very cute dog Ginger.

Our family dentist owns a portable sawmill and enjoys milling logs as a hobby. For the second time, he gifted us the fruits of his labor. This time, in the form of several slabs of spalted beech, which are destined to become a desk for Jeanine’s office. Spalted wood refers to wood which has been exposed to certain fungi and bacteria over a period of time. This process causes discoloration and produces dark lines or streaks in the grain of the wood. It is highly coveted among woodworkers. Before the raw slabs can be used, they must first be surfaced to make them flat and of uniform thickness. I have been gradually working through all of the material and have now completed the first pass. Once the boards have had a chance to air dry for a couple more months, they will be ready for final machining. Although the work is tedious, it is a little like opening a Christmas present. You never know what grain/spalting pattern you will discover until that first pass over the planer.

The damage assessment is in for Nicolai’s shoulder. He has a grade 3 AC joint separation. He reports that it will not require surgery but no word yet on how long it will take to recuperate. The good news is that crutching will aid in his recovery, as it will push the bones back into their normal orientation. He has already set his sights on competing in Costa Rica in January.

During the last few days, I have passed two of my largest kidney stones ever. The first was on Friday, measuring 5.5mm x 4.5mm. The second was after my soccer game on Sunday, a record of 6.5mm x 4.5mm. For all the blood, sweat, and tears required to produce these, it seems only just that they be more valuable than gold. Perhaps if I add more carbon to my diet, I will be able to produce diamonds, which might make the whole ordeal more worthwhile.

Possibly the cutest fan / get well message ever.

Bionic Project voting reminder. HERE

In his first match of the day, after scoring two goals, Nico sustained a serious AC sprain of his right shoulder. The extent of the injury could not be determined with the x-ray taken at the hospital and will require an MRI, which he will have later in the week. He returned to the field, arm in a sling, to watch his New England Revolution team manage a 2:2 tie against the New York Metro Football Club, which was good enough to secure a second-place finish in the tournament.

In case it is not apparent, a shoulder injury for someone who uses their arms to walk is a major inconvenience. Until he recovers, Nico will need to get around on one crutch. Given the level of pain he was in after the injury, I suspect it will take weeks, if not months to fully recover.

Although still suffering from a virus, I joined my short-handed soccer team on the pitch this morning and had an assist to help us secure a 2:1 win.

Five regional teams are competing this weekend for the US Amputee Soccer Cup. Nico plays for the New England Revolution Amputee Soccer Team and had two matches today. The first was against the team from Miami, which is essentially the same as the Haitian national team. Nico had one goal in the 2:2 tie: a good result against the favored Haitians. The second match against Chicago was a one-sided affair, with Nico scoring 4 goals. I spent the day photographing all five teams in action and the album can be found here.

On the drive home from the tournament, I heard an interview with Nico on Nation Public Radio. He spoke eloquently about his efforts to grow the sport of amputee soccer in the US. Talk about a driveway moment! Later, I heard from friends that they had seen him interviewed on TV as well. I hope to track down that video if it is available.

Here is a link to another interview with Nico from earlier this year. Spoiler alert: Nico is wearing a suit jacket.

Jeanine and I are still feeling quite ill with whatever virus we have contracted (not COVID). Rather than mope about the house all day, we jumped in the car and drove to Vermont for some leaf-peeping. What better way to distract ourselves on what turned out to be a perfect fall day? Our first stop was Brattleboro where Jeanine lived while getting her Master’s degree. From there we drove as far north as Quechee using backroads stopping whenever we were moved to do so.

Jeanine is still feeling under the weather, and I am now starting to show the same symptoms. Nevertheless, we both felt the need to get out of the house. We went to Idylwilde Farms for lunch, then to Kimbal Farms for the last ice cream of the season (they close tomorrow), and on to the Groton area for a little photography. Every time I drive past the pictured barn, I feel compelled to stop for a photo. There is something about the setting and composition that speaks to me. Despite having attempted several times, I feel I have yet to capture the optimal perspective.

Jeanine has come down with a nasty cold, and I am not feeling 100% either, so we decided to spend the day indoors. Even so, we still enjoyed the beautiful fall day from our living room. I made a chicken soup run and we curled up in front of the TV to watch the season finales of “Slow Horses” and “Bad Monkey,” two of our favorite series.

After doing some morning landscape work, I drove to western Massachusetts to enjoy a perfect fall afternoon. I traveled as far as the Connecticut River, where I paused to photograph the French King Bridge. The foliage is only beginning to change and it would be nice to return to the area in about a week with Jeanine.

My sister Mayela and her husband Stephen ventured out to visit their mountain cabin located in western North Carolina, 75 miles northeast of Asheville, to see if it was still standing. They witnessed massive destruction along the route messaging photos to the family as they drove. We were all relieved and thrilled when they reported that their home had been spared, and had electricity and water.

Once they ascertained that their house was intact, they continued further inland to deliver supplies to those less fortunate.

The family gathered this evening to celebrate my 66th birthday. We got to hear all about Maya’s single-day Presidential Traverse, Nico’s ascent of Mount Cotopaxi, and Kyle’s exploits in Panama. Joining us were Owen, Maya’s boyfriend, who shot this photo, and Heloisa, one of Kyle’s housemates. I grilled steaks while Jeanine prepared a wonderful salad, Brussels sprouts, and baked potatoes, which we enjoyed on the patio warmed by a fire. We retired indoors for a delicious ice cream cake that Jeanine had prepared at my request.

My soccer team enjoyed a 2:0 win over Medfield earlier in the day. For the first time this season, I felt good about my game. I made zero mistakes and did something productive every time I handled the ball. My hip joints have been bothering me for the last week and I was pleased that they did not hurt at all during (or after) the match.

Although my birthday was front and center, today is Jeanine and my 34th wedding anniversary. How lucky can one guy get?

In a recent post, I shared the news that the Bionic Project, where Nico works as the Lead Educator, had been selected as a finalist in the national Land Rover Defender Service Awards!

The winner of $25K and a Bionic-branded Land Rover Defender will be determined by public voting, which has already begun.

I am pleading with all my followers to support the Bionic Project by voting every day for the next 12 days. It costs nothing and would mean so much for the organization.

Cast you vote HERE.

SUPER IMPORTANT: Sign up for a daily voting reminder HERE.

SUPER, SUPER IMPORTANT: Share this post with your entire network and ask them to help the Bionic Project team win.

The forecast called for sunny skies and peak color in the White Mountains, so I grabbed my cameras and headed north for the day. I left at 4:30 am to arrive in time for morning light and covered 400 miles in my search for autumnal beauty. The weather was ideal but I estimate that peak color is still a week away at most elevations. Nonetheless, I returned with several nice photographs. I traveled north to Franconia Notch, spending most of my time in New Hampshire. I detoured into Vermont to charge my car and found some nice subjects there as well. Fall is by far my favorite season and such excursions recharge my soul.

We received word today that Nico reached the summit of Ecuador’s Mount Cotopaxi and descended safely. Part of the Pacific Rim of Fire, it is a glacier-covered, active stratovolcano that has erupted 87 times, most recently last year. He is in Ecuador with the ROMP organization on a fundraising drive to provide prosthetics to those who cannot afford them. Celebrating the organization’s tenth anniversary, this year’s event has teams climbing Chimborazo (20,549 ft), Cotopaxi (19,347 ft), and Cayambe (18,996 ft) and has already raised $320,000. Pictured above is the entire group on one of their acclimatization hikes.

Nico’s team of 20 began their ascent at midnight to reach the summit by sunrise. Only 9 reached the top; of that group only 3 were amputees; of that group he was the only one on crutches. Recent eruptions altered the climbing routes making the final ascent considerably more difficult than in year’s past. Nico reported that it was the most physically demanding and terrifying climb he has ever made. While traversing a crevasse, he lost his balance and dropped one of his crutches. Had it not been tethered to his other crutch, it would have been lost to the volcano, leaving him stranded on the mountain. Had he not been on belay, we would have had one less Christmas present to shop for this year. The day before he left, Nico and I were reviewing his gear and discussing safety. I asked what he would do if he broke a crutch while climbing. He thought it far more likely that he would drop one and it would slide down the mountain. Ten minutes later, I had fashioned a bungee cord with slip locks to secure the crutches together and still provide the range of motion needed for climbing.

The team climbing Cayambe encountered snow and high winds, forcing them to forfeit the summit. The Chimborazo group will start their ascent later this week.

Nico returns on Sunday, and I hope to post photographs of the climb then.

An unexpected benefit of removing trees that threatened the house is that I can get a better photographic perspective of the house than was possible before. Regrettably, it is still not possible to position my drone for an unobstructed view of the river side of the house. I expended a great deal of effort to ensure that the windows on all three floors were of equal width and perfectly aligned, a detail that is essentially masked from view.

Maya shared this photo of the vest she knitted for herself. Completed just in time for the fall season, she started the project while we vacationed in England. My mother was an accomplished knitter and would have been so pleased to see Maya pursuing the art. Unlike knitting in a single color, the attention to detail necessary to make a multi-color, complex pattern is an order of magnitude higher.