NC Mountain wilderness - by boat, cycle, and hiking trail

Photos from my recent trip to NC...
Fontana Lake, Nantahalla Forest, and Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Center Hill Lake - Last weekend in Sept. '10

Center Hill Lake, Sept. 25-27, '10.

(click photos to enlarge)

On a mostly cloudy day, just as the sun was setting, a brilliant burst of yellow sunshine contrasted beautifully with the dark clouds (pic 1).

Looking toward the sun just moments later, the clouds parted briefly to reveal an ethereal sunset. (pic 2)

Hiking down the beach, I parked the Sea Ray on the soft sand. (pic 3)

Something I had not seen before, a deer swimming across the lake. I got quite close to her with the boat and watch her stagger to the shore, exhausted. (pic 4)

Walking along the cliffs I heard a big houseboat coming. Who would be out here on a Monday... besides me? Oh, it was Alan Jackson, taking his behemoth redneck house boat from the marina to his mansion.


I was surprised to find many wildflowers including fresh honey suckle vine growing along the lake. Also, lots of ripe scuppernong muscadine grapes around the lake edge. I collected a bouquet for the galley. Tea is a necessity for boating, ask any Brit.

Water temperature is still 79°, swimming was nice.

I really need to start bringing my camera on these trips. Again, all photos taken with my cell phone.

Thinking about screaming to Dave Ramsey

By November, my house will be paid off.

Having an abundance of concerts in the past few years has allowed me to get way ahead on mortgage payments. I could pay it off now, but I think I might buy a car first. This will be the first time since my pre-college youth that I will be 100% debt free. I might just call Dave Ramsey and scream "I'm debt free!" This is one of the most important milestones of life. Wanted to do it before I turned 50, but whats a few months?

I've often thought about selling this place and moving to a more isolated setting with a bluff view or on the water, but I'm pretty happy with my place. I thought about reopening it as a Bn'B. I thought about building a smaller cabin in my woods and renting out the big house. Any ideas?

It will always be worth more than it's appraised value since it's a unique historic house, hand-hewn in the 1830's from red cedar, (moved and reassembled in the '60's), and location location location... it's on 4 acres in the largest stand of big oak forest within one mile of the largest undergraduate college in the state.

Not a bad spot.

Bottom pic: the back patio under the solarium is where I spend most of my time in the summer. 100% private, I like that.

TN River gorge - pictures of morning and storm clouds

Morning in the TN River gorge. It was a calm serene morning. Osprey and blue heron were fishing. I was amazed by the lack of boat traffic for a Saturday. We definitely found the nicest and least populated part of the TN River gorge, near Raccoon Mountain, about 12 miles outside of Chattanooga.

I took these pics with a cell phone, so they are not very sharp, (click to enlarge).

Later that day, I saw it coming.





The thing most boaters don't want to see on the open water: a severe storm... except me of course, I like storms. On the radar, it looked like it would be brief, so I didn't put up my full canvass, a mistake.


By the time I saw the wall cloud dipping down, seeming headed right for my boat, I decided to drop anchor and hide in the cabin.


The wind then started picking up and serious waves started hitting the boat. I could tell my anchor was slipping because the waves were catching me broadside. Not good. Rain was pouring in from under the top canvass and every time I went out to put up the side canvass, lightning chased me back into the cabin. At times the boat was rocking pretty violently with white caps slapping the boat around. Quite a ride!

I was OK after the anchor caught and turned the boat into the wind which I estimate to have hit 55 mph with near zero visibility in heavy rain.

It was a great storm.

I love the summer.

Tennessee - the Hottest Place on Earth ... for a moment

Heat Index: 130.8ºF.
KNQA: Millington Municipal Airport, TN, United States [54.9°C, 130.8°F], Aug. 3, '10

For weather nuts... I noticed that at one point, Millington, TN was the hottest place on Earth as measured by Heat Index. Heat Index is the measure of dewpoint (absolute humidity) and temperature, resulting in 'apparent temperature' or 'how hot it feels.' At the time on Aug. 3rd, Millington was reporting a temperature of 105ºF and a dewpoint of 80º. This (with fractions) resulted in a heat index of 130.8. Note that Millington was far from the highest temperature, but desert locations can often have a heat index lower than their actual air temperature. The usual places that have the highest heat indexes like Africa and the Middle East were dark (night time) at the time of Millington's report.

Find weather extremes like dewpoint and heat index at coolwx.com. (Some of the extreme readings displayed are occasionally due to malfuctioning sensors ... i.e. today's Crocket, TX 100º dewpoint and 198ºF heat index - obviously false readings). The Millington reading was in the ballpark within readings from the region at that time, so I think it was authentic.

Personally, I love hot weather. Today, there was a heat advisory in effect for TN. I was outside all day, playing guitar in the shade, by a fan, with occasional pool breaks. It was 95ºF here today with heat index well over 105º.

Center Hill Lake - mid July '10

Center Hill Lake trip from Sligo to Great Falls at Rock Island State Park.

Swimming at night in an isolated section of Center Hill Lake, Iska said she's never experienced lake water that warm. It had to be over 90 degrees at the surface.

We hiked to the falls, swam around and sat behind the waterfall. An ideal place to be on a 95 degree day.

It was perfect. The boat ran great!

Fontana Lake videos and pictures

Two videos of serenity and more pictures from Fontana Lake, early June, 2010.
The best way to visit the Great Smoky Mountain National Park - by boat.

Click to enlarge pics. (Sorry for the windy soundtrack on the vids).

Running Roark's Cove Rd. - 1000' climb in 2.8 miles

I love running hills. The climb from the base of Roark's Cove Rd. up to Sewanee, TN is 1000 feet over 2.8 miles. After the climb, I run to Iska's house an additional 1.6 miles on the flat to complete a nice 4.4 mile run. It always seems that the last mile on the flat is harder than the hill. I can only manage about a 9 min mile up the steep. And, it's brutally steep in places, for extended stretches. In fact, it's such a climb, I can feel a change in the air from bottom to top. It is usually several degrees cooler at the top.

It's a great workout, and less impact than running on the flat. I do this run almost every time I visit Sewanee. July 4th weekend, I did this run every morning, 3 days in a row. A good way to celebrate my upcoming 50th birthday this week.

I intend to run this hill on my 60th birthday as well.

Check out the topo map, click to enlarge.

Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts Classical Guitar Seminar - Performance at TPAC

TN Governor's School for the Arts first classical guitar seminar concluded with a performance by the quartet at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) in Nashville on June 30th.

Congrats to Wes Atnip, Ian Baker, Ben Kass, and Max Marlowe for their performance of the Telemann Sonata in D and 2 Dances from "Terpsichore" by Michael Praetorius.

Special congrats to Max Marlowe - Third Prize Winner at the Austin Peay pre-college guitar competition.

Classical guitar LIVES in Tennessee!

Arturo Sandoval was the pinnacle of Chattanooga's Riverbend Festival. Awesome musician.

Arturo Sandoval ripped a blend of modern jazz with smokin' hot bop to an appreciative crowd at Chattanooga's Riverbend Festival.

I just happened upon the festival and was happy to find a spot at the dock for my boat. I noticed a former student playing percussion with the band at one of the venues, so I decided to listen. I asked a volunteer for a schedule to see what was coming next and I saw "Arturo Sandoval" would be performing. THE Arturo Sandoval I thought?? Surely not the legendary Cuban jazz trumpeter, 4 time Grammy award winner??!!! Yes, it was true!

I was blown away. Not only did he play his trademark blazing fast bebop on trumpet, he also scat sang and played percussion. What a musician! He was also quite an entertainer (those 2 qualities are different, you know).

I heard Arturo warming up just above the boat dock. Blowing long tones, playing arpeggios. I spoke with him briefly. He ended his concert with a tune by his famous mentor, "A Night in Tunisia" by the late great Dizzy Gillespie. It was a memorable concert.

He was actually playing opposite of Charlie Daniels, who was on the main stage. Sorry, but Charlie sounded pathetic in comparison. I heard CDB play 4 tunes, Amazing Grace, The Star Spangled Banner, an arrangement of William Tell (showcasing the guitarist - I guess his concept of "classical guitar?"), and his hit - Devil went Down to Georgia. It was bad... unless you like out of tune fiddle playing. I was a CDB fan as a kid. I always liked the CDB album Saddletramp. I guess my tastes have evolved over the years. Charlie has since turned into a (self-described) redneck and a mediocre fiddler. By comparison, Arturo is at the top of his game. I know, apples and oranges.... yet, I tend to appreciate virtuosity over pop stardom.

Later that night, Iska and I went through the Chickamauga Lock and spent a beautiful night in a cove among the islands at Harrison Bay State Park.

Helene Yelverton's 50th Annual Dance Recital

My beautiful mother celebrates 50 years as a dance teacher. Her studio is one of the most prestigious in upstate NY.

Article in the Binghamton Press.

Congrats to mom.

Pic 1 - Shelly, Mom, and Stephanie

Pic 2 - alumni student John and Mom on Broadway  

UPDATE:  John Kendrick - RIP

Fontana Lake - June '10

Smoky Mountain Paradise

Where else can you hike the Smokies for hours on a Saturday and not see anyone?

Nothing like four nights on the lake and in the woods ... with Iska. Fontana Lake was nearly full and the trails were as beautiful as ever.

The Lost Cove Trail to Shuckstack was particularly beautiful. The climb was brutal - 1000' in just one mile but the reward was excellent. The Appalachian Trail was full of flowers - flaming azaleas, spiderwort, mountain laurel, etc...

These are just cell phone photos, unfortunately I forgot my camera. (click on pics to enlarge)

Have boat, will travel....

Spring '10 concert season

I played 10 concerts, gave 5 masterclasses, judged guitar competitions, and recorded new music with a Grammy Award winning production team.

Most rewarding was the opportunity to perform/judge at five guitar festivals: Texas Guitar Festival, Tennessee Guitar Festival, Indiana University Guitar Festival, Appalachian State Guitar Festival, and University of Louisville Guitar Festival.

It is always difficult to perform at guitar festivals that include a major guitar competition. Many of the audience members are superb guitarists, doctoral or masters level guitar students, and music professors.

It was great performing in such excellent concert halls. My two favorites were: University of Louisville's Comstock Hall, and Indiana University's Auer Hall.

Photos from the top:

1) Indiana University's Auer Hall

2) Appalachian State University's Rosen Concert Hall

3) University of Louisville's Comstock Hall

4) Recording session at Ocean Way Studio, Nashville. Recording Osterfield's - Klee Abstractions with Todd Waldecker, clarinet and Deanna Little, flute. Recording by Boston based Sound Mirror productions.

5) Leaving for yet another concert with a state vehicle. It's great to be an artistic ambassador for my state and university.



Looking forward to directing the first season of the Governors School for the Arts Classical Guitar seminar for talented TN high school students. I hope this program grows and more high school guitar students become involved in obtaining good quality guitar training.