This tower was once located on top of Little Snowball Mountain, but has since been deconstructed and rebuilt in Big Ivy, NC. It's the only tower that doesn't require a hike (it's in the middle of the community park) for completion of the Lookout Tower Challenge. If you are interested in seeing this little guy, google map Big Ivy Community Center and it's right there. I drove past it on a few adventures not even realizing it was right there.

Tower number 17 of 24 for me!

Looking through pictures of past adventures, this shot of Rooney as a puppy caught my eye. This was one of his first adventures on the Appalachian Trail and he was so small, we had to carry him a bit just to get a couple miles done. Now, a couple miles is a warm-up. He's our cutie!

Which reminds me, he's up for a calendar spot! The Weimaraner Rescue of the South (one of our favorite organizations) is having a Calendar Contest where people can vote for their favorite weim pics for next year's calendar. There are over 300 photos submitted, with Rooney's pics being #213-215. Thanks to the support of family and friends, it's hopefully that he'll make the final 12! Click on the link below and it will take you to their photos page. They've made it super easy to donate through Paypal, even if it's just a buck! Each dollar donated is a vote for a particular photo. Whether you vote for Rooney (do!) or another great choice (do do!), it's going to an awesome Rescue that needs all the resources it can get.

Another great adventure all around!

After hiking up Barnett Knob and checking out the fire tower up there, I headed to this behemoth. About 15 minutes apart and very visible from atop each other, hiking Barnett Knob and Mount Noble in the same day makes for a great afternoon. My initial plan was to also include a trip out to Cowee Bald and the tower there, but I was a bit unsuccessful at finding the correct route out there. Though, we'll save that story for that post.






Read More Here

Rooney atop Tennent Mountain, 6040'

Working my way towards completing the North Carolina Lookout Tower Challenge, I visited this impressive structure the other day. Unfortunately when Rooney and I got up there, it was in a cloud and the views weren't all that exciting. I'll definitely go back though as it was located right off the Blue Ridge Parkway and I'm a sucker for tower/parkway combos!

Click Here to See & Read More

Hike Date: August 2, 2013
Route:  Bad Fork Trail
Type:  Out and Back
Distance:  4 miles
Difficulty:  Moderate
Conditions:  Sunny, cool

Impression: I was looking for a trail that where I wouldn't see another soul, which is sometimes a hard thing to find in Pisgah so close to Asheville, NC. This 2 mile trail is relatively close to the house and a bit off the typical beaten path, so I figured I'd have a decent shot at success...



Click Here to See & Read More

Hike Date:  September, 2012
Trails:  Lake Superior Tr, Beaver Creak Tr, Escarpment Tr, Little Carp River Tr, Mirror Lake Tr
Difficulty:  Average
Conditions:  Sunshine!

Impression:  I've always been fascinated with Lake Superior, there's a real mystique about it. Growing up in Michigan, I've heard many tales about the lake's rugged history and gem laden beaches.

So, after our hike of the Appalachian Trail last summer, we moved back to Chicago to regroup and re-enter the "real world". It wasn't long until we were looking for an outdoor adventure, wilderness and the tranquility that comes with sleeping peacefully outside...

Click Here to read & see more from this adventure!

Working on our hike review of Porcupine Mountain State Park in Michigan and wanted to share this pic. This was taken on the beach of Lake Superior, maybe my favorite lake of them all! More later...