Blazing North

Saturday morning I had to tear myself away from my hideaway in North Carolina.

The grand scheme was to run a 5 mile loop trail in the Smokies before heading on to Ohio. I know that dogs aren't permitted on the trails in national parks, but I spaced it, showing up at the trailhead only to have to turn back.
All dressed up and no place to go.

More than mildly annoyed to be on the sidelines.
Steady traffic through the park was replaced with stop and go traffic in a little place I call Hell.  Pigeon Forge, TN. Kiddie Vegas:  miles of arcades, mini putt and go-carts . My kind of town is small, one that has a store called Geraldine's Hair salon and bait shop.

Not this.

Nor this.

This was very groovy, but I had to hate it on principal.

The town had one redeeming quality:  helicopter rides.

 I found one company willing to take Cole up.
One more thing crossed off my Bucket List.

Cole is now wondering why we ever bother running up mountains when flying is obviously  easier.
But not as much fun...

We spent a few hours in Big Ridge State Park, TN.  

Found the Norton family cemetery in the middle of the woods. Found a tiny little grist mill too.

Getting him up there was easy, down...not so much.
Between the traffic, the flying and the running, I wasn't going to be making it to my planned overnight stop in the state park in southern Ohio before closing.
 Moving on to Plan B. There's always a Plan B and C and D.. 
The plan:  sleep in the armored tent (aka the car). This is why I remove seats, to make room for my bed. Check out the curtains that attach with Velcro. Chic, no?

South of Pima, Ohio, there's a rest stop with a good size park right out the door.

Cole spent an hour the next morning herding squirrels up trees.  I imbibed heavily on coffee.

A watched pot never boils.

My Aeropress coffee maker and simmering pot to keep the water warm.

The buffet line... In the trunk.

Necessities. 

On Sunday, we made tracks North.