ALL ADVENTURES IN NEW BLOG AFTER OCT. 2014

Please go to my new Costa Rica Blog for continued adventures:  

https://www.charliedoggett.net/

OR TO MY NEW PHOTO GALLERY: 

https://charliedoggett.smugmug.com/

A Walk in the Woods

A Walk in the Woods by Charlie Doggett | Make Your Own Book

Three More State Parks Today & I've Seen Them All!

I have now been to all 53 state parks in Tennessee. (I've heard they are adding two more, but this was my goal and I'm stopping and doing the book!) My first one today was my favorite, Red Clay State Historic Park:

7 Delightful Carvings in front of "Sleeping Huts"
Red Clay State Historic Park

A Cherokee Farmstead at Red Clay State Park

This is one of the first stops if not the beginning of The Trail of Tears and where the last Cherokee Council was held before the Trail of Tears began. The natural landmark is the still flowing Blue Springs, while there are many reproduction buildings including a Council Meeting House, barns, the above house and sleeping huts plus an Eternal Flame for the Cherokee. There is an annual pow wow and other related events held here each year. A new and pleasant discovery for me.

Then on to Booker T. Washington State Park:

One of two fishing piers in
Booker T. Washington State Park   

Like so many Tennessee State Parks, this one is all about the lake, Chickamauga Lake in this case, with fishing, boating and other water sports plus all kinds of recreation fields, picnic grounds, and other day use plus a group camp and a group lodge for church and other groups to use. It was built when African Americans weren't welcome at white-dominated state parks like Harrison Bay just 5 miles away. Of course today all parks are well-integrated, yet this park stays predominately black as Harrison Bay appears to still be predominately white - all unofficially of course!  :-)

So then I go the 5 miles to Harrison Bay State Park: 

All parks sport the flags as
these at Harrison Bay.

Also on Chickamauga Lake and also near Chattanooga, it is another weekend hangout for people who love water with much of the same activities as Booker T. Washington. The big difference here is the Marina and Restaurant with yachts and other big boats. There is also a big family campground for both tents and campers which the other park did not have.

(It suddenly dawned on me that I have known few African Americans to go camping - or is it just my imagination?) 

This too is used for a lot of day use, especially on weekends and seems to another popular park.

Two More State Parks

A family on a rock overlooking Center Hill Lake & Dam at Edgar Evins State Park

I've actually been to Edgar Evins State Park more than once before but could not find any photos. When Jason was in Middle School he had a friend whose father also worked for the Sunday School Board and the four of us camped and fished Center Hill Lake at Edgar Evins State Park. And I did an art show near the lake one year of my art show days (2004-2008).

Going to Ft. Loudoun State Historic Park as the rain starts.

Fort Loudoun State Historic Park is where revolutionary war period re-enactments take place which was not happening today but rather a pouring rain by the time I got there. I got photos of two signs and the Sequoya Birthplace Museum across the road. I started driving into the park in the rain (hoping to see a fort) and a scary-looking man was wobbling down the middle of the road in the rain (drunk?), so I made a quick u-turn and got out of there! This park is on Tellico Lake and near the millionaires' Tellico Village of mansions (weekend cabins?). Millionaires, drunks, and heavy rain scared me away from this park and I moved on down I-75 to Cleveland, TN where I will be closer to the three parks I plan to visit tomorrow which will finish my journey to all of Tennessee's state parks. I'm determined to finish the book before going to Costa Rica.

Had a great BBQ dinner with peach cobbler and now a quiet evening in my Hampton Inn room with plenty to read as well as this online time! Did another post on my Moving to Costa Rica Blog tonight too, reacting to Chris Howard's newsletter on Tortuguero, one of my favorite places.

Don't Grow Up - It's A Trap!

Changed mind on Costa Rica Posts Location & Got Apartment

I will continue to post about my preparation to move to Costa Rica on the special blog I started for the decision making notes since several are following it and not this one, at least until I get moved there. See today's post entitled Apartment Arranged.

But this "Adventures" Blog will still be used and probably become my main blog after the move. 

Cost Rica Ranks #2 on Global Well Being Report

Panama Photo from USA Today

See the USA Today report at:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/16/global-well-being-poll-panama/15679637/

And Panama ranked #1 - the other country I was considering retirement in. Did I too hastily dismiss Panama? Nah! They're next door neighbors and I will likely travel some in Panama and if I decide Costa Rica is not the right place to continue living, I can easily move next door!  :-)  But for the natural world, my main draw, Cost Rica still wins out!