Balloch Castle and park, Luss Village

Balloch Castle- a county park now Park’s view of Loch Lomond Sassenach Coffee in Luss Village Luss Village Around 1,500 years ago, an Irish missionary, St Kessog, arrived at Loch Lomond, bringing Christianity to the area. At the time Luss was called Clachan Dhu (the dark village) because it lay in the shadow of the... Continue Reading →

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Dunblane Cathedral & Village

The church is dedicated to the 6th century saint, St. Blane and this gives its name to the settlement: dunblane meaning hill of St Blane. The church also had an altar to St. Lawrence. The oldest surviving part of the church is the lower four storeys of the tower which date from around 1100AD. The... Continue Reading →

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Glamis Castle, Scotland

Glamis Castle has been the ancestral seat of the Lyon family since 1372 when King Robert II granted the thanage of Glamis to Sir John Lyon. Four years later Sir John married the King’s daughter, Princess Johanna Stewart. Four years later Sir John married the King’s daughter, Princess Johanna Stewart. In the 1400s on the... Continue Reading →

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Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven, Scotland

440 Million years ago, this 3-sided, 160 foot rock, surrounded by the North Sea, was formed. 5000 BC - 700 AD: Evidence of Picts living on the sea stack of Dunnicaer, just north of where the Castle is situated today, has been found by archaeologists from the University of Aberdeen. Carbon dating shows this to... Continue Reading →

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More Scottish Castles

I visited St. Andrews in the morning, toured the castle and the cathedral, and walked around the town. Then who doesn’t need a coffee shop in a toasty? Then I continued the drive north up the Fife coast to Broughty Castle. Broughty Castle Then to Claypotts Castle. It wasn’t open and there was nowhere to... Continue Reading →

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Edinburgh to St. Andrews, Scotland

Flew, landed, walked, car rental, left side, stick shift, not crashing, off I go. Quick stop at a grocery store, since I packed super light for these three weeks in a tiny Vauxal hatchback. Then, I was off. Abandoned dollie WWII fortifications Cramond Village, outside Edinburg Ruby Bay, Elie Hike to Lady’s Tower Elie Lighthouse... Continue Reading →

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Selma to Montgomery, Alabama

“There never was a moment in American history more honorable and more inspiring than the pilgrimage of clergymen and laymen of every race and faith pouring into Selma to face danger at the side of its embattled Negroes”Martin Luther King, Jr. - Address at the conclusion of the Selma to Montgomery March Brown Chapel AME... Continue Reading →

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Natchez Trace (Parkway)

“The Natchez Trace seemed much safer to him than risking a sailboat from New Orleans to Washington,” Stephen E. Ambrose, quote from Undaunted Courage: The Pioneering First Mission to Explore America's Wild Frontier I’m in a hotel in Louisiana eating potato salad at midnight while I write this. Why am I still up you ask? Well,... Continue Reading →

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The Blue Ridge Parkway

“The most beautiful gift of nature is that it gives one pleasure to look around and try to comprehend what we see.”Albert Einstein I am obsessed with listening to true crime podcasts while I drive. My current new favorite is Park Predators. Yes, as you can probably guess, this is a stupid idea considering my... Continue Reading →

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park

"I love nature, I love the landscape, because it is so sincere. It never cheats me. It never jests. It is cheerfully, musically earnest. I lie and relie on the earth."Henry David Thoreau Oconaluftee Visitor Center The Great Smoky Mountains lie in the midst of the Cherokee homeland for more than 1,000 years. They created... Continue Reading →

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The Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC

“Gradually and silently the charm comes over us; we know not exactly when or how.”Fredrick Law Olmsted Diana I can't even guess how long I've been obsessed with the Vanderbilts. This was even before I found out that my boyfriend, Anderson Cooper, is the third great-grandson of the railroad tycoon, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt. Many years... Continue Reading →

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Vermont Fall Foliage – Day 2

Tuesday, September 28, 2020 A quick visit to the Vermont Country Store, a few covered bridges, Woodstock and Grafton, Vermont. Yes, we wore masks. Everywhere. #TheVirusIsReal Skye’s from scratch pancakes and One GALLON of Vermont Maple Syrup Cows on Sawdust The Farm Peacham, VT My Roadster near the original house Taftsville Covered Bridge, VT Woodstock... Continue Reading →

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Vermont Fall Foliage – Day 1

Monday, September 28, 2020 553 Miles from Falls Church to Peacham, Vermont with one gas stop. Arrived at the farm and of course Skye cooked homemade apple cobbler because she went apple picking earlier in the day with her mom. That’s what everyone in Vermont does, apparently. The Milking Barn Brattleboro, Vermont Apple Cider Donuts... Continue Reading →

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Day 17- Even More Maine

July 8, 2020 Fort Point Lighthouse Fort Point Lighthouse Fort Point Lighthouse Fog Bell Dyce Head Lighthouse Dyce Head Lighthouse Dyce Head Lighthouse Dyce Head Coast

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Day 16- More Maine

July 7, 2020 Doubling Point Lighthouse Hendrick's Head Lighthouse Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Pemaquid Point Lighthouse Marshall Point Lighthouse Marshall Point Lighthouse Marshall Point Lighthouse Owl's Head Lighthouse Owl's Head Lighthouse Owl's Head Lighthouse OWL'S Head Lighthouse Rockland Breakwater Light Rockland Breakwater Light Path to Curtis Lighthouse Lookout Curtis Lighthouse Curtis Lighthouse

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Day 14- Massachusetts

July 5, 2020 Marblehead Lighthouse Derby Wharf Lighthouse, Salem, MA Fort Pickering Lighthouse Hospital Point Range Rear Lighthouse Hospital Point Range Rear Lighthouse Eastern Point Lighthouse

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Day 13- Rhode Island to Massachusetts

July 4, 2020 Warwick Lighthouse, Rhode Island Warwick Lighthouse Pomham Rocks Lighthouse Nayatt Point Lighthouse Conimicut Lighthouse Bristol Ferry Lighthouse Goat Island Lighthouse Castle Hill Lighthouse Beavertail Lighthouse Butler Flats Lighthouse, Massachusetts Ned Point Lighthouse

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Day 11 and 12- NY to Rhode Island

July 3, 2020 Driving through New York yesterday sucked. SUCKED. Ran off the road once, nearly 8 wrecks from people cutting me off or just being Super Jerks. People who were taught to drive in Los Angeles in the late 80s INVENTED ROAD RAGE! With that, Eff You, Long Island! I skipped every single lighthouse... Continue Reading →

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Day 10- New Jersey

July 1, 2020 I slept in a Hampton Inn last night and it was absolutely glorious. Not just because it was an actual bed with air-conditioning and a bathroom all to myself but it was only 12,000 Marriott Bonvoy points which is like so super cheap. A serious win on all fronts. Like everybody in... Continue Reading →

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Day 9- NC to NJ

June 30, 2020 I survived another night sleeping in a rest stop but not before being woken up and startled by a thunderous crash next to my car in the middle of the night. It was the ice settling in the cooler just next to me. Note: don’t listen to podcasts of roadside serial killers... Continue Reading →

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Day 8- The Outer Banks

June 29, 2020 I think Blackbeard WILLINGLY SURRENDERED and agreed (possibly suggested) to be shot five times, and stabbed many more, just to be finally rid of THE MOSQUITOES ON OCRACOKE ISLAND! 3 words: Deep. Woods. Off. Although a very lovely place, last night’s sleep did not go as well as one would expect in... Continue Reading →

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Day 7- Ferry to Ocracoke Island

June 27, 2020 While waiting for my ferry this afternoon, I checked my odometer’s Trip setting. I have driven 1,669 miles since leaving my condo in Falls Church, Virginia a week ago. That doesn’t even count all the miles Rick put on his car when we were wandering Richmond, Charlottesville, Virginia Beach and Williamsburg together.... Continue Reading →

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