Twentymile Cascades || 9-28-08

Bailey stayed the night with her g-ma last night, so we took the opportunity to go on a short jaunt across the Dragon to the Twentymile section of the park. If you've ever talked to me about hiking, you'll probably know that the Twentymile area, although fairly small, is one of my favorite sections of the park. Though there are thousands of motorcycles zooming by within a half mile at any given time on the Dragon, the trails back here get next to no use. There are places during the summer, with the grass overgrown, where the actual footpath is about half a foot wide and shrouded by chest high grasses. It's very easy to convince yourself that you're really off exploring the wilderness. This wasn't exactly our destination on this particular day, however. This time we were going to Twentymile Cascades, a neat little cascade that is a mere 20 minute walk from the ranger station. Myers even walked the first hundred yards or so. Overall, nice, quick hike. It took an hour to drive there, an hour to hike there and back, and an hour to get back home. What better way to spend three hours of a Sunday afternoon. I mean, what else would I be doing? Lesson plans???

Countdown Galapagos (9-25-08)

Strange how the smallest things can make a difference. I've already been packing, reading, researching, et cetera, but nothing has made the trip seem as real yet as receiving my official Toyota International Teachers' Program Luggage Tag in the mail today. Of course, it helps that I also received my flight information... I'll be leaving McGhee Tyson at 9:41 AM on Saturday, November 22 bound for Miami by way of Charlotte. Orientation will be in Miami the evening of the 22nd, with a day in the Everglades on the 23rd. We'll leave the US for Quito, Ecuador on the 24th (ETA: 7:40pm) and will leave Quito for San Cristobal Island the next morning to tour the Charles Darwin Interpretation Center.