The Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Smoke on the Mountain

My latest post is a family favorite.  It is a location that is close to home and has something to offer to the entire family.  I started going there thirteen years ago and still go at least one time a year.  The Great Smoky Mountain Park is located in Eastern TN and Western NC.  I prefer the parts of the park that are in Eastern TN.  My favorite town in the Smokies is Townsend, TN.  They claim to be the "Peaceful side of the Smokies."   That is the part about this area that I love.  It does not have all of the hustle and bustle like Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville.  It is a peaceful town right on the Little River.  My family typically rents a cabin right on the river and a view of Rich Mountain.  We get the best of both worlds, the view of the mountains and the sweet sounds of a mountain stream.

My favorite places in the Smokies revolve around my favorite activities in the park.  I love Cades Cove.  We go there to see wildlife, find wildflowers, and learn a little history.  Cades Cove is an 11 mile auto tour.  Deer and Black Bears are plentiful.  If you are lucky you might glimpse some other critters as well.

The next spot we hit is the Roaring Fork motor trail.  If you like to hunt waterfalls this is the place for you.  Every twist and turn has another view of the falling water.  It feels like you are following the song of heaven as that water winds its way ever downward.






We really like photographing wildflowers and butterflies.  We always hit Rich Mountain road on our way home from the cove.  It has some species of trees and wildflowers that can only be found in the Great Smoky National Park.  My favorite is the Fraser Magnolia.

Every time I go to the Smokies I feel closer to God.

Until next time, Safe travels.


C. Troy

 “Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by.” – Robert Frost

Quote copied from: http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/50-most-inspiring-travel-quotes-of-all-time/

Pere Marquette River, MI

Pere Marquette River

The next spot on my travel tour is the Pere Marquette River.  This is a river in Northern Michigan.  It flows towards and into Lake Michigan.  It is an hour north of Grand Rapids.  It flows through several small towns like Baldwin and Ludington.  I am going to focus on the Baldwin Region.  In this area the river is surrounded by the Manistee National Forest.  The Pere Marquette is a scenic river so the shorelines remain intact and natural.  This leads to a wild feeling as you travel down the river.

Fishing is the main attraction to this area.  The Pere Marquette is one of the best trout streams in the United States.  You can catch Rainbow Trout and Brown Trout year round.  In certain times of the year, you can catch Steelhead and Salmon that travel upstream from Lake Michigan to spawn.






In the spring, another Michigan pastime takes place in this area.  Morel hunting is a favorite of locals and tourist alike.  This fungus is delicious and well worth the time and effort it takes to find them.

 The best way to enjoy the river is by canoe.  There are several companies you can rent canoes from.  There are several campsites along the way that you can stop for the night.  Just be careful to pack your gear in waterproof gear bags.  The natural state of the river leads to many trees in the water.  If you hit a log just right you might find your canoe tipped over.

If you decide camping is a bit too rough, I recommend the Sweetwater cabin.  It is located right on the river.  You will not find a more peaceful setting.

Rivers are the blood vessels of the Earth; they bring life to all living things.

Until next time, Safe Travels.

C. Troy

 “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” – Jawaharial Nehru

Quote copied from: http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/50-most-inspiring-travel-quotes-of-all-time/

Indian Lake, OH

Fall Colors at the Lake

Welcome back!  This post is going to take you to a location that is close to my heart.  Indian Lake, OH is located in west central Ohio.  It is an hour west of Columbus, OH and an hour north of Dayton, OH.  I grew up in this area so there is a natural appeal to me.  Indian lake is located in Logan County just outside of Bellefontaine the county seat.  It is a manmade lake.  It is the head waters of the Great Miami River.  It is primarily a recreational lake. 

It offers swimming, boating, fishing, skiing and many more watersports.  It also has an active nightlife.  There are several bars and restaurants that are located on the water. 

It is the site that I caught my first fish as a boy.  It is also the site where my daughter caught her first fish as well.









Indian Lake has an interesting history.  It used to be home to an amusement park and dance hall.  It was very popular in the roaring twenties. 

Today it is quite a bit quieter and it is a great place to bring a family to enjoy a day on the water or at the beach.

It will not be the most glamorous place that you would ever go visit, but I am sure that you would have fun. I recommend pulling the boat in at Acheson's on Friday for some fish and then hitting cranberries for a night cap.  If you are there on the 4th of July, go anchor your boat off of Oldfield Beach to enjoy the fireworks or a beautiful sunset.

A day on the lake beats a day at work!

Until next time, Safe Travels.

C. Troy

“All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.” – Martin Buber

Quote copied from: http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/50-most-inspiring-travel-quotes-of-all-time/

Mammoth Lakes, CA

Convict Lake

The first place I wanted to talk about is Mammoth Lakes, CA.  In reality, it is the entire area that makes up Inyo County, California.  The area that I like the most covers the eastern slope of the Sierra Mountains all the way to the White Mountains.  The Owens River valley is in between these slopes.  Located in these valleys is the town of Mammoth Lakes.  Crowley Lake and Convict Lake are a couple of other bodies of water that draws interest.  This valley is what they call the high plains desert.  This means the trees are small and the sage brush grows all over.  There is a lot of geothermal activity in the area and a lot of signs of the volcanic activities that shaped this area millions of years ago.

High plains desert surrounding Crowley Lake (Can you pick out the White Mountains off in the distance?)

Do you love outdoor activities?  This is the place for you.  I could not even attempt to name all of the activites that are here.  So I am going to name my favorites Hiking, Camping, Fishing, Sight Seeing, Hot Springs Tours, and Nature Photography.  This link has a lot more details:  http://www.visitmammoth.com/

My favorite spot to trout fish is in the Owens River.  There is a lot of fish and not a lot of fishing pressure.  Not to mention the scenery is beautiful.



 I do not want to bore you with too many details, but in this area there is never a dull moment and it is well worth the time and money spent to get there.

Until next time, Safe Travels.

C. Troy

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain 


Quote is from: http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/50-most-inspiring-travel-quotes-of-all-time/

Welcome to my Blog!

Hello to all of you joining me from cyber space.  Welcome to my travel blog.  My name is C. Troy Ross.  My work takes me all over the country.  I decide that I was going to start this blog to share some of my favorite places.  At this point, I have been to every state in the union except Alaska, Hawaii, Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota.  One of these days I will get to these states as well.

In each of my posts, I will share some facts about the region that I have traveled to.  I will also talk about some of my favorite aspects of each region.  It will not probably take you long to guess my hobbies!  I will also try to share some helpful tips that you can use if you decide to head to the region that is spotlighted.  I will also share pictures.  Lots of pictures!  Thank the Lord for digital photography, it has become my favorite past time.  It helps keep all of these wonderful adventures close to my heart.

So sit back relax and read my future posts.  If I do these regions justice, you will be swept away and intrigued.  My ultimate goal is to excite the traveler in the readers so maybe you can go and experience some of the beautiful places that mean so much to me.

 “The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” – St. Augustine

Quote found at http://matadornetwork.com/bnt/50-most-inspiring-travel-quotes-of-all-time/