Texas Hill Country and Christmas

I have been super busy hunting for Big Foot the last few weeks. It turns out the hill country west of Austin and north of San Antonio is prime Big Foot territory as it is home to many breweries, distilleries, wineries, and meaderies. That doesn't even factor in the shear number of smoked meat establishments and Big Foot could be anywhere. This will take a lot of investigation and I have been doing my best.

Instead of the normal format, this post I will include mostly pictures and sprinkle in commentary where appropriate. With all of this investigating, it is tough to remember where I have been. To compound this issue, I have been traveling with S&S so I am not always able to rely upon my credit card receipts as a tickler system.

First off, let's start with the natural beauty of the area. We took a hike to Pedernales State Park. For some reason they insert an extra "r" before the "d" but who am I to judge. The people of Burlington pronounce "Bohners Lake" as "Boners Lake" and Brett Favre has the "r" moved before the "v". Frankly it is less painful than pronouncing the city Blanco as "Blank-o". Don't get me started on Amarillo, but I digress.

Cool feature

River runs through the park but you can hike all over it (other than the other side)

If the water starts rising, you have to get the hell out of there as flash floods occur and are quite deadly,

We also did a cave tour. The name of the cave was "Cave Without A Name". Yep, that is the name. Turns out it was a beautiful cave with tons of features and is still an active cave (wet and growing). I was really impressed as I enjoy a good cave/cavern and this was feature filled.

I took lots of pictures but you can't really appreciate a cave from pictures so here is a sample

S&S along with an unidentified man

Finally we also toured the Alamo at night. If you have not been to the Alamo, it is a small fort (frankly no different in size from most castle/forts I saw in Ireland and Scotland) but San Antonio has developed the area around it to be an entertainment district along with the river walk. We were able to purchase beer and walk around and drink our beer as we strolled along the river. Truly a beautiful area and really good beer from a brewery that we later visited (Alstadt).

Tree that is hundreds of years old but lit up and actually lovely

Now onto the Big Foot hunting. Surprisingly Big Foot was not at any of these places when we were there but signs point to possible visitations. Let's look at the venues I have toured so far (to be fair some may be missing - like for sure some are missing. I get caught up in hunting and I forget to take pictures. The bourbon also seems to not be helping my photo taking. I could do a better job but it turns out I likely won't). I will be forced to go back to some of these destinations to ensure you can enjoy the space vicariously. Oh and to look for Big Foot.

Pecan Street Brewery

Fiesta Winery

Free Roam Brewing

Texas Mead Works

Alstadt Brewery

Outdoor art at Garrison Brothers Distillery

Garrison Brothers Distillery

I know some have doubted my expertise as a Big Foot expert, but C was kind enough to get the diploma from Bigfoot University framed so I can prove that I have a Doctorate of Sasquatch. I will not require you to refer to me as Dr. Braxwood but I would not object.

Official Diploma, Feel free to zoom in if you do not believe

I had a wonderful Christmas this year and despite the frigid temperatures, none of my water lines in the RV froze. I was able to maintain a constant temperature in the trailer and only went through one 30lb propane tank in the 4 cold days (Thursday through Sunday). As we now move back to seasonal temperatures here in Johnson City (70 by Thursday) I reflect on how fortunate I have been this past year. I am truly blessed to be on this adventure hunting the creature and not having to suffer the indignities of another meeting to talk about something on a topic I couldn't care less. This sabbatical thing has worked wonders for me. I am recharged and ready to go and yet I also know that I will never work a corporate job again.  

Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year. I will not post again until 2023 so see you in the future. For those that do not know, Amy and I were married on New Year's Eve and this is our 29th anniversary. I am looking forward to whatever the new year brings and I hope it brings y'all peace and happiness.

Thor

braxwood.com

FAQ

Route

Louisiana and into Texas

Our adventure takes us into Louisiana and Texas. I wanted to avoid the popular touristy places in Louisiana as I suspected that Big Foot might not want to hang around crowds. I successfully avoided tourists and interesting places to visit. Perhaps too successfully. I was in the Lake Charles area and near a city named Sulphur. That should provided the vibe. It also rained for 5 of the 7 days I was in Louisiana including a nice storm that didn't cause any tornados where I was thankfully.

I was in a state park that had just reopened up this year after suffering extensive hurricane damage. The upside of that was that every site was paved and level with full hook ups. In addition, the bath house was clean and modern and there was even laundry facilities which is unheard of in a state park. I even ran into a guy that I had seen at the county park in Mississippi. He was from eastern Oregon and was traveling around the south to avoid the winter. 

The park had swamp areas and a river that ran through it so there were a lot of opportunities to go for a walk. During these walks the dogs had a lot of opportunity to sniff out for Big Foot but were unable to find the creature in the park. We also failed to spot an alligator despite plenty of signs warning us.

Ozzy pees in the face of danger.

Lucy was tired this day as it was 80 degrees outside. Being a vagabond is tough!

I decided to diversify my searches and went to a rum distillery in the area. Naturally I forgot to take any photos but to make up for that I did buy a lot of rum. Bayou Rum is made from local sugarcane for an authentic taste. They had several flavors of rum and I decided a sampling was in order. The satsuma rum was rather interesting and the person said it went well with lemonade. The coffee rum was also good and would go nicely in a cup of coffee and would also have made our morning meetings so much better. After spending time touring the facility and having a few samples, I realized that Big Foot was not there so I went and had a cajun meal. I couldn't quite understand the lady so I ended up ordering a pork chop which was huge. The seasoning was fantastic. The green beans were unfortunate. Much like the mushy green beans I have detested all my life these were a shade of green that only comes from excessive cooking, canning, cooking, and being exposed to too much water and air. The boudin balls were also interesting and reminded me a bit of haggis, without the oats. I suppose a truck stop was not the best place to sample the cuisine but I thought since it was very popular and the locals all loved it there must be something to it. 

My next stop was back to a brewery. There was one within 45 miles of the campground so that was the one I went to. The beer at Crying Eagle was very good along with the shrimp tacos. A Christmas party was ending as I got there so the place was full of children and a faux santa walking about. It was nice to see people enjoying themselves and it reminded me of the Runaway in Burlington where there would be family friendly events to keep the children entertained while the parents could actually have a decent beer. The only drawback of the place was that there was no seating at the bar. That meant that I was forced to sit alone off to the side but it did let me keep an eye out for Big Foot. Alas, no sightings this day.

I found the split second where there were no people waiting in line. 

After this the storms rolled in and I was forced to hunker down in my trailer. The paved sites came in handy as the grounds started filling up. I suppose the flood warnings for the river that ran through the park were accurate as it was quite wet. The lightning and thunder were prolific but what really was disconcerting were the winds. The trailer shook quite a bit but I was thankful to have a place with solid walls to protect me. 

You can see the tree damage from the hurricane and the water starting to fill up the ground. It was far worse in other places but the rain was coming down pretty hard so I went back inside.

The sky was a touch dark for 10 am but not much could be done. Unfortunately this was the direction I had to drive that day.

I was unable to locate Big Foot in Louisiana but I think that it would be worthwhile to revisit the state. Perhaps trying an area that had more to offer would make sense. One could argue that this was all my fault as I do very little planning or research when picking a place but that would be useless to argue as I don't care.

I made it safely to Texas and stayed at a Harvest Host. In case you forgot, these are businesses that allow you to park in their lot. While not required it is expected that you visit their business and buy something. In the end, a campground would be cheaper as one has a tendency to enjoy oneself when one doesn't need to drive. Brazos Valley Brewing was a great place with great beer. I tried several of their offerings from a hazy IPA, to a coffee ale and a stout.  The food truck outside had some good options and their brussels sprouts were excellent. I was able to sit at the bar which I love but there was another Harvest Host guest that came in and so I talked to a lovely couple from Minnesota for a few hours. It is always nice to meet people on the road and they were no exception. After a fun night just hanging out, I bought several cans to go and the dogs and I settled in for a noisy night's sleep. 

Plenty of brews on tap

#DrinkTexas doesn't have the same feel as #Drink Wisconsinbly but I appreciate the sentiment

Some road wary traveler I found in the bar.

I have now settled into my location for the next month in the hill country west of Austin. There are plenty of strange creatures around here so I will be extra diligent in my search for Big Foot. I am also meeting up with S&S who we last saw in the Dakotas. I have joined a few more online groups with the intention of meeting more people on the road. The nomadic life on the road can get a bit lonely and while Ozzy and Lucy are fantastic company they lack a certain humanness that one does need. I will continue to hit breweries, restaurants, distilleries, but I may need to widen my search criteria in my hunt for Big Foot.

As always, 

Thor

braxwood.com

Gulf Coast - Alabama and Mississippi

My hunt for Big Foot has taken me to the twin mono-vowel states along the Gulf coast. Alabama and Mississippi both had something to offer in a hunt for the elusive creature. Alas, I was not successful this time and I have some theories why but more on that later.

I started my search for Big Foot in Alabama. I spent Thanksgiving Day at the campground and went to dinner at restaurant in Foley - Local and Company. The food was excellent and I enjoyed the Chilean Sea Bass on risotto much like the first pilgrims did in New England. Ok, they didn't have that but they also didn't eat the turkey and green bean casserole most people eat so I am being traditional by not dining like them. Besides it is more important to be thankful and less important to eat turkey so I was thankful. Disappointed that there was no Big Foot at the restaurant but thankful I could enjoy a fine meal.

RV park was right on the water. Ozzy enjoyed it very much.

 

Thanksgiving dinner. Really delicious along with beet and goat cheese on arugula salad. Just like grandma used to make. 

I searched at several establishments for the creature including a drive to Fairhope, I sampled several options at Fairhope Brewing Company and kept a keen eye out for the beast,  I was not successful in spotting my quarry but I did meet a nice couple at the bar. R&C are early retirees and have a home in Wisconsin and a condo in Alabama. In addition they have an Airstream they that take out on other adventures. I had a lovely conversation with them for several hours and it was a blast being able to talk to people living their dream. Before I knew it was dark and I was running late. It is possible that Big Foot walked in and I missed it so I started doubting my finding skills.

Yep, it's a bar. I try to avoid pictures of people which is why you will get these types of photos a lot. I have to quickly snap a picture without anyone in it and not draw attention to myself. In return the pictures kind of suck. As I have mentioned before, the blog is free. Amy would always say when people asked for free legal advice that you get what you pay for. This blog is evidence of that. Besides, this has nothing to do with the photo and yet it is the caption. Really it's just excessive verbosity.

I continued my search and even checked out some model homes while in the area in case Big Foot was looking to buy there. Unfortunately Big Foot was not at the model home and the home was in a crummy subdivision so I am sure that Big Foot would not have liked it. Plus there was no basement or decent tornado shelter which confused me since while in Alabama I had three days that had a tornado watch alert. 

I found another brewery to look for Big Foot but unfortunately I arrived in the middle of a world cup match between the US and Iran. Big Foot is not a fan of metric football apparently since there was no sign of the mythic beast but the beer was rather tasty. Big Beach Brewing had a nice indoor and outdoor space and several excellent options, The crowd was too enthralled in the game so I was unable to ascertain if anyone had seen any cryptozoological creatures. 

Big Beach. Check out the headband on the bartender.. It looked worse in person. Also not really friendly either. Come to think of it, I didn't really like the people there either. You can't cheer every time the ball is kicked unless you are watching a ridiculously boring sport. You don't see that nonsense in hockey. 

After searching the coastal region for a week I decided to try Mississippi. This is my first visit to the state and it greeted me as I expected. The first campground where I had reservations and prepaid was interesting. It backed up to a bayou so it was pretty that way, but it also had a lot of longer term residents and a bar. Knowing my love for hanging out in bars for the social aspect, I was bitterly disappointed by the obnoxious odor emanating from the place. Since it was apparently the place one would check in, I had no choice but subject myself to the putrid smell of cigarettes. There are no laws on this topic in Mississippi so it is up to each business to decide. While the libertarian side of me appreciates that, the side of me that breathes does not.  The first site they offered was 20 feet deep which was great for the truck but really not ideal for a trailer. In addition there was no water available. The next site had water but I could not hook up electricity and the sewer drain was three feet in the air. Despite paying, I decided one night in hell was enough and found another campground. I ended up in Kiln, MS at McLeod County Park. This was the nicest public park I have ever been in and nicer than nearly every private one too. Every site had a concrete pad along with water, electricity, and sewer drain. In addition, there were numerous trails in the park and the dogs enjoyed several hikes. I realize they were pooped out after 2 miles when we started this adventure, but we were able to do 5 miles one  day with no one needing to be carried. The weather was ideal although it did rain a couple of days. The highs were in the mid to upper 70s and it was quite nice. There were about 200 sites and only 5 to 8 people in there for my visit.  

Water along the park.

Lucy and Ozzy on a pier on the nature trail. 

I was also close to a brewery by random luck and I decided to take a look for Big Foot over several days. Lazy Magnolia is a micro brewery that also packages their beer for sale. I sampled their wares and even tried their food. On one occasion I met a nice couple from Iowa who have been snow birding down here for the last several years, I had a lovely time with them and picked up some good tips. As luck would have it, the brewery had some short fills and unlabeled beers and they gave me a case of beer. It pays to be nice. I was not able to find Bug Foot there but getting a free case of micro brews made up for it.

Lazy Magnolia. Nice place and nice people.

As I mentioned I was concerned that perhaps my searching skills are not what they need to be. I have been geocaching on occasion to continue to hone my abilities and was successful in places as diverse as the Isle of Skye in Scotland and the Florida coast. Unfortunately at the park in Mississippi I was unable to locate two caches. I realize that a film cannister is smaller than a Yeti, but I have the GPS coordinates of the film cannister and do not have that for the larger creature. I will need to practice more as this is concerning. It reminds me of when B and C were living at home. When C and I didn't want B to find some food we would "hide" it by moving it down a shelf. This was generally quite successful and I am beginning to wonder if that is my problem. It is possible that Big Foot walked right passed me already and I missed it. I will need to redouble my efforts in the future.

I am off to Louisiana next and that is my first visit to that state. After a week there I head out towards Johnson City Texas and the hill country. I am looking forward to being settled down for a month and it should be interesting. I have a list I am working on for where to winter over next year and it will be nice to see how Texas is in the winter. As long as I can avoid freezing cold, it will be fine. 

Until next time,

Thor

braxwood.com

Savannah and 6 Month Anniversary

I visited Savannah and northern Florida in my search for Big Foot this month. While I may not have captured my prey I am certain I am getting closer and closer. 

I took a walk down the streets of old Savannah and it is just as pretty as everyone says. Forsyth Park is lovely and was full of people enjoying the beautiful day. I kept a keen eye for Big Foot but I had no luck despite the pleasant temps and lovely space.

Forsyth Park. Quite lovely. I took a bunch of pictures but decided this is all you get to see. 

As part of my due diligence in the search for Bog Foot, I also checked out a few breweries. My first stop was Debellation Brewing. The beer flowed nicely as it was again a beautiful day and the the people were very friendly. I tried the new food truck which was run by several deaf chefs. The food was excellent and surprising nuanced for a food truck. I stayed around hoping to see Big Foot but there was no luck that day.

Debellation Brewing. Nice bartender and the owner was also super friendly and shared some private taps. Being nice pays off.

I tried the low country boil for dinner one night and it was fabulous. after dining, I walked past an Irish bar. Since it has been a while since I was in Ireland (5 months) I decided to stop in. I have been to many Americanized versions of Irish pubs but this one was the closet to an actual pub experience. I could swear I was at a place just like this in Dublin with M&J. The only misstep was that he served me the Guinness too soon as it was not done settling down. This of course is a major faux pas in Ireland but I will excuse the behavior this one time.

Relaxing with a pint. If you look closely you might see my reflection.

One final stop in Savannah was Two Tides Brewing. The beer was excellent and the bar was upstairs in an old renovated house. That means that there a bunch of rooms set up with couches or chairs and you could just hang out. I tried several of the rooms (but not the pinball room) along with several of their taps in the hope of running into Big Foot. After that was unsuccessful, I stepped through the open window on the balcony and enjoyed the sun. While Big Foot was not found there, it was a good stop and place to hang out and if I lived in the Savannah area it would likely be my second home.

Two Tides - Just a relaxing place to hang out

I was onto Florida next. I decided to avoid the popular areas and hung out in the pan handle in case Big Foot too thought the most scary creature was "Florida Man". I sampled the shrimp at Ouzts Too oyster bar. One may wonder why I didn't try the oyster since it is an oyster bar. The simple answer was that I felt like shrimp. The shrimp were local and well prepared with a nice blackened seasoning. There was a band outside but I chose to check out the decor inside and look for Big Foot there. I didn't see Big Foot but the giant "Busch" flag convinced me that Big Foot would never go there. Alas.

After checking out several other area establishments and enjoying some walks, it was time to move onto Alabama. 

I have now been a vagabond for six months. Ignoring the trip to Europe, I have towed a camper over 6400 miles and stayed in 16 states. For the purposes of this adventure, I am only counting states that I have spent a night in and not just drove through or stopped for gas. I have camped for 163 nights so far with an average camping cost of $30/day. I am on track to hit 19 states by the end of the year. This has been a pretty aggressive pace which I expect to slow down in the future. There are several reasons for this. Primarily I am so young and there is no deadline as of yet. Secondly slower travel is cheaper since nightly costs drop as does fuel consumption. So far in my life I have been to 47 states and have slept at least one night in 42 of them. By the end of this year, that will be 49 and 44 respectively. I have several alternative plans for next year, but I think a visit to New England is in order to follow the changing colors next fall. That will go a long way to cleaning up the states I have not slept in (c'mon, Delaware and Rhode Island?) and I will visit states I have not been to in a long time.  Those are some of the numbers, but I have a spreadsheet (naturally) with a pivot table and I can break out by amenities, type of site, state, etc, if one is interested.

I thought about posting some reminders about every place I have been and then I realized it has all been written down in this blog. Feel free to go back and read the ones you have missed. I am not certain how long the blog and specifically my search for Big Foot will continue but at least you can read where I am going for now. As a quick rundown of the adventure so far (only places slept count): Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota. South Carolina, South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

States camped in so far. I did stop in Tennessee but that doesn't count for this adventure.

It has been a glorious journey so far despite any momentary grousing I may espouse. I know how truly fortunate I have been to be able to take part in this adventure. I wish Amy was able to share in this with me but I know that she would love the vagabond way as much as I. We visited many states as a family and we never shied away from experiencing life. I encourage everyone to go on an adventure of your own. It doesn't need to be anything like mine, but rather it can be to a new restaurant or museum. I am so thankful this Thanksgiving that I have had six months of the road. I have no idea how long I will continue this journey or where I will land once I decide to have a home base. It frankly doesn't matter. What matters is enjoying this moment and this time and living my best life one day at a time. 

Remember not all those who wander are lost.

Thor

braxwood.com

Visiting the Carolinas

We have been busy in North and South Carolina. This was our first visit to South Carolina and I have been pleased with the visit as it is a beautiful state.

Lucy enjoying a hike. Maybe next time she will pay attention.

We were in the greater Ashville area for a few days and explored the local establishments in the hunt for my elusive prey. We visited a variety of places including barbeque places, breweries, and a mead and cider bar. Before you start wondering if I located any cryptozoological creatures including Big Foot, the answer is no. Obviously that would be the headline along with the photo and not a picture of Lucy about to be eaten by a normal creature. 

We arrived in the rain in North Carolina and this was my first time setting up in the rain with this trailer. I was located right next to a river and the water was quite high but being able to be down by the river is the dream of all vagabonds so I couldn't resist.

View from my picnic table which was next to the trailer.

Our first stop was Okie Dokies Smokehouse. I got a rib dinner to go as I do not like eating hand food in public with the long beard (figure that one out on your own but I can assure you it isn't pretty). The rib meat was cooked perfectly and didn't require any sauce which I also generally avoid. The meat should stand on its own if it's any good. The collard greens were excellent so I know that they were not healthy. I also checked out Phil's Bar-B-Cue Pit in Black Mountain and while they have correctly used the possessive punctuation, their smoked chicken was a bit bland and needed sauce. However I did get their chopped brisket to go which was delicious and I was able to enjoy that in several meals including chili.

Phil's had an eclectic vibe and a steady stream of customers

We also checked out several breweries unsurprisingly and sampled their wares. The first stop was Lookout Brewing Company. There was a nice outside patio and inside space. Since it was a warm sunny day and there was no bar, the patio was my hangout. The beer was good and tasty but certainly not the best I have ever had but definitely a solid choice. After enjoying myself for a while and with the aforementioned lack of creatures, I moved on.

Inside Lookout Brewery. Notice a lack of a bar? Kind of sad

The next stop was Black Mountain Brewing. The beer here was also good and it too had a nice patio space. Apparently it is warmer in the Carolinas per the internet, and I have found most breweries to have patios, but these are larger patio spaces than in other northern states. Since I prefer sitting at a bar as mentioned in a previous post, it is not a big deal one way or the other but the patio does allow for dogs which is nice. That being said, at the top of the upper peninsula of Michigan there was a lovely brewery with a huge patio so you never know. I guess the biggest difference is that the brewery patios in the north are generally or mostly uncovered as to allow the sun versus the shaded patios and decks in the south. I will continue to observe this phenomenon but it will require more visits to breweries, alas.

Inside Back Mountain. It had bar stools but no one sat in them and there wasn't room to walk passed them if you did. Beer was decent though.

Our last stop in North Carolina was at Black Mountain Cider + Mead. As the name suggests this was an establishment with both mead and cider. If you are unfamiliar with mead, I suggest you look it up. This is a blog about hunting elusive prey and not wikipedia. The last time I had mead in Wisconsin I did not care for it. I might have even made disparaging remarks about it to B as he went with me to sample it. So with some trepidation, I ordered several meads and ciders while I waited for Big Foot to walk in. I was quite pleased with the variety and flavor profiles of both and the people were quite friendly. The establishment was a bit of a hole in the wall but the space was relaxing and fun and they played various Irish folk tunes so I felt at home. Obviously Big Foot wasn't there but the place was pretty cool.

Black Mountain Cider + Mead. taps. Sitting at bar and just chillin.

South Carolina was also lovely and the area I was in was quite forested. I am not sure what I expected but the mix of forests and swampy areas was lovely but I can see how it would have been difficult to settle for early pioneers or for General Sherman's army to move through here but both happened successfully which just proves how determination can achieve any worthy goal.

I checked out Craft and Draft in Columbia to get a sense of local beers and for Big Foot of course. The variety of taps and cans was amazing. The owner had a great knowledge of the beer scene in South Carolina and beyond. South Carolina has some of the more liberal liquor laws I have seen for tap rooms and it showed at this establishment. I talked to a gentleman at the bar who had returned to the area after being in the swamps of Maryland for the last 15 years (aka DC). He provided a number of places for me to check and some beers I should take to go to stock my fridge. Unfortunately he provided a list far too long for one visit and I will have to return as there was no sign of my elusive prey at this establishment. 

While at Craft and Draft, I was recommend a barbecue place to try South Carolina Hash at Big T’s. It was a local place and based upon the line it was quite popular. In case you don’t know what this hash includes, read the link. If you intend to ever try it, I would recommend not knowing what is in it but just know it’s served over a bed of rice and is a pork dish. It was very tasty and I took the recommendation of the lady behind me in line and got the sauce on top. The hash was excellent but like other blends of meats (like foie gras) it was a little rich. 

I also decided to check out Columbia Craft for their beers and to see if I could locate my elusive prey. The beers were top notch and the food truck outside even delivered to the bar. There was a steady clientele and the patio and inside space was welcoming and inviting. I didn't make it upstairs but there was no sign of Big Foot on the ground level. While it's possible the creature was upstairs, I will have to wait for my next visit to find out.

The beer labels were artistically made by the tap room manager (who also was there during my visit). Friendly staff and customers, dog friendly - perfect place.

I got to experience the remnants of the tropical storm that hit Florida and moved up through the Carolinas. It rained constantly for a a day and half with strong winds followed by hot and humid. It was interesting but being in a trailer one has to be constantly on the lookout for tornados due to the tornado magnet effect. Thankfully the hounds and I survived unscathed and were able to relax in the palace we now reside in. 

I made one last search at Doko Station Pub and Eatery. This was a little eatery which happened to have local beers on tap. The flatbread was excellent and the ingredients were pretty fresh.. The owner was there and he was friendly and funny. His staff was excellent and appropriately personable for high school aged people. The young man was getting his Eagle Scout badge shortly which was nice to hear. The beers were excellent and I went with a brown ale. Overall an excellent place with locals and clearly friends as customers. Obviously an appropriate place for Big Foot to hang out, but not on this night.

Craft beers on tap and friendly staff at Doko Station Pub and Eatery

I am headed towards Savannah next (checking out Sherman's work on that city too) and then Florida before swinging west as I make my slow march to Texas. I have been reflecting a lot this week on future plans and how the adventure has gone so far. In my next post, I will share some statistics of the first six months of my vagabond adventure. I am still loving the life but since I will be moving only monthly once I get to Texas, I expect a different experience. That will drive my decisions on how the adventure proceeds from there. No matter the style of the adventure, I will not rest until I have found what I am looking for.

Thor

Check out braxwood.com for more information including a continuously updated route map and answers to timeless questions.
 

 

West Virginia and Beyond

For those of you still reading the adventures, I have survived the mountains of West Virginia. It is quite mountainous and forested there and before anyone makes a comment about the peaks out west, I can assure you that the roads in West Virginia were the most scary of all I have driven on in the US. The actual road conditions were fine but it appears that the roads were laid out following the trails of the original explorers of the region - insane squirrels. I think the longest straight section was for 100 feet and that was in over 60 miles of driving. There were no pull offs and I saw only one passing lane the entire time so I was the slow poke on the road. Between the dozens of hairpin turns and sudden drop offs I can say with certainty that the mountains of West Virginia are for real.

Beautiful day in WV

With the remoteness of the area came a certain lack of amenities. Among these would be cute cafes, breweries, and cellular service. I decided to hunt for Moth Man and not Big Foot when in WV due to these limitations. If you are not familiar with Moth Man, he was first seen in the 1960s and is described as a large grey creature whose eyes "glowed red" with giant wings. Moth Man has also been reported to be a harbinger of disaster such as a bridge collapse in 1967. Moth Man lacks the sophistication of Big Foot so I stuck to rural West Virginia for my hunt.

Statue of Moth Man

Instead of hunting Moth Man in the areas he was previously sighted, I chose to look in Hacker Valley. In addition to being incredibly small and off the grid, it was also close to my campground which saved me from having to drive more.

Actually some of the nicest bathrooms I have used

My search took me to the gas station, grocery store, hardware store, auto parts store, and restaurant in town. Thankfully this was all in one building so I didn't have to go far. The store had a wide variety of products but not much depth. For example, they had lamps but only one style. They had fresh vegetables, but only one tomato and one onion. They did have several different kinds of beer, but generally just Busch and Bud varieties of which I am not a fan since I have not suffered from a traumatic injury that rendered my taste buds useless. They did have some Yuengling so I was happy to get this east coast treat in the "Black and Tan" variety. I can't say it is the best beer I have had but it is quite tasty and far better than any other option.

Magic all in one store

Obviously Moth Man is not sophisticated enough to enjoy such an interesting and unique establishment so I decided to go for some walks in the woods instead. The trees were holding onto the last of their leaves but it was super pretty. We had clear days other than the last few and since the area I was in was in a little valley, the land rose up sharply on either side of the river. Despite my best efforts, I was unable to locate Moth Man.

River near my location

I continued to relax for most of the week prior to heading to Virginia for a few days. I will be following the coastal route on my way to my winter in Texas so you can probably figure out my next state I will be in after Virginia. 

I checked out Chaos Mountain Brewing Station in Natural Bridge, VA. The Squatch Ale was an excellent Scottish Ale and I had to take some to go. I also tried their kolsch and stout. This was some of the best beer I have had in a while, at least a week for sure. Big Foot had been here but wasn’t during my visit but the beer was excellent.

Complete with a Big Foot cutout. Getting closer…

I also checked out a cider house, Halcyon Days Cider Company. The dry ciders were excellent including Occam’s Razor and Midas Touch. There was no sign of Big Foot but the mountains of Virginia in the background along with the cider was incredibly relaxing. 

Lucy chillin on the deck of Halcyon. 

I also checked out Devils Backbone Brewery.  It’s a cool place even though it was spacious. The deck overlooks a valley and on my visit it was in the upper 60s, sunny, and a light breeze - truly a beautiful day. I had a good Schwartz beer which reminded me of one of the best I’ve had at Runaway.  I enjoyed my visit but there was no sign of Big Foot so it was time to move on  

Relaxing patio space

I have shared the details of my sabbatical trip on the web page so you can see the route I have taken this year and my location. More precisely you can see my last location. While I have a very sophisticated and elite audience, one never knows. 

Section of the trip so far. Live updates on Braxwood.com

I have finally done something with the web page which is mostly a place to link to the blog, FAQs, and the map. You can continue to access the blog however you choose and I apologize if I have resulted in additional clicks but I actually don't care.

I am looking at reservations for Thanksgiving versus grilling out in Alabama. The dogs have voted for me to stay home and grill them something but I have suggested that they don't get to decide. We are still discussing this and have not come to a consensus yet. Otherwise we will continue our coastal journey with the state of North Carolina next.

Thor

Check out braxwood.com for more information including a route map and answers to timeless questions.