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This week, travel with us along Tennessee’s trails and roads. It’s the perfect time to revisit our three-part Appalachian Trail thru-hiking feature. Below, find the link to Part 1, which is completely unpaywalled. Check it out if you haven’t already.

READ PART ONE

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The Elkmont Troll Bridge

Elkmont, Tennessee
Coordinates: 35.660144, -83.582882

Tucked away in Tennessee’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park, just 100 feet into the Little River Trail, a small side trail leads to the fairy tale-like, moss-covered stone Elkmont Troll Bridge. The main trail continues past streams and small waterfalls on this moderate roundtrip hike that covers about 5 miles. The coordinates for the bridge are 35.660144, -83.582882.

Old Town of Elkmont

Homesteaders, hunters, and loggers first settled the community of Elkmont in the mid-1800s. By the early 1900s, it had grown into the county’s second-largest town, complete with a post office, school, hotel, store, church, and homes. When Great Smoky Mountains National Park was created, cottage owners received lifetime leases—later changed to 20-year terms in 1952 and renewed in 1972. Their leases ended in 1992, and most structures were slated for demolition. The Elkmont Troll Bridge survived and was restored by park officials.

South Holston Lake

South Holston Lake, Tennessee
918 Holston Dam Road

South Holston Lake in eastern Tennessee stretches through the Appalachian highlands. Formed by the South Holston Dam on the South Fork Holston River, the lake is known for its calm, glassy surface and peaceful forested shoreline within the Cherokee National Forest. From secluded fishing spots to sweeping views along the Tennessee–Virginia border, its tranquil waters and surrounding mountains create a timeless retreat in one of the most scenic corners of the southern Appalachians.

Hidden Gem: Cliff Island is a popular cliff-jumping spot located off Point 2. Pull your boat near the small island, swim to its low side, and in about 50 steps, you’ll be ready for an exhilarating 10-20 foot drop. Check out a video of the jump below.

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I’ve been traveling Highway 378/78 to Athens, Georgia, all my life. When I can, I avoid the bypass and drive through the heart of Washington, Georgia, a beautiful town first named in honor of our first president. Living across the Savannah River, on trips to Athens I take my South Carolina friends through Washington so they can marvel at its majestic Southern homes.

“Beaufort, Aiken, and Camden have many fine Southern homes,” I tell them, “but wait until you see Washington, Georgia.” The old homes never disappoint.

This glimpse of the past came about thanks to a feature I wrote. The writing life introduces me to some memorable people. Among them are memories of the late Steve Blackmon. He found me when his daughter, Myra, read my feature, “Remembering Danburg,” in an online journal of Southern culture. She told her father about my story and Steve called me. “Would I speak to his Kiwanis Club?”

I did.

How well I remember my day in Washington, Georgia. I had no clue just how many beautiful and interesting homes Washington has until I spoke to Steve’s Kiwanis Club. Prior to speaking, Steve gave me a tour of seven historic homes that had something unique in common. All had been moved in total or in part to their current location. And moved for good reason.

Arriving at Steve’s I met him and his wife, Eleanor. Steve had made a list of eight homes to visit, complete with a timetable an airline scheduler would envy. (One home would be unavailable to us.) I appreciated the tight scheduling. A book event back in Columbia, South Carolina, that evening had me in a squeeze.

Now these mobile homes were not trailers or doublewides as we know them today, mind you. As Steve drove me to homes with names like Holly Court, Hollyhock, Woods Huff’s House, and Colley House, we talked of the old days. Our reflections, combined with Steve’s “mobile” home tour, amounted to a time capsule of a day.

Born Out of Necessity

I was in for a memorable day. Besides the star attractions, I’d see a millstone inlaid among bricks as a walkway centerpiece, a volume of Jericho, The South Beheld, by James Dickey and Hubert Shuptrine. I’d hear a deflating story about a letter Mrs. Jefferson Davis left the wartime owners of Holly Court purloined during a home tour. I’d see Civil War artifacts and vintage oil paintings and remarkable old homes that share a unique heritage born out of necessity.

In the 1800s, the plagues of old age made going to see the doctor too much of a challenge. For others, fashionable excursions such as going into town, say, to enjoy the opera spurred changes. The solution? Well, it was something near impossible to do today.

They moved their home into town.

In 1978, a feature in The Christian Science Monitor titled, “The Traveling Homes of Washington, Ga.” found its way into the Washington Post. The feature quoted historian Robert M. “Skeet” Willingham Jr. “In the early 1800s, when boards were hand-hewn and nails were handmade, houses were not simply demolished when no longer needed. They were recycled,” Willingham said.

“Our 19th-century counterparts knew much more about recycling than we do. If a certain home was no longer needed, it was either disassembled and rebuilt in another form or moved as it was to another location,” Willingham said.

According to the feature, Washington’s “prefab” houses were manor houses brought in from nearby plantations as it became fashionable to live in town between 1820 and 1840, a time when local farmers prospered after switching from tobacco to cotton farming.

Slow and Steady

Let’s return to the era when power lines and utility poles didn’t hem in roads. Envision teams of oxen hauling a house down a dirt lane. Not mules, mind you, but oxen. Now mules may have been used but handling them wasn’t always easy with their tendency to bolt. Oxen plodded along, were reliable, and resilient. Moving a house best happens at a slow, steady pace. That would be what oxen do, and best of all, oxen are world-class strong.

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This week, we’re back in Georgia. Discover the “original mobile homes” in historic Washington, a hidden treasure near the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain, and the Georgia Mountain Scottish Festival and Highland Games in Hiawassee. Plus, take a ride on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway.

The Original Mobile Homes

By

In the 1800s, the plagues of old age made going to see the doctor too much of a challenge. For others, fashionable excursions such as going into town, say, to enjoy the opera spurred changes. The solution? Well, it was something near impossible to do today.

They moved their home into town.

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Springer Mountain, Georgia

The Southern Gateway to Adventure

The Appalachian Trail officially begins at Springer Mountain in northern Georgia, a 3,782-foot summit nestled in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. This remote peak marks the southern starting point of the 2,200-plus-mile trail that stretches to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Most northbound hikers reach it via the challenging 8-mile Approach Trail from Amicalola Falls State Park.

Under-the-radar gems: While the bronze plaque and summit register mark the spot for that first official hiking photo, a hidden spot via an easy detour known as Three Forks lies 4 miles north of Springer Mountain at the peaceful confluence of Stover, Long, and Chester creeks into Noontootla Creek. It also marks the spot where the Appalachian Trail meets the Benton MacKaye Trail.

Framed by lush rhododendrons, scenic Long Creek Falls connects directly to Three Forks via a 1.1-mile hike from the Three Forks parking area.

Georgia Mountain Scottish Festival and Highland Games

June 6-7, 2026
Hiawassee, Georgia

This vibrant celebration in the North Georgia mountains showcases traditional Highland games, pipe bands, Scottish dancing, clan societies, and Celtic music. Held at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, it features cultural demonstrations, athletic competitions, children’s activities, and Scottish food in a scenic lakeside setting—perfect for experiencing Celtic heritage in the Appalachian foothills.

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Our June Backroad Bulletin showcases regional music, local agriculture, floral artistry, Southern cuisine, and a legendary 8-foot-tall Lizard Man.

Cherokee Bluegrass Festival

June 4-6, 2026
Cherokee, North Carolina

A family-friendly bluegrass gathering at the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, this event showcases top bluegrass bands with afternoon and evening performances. Set in a rural campground pavilion, it highlights Appalachian musical traditions with camping, mountain views, and a relaxed atmosphere—no alcohol allowed.

Mountain Music Festival

June 4-6, 2026
New River Gorge, West Virginia

Set in the rural New River Gorge National Park at ACE Adventure Resort, this event combines live music from over 20 bands with outdoor adventures like rafting, mountain biking, rock climbing, paddleboarding, and zip-lining. It also features art galleries and workshops.

South Carolina Festival of Flowers

June 4-7, 2026
Greenwood, South Carolina

This longstanding event showcases beautiful topiary displays, garden tours, live music, food trucks, a Flower Power Fun Run, Kidfest activities, Blooms & Beats concerts, a garden symposium, and family-friendly events.

Mount Airy Bluegrass & Old-Time Fiddlers Convention

June 5-6, 2026
Mount Airy, North Carolina

Inspired by the hometown of Andy Griffith, this rural old-time music event in the foothills celebrates traditional Appalachian fiddling, banjo, and string bands. Attendees enjoy competitions, workshops, and jam sessions steeped in Mayberry charm and mountain heritage.

Georgia Mountain Scottish Festival and Highland Games

June 6-7, 2026
Hiawassee, Georgia

This vibrant celebration in the North Georgia mountains features traditional Highland games, pipe bands, Scottish dancing, clan societies, and Celtic music. Held at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, it features cultural demonstrations, athletic competitions, children’s activities, and Scottish food in a scenic lakeside setting—perfect for experiencing Celtic heritage in the Appalachian foothills.

Ag + Art Tour

June 13, 2026
Barnwell and surrounding small towns, South Carolina

This self-guided tour highlights local farms, artisans, farmers’ markets, and live music across Barnwell and Allendale counties. Visitors explore agriculture, art, and Lowcountry culture through hands-on experiences, tastings, and community stops—a unique, off-the-beaten-path celebration of small-town creativity and farming heritage.

Caroline County Agricultural Fair

June 17-20, 2026
Ruther Glen, Virginia

A classic rural county fair celebrating America’s birthday early with livestock shows, carnival rides, fair food, live entertainment, crafts, agricultural exhibits, and family activities. Held at the Caroline County Fairgrounds between Richmond and Fredericksburg, the event embodies traditional Southern fair fun with competitions, fireworks, and community gatherings.

West Virginia State Folk Festival

June 18-21, 2026
Glenville, West Virginia

This authentic folk gathering showcases traditional Appalachian music, dancing, storytelling, and crafts. Attendees experience jam sessions, square dances, and heritage exhibits in a small-town setting that preserves the state’s pioneer culture.

Monticello Watermelon Festival

June 19-20, 2026
Monticello, Florida

The Monticello Watermelon Festival is one of North Florida’s signature rural events, blending patriotic themes, family entertainment, and agricultural heritage. Festival-goers can enjoy a community parade, live music, local vendors, family activities, and plenty of fresh watermelon. This year’s event also features a car show and pickleball tournament.

301 Endless Yard Sale

June 19-20, 2026
Johnston County, North Carolina

This massive yard sale spans a 100-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 301 in North Carolina—from Roanoke Rapids to Dunn—and features a treasure trove of bargains, vintage items, and antiques from local vendors. The event attracts visitors nationwide and also from Canada.

Red Wing Roots Music Festival

June 19-21, 2026
Mount Solon, Virginia

Set in Natural Chimneys Park in rural Shenandoah Valley, this intimate roots music festival combines bluegrass, Americana, and folk with camping, artisan vendors, and family activities amid towering rock formations and mountain scenery.

79th Rhododendron Festival

June 20-21, 2026
Roan Mountain, Tennessee

The 79th Rhododendron Festival celebrates the stunning natural beauty of the Appalachian Mountains as rhododendron bloom. Attendees enjoy handcrafted vendors, delicious food, live entertainment, scenic trails, and Appalachian mountain views.

Note: Expect heavier traffic on Saturday of the event. Visitors are advised to bring water, snacks, and prepare for slow-moving vehicles on the mountain roads.

Lizard Man Stomp

June 27, 2026
Bishopville, South Carolina

This quirky hometown festival on Main Street celebrates Bishopville’s legendary 8-foot, red-eyed Lizard Man cryptid from Scape Ore Swamp. The event features live music, vendors, food trucks, kids’ activities, contests, costumes, car shows, and storytelling.

Causeway Cove Country & BBQ Festival

June 27-28, 2026
Hutchinson Island, Florida

Located on Florida’s Treasure Coast, this waterfront festival combines barbecue, country music, classic cars, and family-friendly activities. The 2026 event also commemorates America’s 250th anniversary. Visitors can sample barbecue from local vendors, enjoy live performances, browse antique vehicles, and spend time along the scenic marina setting.

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ELEVATE YOUR BACKROAD EXPERIENCE

We’re heading southbound to the Sunshine State this week, with stops at Little Talbot Island State Park in Jacksonville, Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, and Myakka River State Park in Sarasota. We also spotlight the first documented Spanish explorer to discover Florida.

Welcome new subscribers! This week only, we’ve removed the paywall so you can see a full example of the kind of content we offer each Thursday. Typically, we also include a link to a paywalled feature, which upgraded subscribers receive in a second email. If you like what you see here, please consider upgrading.

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Little Talbot Island State Park

Jacksonville, Florida

This undeveloped barrier island near Jacksonville offers over 5 miles of pristine white-sand beaches, ancient dunes, and diverse ecosystems. One of the few remaining untouched islands in Northeast Florida, Little Talbot Island State Park provides a peaceful escape with rolling surf, maritime hammocks, and salt marshes. Visitors enjoy hiking the park’s scenic 4-mile Dune Ridge Trail, along with beachcombing, surfing, fishing, kayaking along Myrtle Creek bluffs, birdwatching, and camping beneath live oaks.

Unique hidden treasures include dramatic sun-bleached cedar and palm trunks scattered along the shoreline like natural sculptures, vibrant sea oats and wildflowers on the dunes, and a rich refuge for migratory shorebirds and nesting wildlife. The park’s wild, rugged coastline feels like stepping back in time to Florida’s earliest natural landscapes.

Ponce de León Claims Florida

April 1513, near St. Augustine, Florida

While searching for the legendary Fountain of Youth, Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León sighted Florida’s east coast in late March and landed near the area between St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra Beach sometime around April 3, 1513. Since he arrived during the Easter season, he named it Pascua Florida, which means “Flowery Easter” or “Festival of Flowers,” and claimed the land for Spain, marking the first documented European contact with mainland Florida. Encounters with indigenous Calusa and Timucua peoples followed, initiating Spanish exploration, missions, and colonization efforts that helped shape Florida’s early history.

Castillo de San Marcos National Monument

St. Augustine, Florida

This historic site preserves the oldest masonry fortification in the continental United States. Constructed by the Spanish between 1672 and 1695 using coquina stone—a unique shell-based limestone—the imposing fortress defended Florida and the Atlantic trade routes for over 450 years. Multiple flags have flown over it: Spanish, British, Confederate, and American. It served as a military post, prison, and symbol of resilience through sieges, wars, and cultural intersections involving Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans.

Visitors can explore the fort’s thick coquina walls, cannon platforms, powder magazine, and breathtaking views of Matanzas Bay. The park also interprets stories of soldiers, prisoners, and early American history.

Secret Passageway: Look for a small, inconspicuous postern gate on the landward side of the fort, identifiable by its distinctive funnel-shaped keystone above the doorway. This discreet passage allowed defenders to slip out undetected for resupply, reconnaissance, or surprise attacks, while remaining largely hidden from enemies.

Myakka River State Park

Sarasota, Florida

Myakka River State Park, located east of Sarasota, Florida, is one of the state’s oldest and largest parks, spanning over 37,000 acres of wild, unspoiled wilderness. The majestic Myakka River—Florida’s first designated wild and scenic river—winds through vast dry prairies, wetlands, hammocks, and pinelands, offering a glimpse of old Florida as seen by early Native Americans and Spanish explorers.

Visitors enjoy hiking, biking, canoeing, kayaking, and wildlife viewing, with abundant alligators, birds, and other native species. The Canopy Walkway is the first public treetop trail in North America and rises through the forest to offer breathtaking elevated views.

Hidden Treasure: The massive Deep Hole is a 300-foot-wide, 130-foot-deep sinkhole in Lower Myakka Lake that attracts hundreds of alligators during the dry season.

Thanks for reading, and remember to always … take the long way home.

By

We Southerners turn every decent memory into a blockbuster and every hardship into a footnote—yet those small, unvarnished truths stick with us longest.

For me, it’s 1980s Georgia soil under my bare feet as I scurry down the path to my grandparents’ creek. The taste of Southern-fried chicken, sweet tea, and coconut cake at a family gathering. The smell of oranges in my Christmas stocking and the pride I felt pinning a track medal on my letter jacket. Later, my wedding day and the birth of my children …

We all suffer from selective memory. But cherished recollections help us make sense of our lives, pass on grains of wisdom, and affirm that our life matters in some way. The memories we hold onto are worth sharing—and reason enough to start writing our memoirs.

I recently learned the importance of passing memoirs down to future generations while reading my great-grandmother’s, which she wrote during the 1980s. She was born in 1896 and lived to be 101. I’m currently transcribing her “random notes” from a typewritten document and sharing them in a Substack series called Memoirs of a Southern Centenarian. Her life was quite extraordinary.

If a long-lost memory is nagging at you—good, bad, or hilariously exaggerated—here are some tips, apps, and platforms that can help you get your stories down, honestly and without apology. Your friends, family, and future generations will thank you for it.

Tips for Getting Started

Since I’d like to write my own memoirs someday, I did some research. Here are tips from experts about how to get started.

• Start small. Write or even voice-record one memory per sitting. Don’t aim for the whole life story—start from your earliest memories and move forward chronologically, or focus on a theme like “growing up” or “lessons from hard times.”

• Be honest but kind to yourself. Acknowledge poignant memories, then decide what feels important enough to share.

• Use prompts. “What’s a childhood moment I laugh about now but hurt me back then?” or “What story did my family tell over and over?”

• Set low-pressure goals. Write for fifteen to thirty minutes a day, three to four days a week. Track progress in a simple notebook or app.

• Revise later. Get that first draft down, then edit for truth and flow later.

Formats and Structures

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This week, we’re in Georgia—home state of Backroad Portfolio co-founder , who writes about the process of transcribing her Georgia-born great-grandmother’s memoirs and sharing them with family and friends. She also presents tips and platforms for how you can begin writing your own.

We also feature the beauty of Jacks River Falls Trail, Crooked River State Park, and Arabia Mountain.

Share Your Story

Start writing your own memoirs

By Elizabeth Poland Shugg

We Southerners turn every decent memory into a blockbuster and every hardship into a footnote—yet those small, unvarnished truths stick with us longest.

For me, it’s 1980s Georgia soil under my bare feet as I scurry down the path to my grandparents’ creek. The taste of Southern-fried chicken, sweet tea, and coconut cake at a family gathering. The smell of oranges in my Christmas stocking and the pride I felt pinning a track medal on my letter jacket. My wedding day. The birth of my children …

We all suffer from selective memory. But cherished recollections help us make sense of our lives, pass on grains of wisdom, and affirm that our life matters in some way. The memories we hold onto are worth sharing—and reason enough to start writing our memoirs.

I recently learned the importance of passing memoirs down to future generations while reading my great-grandmother’s, which she wrote during the 1980s. She was born in 1896 and lived to be 101. I’m currently transcribing her “random notes” from a typewritten document and sharing them (for free) in a Substack series called Memoirs of a Southern Centenarian. Her everyday experiences are quite extraordinary.

READ MORE HERE

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Jacks River Falls Trail

Epworth, Georgia

This vast, remote wilderness in Chattahoochee National Forest offers one of Georgia’s most secluded backpacking experiences. The Jacks River cascades into a rocky, grassy riverbed surrounded by dense forests and abundant wildlife. Best for experienced hikers, the Jacks River Falls Trail is around 9 miles round trip, extending 4.5 miles through rugged wilderness before looping back. Portions of the trail along the river lie atop the roadbed of the old Conasauga Railroad, which was once used to bring out felled logs from timber camps in the mountains around. Click here for directions.

Crooked River State Park Opens

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Story by Dr. Katherine Loflin
Photos by Jennifer Linney

For nearly two decades, my work has centered on one deceptively simple question: Why do people love where they live—and why does that love matter?

What I’ve learned: Our relationship with place determines far more than we realize. When we feel that we “fit” where we live, we don’t just survive—we thrive.

Across countries, cultures, and community sizes, I’ve consistently seen the same pattern. When people feel emotionally connected to their place, local economies strengthen, resilience grows, public health improves, and people invest their time, talent, and resources into the future of their community.

What I’ve learned through my research on communities around the world is that this love isn’t sentimental or accidental. It’s measurable. Predictable. Powerful.

I call this bond place attachment—the emotional connection between people and place that shapes how they think, feel, and act. Any community can cultivate it. But time and again, I’ve observed that small and rural communities possess natural advantages that make attachment easier to grow and sustain.

The Place Attachment Model

Through my national research with the Soul of the Community project and my subsequent global work, I developed a practical framework communities can use intentionally. The model identifies four core ingredients that consistently predict attachment:

1. Social offerings

2. Aesthetics

3. Welcomeness

4. Place identity

Social offerings, aesthetics, and welcomeness are all expressed through place identity.

However, different places manifest social offerings in different ways. New York City’s social offerings are very different from those of Beaufort, North Carolina—and with good reason. What matters isn’t scale or flashiness—it’s the authenticity for that place, and reaching its residents in such a way that they experience the manifestation of that authenticity.

Why Small and Rural Places Have an Edge

In large cities, connection often requires programming and planning. In small communities, it often happens organically. As a result, you hear people in small towns describe their place in terms of a critical component of social life: the civility and closeness of the town’s people, which creates the social offering of connectivity, which humans crave. This helps build the love of place.

Next, the aesthetics of the environment and landscape in rural towns is often quite beautiful to behold—and the first and most consistent message a place sends about itself. A small town’s natural beauty is baked into its narrative and a key source of pride and love for its residents.

These two combine to create a sense of belonging, a welcomeness, that just feels right. There is a sense of community—of being in this together—that many humans also crave. They feel welcome in their place and believe others feel the same, which forges a common bond.

Identity is the Anchor

Where small and rural communities truly shine is in the concept of identity.

There’s often a shared and understood narrative about the place people call home. They know and share their town’s local history. Landmarks, which can include historic farms, feed stores, homes, and churches, carry meaning. Families who have lived there often span generations.

Their stories carry memories. The memories build identity. Identity shared through social offerings, aesthetics, and welcomeness build the attachment that makes others want to become a part of that story, too.

The Tourism Advantage

This attachment formula doesn’t only apply to residents. It’s equally powerful for visitors. One of the most effective tools I teach in tourism is the place narrative strategy—using storytelling to help guests quickly form emotional bonds to the place.

People don’t attach to statistics and timelines. They attach to authentic stories and experiences.

Visitors might forget your population count. But they’ll remember discovering an arrowhead in a farm field, hearing local folklore told by the town founder’s descendant, or learning how the town became the Gourd Capital of the World.

Small and rural communities hold a remarkable advantage here. Their stories are accessible, human, and authentic—exactly what visitors crave. Done well, tourism simply becomes attachment-building for newcomers.

From Attachment to Action

Place attachment isn’t just a warm, fuzzy outcome. It drives results that communities care deeply about.

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This week, we’re in North Carolina, home to “place attachment” specialist Dr. Katherine Loflin, who writes about the importance of loving where you live. We also visit remnants of a pre-Revolutionary War town, share an Allman Brothers tribute band event, and take in the view of a vibrant Carolina Beach mural.

Also, we’re putting together an America 250 Road Trip Spotify list and would love to include your song suggestions. Submit them below and we’ll share the completed playlist in time for summer Semiquincentennial road tripping.

SHARE YOUR SONG(S)

Love Where You Live

By Dr. Katherine Loflin

For nearly two decades, my work has centered on one deceptively simple question: Why do people love where they live—and why does that love matter?

What I’ve learned: Our relationship with place determines far more than we realize. When we feel that we “fit” where we live, we don’t just survive—we thrive.

Across countries, cultures, and community sizes, I’ve consistently seen the same pattern. When people feel emotionally connected to their place, local economies strengthen, resilience grows, public health improves, and people invest their time, talent, and resources into the future of their community.

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Pre-Revolutionary Relics

Winnabow, North Carolina

Brunswick Town, a pre-Revolutionary colonial port founded in 1726, then destroyed by British troops in 1776, was never rebuilt. Today, its relics lie below Confederate Fort Anderson’s earthworks near the Cape Fear River. Excavations have revealed foundations of homes, a church, and fortifications, plus artifacts from enslaved Africans and merchants. The town’s remnants, unmarked graves, and stories of buried treasures and ghosts—including a soldier’s apparition—offer a glimpse into what life was like before the Revolutionary War.

Ramblin’ Man: The Ultimate Allman Brothers Experience

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Story and photos by

Magnolia. Three syllables conjure up snow-white blooms, antebellum homes, old churches, and home places where magnolias anchor a landscape rich with dogwoods and azaleas. And there’s that lane where 122 magnolias welcome dignitaries to the world’s grandest golf course.

To be Southern, y’all, is to walk among magnolias.

I’ll never forget the magnolia my mother and I planted at my boyhood home or the magnolia at my grandfather’s old home place. When I conjure up those magnolias in my mind’s eye, boyhood returns. Many years later, a drive to another magnolia would bring those boyhood memories back.

My journey began with a suggestion. “You need to see the magnolia down in Edgefield County. It might be a record tree.”

That was enough for me. I went.

A Drive Into History

Driving down Edgefield way, I felt a bit like William Bartram, that legendary explorer who documented a magnolia of “great perfection.” On a March afternoon, blue sky streaked white with fleecy clouds, I drove to the site of the old Curryton Academy. Topping a rise, I spied the crown of a magnolia rising from a copse. Younger trees huddled around the old tree as if seeking advice. “O great one, what’s your secret for living nigh 173 years?”

The Curryton Magnolia’s secret resides in man’s desire for knowledge and the protective acts of men 172 years later. Upon hearing the tree’s site would become a residential development, men took action to spare it. The tree merited preservation for good cause. One, it’s a magnolia that has doubled its normal lifespan. Two, it stands on a historic site, and three, it may be a state record tree.

The tree’s journey began August 10, 1853, when some 1,200 people gathered at Sweetwater Springs to choose a site for an academy. Joel Curry gifted 1,000 acres and $2,000 for an academy. Thus did “Curryton” name the magnolia and the academy.

It’s no stretch to say the old magnolia’s roots intertwine with men’s desire to educate others. Joel Curry, Robert Meriwether, George Boswell, Samuel Getzen, Dr. Hugh A. Shaw, A.P. Butler, and Andrew J. Hammond, among others, founded an academy, which consisted of two schools. One school stood where the magnolia stands. What’s unknown is whether it was the girls’ school or the boys’. The other school stood a short piece near the present-day site of Old McDonald’s Fish Camp.

My journey took me down the rise. Driving closer in didn’t help. Trees kept me from seeing a tree akin to Bartram’s “great perfection” of a magnolia. I needed a close view of the magnolia’s trunks and limbs. I parked and, camera in hand, made my way through the shrubs and trees huddled around it. Leaves crunched beneath my feet as I approached the massive trunk. I looked up. Immense limbs and the sockets of limbs long-perished fired up my imagination, evoking images of what could be an elephant and what seemed like an octopus in the grand tree’s limbs. I stood beneath the tree, grateful to know others could experience what I was feeling. I took photos, made some mental notes, and looked around.

A home stood nearby—one home, not many. For that I was grateful also. Trees like Angel Oak and Curryton Magnolia deserve their own space. It should feel sacred when you visit the site of aged trees, survivors of note.

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This week, as blooming magnolias scent the air with intoxicating citrusy sweetness, we introduce you to what many believe is South Carolina’s second-oldest magnolia tree. Then, join us for a view of the Morris Island Lighthouse in in Charleston Harbor and experience Lady Loutrel’s afternoon tea service in downtown Charleston. Our Palmetto State journey ends with a moonrise over Lake Wateree.

The Curryton Magnolia

A monumental tree and school of consequence

Story and photos by

Magnolia. Three syllables conjure up snow-white blooms, antebellum homes, old churches, and home places where magnolias anchor a landscape rich with dogwoods and azaleas. And there’s that lane where 122 magnolias welcome dignitaries to the world’s grandest golf course.

To be Southern, y’all, is to walk among magnolias.

I’ll never forget the magnolia my mother and I planted at my boyhood home, or the magnolia at my grandfather’s old home place. When I conjure up those magnolias in my mind’s eye, boyhood returns. Many years later a drive to another magnolia would bring those boyhood memories back.

My journey began with a suggestion. “You need to see the magnolia down in Edgefield County. It might be a record tree.”

That was enough for me. I went.

READ MORE

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Morris Island Lighthouse

1750 E. Ashley Avenue
Folly Beach, South Carolina

The 161-foot, cast-iron Morris Island Lighthouse, built in 1876, is the third to stand sentinel at the entrance of Charleston Harbor after wars and storms destroyed its predecessors. Severe erosion washed away the keeper’s quarters and island the lighthouse once stood on, making it accessible only by boat or kayak, with viewing opportunities from Folly Beach’s Lighthouse Inlet Heritage Preserve. An organization called Save the Light is leading ongoing restoration efforts to maintain the lighthouse, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Lady Loutrel’s Afternoon Tea

61 State Street, Charleston, South Carolina
theloutrel.com

This exclusive two-hour tea service, featured in our Spring There and Back Again journey, makes a delightful Mother’s Day gift for you or your mom this weekend. Savor heritage botanical blends from Oliver Pluff & Co. poured into elegant Estelle Colored Glassware on a private, biophilic-inspired rooftop. You’ll also be served a tiered tower of delicate finger sandwiches featuring smoked salmon, pimento cheese, chicken salad, and cucumber, along with warm scones and an array of sweet Southern pastries and confections. The experience requires a minimum of four people and includes optional alcoholic sips. The service is available Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. by reservation, with prices starting at $340.

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Our May Backroad Bulletin highlights events across the Southeast that celebrate regional legends, seasonal produce, and Appalachian heritage.

Town & Trail Festival

May 1-2, 2026
Hot Springs, North Carolina

This relaxed rural gathering in the scenic mountain town of Hot Springs blends hiking culture along the Appalachian Trail with small-town charm. Expect live music, local vendors, food, trail-related activities, and community events celebrating the area’s natural beauty and outdoor heritage in a peaceful Blue Ridge setting.

Smoky Mountain Bigfoot Festival

May 2, 2026
Townsend, Tennessee

This sixth annual event in the heart of the Smoky Mountains celebrates the legendary creature with a full-day Bigfoot Birthday Bash. Attendees enjoy guest speakers sharing encounters and evidence, live music, food trucks, vendors, contests, interactive activities, photo ops with Party Sasquatch, themed games, giveaways, and a sweet cupcake celebration complete with confetti.

Florida Cracker Cowboy Heritage Festival

May 2, 2026
Alva, Florida

In the historic rural community of Alva near the Caloosahatchee River, this heritage festival showcases Florida’s unique Cracker cowboy culture through whip-cracking demonstrations, horsemanship and roping displays, cattle exhibits, and traditional ranching skills. Visitors can experience pioneer cooking demonstrations, cowboy poetry, live music, ranch crafts, and hands-on family activities.

Stories Around the State: Art and the American Revolution

May 5, 2026
Walterboro, South Carolina

This free educational program at Colleton Museum explores how art shaped public understanding of the American Revolution. Presented by historian Dr. Elizabeth Chew, the event examines portraits, political imagery, and wartime artwork that influenced public opinion during America’s fight for independence. Attendees gain insight into visual storytelling during the Revolutionary period while learning about South Carolina’s role in early U.S. history.

Barnwell Sundial Festival

May 8-9, 2026
Barnwell, South Carolina

This free, family-friendly small-town event in rural Barnwell County transforms the historic town circle with craft and food vendors, local artists, twirlers, bands, a street dance, and evening concert. It offers a relaxed, offbeat blend of shopping, entertainment, and Southern hospitality.

Making Chicken-N-Dumplings

May 9, 2026
Galax, Virginia

This educational cooking workshop at Matthews Living History Farm Museum teaches participants how traditional Appalachian families prepared meals from scratch using historic methods. Visitors learn about rural food traditions, farm cooking practices, and regional culinary heritage while preparing a classic dish. The event offers insight into daily life on early 20th-century Virginia farms and preserves important mountain food traditions.

British Festival & Saturday Queen’s Tea

May 9-10, 2026
Rugby, Tennessee

In the preserved 1880s utopian village of Historic Rugby on the Cumberland Plateau, this event blends British heritage with Appalachian traditions. Highlights include cricket matches, Maypole dancing, live music, vintage baseball, village tours, artisans, food vendors, and a special Queen’s Tea. Period-inspired outfits are welcome in this storybook rural setting for a charming, hands-on cultural immersion.

Boho Hippie Fest

May 9-10, 2026
Maggie Valley, North Carolina

Set on the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds in the Great Smoky Mountains, this event features jam sessions, food trucks, vendors, and family-friendly activities in a scenic rural Western North Carolina gateway town.

West Virginia Strawberry Festival

May 9-17, 2026
Buckhannon, West Virginia

This weeklong celebration in rural Upshur County honors the region’s strawberry harvest with parades, carnival rides, live entertainment, food vendors featuring strawberry treats, crafts, and family activities. It’s a classic small-town agricultural festival highlighting local farming and community spirit in the Appalachian foothills.

Appalachian Trail Days Festival

May 15-17, 2026
Damascus, Virginia

Known as the “friendliest town on the Appalachian Trail,” this hiker celebration in rural Southwest Virginia draws thru-hikers and enthusiasts to vendor villages with outdoor gear and handmade goods, live music, parades, trail talks, and community events.

Biking Through History and Nature

May 16, 2026
Halifax, North Carolina

Organized through North Carolina Historic Sites, this educational outdoor program combines physical activity with historical interpretation. Participants bike through scenic areas surrounding Historic Halifax while learning about the town’s Revolutionary-era significance, colonial development, and natural environment. Helmets required.

Alderson Strawberry Festival

May 23, 2026
Alderson, West Virginia

Hosted by the Town of Alderson and Sunset Berry Farm, this family-friendly one-day event in rural Summers County offers strawberry-themed entrees, locally crafted goods, live music, and a “Market and More on Memorial Bridge.”

Blairsville Spring Arts, Crafts & Music Festival

May 23-24, 2026
Blairsville, Georgia

Experience a parade, regional crafts, art demonstrations, live music, and family activities at this event featuring small-town Appalachian creativity and zheritage in a scenic rural setting.

Appalachian Fly Fishing Festival

May 30, 2026
Thomas, West Virginia

This niche gathering in the rural mountains of Tucker County celebrates Appalachian fly fishing with demos, workshops, vendors, and outdoor activities focused on the sport and its heritage. It draws enthusiasts to the region’s streams and forests for a specialized, nature-centered experience.

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ELEVATE YOUR BACKROAD EXPERIENCE

We hope you enjoy reading our final installment of our Appalachian Trail thru-hiking story written by Ron and Kelly Gaulden of Greenville, South Carolina. We’re concluding this series with their memories of lessons learned, gear recommendations, and trail tips. If you’ve hiked the Appalachian Trail, we’d love to hear about your experience. Email us at backroadportfolio@gmail.com to share it.

Committing to the Climb, Part 3

Story and photos by Ron and Kelly Gaulden

The Lessons

Hiking the Appalachian Trail helped us appreciate simplicity. When you just put one foot in front of the other, solve problems as they come, and witness how genuinely good people are, it is hard not to be happy.

It also heightened our awareness of the importance of conservation. It really is amazing that the Appalachian Trail corridor runs through the most populated region of the entire country. There’s even a spot in Pawling, New York, where the trail crosses train tracks near the Dover Oak—the oldest tree on the Appalachian Trail1. Some hikers take a train to New York City. One moment, they’re enjoying the wilderness, then, less than two hours later, they’re eating lunch in Chinatown.

When so many people live within pretty close proximity to The trail from Georgia to Maine, it’s a great opportunity for people of all ages to get out there and learn about how important our trees are, how vital it is for us to keep our water sources clean, and how we can all be stewards of the natural world.

Also, even all these years later, we don’t take running water or hot showers for granted.

The Supplies

As far as gear, we really used everything we brought. Here are some thoughts on the supplies we chose.

Tent: We decided on the Tarp Tent Double Rainbow tent by Henry Shires. We had to seam-seal it ourselves.

Backpacks: We used Granite Gear Vapor Latitude backpacks2 because we loved the side panel for easy access to supplies during lunch breaks or any other time we needed to access gear easily but weren’t at camp yet. Our base weight was 18 pounds. With water for the day and enough food to get us to our next resupply, our packs weighed 25 pounds (Kelly) and 28 pounds (Ron.) This was considered pretty light in 2007. Now, with all the improvements in the gear world, it’s possible that hikers have lighter packs without going ultra-light.

Hiking poles: Hiking poles helped immensely on the downhills, especially later on in the hike when our knees were sore. Kelly splurged for the carbon fiber poles—safer in lightning situations since carbon fiber is significantly less electrically conductive than aluminum.

Hiking boots: Ron: I went through two pairs of boots. My first pair of boots delaminated in Virginia, so I switched from boots to Montrail trail runners, which I liked a lot.

Clothing: Splurging on good rain gear is definitely worth it. Merino wool is pretty awesome for base layers. We had sock liners, three pairs of socks (two to switch back and forth and one sacred pair for town visits), pants, two shirts, a fleece layer, hats, rain pants, a rain jacket, and a pack cover for when it rained and to protect the pack against brush in tight parts of the trail. We also had gaiters to keep dirt and moisture out of our boots. In the early months when it was still cold, we had down jackets, down pants, and down booties. Also, we treated ourselves to “Buffs” in Virginia, which are like tube socks for your head that can be worn as a bandana, head covering, or neck covering.

Water: Even though we used a water filter, we packed iodine tablets just in case. That was very useful in one section of North Carolina because the filter froze when the temperature went down to single digits.

Miscellaneous: We had head lamps, waterproof stuff sacks, a food bag, and rope to hang the bag at night (away from bears), a Swiss army knife, Montbell down sleeping bags, sleeping pads, gloves, a ditty bag (with toothbrush, toothpaste, and biodegradable soap), titanium pots, an MSR pocket rocket stove, and long-handled titanium spoons (easier for the times we ate food out of bags).

Tips and Tricks

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We’re heading to Virginia this week, starting with the final installment of our Appalachian Trail hiking story, then making our way to the Great Dismal Swamp on the Virginia-North Carolina border. We’ll stop by the Channels Natural Area Preserve in Saltville, then visit Galax for a chicken-and-dumplings cooking workshop. Join us on the backroads!

Committing to the Climb, Part 3

We’re starting off this week’s email with our final installment of Ron and Kelly Gaulden’s Appalachian Trail thru-hiking story. The series concludes with their lessons learned, gear recommendations, and trail tips.

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Swamp Settlements

Virginia and North Carolina

The Great Dismal Swamp hides remnants of maroon communities—self-governing settlements formed by escaped enslaved people during the 1700s and 1800s who took refuge in the dense, mosquito-infested wilderness. Archaeologists have discovered cabin footprints, white clay tobacco pipe fragments, lead shot, gunflints, pottery shards, reworked Native American arrowheads repurposed as tools, and more. Largely unexplored, the swamp that once covered more than a million acres is now a 113,000-acre National Wildlife Refuge straddling southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina. Its trails allow glimpses into a long-lost chapter of American survival and defiance.

The Channels Natural Area Preserve

Brumley Gap Road or Hayters Gap Road
Saltville, Virginia

The Channels Natural Area Preserve protects a 721-acre site atop Clinch Mountain in Southwest Virginia, featuring the Great Channels of Virginia. This unique 400-million-year-old sandstone outcropping has eroded into a maze of deep crevices, narrow slot canyons, towering boulders, and rock formations resembling a natural labyrinth. Hikers access it via moderate-to-strenuous trails like the Brumley Mountain Trail or Channels Trail, leading to stunning 360-degree views. There are no facilities and only about ten parking spots available. Use 4250 Hayters Gap Road, Saltville, Virginia 24370 for GPS directions.

Making Chicken and Dumplings

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Here’s part two of our Appalachian Trail thru-hiking story written by Ron and Kelly Gaulden of Greenville, South Carolina.

Committing to the Climb, Part 2

Story and photos by Ron and Kelly Gaulden

The Wildlife

We were surprised at some of the wildlife along the way. The deer in Shenandoah National Park were so tame that we could practically reach out and pet them. We saw lots of timber rattlers, especially in Pennsylvania. They’re actually very timid.

We usually slept well on the trail, but we would wake up during thunderstorms. The peeper frogs were so loud at one campsite in Virginia that we barely slept a wink. There was also a campsite in New Jersey where this strange sound kept us up. All. Night. Long. We later learned it was a whippoorwill.

Massachusetts is where we noticed the squirrels were smaller and redder. (They were also meaner. Sometimes they would perch in trees to toss nuts and pinecones onto our tent.) Vermont was gorgeous, and the Whites were challenging, rugged, and awesome. Maine was so very special with all the ponds, moose1, and of course, Katahdin.

We didn’t have any bear scares during the nights, but we did unzip our tent one July night in New Jersey to find a huge pile of bear scat a few feet from our tent. So, even though we slept soundly through it, we did have a visitor at least once.

Kelly: The first bear we actually saw along the trail was in Virginia. I was hiking alone while Ron had hung back. I was looking down to watch my footing, and when I looked up to check for the next white blaze trail marker on the trees, I saw a black bear about 100 yards ahead. I did everything I was not supposed to do—paused, took out my camera, and snapped a photo—before following the protocol of holding my jacket over my head to look big and yelling to scare the black bear away. The bear scurried off immediately after that, and by then Ron had caught up to me.

Ron: I asked Kelly if there was a little dog or something on the trail, and she informed me that I had heard her intimidating “woop woop” that scared the bear away. By the time we reached the Shenandoahs a week or so later, we saw many more bears. On one day alone, we saw eight, including a mama teaching her cubs to climb a tree.

The Magic

We were surprised by and grateful for the “trail magic” along the way, when people would leave treats like cold drinks in a creek or a cooler of food at a road crossing. The best one was a cooler with hard-boiled eggs and fruit. After all of the packaged meals we ate, this fresh food was heavenly.

Oftentimes, we got to meet the people who offered the trail magic. One road crossing had directions to a nearby cabin where hikers could get a meal. We learned that this type of magic usually came with the caveat of listening to some preaching. One of our hiker buddies coined this type of trail magic “Jesus Magic.”

We were surprised at how ravenous we became on the trail. When we got to Manchester, Vermont, we checked in at the Green Mountain House hiker hostel. Then, we found a Friendly’s restaurant where we ate a couple of entrees each. We both ordered the large ice cream dessert that is meant to feed an entire table. We could have eaten more, but we were saving room for the pizza joint up the road!

The People

We met so many wonderful people, many of whom we still keep in contact with now, nineteen years later. Every year we exchange Christmas cards with “Blue Skies” from Denmark. “Dances with Sloths” from Texas sometimes comes back to the East Coast to hike sections of the trail, and makes a point to visit us with his dog, Match. We have fond memories of “Green Hornet” from Ohio who had served in the Navy. The “Four People” consisted of “Crazy Bear” from Arizona, “Paloma” from Ohio, “Ghetto Blaster” from Virginia, and “Carpenter” from Massachusetts. We were so glad to summit Katahdin with them. Plus, now Ghetto and Paloma are married with two kids—and their oldest is named after Benton MacKaye, the originator of the Appalachian Trail!

One day, we met “The Bird Couple” on their section hike. They were out for a short trip, birding along the way. Warren and Lisa graciously helped us identify several birds we had photographed on our digital camera. Thanks to them, we learned about the scarlet tanager, red-winged blackbird, and hermit thrush. We carried that knowledge with us throughout the trail.

Fun fact: We were recently listening to a Substack by Heather Cox Richardson. She quoted Warren Strobel from the Washington Post, and Ron said, that’s our bird guy! Ron reached out to him on social media, and he responded right away. He remembered meeting us on the trail all those years ago.

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We’re heading to West Virginia this week—one of two new Southeastern states we now cover as part of our content expansion. (Please tell all your friends who live there!) We also share Part 2 of our Appalachian Trail thru-hiking story, look back at how the Mountain State formed, visit a mysterious roadside attraction, and introduce you to an annual ramp-inspired festival. (If you don’t know what ramps are, we’ll tell you below. Hint: These ramps have nothing to do with highways.)

Committing to the Climb, Part 2

Story and photos by Ron and Kelly Gaulden

We were surprised at some of the wildlife along the way. The deer in Shenandoah National Park were so tame that we could practically reach out and pet them. We saw lots of timber rattlers, especially in Pennsylvania. They’re actually very timid.

We usually slept well on the trail, but we would wake up during thunderstorms. The peeper frogs were so loud at one campsite in Virginia that we barely slept a wink. There was also a campsite in New Jersey where this strange sound kept us up. All. Night. Long. We later learned it was a whippoorwill.

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The Formation of West Virginia

June 20, 1863

West Virginia became the thirty-fifth state in the Union on June 20, 1863, during the Civil War after deep political and economic divisions separated the western counties from eastern Virginia. Virginia had seceded in 1861, prompting Unionist delegates in the northwest to form the loyalist Restored Government of Virginia under Governor Francis H. Pierpont. Claiming to represent the legal state government, it authorized the creation of a new state, which was originally named Kanawha but later became West Virginia. Congress approved admission once gradual emancipation of enslaved people was required, and President Abraham Lincoln signed the bill on December 31, 1862, clearing the way for West Virginia’s statehood.

Roadside Restoration

Ansted, West Virginia

In 1973, Donald Wilson opened Mystery Hole, a roadside attraction featuring optical illusions in a slanted basement chamber, where visitors experience perplexing effects like tilted rooms, balls rolling uphill, and people standing at impossible angles. After closing in 1996 amid declining tourism and neglect, which followed Wilson’s death, new owners Will and Sandra Morrison revived and restored the roadside attraction, complete with a colorful gift shop. Visitors are welcome May through October from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on varying days.

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This week, we’re straying from our usual weekly template to launch a three-part series written by a South Carolina couple who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail. We’ll return to our usual format next week.

Committing to the Climb, Part 1

Introduction by the Backroad Portfolio staff
Story and photos by Ron and Kelly Gaulden

In 2005, Kelly Gaulden was teaching middle school. Her husband, Ron, was working for a print publication. Both graduates of Appalachian State University, the Gauldens enjoyed life in Charlotte, North Carolina, but weekend hikes along the Appalachian Trail inspired them to take their adventures a step further, literally.

“One evening while talking over dinner, we decided that if we didn’t set a date for a thru-hike, we’d never commit to it. So, we decided on March of 2007, which was about two years out,” Kelly said. “That gave us time to research, plan, save money, acquire new gear, and make it come to fruition.”

Over the course of those two years, they studied gear reviews and tested their purchases during practice hikes. “Our first overnight hike together on the AT was near Roan Mountain by Grassy Ridge Bald and Little Hump and Big Hump mountain in Tennessee. There were about two feet of snow on the trail, so it really tested our gear and our resilience,” Kelly said.

During another hike, some thru-hikers “flew by us,” Kelly said, “before we met up with them by a road crossing. They were out there for so long, but their packs were smaller than ours. Since it was our last day out and we were hiking back to our parked car, we offered them our leftover food. The way they ravenously accepted it with such appreciation really amazed me.”

On March 25, 2007, the Gauldens stepped onto the 8.5-mile Approach Trail at Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia—their packs heavy with dreams and gear. Five and a half months later, on September 5, they stood atop Katahdin in Maine’s Baxter State Park, having covered roughly 2,175 miles northbound through snowstorms, rhododendron tunnels, and bear encounters.

Camping companions and experiences helped create their trail names: “GG” (Gentle Giant) for Ron and “Rhodo” for Kelly, thanks to her love of the Appalachian Trail’s rhododendron tunnels and “the fact that I would curl up tight in my sleeping bag, just like rhodo leaves curl up in the cold temperatures,” she said.

Here, in their own words—and nineteen years later—we share part one of Ron and Kelly’s experience hiking the Appalachian Trail. Now residents of Greenville, South Carolina, the experience still echoes through their lives.

Setting Out

We are so grateful to have shared this experience, for the wonderful people we met along the way, and the wildlife we encountered. This was our first (and so far only) thru-hike, but we had done small sections of the trail in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia while in college at Appalachian State. We’d go out for one or two nights on the weekends, and we were always curious about what was around the next bend, and contemplated how neat it would be to just keep going one day.

We did a traditional NOBO (northbound) hike, and back, then there were some SOBOs (southbound hikers) and flip-floppers (people who hiked to a point midway up the trail, then traveled to Maine, and hiked back down to their midway point).

It was a real treat to meet up with flip-floppers on our hike because we had met some of them at camp in the southern sections of the trail months earlier.

Exchanging stories was encouraging. By Vermont, we were also regularly sharing campsites with SOBOs. This was always fun because we could ask them about Maine, the infamous moose in the Mahoosuc Notch that we had been hearing about, and the White Mountains of New Hampshire. We were amazed by these hikers who had completed these strenuous sections, and they were amazed by us because we had so many miles under our belts by then.

An Average Day

We met a group of hikers along the way who became our friends. We arranged to summit Katahdin with them as well. One of them, Crazy Bear, would wake up each morning and ask, “What do you want to do today?” And we’d say, “I don’t know. What do you feel like doing?” And he’d say, “Um … Let’s walk north.”

But it definitely wasn’t like Groundhog Day. Every day was different, even when we got in our groove. We’d wake up to the birds and then do the hiker hobble to find a private spot to use the bathroom. Then we’d eat breakfast and break down camp.

We would usually pump water at our lunch stop, then hike to our anticipated camp spot. Sometimes we decided to go farther; other times we would cut it short because we were tired or there was a gorgeous campsite. From time to time we would sleep in the shelters, especially when the weather was really crummy. Usually, we opted to pitch the tent, though, since there aren’t mice or multiple snorers, like in the shelters.

We always looked forward to getting to camp, unclipping our hip belts and removing our packs for the day. We hardly ever camped without people around us, and it was awesome to eat dinner with them and chat. Sometimes we’d make campfires, which we called “hiker television,” because we’d sit around and stare at it.

One neat thing about campsite discussions is how, at the beginning, people talked about where they were from and what jobs they had left to be on the trail. Not too far up the trail, though, discussions were always about food, gear, and the next town stops. There was way less talk about “home” because the trail quickly became our home.

Kelly: I was always cold, so I’d eat a quick breakfast of granola cereal with powdered milk, or a bar, and start hiking once the tent was packed up. Walking warms you up quickly. During those first solo miles, I would say the Rosary on my fingers against my hiking pole, think, and admire the sunlight through the trees or the pitter-patter of rain on my jacket. After about an hour or so, I’d stop to take a snack break and wait there until Ron had caught up.

Ron: I’ve never been as much of a morning person, so I’d start the day slowly, boil water for coffee, and watch the moss grow. After meeting up with Kelly, we’d talk about what we had seen, who we had passed, and then continue hiking the rest of the miles that day together.

An Average Night

We usually got to camp between 5 and 6 p.m., but sometimes we did have to hike with our headlamps to get to a good overnight spot. The first thing we would do was set up the tent or lay out our sleeping mat and bags inside the shelter. We would get to know the other campers at the site and catch up with people we had already met along the trail.

We had read that the trail is more crowded at the beginning before hikers drop out, but we didn’t know how crowded the campsites would be the first week or so in Georgia.

Oftentimes, especially on the weekends, we met section hikers or overnighters. Then, we’d filter water from whatever source was at that campsite. Sometimes, the blue-blazed side trail to water was half a mile or so from the campsite, so we joked that cumulatively, we hiked way more than 2,175 miles by the time we reached Katahdin.

Dinner usually consisted of a Knorr/Lipton side of rice or noodles. We would add packaged chicken or tuna for protein and some olive oil for a little fat. Thanks to the advice from other hikers, we learned that pepperoni and a hard block of cheddar cheese would be fine unrefrigerated in our packs, so we often would roll that inside a tortilla. Whoever didn’t cook that night would wash the pots and spoons.

Hikers would often share food with each other, and the unwritten rule if someone offered you trail mix was to hold out your hands and let them pour it into them. This etiquette makes sense so a hiker’s dirty hands didn’t land straight into someone else’s bag of food. We would then chat with other hikers and dream about what food we would eat when we got to the next town. Nine o’clock is known as Hiker’s Midnight, so usually everyone was hunkering down for the night by then.

In the next installment, Ron and Kelly write about the people and wildlife they met while hiking the trail.

READ PART TWO

Thanks for reading, and remember to always … take the long way home.

When we decided to expand Backroad Portfolio’s coverage to include Florida, I immediately thought of my first boss, Sharon Y. Cobb. Two weeks before graduating from Virginia Tech in May 1995, I applied to work for a new magazine being published in the Orlando, Florida, area titled Coastal Home—later renamed Coastal Living. Jack Thomasson, the mastermind behind HGTV Dream Home from 1997 to 2016, created this glamorous shelter magazine in 1995 and hired Sharon, a Florida native, to be its editor. At that time she lived in Beverly Hills, where she also worked as a screenplay writer. She chose me to be her assistant. Fresh out of college, I could not have asked for a more exciting job.

So, here’s my conversation with Sharon, who returned to Florida in 1999. She talks about her interactions with literary icon Tennessee Williams, who helped inspire her to launch her screenwriting career, and shares favorite Sunshine State destinations. We’ve also included one of her favorite recipes, which happens to line up nicely with our afternoon tea travel feature.

How long have you lived in Florida, and what Florida towns and cities have you lived in?

I was born in DeLand, Florida, and have lived in Jacksonville, MacClenny, Key West, Neptune Beach, and Atlantic Beach. I also lived in Beverly Hills for eight years from 1993 to 2001.

How did you become interested in cooking, and what led to you writing a cooking column for Jacksonville Today?

Growing up in my grandmother’s and great-grandmother’s kitchens, eating down-home Southern cooking, created a curiosity in me about what other people around the world ate, so I subscribed to Bon Appétit magazine in my early 20s. Using those recipes, I experimented on friends, cooking global cuisines in my little apartment. Friends who were opening a restaurant in the Five Points area of Jacksonville thought our city was ready for a more adventurous dining experience and asked me to come in as a partner and chef.

The name of the restaurant was Lady Fingers, and we served eclectic cuisine. I stayed there until I left to open an advertising agency and a few other businesses in Jacksonville. The cooking column for Jacksonville Today came much later after I had lived in Key West as an artist and returned to Jacksonville to establish a publication with partners called Florida Travel Directory, a directory of Florida accommodations and attractions for travel agents. I eventually sold my interest in the directory and was hired by Jim White who owned Jacksonville Today to become their editor. He gave me the freedom to do almost anything creative that I thought readers would like, and a cooking column was at the top of my list.

What launched your Hollywood screenwriting career?

When I lived in Key West from 1981 to 1987, one of my neighbors inspired me to begin writing short stories. I loved his work and he used to walk by the gallery on Duval Street where my art studio was located and tip his straw hat with his cane. One afternoon, on a wild whim, I dashed across the street and asked his advice about how to start writing fiction. He was flabbergasted and answered, “Well, you just write.” There were a few words of profanity included, but that was okay because this was Tennessee Williams giving his advice to a clueless young artist who dreamed of being a writer. I took a few classes at the Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center and started writing.

Years later when I moved back to Jacksonville, I found myself in a screenwriting workshop and that’s when I started writing films. That was 1989. By 1993, I had moved to Los Angeles to pursue a screenwriting career. I was very lucky to find an agent within three months who sent a comedy script I wrote out to studios and production companies. That kickstarted my brilliant career. At that time there was no internet, so you had to be in Hollywood. I was very lucky to get writing assignments and even sell a pitch to Fox Studios, with a writing partner, Carolyn McDonald, who ran Danny Glover’s production company.

After marrying the love of my life, Robert J. Ward, who was a film journalist from New Zealand I met in LA, we moved back to Jacksonville to be close to my family. I continued to write screenplays and even got a film made in London in 2001 shortly after coming back to Florida. The most recent script I co-wrote that was made into a film is titled The Man in the White Van. I wrote it with the director, Warren Skeels, and it was distributed theatrically in December 2024. It premiered in the No. 1 spot on Starz when it began its streaming distribution in February 2026.

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This week we’re expanding our backroad excursions into Florida. Meet a native who made it big in Hollywood then returned to her roots, demystify a former classified missile base, soak up the serenity of Wakulla Springs State Park, and continue your celebration of Florida’s natural beauty at an annual birding festival.

From Florida to Hollywood, and Back

Meet Sharon Y. Cobb, a native Floridian who launched a Hollywood screenwriting career, then returned to her home state in 1999, where she continues writing. Sharon talks about her interactions with literary icon Tennessee Williams, who helped inspire her to launch her screenwriting career, and shares her favorite Sunshine State destinations. We’ve also included one of her favorite recipes.

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Demystified Defenses

Research Road
Homestead, Florida

Tucked in Everglades National Park, the Nike Missile Site HM-69 was a secret Nike Hercules missile base active from 1964-1979 during the Cold War, guarding against threats that followed the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Declassified in 2004, it features bunkers, radar towers, and missile barns. Tours reveal underground magazines and guard dog kennels. Unconfirmed UFO sightings by personnel add to the site’s intrigue. The site in Florida’s swamps remains nearly the same as it was during its official use.

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