For Travel, and future mountain town adventures.
Back Roads and Butterscotch A Knoxville Day Trip Christy, Zippy, and I loaded up for a day trip to Knoxville. After wrestling with the 18-wheelers on the interstate for a while, we’d had enough. We bailed for the back roads. Best decision of the day—much more relaxing drive. Escaping the interstate chaos for a quiet … Read more
The Three-Legged Speedster Zippy doesn’t know he’s “missing” anything. To him, the world isn’t a place of limitations; it’s a series of smells to investigate and floors to conquer. Watching him navigate our home on three legs is a masterclass in raw resilience. He doesn’t ask for a handicap, he doesn’t wait for a smoother … Read more
A Mid-Morning Win in Johnson City Sometimes the best part of a hospital run is the part where you leave. After wrapping up an iron infusion at the VA this morning, Christy and I went looking for a recovery meal. We found a spot in Johnson City called Cranberries, and it hit the mark. No … Read more
Back in the Ridge | Kitchen and Compass Back in the Ridge The door is locked, the bags are dropped, and the coffee is brewing. We’re finally back in Bristol. The trip home was a mixed bag. Zippy handled the miles like a seasoned pro, proving once again that three legs are more than enough … Read more
Kitchen and Compass PIVOTING FOR PIZZA Parking lots shouldn’t dictate your dinner, but sometimes the universe forces a course correction. We aimed for Pecan Craft Kitchen in Fruit Cove, but the parking situation was a disaster. No sense fighting for a spot when you’re hungry. We pivoted and landed at Simone’s Wood Fired Craft Kitchen. … Read more
St. Augustine Day Trip St. Augustine Day Trip Wandering the coast. The world is loud, but the coast has a way of leveling things out. Christy and I loaded up for a day trip to St. Augustine. No complex spreadsheets or tourist traps. Just the road and the salt air. The Afternoon Grind We spent … Read more
Fresh Air and Better Fish: The Grouper Shack If you’re wandering through St. Augustine and want a break from the tourist traps, find your way to the Grouper Shack. It’s the kind of spot where the view is as honest as the food. No fluff, just a deck, a breeze, and a menu that doesn’t … Read more
THE WAITING ROOM Waiting isn’t a holding pattern. It’s not sitting on a plastic chair in a lobby, checking your watch and huffing at the ceiling. Most of us treat delay like a prison sentence. We endure it. We grit our teeth and hope it ends soon so “real life” can start again. That’s a … Read more
Life gets loud. Sometimes you need a place where the instructions are simple and the coffee is hot. We found ourselves at IKEA today, navigating the maze of flat-pack furniture and Swedish design. It wasn’t about the bookshelves or the lighting fixtures. It was about the meatballs. The Plate There is a strange, quiet comfort … Read more
Twelve Hours of Asphalt | Kitchen and Compass Kitchen and Compass Direct. Gritty. Honest. Twelve Hours of Asphalt Twelve hours on the road is a lot of asphalt, but it beats a crowded airport terminal any day. Christy and I loaded up the rig and pointed it south toward Fleming Island. No complicated spreadsheets or … Read more
