Tabla de contenidos para November 2021 en Country Extra

As a kid I loved school field trips. Petting snakes at the desert museum, touring the university’s football stadium or seeing a play in the big city easily beat spending a ho-hum day at school. And the bus ride was always so much fun! I didn’t realize how much I missed field trips until recently. On a gorgeous summer day, I stepped away from my work desk and spent the morning on a boat tour in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, for a story. The water was clear, the sky was blue and the tour was a hoot (read all about it in our June/ July 2022 issue). That assignment was a welcome break from my day-to-day, a quick little jaunt right in my own backyard. The road trips in this issue…

Grab your junkin’ buddy and head to Metropolis, Illinois (yes, the home of Superman), for the Christmas Barn Sale Trail. You might find the perfect gift. Held annually over the second weekend of November, the sale has nine barns on the trail, each with a variety of treasures up for grabs, including antiques, handcrafted pieces, architecture salvage, live edge furniture (carved with natural edges), shabby chic items, local artisans’ works and gifts. “It all started about five years ago when my sister-in-law and I attended a sale at a barn and saw the local community come together to support this barn,” says Monica Obermark, one of the event’s organizers. The 606 Market, the home goods store Monica owns with sisters-in-law Chasida and Amy, is a festive stop on the trail.…

FIRST STOP Check out the Betty Dunn Nature Center and learn about the Cumberland Plateau’s geology and why waterfalls are so abundant. Stop early in your visit to see whether there are arts and crafts programs for kids, a snake program or a raptor show with a red-tailed hawk. STAY The park has 222 campsites in five areas, all with grills, tables, water and electricity. RVs up to 65 feet will fit in some sites. An 85-room lodge is set to open in 2022. CAST A LINE Izaak Walton, author of The Compleat Angler , would have approved of the park’s 345-acre lake, which has produced two state fishing records, a 3-pound bluegill and a 41-pound channel catfish.…

JUST THE FACTS: PUFFINS Horned and tufted puffins nest on the Alaskan coast in the summer / Average wingspan is 25-30 inches / Spend most of their lives at sea / Called “sea parrots” by early sailors because of their colorful beaks / Weigh up to 1.5 pounds / Better swimmers than fliers / Have one baby per season /…

I can’t pinpoint when I fell in love with Lewes, Delaware, the historical town that hugs the Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. It is difficult to resist the pull of its lighthouses, stately Colonial-era buildings, World War II observation towers and fine dining. Regardless of the reason, I wanted more of Lewes than a weeklong vacation. So, in 2013, my husband and I bought a condominium near the city limits. Since then, I’ve become familiar with the stretch of Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 that takes me from our home in Wilmington, Delaware, to the condo. One day, when construction snarled I-95 traffic, I took U.S. Route 9, the two-lane highway that is part of the Delaware Bayshore Byway. Within minutes, I was cruising through cornfields, moving past…

Autumn from Above Climb aboard the Snowbowl Scenic Gondola to see fantastic fall foliage from the top of the San Francisco Peaks. Riders may see Sedona to the south and the Grand Canyon to the north. Tickets available online. snowbowl.ski/scenic-gondola Winter Trails If racing down the slopes at Snowbowl isn’t for you, try the laid-back pace of cross-country skiing at Arizona Nordic Village. Take lessons, rent skis or reserve a yurt for the weekend. The village is right on Highway 180—about 15 miles from downtown Flagstaff. arizonanordicvillage.com Spring Wildlife Northern Arizona is home to a variety of wild animals. Hike the trails around Flagstaff and you might cross paths with elk, mule deer or coyotes. Birders should look out for bald eagles, northern goshawks, Mexican spotted owls and peregrine falcons.…

Ohio has more covered bridges than nearly any other state in the country. You can thank the skilled woodworkers for crafting structures that have endured the elements and the test of time—in some cases, more than 100 years. The self-proclaimed “Covered Bridge Capital of Ohio,” Ashtabula County boasts 19 covered bridges—17 of them drivable—including America’s longest and shortest. Even more surprising is that these aren’t all historic structures; some of these bridges were built in the 21st century. My husband, Rod, and I spent a day seeking out a few of our favorites. They are equally beautiful against the splendid backdrop of fall foliage or blanketed in winter’s new fallen snow. From our base at the Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake, we headed south on State Route 534 toward the town of…

Tiny Town Lamoille (pop. 276) is a small hamlet lying just near the base of the Rubies. Pioneers settled the valley in 1865, ranching in the lower reaches. Weary travelers can enjoy two restaurants and one small hotel. Ruby 360, down the road a piece, also offers accommodations, with advance reservations recommended. Country Church A tour down Lamoille’s side roads leads to the Little Church of the Crossroads, a picture of perfection with a white picket fence. The Presbyterian sanctuary was dedicated in 1905. Braced against a backdrop of a rising range, this building is probably the area’s most photographed. littlechurchofthecrossroads.org Cowboy Art The nearby town of Elko is the cornerstone of cowboy country and is best known for its annual celebration of buckaroo poetry with the National Cowboy Poetry…

1. KODAK MOMENT The Glade Creek Grist Mill in West Virginia’s Babcock State Park is at its most beautiful when surrounded by autumn’s colorful glory. LILLIAN STEWART PRINCETON, WV 2. FRIENDSGIVING There’s nothing like celebrating Thanksgiving with good friends in Yosemite National Park. CRAIG BADGETT LA MESA, CA 3. FEATHERED FRIEND After a day of hiking in South Carolina’s Congaree National Park, this barred owl flew right in front of my car and perched nearby. DANIEL RIDDLE SUMTER, SC 4. THE COMPLETE PACKAGE I long to go back to Acadia National Park. I’ve never seen such splendor in one place: The lakes, mountains, forests and beaches were amazing. MATTHEW GARRETT PINSON, AL 5. BRIDGE TO BEAUTY Trough Creek State Park is one of Pennsylvania’s best-kept secrets. We hiked, saw waterfalls…

In the 1930s, two frog hunters looking for a way to move across Florida’s Everglades attached a plane propeller to a flat-bottomed boat: their early version of an airboat. 1965  Hunters and anglers used airboats to reach otherwise inaccessible areas in America’s largest subtropical wilderness. 2021  Tourists book airboat excursions to explore the vast Everglades, which is home to alligators and manatees. FUN FACT An early version of the airboat was called the “whoosh-mobile.” HIGH SPEEDS Airboats can reach speeds of up to 135 miles per hour, though most commercial tours cruise at 30-35 mph. PLAN AHEAD Taking an airboat tour? Bring earplugs, a light jacket (it gets windy), bug spray and sensible shoes for boarding.…

HOMETOWN ADVANTAGE I live in Seward, Alaska, right outside Kenai Fjords National Park, one of the better places in the United States to see horned and tufted puffins (another is Lake Clark National Park, but it’s harder to get to). They are such colorful, charismatic animals that it was hard not to be immediately attracted to them. They seem like living cartoons to me. GETTING THE SHOT In Kenai Fjords, the puffins are viewed from boat tours. Sometimes the birds are perched outside their little burrows and you can see them carrying fish (puffins come ashore in the summer when they are breeding and raising young). A high shutter speed and the longest telephoto lens you own are critical. Having a little bit of patience is important, but if you…

A Lasting Legacy Explore the New Castle Court House Museum, where patriots declared independence from Pennsylvania and Britain to form Delaware. history.delaware.gov Back to Nature The Junction and Breakwater Trail is a former rail line that links Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. delawaregreenways.org Crazy for Crabs In Delaware City, try the family-friendly Crabby Dick’s, located in a former hotel that’s reportedly haunted. crabby-dicks.com/delawarecity Dine In Period Style In New Castle, staffers at Jessop’s Tavern wear period costumes and serve fun fare such as New Sweden Meatloaf with lingonberry preserves, “Hutspot” Dutch Pot Roast and the Patriot Pulled Pork sandwich. jessops-tavern.com Avant-Garde Inn In Lewes, book a stay at the Dogfish Inn, which is owned by Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in nearby Milton. dogfish.com/inn…

Rest Stop The area around Geneva is also known for its wineries. Dine in Geneva’s picturesque and historic Old Mill Winery and try one of their signature wine burgers. theoldmillwinery.com History Lessons Visit Olin’s Museum of Covered Bridges in Ashtabula to learn about the rich heritage of Ashtabula County and its bridges. coveredbridgemuseum.org Bites at the Bridge Directly across the street from Mechanicsville Road Covered Bridge is the Grand River Manor, the oldest tavern in Ashtabula County. The bar dates to 1847 and is a popular stop for those taking the covered bridge tour. Order a burger with a side of fresh-cut fries and nab a seat on the outside patio overlooking the river. facebook.com/grandrivermanor Hit the Beach Plan to view the sunset on Lake Erie at the beach area…

WHAT TO EXPECT The ice is just insanely blue. It was a surreal experience, and I could even hear ice cracking. Glaciers aren’t stable, so be aware of changes. You don’t really need special equipment—maybe just Yaktrax or Microspikes for your shoes, plus base layers and a good down jacket! WHEN TO GO November through March GETTING THERE About an hour from Anchorage, Byron Glacier is easy to reach for most hikers. The average person can walk right up and see it from the trail, which is 3.2 miles out and back.…

STROLLING THROUGH Dahlonega’s historic town square, you might feel as though you’re in a Hallmark Christmas movie. It’s a common feeling—quite a few holiday films were made in this picturesque place. Located in north Georgia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, Dahlonega is surrounded by lush forests filled with waterfalls. It’s the southern end of the Appalachian Trail and an outdoor playground for hikers, bikers, anglers and nature lovers. Dahlonega is spectacular in all four seasons, but fall brings people out to the meandering mountain roads to gaze at trees covered in colorful autumn hues. Dahlonega brims with history, too. It was the site, in 1828, of America’s first major gold rush. The area’s museums celebrate that legacy. The town square is lined with 19th-century buildings and locally owned shops offering old-fashioned customer…

We all cherish the memory of our first love. For me, it was the town of Flagstaff. That’s where I first set foot in Arizona. I flew across the country from my Ohio home to attend college at Northern Arizona University. On a late summer’s evening I stepped off a tiny plane (pretty sure we dusted crops on the final leg from Denver) and smelled the pine-scented air of Flagstaff. When I saw the towering summits of the San Francisco Peaks, I knew Arizona was to be my forever home. Flagstaff, often referred to as “Flag,” is nestled amid the world’s largest contiguous ponderosa pine forest at the foot of Arizona’s tallest mountains. Rising above the town, the San Francisco Peaks are the remnants of a hulking stratovolcano. Humphreys Peak,…

Catch a falling star Peak nights for dark-sky viewing at Wilderness State Park are Nov. 16 for the Leonids meteor shower and Dec. 13 for the Geminid meteor shower. Campsites are open through Nov. 30. Six rustic cabins and three bunkhouses are available year-round. midarkskypark.org Dine In Cross Village’s Legs Inn is a bizarre and fascinating restaurant decorated with taxidermic animals, carved totems and antlers. The spot serves up excellent Polish food and spectacular scenery. It is closed in the winter but is worth a visit during warmer months. Legsinn.com Stock Up Mail a postcard, shop or eat a fresh-from-the-oven potpie at Good Hart General Store. Take home a frozen chicken, beef or turkey potpie. Each turkey potpie, available only for the winter holidays, contains a half-pound of fresh roasted…

Some days are diamonds, some days are stone. Those words sung by John Denver are ones to live by for most aspects of life. Still, there is a realm where gems and rock coexist. Lamoille Canyon in northeastern Nevada’s Ruby Mountains is just such a precious oasis, smack dab in the middle of the Great Basin Desert. Early settlers assumed the red stones they found in Lamoille Creek were rubies. Unfortunately for their pocketbooks, they were garnets—a brilliant treasure, but worth far less. Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway, one of very few roadways into the mountains, is only 12 miles long. But this short journey really packs a punch. Beginning at the valley floor, at a mere 5,889 feet, the paved road snakes steadily upward to its ending point at 8,784…

Historic Stop Visit the Rosa Parks Museum on the grounds of Troy University in Montgomery and take a self-guided tour to see original artifacts, including Mrs. Parks’ fingerprinted arrest record and police reports. Current hours are Monday–Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., but check the website for updates and information. Fast Track Although in-person tours at Talladega Superspeedway are currently suspended, you can take an online virtual tour and imagine what it’s like to be a race car driver zipping around the track. View the garage bays, infield, kids zone and more. Check the website for updates to the tour schedule. Racing Legends Located next to the Superspeedway, the International Motorsports Hall of Fame celebrates racing history at its finest. Visitors can take a self-guided tour through three buildings housing…

I WAS TERRORIZED by a turkey. My husband and I traveled to my brother’s farm to photograph his horses. As we left, the horses followed us down the pasture and, of course, I had to get out and shoot more. I SCREAMED AND TRIED TO CLIMB INTO THE BACKSEAT OF THE JEEP. As I leaned in next to the fence, a turkey spotted me and started charging. This giant bird—with its feathers spread out—looked just like that dinosaur in the first Jurassic Park movie! He was on me so fast, pecking at my legs. I screamed and tried to climb into the backseat of the Jeep. But it was high, I’m short and I was kicking hard trying to get the bird off me—all while trying not to drop my…