Synchronous Fireflies

[JohnDB]

I'm like you, getting to old for ruffing it. We only do that once a year as where we camp with my brothers and a few friends you have to get there by boat. My brother brings his generator and a camp kitchen and potty so ya, this girl gets her morning coffee plus the luxury of a toilet.

I've been thinking about this...
Every time I have been on a mission trip...
I've gone without many things. Coffee, comfortable beds, and decent food. (Flush toilets are usually the first thing to go)

I've also slept under mosquito nets covered in almost pure deet to keep the bugs from falling on me all night. Gone without showers and plenty of water to drink. Worked 10-14 hr days in high humidity and heat... working myself into the ground on frustrating stupid simple things.
And loved every minute of it.

I guess it's not because I wanted to prove something to myself or was all that interested in the scenery...but that I was accomplishing something that I thought was important.
Maybe...

Not sure

I'm not into self flagellation... never was. I'm definitely allergic to pain and discomfort.

And I'm at a loss as to why another rough mission trip sounds appealing...I'd jump at it in a half second without a bit of consideration; but the thought of camping in a tent and cooking over an open fire for entertainment sends shudders into my soul of doing anything to try and get out of it.

I'm not exactly sure the difference...I only know what is true. I've experienced some really rough things for mission work. Also had some nice times and met interesting people.

Camping in America is even much safer than where I've gone.
Maybe I'll understand it one day... maybe not.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Okay I apologize for this, I'm feeling very loopy right now (since I only have a couple more days until vacation ) and this thread title made me get this song stuck in my head. Thanks John! ROTFL!!! Umm yeah, this goofy behavior is only going to get worse these next couple of days. Muhahaha!!!! I think it's my cue to bring back The Twilight Zone thread.

 

[JohnDB]

Okay I apologize for this, I'm feeling very loopy right now (since I only have a couple more days until vacation ) and this thread title made me get this song stuck in my head. Thanks John! ROTFL!!! Umm yeah, this goofy behavior is only going to get worse these next couple of days. Muhahaha!!!! I think it's my cue to bring back The Twilight Zone thread.

I'm gonna agree with you...
You are goofy...lol

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

I'm gonna agree with you...
You are goofy...lol

 

[dianegcook]

Ok,
My wife won the lottery...
So I guess I will be heading to Gatlinburg TN on the 6th&7th of June to watch bugs.

Oh well...I'll pick up some Sourwood honey while I'm there.

Anyone know of other stuff that is fun in Gatlinburg? I've done the Titanic museum.

We go every year, just came back In May.
We always rent a cabin or chalet, which I prefer over a hotel.
There is a lot of things to do there.
Dolly Wood, Splash Country, shopping, white water rafting, helicopter rides, a lot of the museum's, aquarium, Alpine coasters, trails, zip lines, see bears, putt putt ,eat, eat, and eats.
I believe they were working on a clear bridge when I was there and also a Pirate thing.
I would not care to go to the bridge though, lol. I might if it wasn't a clear bottom.
I went down a tube on ice in one of those attractions, I wasn't going to, until I seen a 80 year old woman go down.
The scariest part was going up the ramp on a conveyer belt holding your tube, lol.
I mean you fly down! It was fun. My inner child came out!
I don't pay attention to the fireflies though, have plenty of them where I live.

 

[JohnDB]

Here is a link to a video...

https://www.pigeonforge.com/synchronous-fireflies/


Play the video...it explains a lot

 

[Bull of the Woods]

I have about a ten acre pasture as part of our farm.
I have watched the lightning bugs many times out there and it does look somewhat organized.
By the way, we call them lightning bugs mostly in my part of Maryland.

Gatlinburg adjoins the Great Smokies National Park.
In my late teens and early twenties I did a lot of backpacking. A good bit of that in the Smokies. For people in cars there is a nice overlook at Clingman's Dome. There is a structure to climb there and get a panoramic view. Lots of trails. I haven't been there for over forty years. I am 65 now. Back then Gatlinburg had a couple small motels and very low key tourist shops. A Lums cafeteria style restaurant. They rolled up the sidewalk at dusk. I did most of my backpacking in the Winter but was there a couple times in warmer weather. Not much happening any season back then.
It was a good park for backpacking. It's a kind of round park so if you got to the interior it was pretty wild. Lots of Bears and deer. I don't know how it's holding up now.

 

[JohnDB]

I have about a ten acre pasture as part of our farm.
I have watched the lightning bugs many times out there and it does look somewhat organized.
By the way, we call them lightning bugs mostly in my part of Maryland.

Gatlinburg adjoins the Great Smokies National Park.
In my late teens and early twenties I did a lot of backpacking. A good bit of that in the Smokies. For people in cars there is a nice overlook at Clingman's Dome. There is a structure to climb there and get a panoramic view. Lots of trails. I haven't been there for over forty years. I am 65 now. Back then Gatlinburg had a couple small motels and very low key tourist shops. A Lums cafeteria style restaurant. They rolled up the sidewalk at dusk. I did most of my backpacking in the Winter but was there a couple times in warmer weather. Not much happening any season back then.
It was a good park for backpacking. It's a kind of round park so if you got to the interior it was pretty wild. Lots of Bears and deer. I don't know how it's holding up now.

It looks nothing like you remember.
It's really built up now.
But the park is the same as well as the trails. The cabins and the old church are nothing but ruins these days.

 

[lisa-in-FL]

I know that was my point I was being sarcastic. I really don't understand how anybody could ever be brave enough to walk a crossed that. It definitely looks like a suicide mission.

Chickens!
I would totally do it. I've been on the glass floor at the CN Tower (https://www.cntower.ca/en-ca/plan-your-visit/attractions/glass-floor.html) and I was very disappointed that when I went to the Grand Canyon a few years back it wouldn't be near that glass walkway they have. That's at some casino or something much further from the main national park.
I'd love to walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver too.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

Chickens!
I would totally do it. I've been on the glass floor at the CN Tower (https://www.cntower.ca/en-ca/plan-your-visit/attractions/glass-floor.html) and I was very disappointed that when I went to the Grand Canyon a few years back it wouldn't be near that glass walkway they have. That's at some casino or something much further from the main national park.
I'd love to walk the Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver too.

Don't take this the wrong way or anything,.. but are you crazy?

 

[dianegcook]

Here is a link to a video...

https://www.pigeonforge.com/synchronous-fireflies/


Play the video...it explains a lot

Awesome!
Males showing off again, huh, lol.
I live just about in the middle of the woods and have a pretty good show myself. My grandkids are scared of them, lol, they are toddlers though.
When I was young we use to catch them and put them in jars.

Did you go to the Island?
I love the water fountain show!

 

[dianegcook]

I have about a ten acre pasture as part of our farm.
I have watched the lightning bugs many times out there and it does look somewhat organized.
By the way, we call them lightning bugs mostly in my part of Maryland.

Gatlinburg adjoins the Great Smokies National Park.
In my late teens and early twenties I did a lot of backpacking. A good bit of that in the Smokies. For people in cars there is a nice overlook at Clingman's Dome. There is a structure to climb there and get a panoramic view. Lots of trails. I haven't been there for over forty years. I am 65 now. Back then Gatlinburg had a couple small motels and very low key tourist shops. A Lums cafeteria style restaurant. They rolled up the sidewalk at dusk. I did most of my backpacking in the Winter but was there a couple times in warmer weather. Not much happening any season back then.
It was a good park for backpacking. It's a kind of round park so if you got to the interior it was pretty wild. Lots of Bears and deer. I don't know how it's holding up now.

We also call them lightning bugs down here in N.C.
Yes, it has changed a lot. Very popular tourist attraction.

 

[lisa-in-FL]

Don't take this the wrong way or anything,.. but are you crazy?

Probably. I'd go to the International Space Station if I had an extra $50 million laying around too - https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/11/tou...ational-space-station-with-spacex-is-52m.html

 

[JohnDB]

Awesome!
Males showing off again, huh, lol.
I live just about in the middle of the woods and have a pretty good show myself. My grandkids are scared of them, lol, they are toddlers though.
When I was young we use to catch them and put them in jars.

Did you go to the Island?
I love the water fountain show!

Nawww,
We went to a couple of the flea markets and then boogied home. We found some Sourwood Honey...there won't be any more until fall. It's similar in availability like Tupelo Honey...