At Christmas, the opportunity arose to meet family in Tennessee to see a cousin perform with his college a cappella group. Naturally, I thought…

Over the next few months, a short weekend trip to Nashville mutated into a two week odyssey through the southern Appalachian Mountains.

“How did this happen?” you ask. Simple. I looked at a map. “The route is lined with National Parks!” I said. “How could I be so close and not visit them – all of them?”

“What could go wrong?”

Day 1: Our first view of the journey, fog in Shenandoah National Park.

Famous last words from a road-trip neophyte. Not knowing any better, I hatched a plan that Don charitably termed “ambitious.” He threw caution to the wind, however, and joined me on the road. Luckily for me, he single-handedly rescued the trip from the brink of disaster. The expedition turned out to be challenging and rewarding, full to the brim of new vistas and new adventures.

Day 2: On top of the world, young and naive. Shenandoah National Park.

In the coming weeks, the Wild Edge will explore our unlikely little junket in depth. For now, some highlights:

Don and I drove 2,396.9 miles through five states in 15 days.

Day 4: Nashville, TN. The three graduating seniors of the Vanderbilt Melodores perform. My cousin Ted, Dan and Augie.

I visited with 10 relatives, and finally saw my cousin Ted perform.

Day 5: Laurel Falls, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Don proudly ushered me through the ancient Greek Parthenon – in Nashville.

Day 6: Overlooking Cades Cove, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

We visited three National Parks in as many states.

Day 7: Wildflowers along Newfound Gap Road, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

We saw six waterfalls and countless wildflowers.

Day 8: Bryson City, NC. The view from our cabin on the edge of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

We toured a Cherokee museum and a casino, and walked across a dam.

Day 9: Juney Whank Falls, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

We hiked through old growth forests, grassy balds and boreal forests.

Day 10: Atop Clingman’s Dome, Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

We walked to the summits of the two highest peaks east of the Mississippi.

Day 11: On the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We observed 3 salamanders, 11 elk and (Yes! FINALLY!) 5 black bears.

Day 12: En route to Mt. Mitchell, at the edge of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We got rained on for nine of the fifteen days. And don’t even get me started about the fog.

Day 13: Mabry Mill, along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We came home tired of cars, tired of fast food, tired of hotels, and just plain tired. The weather was a disappointment, the trees weren’t green yet, and the bears weren’t close enough. I’d set my expectations way too high, and things didn’t always go according to plan.

Day 14: Back in Shenandoah National Park, older and wiser. Still on top of the world.

But in the process, Don and I learned a lot about the Appalachian Mountains, I learned a lot about myself, and we came home with lots of good memories.

And you can’t ask for anything more than that.

Day 15: Last vista of the trip. The Shenandoah River, from Shenandoah National Park.