@johnmdabbs
John Dabbs
Freelance Writer | Consultant | Photographer I love the outdoors, travel, and adventure. See more at JohnMDabbs.com
4 Sep 2020
Five Hacks to Survival - Hiking the Appalachian Trail
Bays Mountain Park, Kingsport TN — John Dabbs
The hemlock boughs hung low, as the shadowy trail snaked beneath their towering trunks. Yes, it was right out of a horror movie. Before long we could hear the loud, repetitive noise of the wild. Barking with...
Travel Back In Time
We sat in a semi-circle. The humid afternoon was warm and wet after an early dawn rain. The air began to chill as the daylight waned. There were at least 80 people under the large tent. We sat captivated by the tale of a young...
How I Became A Backpacking Guru
It was the best of times, yet it was the worst of times… no, wait — that’s not what I’m trying to say. We had a great time, but there were lessons to be learned.
Scouts
When my sons were in grade school, they joined...
Fishing On Holiday
Growing up, my dad would take us fishing. He wasn’t especially good at it, but he enjoyed it. I suppose that I’m a chip right off the old block. We are fortunate enough to live amid excellent trout fishing in the mountains of East Tennessee....
5 Keys to Survival at Bonnaroo
We had embarked on a four-day camping trip in the middle of a 700+ acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee (about half-way between Chattanooga and Nashville). It is a town of about 10,000 people.
The summer of 2019 started with a lot of rain in Tennessee....
Space, Time, and Tranquility
Hectic — that sums up my life for the last couple of years. Work, home, and family obligations came to be non-stop action sequences filling my life. My body was beginning to complain and my mind was screaming for a break. I needed a vacation....
The Maine Attraction
Our trek began after saying farewell to the family during a short visit to New York. Our excursion into the Northeastern U.S. left us wanting more. As you can see from this brief article on Maine, you should also include it in your bucket list...
New York City - Travel On A Budget
Planning, research, and laying the groundwork are fundamental chores. We managed to travel with a family to one of the greatest cities on earth.
I was intimidated by even the thought of going to New York City before I had been there. A small fire...
Let The Trails Lead You To The Wild West
The cowboys of yesteryear may have been busy rough men. Riding on horseback and braving the elements as they scratched out a living for themselves and their families, they had many spectacular views.
In canyon-land, some 100 miles south of Grand Canyon National Park, Sedona,...
10 Travel Hacks to Hollywood
My family and I made the trek to Hollywood, by way of Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and Sedona Arizona a few years back. We learned quite a bit while we were there. The weather was as pristine as it appears in the movies and...
Washington D.C. - It's More Than a Swamp
Image by David Mark from Pixabay
The sights, sounds, and traffic congestion that live within the beltway of the United States Capital. The morning rush hour is nothing to trifle with, as it is not for the faint of heart. With several of my family...
The Mystery of Memphis
Memphis. A bright city with flavor, color, and imagination that beckons me from the Mississippi delta. It isn’t my favorite place to visit, but it sure is definitely a place worth of travel.
A few facts
Many people don’t know, but it is the 26th...
A Hillbilly's Guide: Toronto on the Cheap
Canva.com — John M DabbsMy family of four, two adult sons, and my wife made the trek to Toronto. It was a daunting task with our finances as they were. That said, we made it.
It began with our need for a getaway. The boys...
3 Sep 2020
Over The Rainbow
When I was but a young man, with young children who shared my love of the outdoors, I came upon a pot-o-gold near the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Ober Gatlinburg, overlooking the Tennessee town of Gatlinburg, is home to a winter wonderland with some...
What I Learned At The Ritz-Carlton
Recently I stayed at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in St. Louis. A luxury hotel in an upscale part of the city, the hotel blends in quite nicely without standing out in any regard. I was welcomed and shown the front desk where I checked in without...
5 Things I Learned Traveling With Kids
The Adventure Begins
As we grow and explore our world, the spirit of adventure is built into us from a young age. We begin our adventure exploring our playpen, bedroom, living rooms, then our grandparents' homes, and backyards. If we are lucky, our parents have...
How to Travel Like a Travel Writer
The Florida Keys are calling. No, I’m not a Hemingway wannabe, but I am an admirer of his works. Last year funds were dwindling and stressors were eating at me. I was in need of an inexpensive vacation.
The time had come. I switched gears...