On day one, I did what most people do on a vacation. I rested. Yes, I slept until 11 AM! Still felt weak and tired, though.

Eventually, I got myself together and drove in to Cumberland Gap National Historic Park. I started with the winding, four-mile-long drive up to the Pinnacle Overlook. My first stop along this road was the McCook parking lot. Have some background info:

During the Civil War, a vital railroad line ran through the Cumberland Gap. As control of the gap switched between the Union and the Confederacy a few times, both sides erected forts in the area of the Pinnacles. One of these was Fort M.C. Hammer Fort McCook. Here’s what’s left of the joint:

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I didn’t stop for photos again until I reached the Pinnacles Overlook. Then I looked over all this…

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The parking lot for the Pinnacles Overlook also provides access to another of the old fort sites. This one was known as Fort Lyon. Even by Civil War standards, these forts were all quite small and rudimentary. What’s left now is this:

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Once I was safely back down the Pinnacles, I headed for another short hike. This time, it was to see the remains of an iron furnace. The Newlee Iron Furnace was a smelter built in the 1820s. It operated for roughly 60 years. Now, a stone tower is all that remains of this former industrial complex…

That was all for day one. What will happen on day two? How the Hell should I know? Just stay tuned, you’ll find out.