Welcome to Frittz' Journies

This summer I decided to kick off the 75th anniversary of the park with a trip to the Chimneys. I'd never been there before. Each month I go on a 24 hour silent retreat with other clergy guys in Knoxville and those trips to a Maggie Valley retreat center were suspended for the summer. I really like them and while it may seem strange if you have never practiced silence as a spiritual discipline, I have found they really create space for God to show up. I decidedd to go alone to spend a night at E… Continue

I don't have any folksy stories to relate today, just wanted to record my first trip overnight at the lodge. It was supposed to be good weather going up Friday, but the cold and rain stayed around and we made a foggy hike up Alum Cave trail and on to the Lodge. I like the fog about as much as I like the clear days. That's what makes them the Smokies after all. It was in the 40's when we left about 2:15 and we arrived at Mt. Leconte at 5pm. We had an hour to rest before dinner. I was with a group… Continue

I just got home from taking my boy on our first backpacking trip to the Smokies. I go about once a month, usually to Kephart shleter, with UT students (I do campus ministry) because you can get there after classes let out and get set up before it gets dark, but this was my 10 year old's first overnighter with me. He's heard me talk, seen the pictures, made some day hikes, but this was the first time into the woods overnight.
When I was his age I was too busy screaming to get my folks to take me… Continue

Yesterday I went to Kephart Shelter with some friends from UT who have never been there before. It may not have seemed like a great day for an overnighter in the Smokies, but I think a rainy day in the mountains beats a dry day down here, so we were off ona rainy adventure. The walk was easy enough in a drizzling rain at about 50 deg. My main worry was a fire. I had the pocket rocket for cooking, but a fire sure picks up your spirits when the rain is coming down. I hadn't been to the shelter sin… Continue

He thought he was in school for the day but I checked him out an hour after school started and we were off to see snow. We had sort of a rough morning getting out of the house on time for school. Food not eaten fast enough, hair not combed, chasing the cat around instead of putting on shoes, that sort of thing. By the time we got to school we were okay, and he was set for the usual Friday 4th grade routine. The idea to show him snow (we've lived in Florida 12 years and he really hasn't seen it)… Continue