<![CDATA[HEATHERTOUR

<![CDATA[HEATHERTOUR - Stories]]>Mon, 29 Sep 2025 04:11:04 -0400Weebly<![CDATA[Oh Henry! How do you do it?]]>Thu, 20 Jun 2019 13:34:21 GMThttps://www.heathertour.com/stories/oh-henry-how-do-you-do-it

Buried in the forest, North of Atlanta is a top-secret wood shop called Forestique where elves make jewelry. Henry Wischusen worked his entire career as a Director of Product Development at a packaging company. You know...that plastic packaging that kids liked better than the toy inside -- because it makes a crackling sound? Or those blister-packs that require minor surgery to get the toys out? Well those are Henry’s designs.

One day Henry sat down at the same executive desk he’d been sitting at for 30+ years and declared…”I CAN NOT DO THIS ANY MORE!” Then he did what most of us only dream about and quit his job to start Forestique.

Taking over half the house, Henry holed up for months in his newly christened “Forestique woodshop” slicing and dicing every type of wood known to man. He developed a top secret process to create very thin (but very strong) slices of wood and carve them into lace-like jewelry. His designs are based on patterns in nature and when Henry goes hiking, he’s always on the lookout for unique plant leaves to mimic into new jewelry designs.

As I wandered through the ultimate man cave woodshop, itching to photograph all of Henry’s cool boy-toys, he informed me that he’d have to kill me if I shared any of his wood secrets.

So while I can’t tell you anything I’ve seen, I do have a entire box of very cool jewelry bestowed upon me in trade for taking photos of real people…in real places…wearing Henry’s beautiful creations.

]]><![CDATA[Singleness of Purpose: Eat Crabs!]]>Thu, 13 Jun 2019 14:16:25 GMThttps://www.heathertour.com/stories/june-13th-2019

Get anywhere near the Chesapeake Bay and my brain returns to a primal state where there is only one thought...

"MUST EAT CRABS!"

Cue the cave man grunts!

If you are not from crab country, chances are you're thinking,

"...eat bugs? Really?"

Yes, really.

Be brave. Roll up your sleeves, dump a bushel on the table and get your hands dirty.

You can spot a Chesapeake Bay area resident, because they will be salivating at this picture.

Crabs are actually blue before you steam them.

Throw on a handful of Old Bay Seasoning.

Steam them until they turn red.

There's no silverware at the crab table, just a hammer. Prepare to be poked and stabbed by sharp shells. There will probably be blood, but your stomach will be smiling.

Nirvana!

Get all the family gossip.

]]><![CDATA[You Know You’re in Texas When…]]>Thu, 13 Jun 2019 13:33:25 GMThttps://www.heathertour.com/stories/you-know-youre-in-texas-when

There’s an oil rig right next to your oil rig.

There’s an armadillo road kill every mile.

You get really good unsolicited advice from strangers.

You’re not allowed to bring your gun to lunch.

….but rattlesnakes are allowed.

Your sky is bigger than your land.

You can get your tattoo at the thrift shop.

You passed mile market 611…a while ago.

Texas has 3 sylables – Tey-ax-us.

]]><![CDATA[Penny’s from Heaven!]]>Thu, 13 Jun 2019 12:28:08 GMThttps://www.heathertour.com/stories/pennys-from-heaven

We’d been mostly awake for 2 days. The Atlanta Ragnar Race was over and we’d already packed up Thor (the Adventure Van) when Penny asked, “Where are you going after this?” I was thoroughly unprepared for this question. We'd been working nonstop getting the first Ragnar event settled, and it hadn't even occurred to me to book a hotel.

“Why don’t you come to my house, I have a spare feather bed.”

Standing in a grass field, exhausted, I suddenly knew what it was like to hear angels singing. For the next 3 days we slept, ate, and hiked all over Atlanta.

Penny is the type of person who will cover up random poop on the trail so that the next person doesn’t step in it!

Stone Mountain

If you’ve always wanted to see Mount Rushmore, but don’t have the time, then go to Stone Mountain in Atlanta. It’s the next best thing. According to our self-appointed tour guide, John, there’s a table in the horse’s mouth where the stone carvers would eat lunch. I declared, “I want to do that!” but despite hiking up-and-down, and up-and-down again, and driving around…we could find no way in. We did however get to explore some of the most fantastic park grounds in the US. Go there. Period.

I want to eat lunch in that Horse's Mouth!

On top of Stone Mountain, there are weird holes in the rock, where shrimp evolved into a unique species.

It must have been lonely for those shrimp, living in mud-puddles at the top of a giant rock, but they sure had a great view every night!

De po' shrimp's ho dried up!

There’s also a unique species of pine tree that evolved up there. Can you pick it out?

The view from the top.

Mysterious Maze!

One morning we dragged ourselves out into the woods and discovered a labyrinth in the ground. It took a solid 10 minutes to walk the entire labyrinth and there was only one way in, or out. Good thing I left a trail of popcorn, or we’d still be there today.

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