2010 - A Year in Review

2010 was quite the eventful year. Many trails have been hiked, projects started and/or completed, and many places visited. We like to take the time to recap the many miles our feet have plodded over the course of the year.




We started out with a goal, much like we have done in previous years and failed miserably, to hike at least 100 miles in a year. We've put forth a really great effort and have really expanded our horizons as far as trail locations but to no avail still fell short again. Places we've traveled to hike include the Great Smoky Mountains, Cumberland Gap, various parts of the Cumberland Trail, Big South Fork, Big Ridge State Park, Norris Dam State Park and much more to include some state natural and wild areas. We also got in our annual camping trip, which is always a welcomed delight, well usually. Another first in our outdoor experiences, we finally donned our backpacks for the first time for a 2 day trip up to LeConte Lodge for our anniversary. Finally we also took a trip up to Damascus Virginia to ride the Virginia Creeper Trail. Can we count that as part of an AT section hike? 0.o

So without further ado, the trails we've hiked this year including the date, miles, and location:

Date	Trail Name	Location	Distance
1/23/2010	Andrew's Ridge to Sinkhole Loop	Norris Dam State Park - Norris, TN	1.1 miles
2/20/2010	Stinging Fork Falls	Stinging Fork Falls State Natural Area  Spring City, TN	2.0 miles
2/21/2010	Andrew's Ridge	Norris Dam State Park - Norris, TN	1.78 miles
2/25/2010	Andrew's Ridge to Hootin Hollow	Norris Dam State Park - Norris, TN	1.4 miles
2/26/2010	Ozone Falls	Ozone Falls State Natural Area   Crab Orchard, TN	.75 miles
2/27/2010	Cumberland Trail - Black Mountain to Windless Cave	Grassy Cove, TN	4.0 miles
3/8/2010	West Overlook Trail	House Mountain State Natural Area Knoxville, TN	2.0 miles
3/19/2010	Piney Falls	Piney Falls State Natural Area Spring City, TN	1.5 miles
3/20/2010	Ewing Trail to White Rocks	Civic Park/ Cumberland Gap NHP - Ewing, VA	6.4 miles
3/24/2010	???	Fall Creek Falls State Park - Pikeville, TN	1.25 miles
4/7/2010 - 4/8/2010	Alum Cave Bluff to Mount LeConte	Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Gaitlinburg, TN	11.0 miles
4/10/2010	Panther Branch Trail to Debord Falls	Frozen Head State Park Wartburg, TN	1.2 miles
5/15/2010	Cumberland Trail - Bruce Gap Trailhead to Devil's Racetrack	Cove Lake State Park - Lake City, TN	6.6 miles
6/2/2010	Andrew's Ridge Loop(Trail Run)	Norris Dam State Park - Norris, TN	1.78 miles
6/4/2010	Songbird Loop(Trail Run)	Norris Dam State Park - Norris, TN	1.5 miles
6/5/2010	Laurel Falls	Laurel/Snow State Natural Area - Dayton, TN	6 miles
6/6/2010	Songbird Loop	Norris Dam State Park - Norris, TN	2 miles
9/4/2010	Byrd Creek Trail to Cumberland Plateau Nature Trail	Cumberland Mtn. State Park - Crossville, TN	2.7 miles
9/30/2010	Honey Creek Loop	Big South Fork NRRA - Onieda, TN	6 miles
11/13/2010	Club House Rd to Hemlock Bluff(Old Jeep Road)	Hemlock Bluff/ Loyston Point, Andersonville, TN	3 miles
11/21/2010	Big Valley Trail - Indian Rock - Big Valley - Ghost House Trail	Big Ridge State Park, Maynardville, TN	5.8 miles
11/28/2010	Marine Railway Loop	Norris Dam State Park - Norris, TN	4.6 miles
12/5/2010	River Bluff Loop	River Bluff Small Wild Area - Norris, TN	3.2 miles

In addition to the many miles hiked, we've started to become more self sufficient and live a more simple life. In so doing, we've tried our luck at winter gardening and have plans for year round gardening. We've been to several historic towns in TN just including Rogersville, TN, Cumberland Gap, TN, Ewing, TN, and Middlesboro, KY just to name a few. We even made it to a few festivals as well, the Apple Festival in Erwin, TN, The 25th Annual Harvest Street Festival in Newport, TN, Vestival down in South Knoxville, TN and the Louie Bluie Festival at Cove Lake State Park in Lake City, TN.

As you can tell, between holidays, festivals, hiking, and then of course the regular run of the mill life in general stuff, 2010 has been quite the active and fulfilling year we've been looking for. We've revamped the blog and have really put in the time into sharing our journeys and experiences with you, our family, friends, and fans.

You might be asking now, with such a jam packed year, how do we intend on topping it in 2011? Well, we can't divulge our secrets right now, if we did then why would you come to our place on the interwebs? I suppose you'll just have to wait and see.

Happy Trails and Happy New Year,
Tim and Robin

Lot's of Hiking Already this Year

Well hello folks, and welcome to another edition of the great outdoors with your host Robin and Tim. It's been sometime since our last post and we would just like to apologize for that. For you see, we had some issues with funding and our sponsors... erm wait a minute... sorry... just ignore that...

Okay, so, right yes, this year has been quite the year so far. We've made it to May and already several hikes have been accomplished. We decided to keep a log of our hikes this year, and for the years to come, just to keep track of the miles we have hiked. To date, we have over 30 miles logged and our newest fancy spot for hiking, the area we seem to be focusing on, is the Cumberland's in Tennessee. From Cumberland Gap at the TN, KY, and VA border, all the way down to Spring City so far and even a little farther south to Dayton, TN.

We have been to several different and each uniquely beautiful water falls (Ozone Falls in Crab Orchard, Stinging Fork Falls in Spring City, Piney Falls in Spring city, and a couple others). We hiked to a cave (Windless Cave to be exact) and to White Rocks, (a huge rock outcropping that you can't miss). There are a few other trails that we've been on, but of those, the most memorable so far has been the backpacking trip Robin and I took up Mount LeConte in the Great Smoky Mountains to stay the night at LeConte Lodge for our anniversary.

For the hike up to LeConte Lodge, we took the Alum Cave Bluff trail. This is a 5.5 mile trail with an average elevation gain of 2,560'. It was an absolutely beautiful day to hike up a mountain even if we were lugging 15 or 20 pound packs. It took us roughly 3.5 hours to make it to the lodge, which included a rest stop at Alum Cave, and plenty of photo ops.

Staying at the lodge was absolutely wonderful and the charge isn't that much considering. There's plenty to do on top of the mountain, which includes but is not limited to, watching the sunset from the Cliff Tops trail, watching the sunrise from Myrtle's Point, or congregating with other visitors to the lodge who share the same love of nature. Staying at the lodge is a pure disconnect from our electronic world. It's refreshing to get away from the hustle and bustle of the everyday rat race.

Upon reaching the top of the mountain and getting to the lodge, we were escorted around on a brief tour. The dining hall, the facilities, our cabin, etc. We had a couple of hours to kill before supper would be served, so we sat around took in the sights, drank cups of coffee and cocoa, and rested a bit from the strenuous hike. Supper was served and we enjoyed beef w/gravy, mashed taters, soup, green beans, cinnamon apples and more. You can even drink wine if you've paid for it. After supper, the office has a host of games, puzzles, books and more to pass the time. We played checkers and chess until it was time for bed. It would be an early morning especially knowing that we would have to hike down the mountain in rain.

It was apparent that in our lodge, we had some visitors that kept Robin awake half the night. Luckily they were never able to get into our room even though they tried. Tim wouldn't have known anything about it as I slept soundly in the double bunk. That morning we awoke to a ominous morning sky, filled with dark clouds that told the story of approaching rain. Soon enough it was time for breakfast. A nice hearty meal to fuel up on prior to the hike down.We ate pancakes, eggs, grits, Canadian bacon, and more. We again enjoyed the company of other guests at the lodge while we feasted.

It wasn't long after breakfast that we had our packs ready to go and we were headed down the mountain. It was about 30 minutes worth of dry hiking before the sky decided to open up. Luckily it was a slow soaking rain, and much to our surprise, it wasn't as tough of a hike down as we initially thought it would be. By the end of it however, we were thoroughly soaked. Thankfully our pack's rain flies kept most everything inside dry as a bone. We reached the car and gave our lodge mates a ride to their vehicle which they parked at Newfound Gap. After that we headed home with the heater blowing full blast.

Well that's our story and we are sticking to it. Did we mention that LeConte Lodge offers day hiker services? Yes a day hike to the lodge can be just as rewarding as an over-night stay. We plan to one day return even if just for a day. There are plenty other trails to take up there and we'd like to say that we've hiked them all.

Until next time, enjoy the photos of our various hikes so far.

Peace,
Tim and Robin.

Black Mountain - Windless Cave

Stinging Fork Falls

Ozone Falls

Piney Falls

White Rocks

 

 Alum Cave Bluff to LeConte Lodge

Rocks, Gnomes, and Ruby Falls down?

July 4th, the birthday of the USA. What a day for all Americans to feel proud and to remember those who fought and gave up so much so we could celebrate this wonderful day in a way that most take for granted and others only dream of. It was this day that we decided to take a trip to see Rock City and Ruby Falls.

Robin and I have both been to Rock City before. Only Robin has been to Ruby Falls before whereas I have not. Ashby, on the other hand, has only seen the signs painted on the sides and roofs of old run down barns littered about highways and bi-ways around our area. Let me not forget all the bird houses that litter yards far and wide as well (Yes we did buy a "See Rock City" bird house while seeing Rock City). It is in our back yard. Robin's mom has one in her front yard.

I have to say, Rock City was not as big as I remembered. It still had the allure of a big tourist attraction where you could gain the most wonderful views from atop Lookout Mountain. Yes, you can even see 7 states as they claim (that's provided the weather is clear and you know what you are looking at). The vegetation (shrubs, flowers, trees, etc) was quite nice about the park as well (can you call it a park?).

   

Next up on our trip for our independence celebratory day was to see Ruby Fall....I mean Ruby Falls. All I have to say about this is if you are allergic to dust please do not go spelunking, especially in a big group, unless of course you stay up front the whole time. I kid you not, some guy behind me must have coughed the whole time through the cave. I think I ended up with more phlegm on the back of my neck than I did drops of moisture on my head from the cave. One other pointer, when you decide to go mucking around in small tight spaces with a large group of people make sure you shower or at least put on some deodorant. There is nothing worse than smelling someone's funk throughout a cave without any fresh air.

Well now that's out of my system, about the cave itself. The cave was nice, there really isn't much to it. They take you down in an elevator and you walk all the way back to the falls. For the most part it is a straight shot without hardly any other paths. The falls are rather pretty especially with all the lights they shine on it. It couldn't be more majestic, even if they did away with the cheesy background music.

So if you find yourself in Chattanooga for a day with nothing to do, give it a look-see. It's the least you can do if you've never seen it before and have time to kill.

Collectively, we give them 3 stars. They lost 2 because of the crowds and ticket pricing.

Stay tuned for Unchained Melody? No, Chained Rock.