Walker Sisters'Sister's Homeplace to Laurel Falls

Walker Sister's Cabin

The Bucket Brigade strikes again! It was an awesome January day for a hike on this MLK holiday, and I can't think of a better way to spend it than hiking in the mountains. The hike today began at the Metcalf Bottoms parking area and went past the Greenbrier Schoolhouse to the Walker Sisters' Homeplace. These five spinsters lived their entire lives on this land until the last sister passed away in 1964. It is a beautiful setting, but it must have been a hard life! Today we used their front porch as a resting stop before we began climbing Chinquapin Ridge via Little Greenbrier Trail. It was 3.5 miles steady climb to the junction with the Laurel Falls Trail.

The Watsons

Chinquapin Ridge

By the time we reached this junction we were pretty tired and glad to see the trail head down the other side of Chinquapin Ridge! The weather on this side of the ridge was dramatically different from the trip up the ridge. The wind was blowing hard and the trail was all but covered with snow. We ran into two scientists who were mapping the location of the remaining hemlock trees and comparing their map to the aerial mapping that had been done previously. these hemlocks are fighting a losing battle with the wooly adelgid who is literally sucking the life out of some of the park's oldest residents. It's a shame to see their skeletons rising up where once beautiful trees had stood. I guess it's just proof that time changes everything.

Laurel Falls

 After hiking another 1.8 miles, this time downhill, we reached the most visited falls in the park: Laurel Fallls. This falls plummets spectacularly 75 feet from the top, past the viewing crossing and down to the stream that carries the water down to Little River. We stopped here to eat the lunches we had packed, but it began to get pretty cold when we weren't walking. From there it was only another 1.4 miles to the parking area where we had left a car to shuttle us back to Metcalf Bottoms. On the way down though, we did witness the fall of a tree in the woods, and it made me think of the shirt I bought Bunk once, well actually twice, that said: if a man speaks in the forest and there is no woman around to hear, is he still wrong. I couldn't help but chuckle as that went through my head.

One reason I picked this hike at this time of year was to avoid the crowds that usually throng this falls since the path from Little River Road to the falls is paved and can accommodate young children and strollers. On this hike we had not seen anyone except the two scientific researchers until we got to the falls. From there down we saw quite a few. But the crowd on this day was light enough not to interfere with the experience, and I'm really glad I got to see it again. It is a magnificent falls, to say the least.

Altogether, today's hike was right at 8 miles. I had inadvertently left my knee brace at home and didn't discover it missing until we were ready to begin. I was worried, and mentally I began figuring out how I could use the duck tape I keep wrapped around my hiking pole to tape my knee when it began to hurt. I am so very pleased to report that it never did bother me! On the way down, I was careful to place as much impact as possible on the two hiking poles I was using, but the knee held up remarkably well. I feel really good about how strong it is getting!

Little River Trail with the Bucket Brigade 1.4.12

Little River Trail on a cold January afternoon

Yesterday, with temps in the mid forties, six ladies hiked up Little River Trail which leaves out from Elkmont Campground.  It was an absolutely beautiful, although nippy, afternoon, and we planned the hike for the very warmest part of the day.  We left my house about 1:00, picked up a friend who lives in Maryville along the way, and made our way to the trail head.  We were hiking by 2:30.  We bundled up well--lots of layers and precautions taken in case we were caught out in an emergency and trapped to spend the night in very cold temps.  Between us we had extra jackets, matches with which we could have started a fire, two of those shiny emergency blankets, extra sweaters and extra socks.  Thankfully we needed none of that, but it was a concern of mine since we began the hike so late in the day.

The trail was flat and really was an old road bed, but it was 2.4 miles from the trailhead to the intersection of Cucumber Gap Trail and then 2.4 miles back out, so it was a nice distance.  We picked a flat hike because one of the Bucket Brigade members was nursing an injured calf, and we were afraid a major elevation change would be too tough for her on this day.  The scenery was quite beautiful.  There was just enough snow and ice on and along the trail to keep things pretty and occasionally, treacherous.  In fact, on the way back out, one of our hiking group took a pretty bad spill, going face first into a patch of ice.  Thankfully, she was not hurt and we did not need all of those emergency supplies we had brought, but it sure could have been different.

The entire hike only took us 2.5 hours, but it was a wonderful way to spend one of our last days before we all go back to work.  Our break is over, but this day was a nice way to bring it to a close.

New Year...new challenges and new pursuits.

As I sit here at my computer after a long walk on the Turkey Creek Greenway, I look forward into the coming year with excitement and trepidation.  Over the holidays I have crossed over the AT at least four times and each time it has called my name.  During my last trip to Mom and Dad's I couldn't help but stop at the place where it crosses I-40 and get out to take a couple pictures for inspiration.  Think I'll make one of them my background for encouragement during what may become a very difficult year.

Steps to the Appalachian Trail at I-40 in Tennessee

Appalachian Trail sign

I would very much like to do the section of the AT this year that runs from Hot Springs to I-40 and goes by Max Patch.  I've heard so many cool stories about the beauty of Max Patch.  I also found out last week that my dad and his dad used to pick huckleberries up on Max Patch, so that makes it even more special.  That's my goal for this spring as I begin to think about things I want to do in the coming year.

I have a couple of concerns that are simply age and conditioning based.  I have picked up some of the weight I lost and so am feeling more sluggish than I did this time last year. I am now working to take it off again, but it's still a bit discouraging to think I allowed myself to do that again.  Along with the increased weight I have begun to feel reacquainted with some old enemies...not the least of which is pain in my hips--particularly my left one.  This pain is different than it was in the past and it has me a bit worried.  It hurts to go on long walks and even short hikes now and that cannot be a good thing.  However, I'm hoping that as I lose the extra pounds, that the pain in my hips will subside.  It did in the past.  So I'm working to that end.  At least that may provide me with some motivation for sticking to my diet and exercise plans.  I don't think I'd get very far on the AT with this hip feeling like it is right now.

I am however, excited about a whole new schedule at work this semester.  I will be teaching a 7 a.m. class and first block and therefore, will be done in the classroom by 10:00.  That doesn't mean I am free to leave at that time, but that may mean I am free to work out more in the weight room at school or on pretty days, go out for a walk or bike ride that I wouldn't have been able to do before.  I will still have lead teacher responsibilities including lots of observations, but I am still hopeful that I will be able to get outside when the weather breaks in the winter or on a regular basis in the spring.  I will also have plan with my dearest friend, Sharon, too, so I'm looking forward to that as well.

Another big milestone will happen for me this year.  This year marks mine and my husband's 25th wedding anniversary year, if we can hold it together that long.  It's a really hard time in our marriage right now, and I sincerely hope it doesn't come crashing down around us this year.  I know we both still love each other, but I am simply not sure I can continue to live with the drinking problem that is destroying the beautiful thing we have had in years past.  I guess I'm harder to live with now too as my body goes through some major hormonal changes--at least that's what he tells me fairly frequently.  I seem to live in a house with two men that don't like me very much, much of the time.  So, I'm not sure what the future holds in that regard for this year.  Time will tell, I guess.  Hence the trepidation.


So, 2012, here's to you!  I will stand firm on the grace of Jesus to carry me through whatever you have in store for me this year.  Let's do this thing!

Catching up--fishing pursuits

In terms of fishing ventures, I have had the opportunity to fish with Dad several times this fall with varying degrees of success. The best trip we took was to River's Way on the South Holston River in probably October. Fishing was slow but at least we caught fish. I got four nice rainbows and browns ranging anywhere from 8-15 inches. River's Way is a fishing club that Dad and Alan have joined with really nice water which is restricted access and catch and release only. You must have reservations because only 6 fishermen are allowed in the river each day. It was a very nice place and I caught as many or more fish than I saw anyone else catch on that day, so I felt pretty good about my technique.

Another day in the fall during a camping trip Bunk and I were fishing in the Smokies. We camped at Elkmont, my favorite camping area in the Smokies. Two cool things happened during that trip in addition to catching a few rainbows and brown in the creeks there. One evening on our way back into the campground from fishing in smaller steams, we decided to stop in the large swimming hole there at the entrance. We had tried to fish it earlier in the trip, but swimmers had moved in on top of us so we had to move. This time, it was a bit too cold to swim and we had this deep hole all to ourselves. I tied on a neversink caddis in yellow and then dropped off a fairly large, maybe size 12 or 14 prince nymph on a pretty long drop. I put it in the deep hole at the end of the little run there, but I was fishing from the top of the rock wall.
I hadn't been fishing but maybe 15 minutes when the largest trout I've ever had on my line hit and hit hard. Boy, did that fish fight. I knew I was in trouble though because I was fishing from the top of a 12 foot wall and I knew there was no way I could get that fish up that wall. As I fought the fish, I climbed down the wall as far as I could go, but that was only about 4 feet from the top of the water. I had no net and no chance to get that fish out from that far up. Sure enough, when I tried to lift the fish out of the water, my line broke. That 6X tippett just won't hold that much weight suspended out of the water. That was a heartbreaking fishing event. I really wanted that fish, but it was not to be, at least not on that day.

Black Bear like the one we saw near Elkmont Campground

Not far up that very same river on another evening this fall,I spotted a place that sure did look fishy to me. We had our poles still together in the back of the truck on our way back into the campground, so we pulled up and got out. I made my way down toward the fishy spot and Bunk went a little further upstream to what appeared to be another promising run. As I was getting my line ready to go into the water, I looked up to assess how best to enter the river. At that same moment a large, young black bear was deciding to go fishing in that same spot but from the other side of the river. I stood frozen in my tracks for several seconds admiring the beauty of this spectacular bear when it finally hit me--that's a bear! At that time, I decided to move quickly away from Mr. Bear! I backtracked toward Bunk and then started telling him about the bear. Needless to say, we let the bear have the fishing hole! But he was one of the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen. Guess he thought that spot looked fishy too!

Catching up--the Bucket Brigade

The View from Schoolhouse Gap Trail

Not sure what has happened that has kept me from writing but I've missed recording several events that should have been included here. Shame on me! In terms of hiking I made a nice hike in the fall with a group of ladies from school that I certainly enjoyed. We dropped a car at the Townsend Wye (never knew it was spelled like that until I saw it on the trail sign). Then we drove another car to the trailhead of Schoolhouse Gap trail and began our hike. This is the same parking area where Kacey and I parked to do the hike with the Wildflower Pilgrimage group that year that took us to the valley that was totally covered with wildflowers. I'd sure love to find that little valley again.

From there we hiked to where Schoolhouse Gap intersects with Chestnut Top trail and made our way down again to the Wye. Along the way there were some nice views of the valleys and the clouds were laying around the shorter peaks which protruded up through them. It looked like islands rising out of a sea of white cotton candy. It was truly beautiful. Along this hike we formed a bond between the women that I hope continues to develop throughout the coming years. We call our little group the Bucket Brigade and our mission is to be sure we get to do the things that are on our bucket lists! As soon as we got home we created a Facebook group through which we can list our wishes and plan our trips.

Walker Camp Prong--Fishing on the Weekend of the Fourth!

Well, I have officially NEVER seen as many people in the Smokies as I saw today.  There were thousands of tubes floating in the river as we made our way past the Townsend "Y" today.  You couldn't stir 'em with a stick!

Bunk and I were worried as we made our way to the stream that we had been told about by the salesperson at Orvis in Sevierville, Walker Camp Prong aka West Prong of the Little Pigeon River.  Every place there was any sizeable water on the way to our destination, there were people swimming or playing in the river.  I kept hoping that this stream would be far enough away from the congestion of Gatlinburg that folks wouldn't find it.  Well, folks DID find it.  Often, just us pulling our truck in a turn-out was incentive enough for a car-load of splashers to descend upon us, but we did find a few places to fish today.

This creek runs right along Newfound Gap Road just past the Chimney Tops Trailhead and goes almost all the way to Newfound Gap before veering away from the road and plummeting to the valley out of our reach.  However, our source told us to begin fishing it up above the Alum Cave Bluffs Trailhead, so that's where we started.  I tied on an Elk-wing Caddis that we had purchased at Little River Outfitters on our way up today, dusted it with floatant, and put it in the water not 20 yards upstream from where a family was playing in the creek.  I figured if I was going to get to fish today, it would probably have to be near some people.  I fished that first little hole then moved upstream to the next one, this one a little deeper and more "fishy" looking.  Sure enough after only two casts into this hole, I had my first keeper-size native Rainbow trout.  He did fight, considering he was only about 8 inches long!  He kept trying to run under rocks to tangle up and break loose, but I got him in, pulled the hook out, and released him.  He was a beauty though!

Bunk and I were unable to fish this stream together because it's so small.  He had to put in either ahead of me or downstream of me and fish different places.  We decided that if we do much of this, we need a set of walkie talkies to communicate with.  Most of the time, I had no idea where he was today.

As the day waned, we tied on a yellow fly that Russell Sloan had given us and told us to fish late in the day.  Bunk and I both caught a fish on that fly.  I'm taking one to Dad for him to replicate this for us so we'll have some extras.  Again, my fish was keeper-size and a native Rainbow.  Since I wasn't with Bunk, I'm not sure about his.  It did get kind of frustrating today dealing with all the people who didn't mind coming into the water just where you were fishing, so we packed it up and headed home.  We had a great time though and vowed to do it again soon.  :)

Fly-fishing Whitetop Laurel Creek

After we packed our backpacks up, we began the two-mile descent down Straight Mountain.  I believe it was this long downhill trek that ruined my toes.  By the time we got down that day, my toes hurt so bad, I never put my hiking boots back on.  Those Keen sandals felt soooo much better!  It was also during this part of the hike that we decided that we definitely wanted to purchase two more hiking sticks before doing another long hike like this.  Having one in each hand would help balance the weight of the pack and I would be more comfortable when the path edges against an long embankment like it did on that day.  At the end of each switchback, I stopped long enough to switch my stick into the hand that would be next to the embankment.  I felt more secure that way in case I should stumble.  My stick would be in my downhill hand for support and security.

At about 2 miles into today's hike we came across the side trail that took out to Taylor's Valley.  We had decided we wanted to go to eat lunch at the Virginia Creeper Trail Cafe where we had eaten on the day we rode our bikes.  That little trail isn't as well maintained as the AT, but we did make it down to where it intersected with the Virginia Creeper.  We first headed down the Creeper, but then I asked a biker if he had already passed Taylor's Valley and he had, so we hiked back up the Creeper probably almost a mile to our restaurant.

Fly-fishing on Whitetop Laurel Creek

We had a fantastic lunch there, changed from our hiking boots into our fishing sandals, tied on a fly, and began what would be two days of fishing Whitetop Laurel Creek.  We began fishing right there at the restaurant just under the bridge and caught several small trout, both brook and rainbow.  We fished that hole for probably an hour until some kids came down and started to play in the water.  At that point, we shouldered our packs again and set off down the trail.  We stopped numerous times that day where it looked like there should be fish and had a relaxing, wonderful day fishing.  Many people would stop when they'd see us and watch and chit-chat some before going on their way. 

We used caddis flies mostly on this trip.  Russell Sloan had given Bunk a few flies that he thought should work well on this water.  Most of them were these dry caddis flies, but there were also a few nymphs.  We used both throughout our time, but all of our hits and catches were on dry flies.

Our campsite that second night was right above where I had the flat tire on my bike that last trip.  It was near the Straight Branch Parking area.  We chose that area because it would be within walking distance of a privy.  Never a bad thing!  I pitched the tent this night on a deep bed of leaf litter and that proved to be much softer sleeping than the previous night spent on pine needles.  But that was one of the differences in the altitudes--there were NO deciduous trees on the top of Straight Mountain, but there were plenty down at the base of that same mountain.  In fact, it was very interesting that day as we hiked down the mountain to watch as the vegetation changed due to changes in the altitude.  We commented on it as we were hiking down, but it was pleasantly obvious when we crawled into our sleeping bags that night.  It almost felt like a mattress--well, almost!

Hubba Hubba Two-person Tent

Here's a picture of our little home-away-from home that night.  For dinner on the evening of Day Two, we had Beef Stroganoff and again, it was fabulous!  We did miss that picnic table though!  Preparing dinner without a table increased the challenge, but it all worked out fine.

Getting ready for dinner with our Jet-Boil

But at least this tree provided a place to sit other than the ground and even offered a backrest if you could stand it for at least a short period of time.  We sure did miss that picnic table.

On the morning of Day Three, we again packed up our stuff and began fishing that beautiful stream again.  I must say, I haven't seen as many young fish in a river since I was a kid!  The river must be pretty healthy to provide such a prolific nursery for all those fingerling trout.  We fished a couple of hours that morning, then when it began to rain, we decided to just hike the remaining three miles down the Creeper Trail to return us to Damascus where our truck awaited our return.  Between Bunk's heel issue and my sore toes, we were pretty glad to see that truck and I was sure glad I didn't have to put my hiking boots back on.

I feel pretty good about what we were able to accomplish on this trip--overcoming some pretty stiff challenges and really reaching inside and pulling on what you're made of.  We will, hopefully, return again soon to hike the part of the AT that we shortcut in order to fish on Day Three.  I did enjoy the relaxation and the rush of the fishing, though.  It was worth it!