Trail building

Building drainage
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

I spent the weekend building trail with the Cumberland Trail Conference. We were in pretty rocky territory, so it was slow going; on the second day we were on a wicked slope, so we had to crib the downhill side and build up the inside. But it was a good time and it's great to see our hard work turn into a trail.

Big South Fork weekend report

In Maude's Crack!
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

As promised, here's a recap of last weekend. We camped out at Big South Fork, which has some pretty nice campsites - lots of shade, very clean showerhouses, a dish-washing sink, and a RV-free tent area. The weather couldn't have been better, either.

The first day we did a hike in the Pogue Creek Natural Area. Hiking here is limited to guided tours with rangers and the Nature Conservancy. There are no trails, aside from some old logging roads. Rangers Alan and Brandon led us on a nice tour of York Palace (a natural arch), a waterfall, and a cave (closed due to WNS).

The second day we did a loop hike to Maude's Crack and the John Muir Overlook. The crack is a way down a bluff that would otherwise be a real rock climb or a long trip around. The trail also passes by two old communities; BSF only became a park in the 1970s, so there are a lot of foundations still standing. This is a nice hike, but too open to do in the heat of summer. It's also (partially) shared with horses, so be aware of where you step.

Another weekend out

Foreground background
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

I spent the past weekend hiking and camping at Big South Fork. This is my favorite photo of the weekend. I'll post more about the trip later (including photos showing the landscape, which is full of more arches and whatnot).

Weekend at Natural Bridge

View from Lover's Leap
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

April isn't the cruelest month, but it may be the busiest. Last weekend I went to Natural Bridge State Park in Kentucky, near Lexington. You may have heard of the general region it is in - the Red River Gorge, a mecca for climbers. But there is a lot of good hiking there. Some members of the group climbed, whereas I just hiked. We ended up with three absolutely beautiful days of weather.

Geologically, the hills aren't mountains but gorges worn down around sandstone. (You can see this when you look at the horizon - instead of being peaky, the hills are flat on top.) The result is not only formations like the one pictured, but natural arches, such as the one the park is named after. I found it hard to get a good arch photo; it seems I was always too close or too far away. But if you click through you will see that I tried anyway.

I'm in and out of town a lot this month; this weekend I will be at a park very similar to Natural Bridges, Big South Fork on the Kentucky/Tennessee border. It has a lot of similar rock formations, such as arches and cliffs, but it doesn't have as many panoramic views.

Spring flowers are out

Spring flowers
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Flora started blooming last week; spring is attempting to come to Middle Tennessee. This photo is from the 2.5-mile Warner Woods Trail at Percy Warner Park. It was the perfect day for a hike; I was actually too warm in long pants and a short-sleeved t-shirt.

Although it was sunny, mud lingered in spots. The trail widened in these places, where walkers had searched for dry ground. That's not good trail etiquette, but it happens on any popular urban trail. The problem isn't the dirt aspect of the mud so much as it is the slippery aspect of it. (Anyone who hikes in shoes they want to keep clean is deluded.)

I was surprised to see as many wildflowers as I did; around town, I've seen primarily redbuds, dogwoods, and daffodils out. Most of my photos didn't turn out as well as this one, since they were taken with my iPhone. I should get out there with an actual camera.

Picture find

More deer
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Sorry for the quiet around here. I've been busy with the dissertation, especially with traveling. As an indicator of how busy, here's a photo from hiking on Sunday - what is noteworthy is that it was the first hike I had done in a month and a half. So, to keep you busy ...

... Kids! Can you find the six deer in this photo?

OK, it's a trick. Three are to the left, out of the frame. But can you find the other three?

Hidden Passage backpacking trip

Our weekend backpacking trip was to Pickett State Park to hike Hidden Passage. This hike is about ten miles total, and our plan was to do it over three days. (Day two was going to be mostly hiking on side trails, which would have added to our total mileage.) As I indicated already, we scaled back to two days due to the steady rain the first night and second day. The hike itself is only moderate in difficulty; the most strenuous part is the side trail to Double Falls.
Hidden Passage is pretty in the distinctive Big South Fork way - lots of sandstone overhangs and little waterfalls. Apparently, however, there was a fire at the park fairly recently, leading to burnt-over sections that were more interesting than pretty. I suspect that it might be a little too hot in mid-summer because of the resulting lack of shade, but it was beautiful in winter, with ice. I imagine that spring waterfalls and fall colors are equally scenic.
We spent the night at the campsite near Double Falls. We had hoped to see the falls, but in order to do that one has to cross the creek. Supposedly it is sometimes dry, and generally wadeable, but on our visit it was several feet deep and iced over. You can see the crossing in the photo at left. Nevertheless, the campsite was quite nice, and we had it all to ourselves.
Despite the rain, we had a good time. While it made a nice, easy backpacking trip, it is eminently doable as a day hike - you won't find many hikes of this length that offer a better effort/reward ratio.

Updates

I went backpacking this weekend. It was supposed to be two nights, but we scaled it back to one because of the rain. I'll blog more about the trip later.

Today I went to a job talk and then to a MLK day event with Rita Bender and Bob Moses. Nope, it's not a holiday for classes at Vanderbilt, which it should be.

I got IRB approval today for the final portion of my dissertation - hooray!

2010 goals

My 2009 hiking goals were as follows:

1. through-hike Indiana's Knobstone Trail
2. complete my Cumberland Trail 50-mile patch requirements
3. hike in at least two new states.

I did the second this summer and completed the third just under the wire (California this summer and Arizona on Tuesday) but not the first. So, I guess it carries over to next year. My goal my 2010 is to backpack at least once a month. HOWEVER, this goal is subject to abandonment depending on where I move to. If I get a job in Alaska, I am not backpacking in Nome in November. Sorry, I'm a wimp.

Welcome to Arizona

Hanging with saguaro
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday. I've been taking a blogging holiday myself, as you can tell. I spent Christmas with my family in Southern Oregon, and then I headed down to Arizona for a yoga workshop - and to see friends here in Phoenix. While the yoga alone is enough to kick our butts, on Tuesday I did a hike with my friend at Papago Park. The hike wasn't a long one or a challenging one, but it is in a nice urban oasis of desert landscape.

Link roundup

That hike I did in Bellingham? Changes are afoot.

Nice analysis of U of California tuition raises.

Board members behaving badly.

Do famous articles say what you think they say?

Faculty humor.

Funny video. At least for those of you who enjoy font humor. (Via John Scalzi.)

Winter flowers

Poof
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Photo from a short hike on Thanksgiving at Flat Rock Cedar Glade, a Nature Conservancy property near Murfreesboro. The hike is flat and only 2 1/2 miles, but it is a nice cedar glade and, as such, lovely in the summer. Even in the winter it is interesting, if not quite as colorful.

Boy Scout Tree Trail

Boy Scout Tree
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

On our final day, we drove north to Jedediah Smith State Park and did a scenic drive-though and hike. Howland Hill Road is a gravel road but well worth doing to see some magnificent trees. While there, we hiked the 2.8-mile (one-way) Boy Scout Tree Trail hike. The photo is of me in front of said tree. The tree splits higher up, so it can be fancied to resemble the Boy Scout hand sign. The park is very beautiful, not only with redwoods but with the scenic Smith River.

While hiking, we narrowly missed seeing a bear. We were on our way out when we ran into two park employees who had been hiking faster than us, chatting with some German visitors who were coming from the other direction. They had come upon a black bear in the trail at the same time, who had then ambled off. The ranger said she had never seen a bear in the park before, although of course she know they are around.

Coast and Redwoods

Seal
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

On the second day of our trip, we did a lot of things. We went briefly to Tolowa Dunes, toured the Battery Point lighthouse, and walked the Trillium Falls trail. This photo was taken at the aquarium, which we did not go into.

If you want to visit the Dunes, do NOT go unprepared. There is no information available at the park entrances. We showed up to trailheads to find no information as to how long trails were or where they went. The Lighthouse is well worth seeing, but it's only open during low tide, so plan ahead.

Del Norte coast

Coastal vegetation
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

I'm currently in Oregon with the family for about a week. But the day after I arrived, my sister and I headed down to the redwoods and the coast of California. We spent three days and two nights in the area, staying at a very nice HI hostel in the park.

On the first day we went to Crescent Beach and tried to walk the northernmost portion of the Coastal Trail, but it didn't actually follow the coast and was rutted and grassy. Then we did the Coastal Drive, which probably has lovely ocean views when it isn't foggy. It was foggy, though. We finally ended up doing the one-mile Yurok Loop Trail, where this photo was taken. The vegetation was a solid wall of thickets, and I can't imagine how unfun it must have been to create the trail.

It felt wonderful to be hiking in the summer and not be sweltering; the high was in the low 60s. I then found out that the temperatures back in Nashville had dropped to an unseasonable low if 70-something. Naturally, the forecast calls for them to rise when I get back.

Smokies trip, part II

Natural wonders
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

On the second day of our trip we dawdled over breakfast, trying to figure out what to do. I was advocating for something under 10 miles, but there was some enthusiasm for a harder hike, so we decided to hike up to Mount LeConte and back. We were going to head up the Boundary Trail and back down the Alum Cave trail, which meant setting up a car shuttle.

We didn't get started until practically lunchtime. The trail starts at Newfound Gap and follows the Appalachian Trail for a ways. Most of that is uphill. From there you get on the Boundary Trail, and my hiking book mentioned a short descent followed by a "gentle ascent."

The short descent lost us half of the elevation we'd gained, and the "gentle" ascent was not at all gentle. We were in a hurry, too, worried about getting done before dark. Finally we all got to the top, and I have to admit I was looking at the Lodge at the top with some degree of jealousy. Hot dinner, warm beds, and wine? Yes, thank you!

But we had to hike down. Uncle Minion and I ran ahead so we could get down and shuttle the cars back. This photo is taken near the beginning of the descent. The Alum Cave Trail is direct, with no up-and-down fooling around, although it does descent to a lower point. We did the 5 miles down in one hour and 50 minutes.

The final day of the trip we had planned to go tubing, although my car opted out and just drove back to Nashville.

Smokies trip, part I

Guess what, hills
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

I apologize for being remiss in posting the last two weeks, but I've been in and out of town and in and out of internet contact. I first went out of town for a weekend trip to Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Most of us drove up Friday morning. After setting up camp at Elkmont, we hiked up to the Chimney Tops. It's a steep hike, but the real challenge comes at the end when you have to scramble up rocks to get to the peak. I thought that was the most fun part. The view from the top, shown here, was spectacular. We thought there would be nice sunsets from up the top, but no one wanted to climb down in the dark.

(There used to be an alternate route up, more of a real trail, but the Park has closed it off.)

Frozen Head

Park road
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

A few of us spent the weekend at Frozen Head State Park. We camped out in our favorite group site, hiked a little, and mostly relaxed. Actually, the only hiking we did was Saturday, when we hiked the moderate Old South Mac Trail to the top of Frozen Head. We might have hiked Sunday if it hadn't rained Saturday night. (Somehow, my $29 tent was the only one that didn't leak.)

It was a relaxing way to spend the weekend of the Fourth. We didn't see any fireworks, but apparently Nashville canceled its display anyway due to a rainstorm.

Hiking across SCRA

Watermelon
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Yesterday was my birthday, and to celebrate I organized a hike across the three gulfs that make up the South Cumberland Recreation Area. It's a 14.1-mile hike with trailheads that are a one-hour drive apart, so we ran this hike as a key swap. Our group started at Stone Door, hiked across the Connector Trail past Collins Gulf, down the South Rim Trail to Savage Gulf. The other group reversed this route. In the middle of the hike, the our groups met and swapped car keys.

It's a beautiful area, so the scenery was lovely, but the weather was brutal - about 90 with 90% humidity. A couple of hikers had the brilliant idea to bring a couple of watermelons on ice for after. This photo is of our group enjoying a post-hike treat.

North Chickamauga hike

Mountain man
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Yesterday we did a fabulous hike in scorching heat - the high was close to 100 degrees. The hike is pretty, but the real reason to do it is the swimming.

This segment of the Cumberland Trail follows a creek that has several swimming holes along the way. Locals tend to prefer the spots closest to the parking lot. The upside (and downside) of these spots is that anyone can get there. We out-of-towners instead head four miles to Green Hole, which we then have pretty much to ourselves. The water is refreshing, and there is an excellent rope swing. (Note: There is a hornet nest on a tree right at the nexus of the trail and the water. So don't go grabbing or disturbing the tree!) We spent quite a while swinging, floating, and generally frolicking.

This time we weren't quite alone; a local trail runner showed up and we co-opted him. He proved handy later, as we shall see.

After swimming, a small group of us headed .5 miles farther to the Stevenson Branch campsite. It is a very nice campsite, but the trail is really just a series of blazes and not worth hiking to just to hike. It took much longer than one would anticipate. As we went along, we found the smoldering remains of a campfire. Geniuses had tried to burn plastic and then not put their fire out completely. That's sheer laziness; the water was only 25 feet away. Our new friend showed proved his worth by getting water and smothering the remains.

What with the swimming and the extra bit, not to mention post-hike pizza, it was quite a long day. I would suggest, if you do this hike, not going to Stevenson Branch, and instead using that time to hop into one of the local's swimming holes as you near the end of the hike.

Weekend shenanigans

I went out to Percy Warner this morning and hiked the Mossy Ridge Trail, and I could really feel that the last few weeks have been light on hiking. I've been working out but not getting many trail miles in. There are some big hikes coming up, and I not only need to have strong muscles but be acclimated to hiking in the heat. My time for Mossy Ridge was 1 hour, 43 minutes, not great but not bad either.

Today the Peabody Professional Institute for Institutional Advancement Leadership starts, and since I am working this one I'll be busy the next few days. Tonight I have to start by eating barbecue ... tough, I know.

Packing light

When we went backpacking last weekend, my friends said, "Dude, your pack is huge." In fact, it didn't weigh more than my friend Pinky's, but it's a large-capacity pack with a lot of pockets. Even half-empty, it looks like I'm carrying a whole lot.

Even so, I'm carrying a little more weight than I would like, and part of that weight is the pack itself. It's a 5500 cubic inch pack (90 liters) - that's expedition-sized. And it's not light even for it's class at 6 pounds, 14 ounces. Hey, I bought cheap, because I didn't want to spend too much starting out. My tent, sleeping bag, and pad together weigh less than the empty pack. Plus the pack, I start off with 13 pounds, 10 ounces, before I put any other food, water, or gear in.

So the first place to cut weight is the pack. I can easily shave three pounds off by buying a smaller, better-designed pack. Now I just have to shop around and find one I like. (No, I still haven't picked up a new day pack.) I have only a few requirements: External pockets for water bottles. Lid that doubles as a day pack. That's it, aside from requiring that the pack fits and is comfortable. Actually, I could give up on the lid if the pack itself is light enough.

The next improvement would be a lighter sleeping bag, since mine is 3 pounds 12 ounces, but that's not going to come anytime soon. I love my bag and am willing to make the weight tradeoff to carry it.

Laurel-Snow backpacking trip

Stuck
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Over the weekend I went on a two-day backpacking trip to Laurel-Snow on the Cumberland Trail. It was a good trip, although I have a few cautions for anyone else who wants to do it.

The website doesn't provide a step-by-step description of the trail, as it does for most of the segments. We were using a Mountaineers trail guide from 2000, and it is outdated. So if you go, rely on the CTC map - but better yet, take someone who has done it before with you.

The trail is straightforward up to a junction 1.5 miles in. From there, Snow Falls is to the left and Laurel Falls is to the right. If you go left, very shortly there will be a campsite on your left. (It's not shown on the map.) We spent the night there. Our intent had been to set up our tents and then hike up to Snow, but a rainstorm postponed it until day two - which was for the best, because the hike took us much longer than we had anticipated given the mileage.

The hike to Snow is nice; it has some uphills and rocks. We did have to cross Morgan Creek, and it was a wet crossing, not long before the falls. The problem is the trail ends at the top of Snow Falls. If you want to see the falls you have to scramble off trail through a lot of poison ivy. It's worth it, but I wouldn't do it with little kids or a big group. There is another campsite here as well.

To get to Laurel Falls, return to the split and take the right fork. Immediately you are confronted with an obstacle: a tree has fallen on the path - not parallel to it but directly on it. The trail is between two boulders at that point, so it's a long way around. From there the trail is relatively clear to the base of Laurel Falls.

The way up to Laurel Falls is not clear. (Signage is generally unclear; in particular, watch out for turns that are not marked with double blazes.) You have to backtrack maybe 100 feet and head uphill. The route quickly becomes scrambling. At the top, the trail takes a turn for the worse. Although you're on the plateau, so the going should be easy, there are a whole lot of trees down. (Pine beetle problems?) This also means that blazes are down. We finally wandered over to Laurel Creek, right where it plunges over the edge, but we couldn't find the main trail. We had already ditched our packs because they were making tree limbo difficult.

Despite the challenges, we had a good time. The trail does need some maintenance, and I wouldn't go if you have small kids or aren't familiar with trail conventions. The map could use more detail, such as the locations of campsites, and the website needs more detail and clarity. (For example, the text states that Dunn Point is also known as Buzzard Point, but they're shown as separate locations on the map.) The trail is maintained by volunteers (I'm one), and this looks like an area that's due for some work.

Hiking Virgin Falls

Yesterday the rain held off and we had a nice hike at Virgin Falls. All the previous rain made for a very wet hike, but we put up with the mud in order to enjoy the spectacular falls. On both of my previous trip, the falls were much smaller - still pretty, of course, but not as thundering. This is a photo of Virgin Falls from yesterday. The photo below is from the first time I went there.

Or, you can compare this photo of Laurel Falls from that earlier trip to this one from yesterday. Yesterday, you couldn't even get to where the earlier photo was taken, because the overhang was filled with water.

The perfect pack

I've been wanting a new daypack for a while. (Hey, mine is a decade old.) So far, I haven't been able to find anything I like in stores. Some backpacks are really designed just for carrying books. Some are teeny-tiny, and I'm the kind of girl who carries the ten essentials and never runs short of water. But most of the trail packs are ludicrously overbuilt - they feature dozens of pockets and flaps and loops for ice axes. Around here, you never need an ice axe. Around anywhere, you don't need a dozen pockets to sort your gear, unless you have a serious problem with OCD - "OmiGOD, my lip balm CAN'T be in the SAME POCKET as my Leatherman!" I guess I could ignore all these pockets if it weren't that they really add up to extra weight. There are day packs that weigh over three pounds empty. There's something wrong when a daypack weighs as much as a pack for week-long backpacking trips.

I'm not eschewing all pockets; I understand the utility of a few outside pockets for commonly used items. I don't use Camelbaks, so side pockets for water bottles that I can reach without removing my pack are dead useful. But ... really.

Anyway, I think I've found the perfect pack. The catch is, I'll have to order it online, and it's not made by a company that I can find much of in stores around here. (You'd think the top-rated bag in the latest Backpacker gear rankings would be easier to find, yes?) That gives me pause, because it has to fit and be comfortable.

For some reason, a lot of the packs I've tried have straps that rub the back and sides of my neck where they enter the top of the pack. My neck isn't that wide - especially relative to a man's pack - so I don't know what the issue is. But I'm not going to hike 18 miles with chafing. I'm not looking forward to having to return gear bought by mail if it doesn't fit me.

Giving new meaning to Couchville Lake Loop

Um, look
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Due to the continual downpour and threats of thunderstorms and hail, my hiking plans for this weekend were put on hold. But since Sunday morning promised nothing more than a light drizzle, I went with a friend to Couchville Lake. This dammed lake was accidentally created when the Stones River was dammed to make Percy Priest Lake. A two-mile paved trail, part of Long Hunter State Park, surrounds the lake. We decided to do this easy hike because the trail wouldn't be a mudslide.

It turned out that it had its own issues. The lake had risen so high that in places it swamped the trail. In this photo, we are in fact on the trail. Luckily we were feeling adventurous.

Wildflower hike at Beaman Park

Taking pictures
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Yesterday we did a short, leisurely hike at Beaman Park. Our hike leader was a man who really knows his flora, and he shared his knowledge with us. I remember some of what he taught us.

For National Trails Day, we'll be returning to Beaman Park to begin building a boardwalk. Details to come!

Possum Creek

Crossing the stream
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

"April showers bring May flowers" doesn't quite work in Middle Tennessee. We get both showers and flowers all at once. The poor flowers are rather brave to come out this early, given the manic depression of the spring weather. One day it will be in the 70s; the next it will be low 40s. With the cold inevitably comes rain and the threat of tornados. Today there are even rumors of snow.

All this makes it a dicey time of year for hikes. When it is nice out, it's perfect. The sun is out. It's warm but not hot. Wildflowers are in bloom. Waterfalls and streams are bursting. When it's not so nice, you'll get drenched, then frozen, then picked up and carried to Oz. So far I've been lucky with hikes, and none of our big weekend plans have been called on account of weather. Saturday's hike to Possum Creek was no exception.

Possum Creek is a ten-mile stretch of the Cumberland Trail near Soddy-Daisy. I've hiked a short bit of it before, but doing the whole thing really requires a shuttle. Unfortunately, it takes a good hour to get cars from one end to the other and back, and the drive to the trailhead is 2 1/2 hours, so it makes for a really long day.

The hike is worth it, however. Highlights include Big and Little Possum Creeks, which run through gorges, and Imodium Falls. There are numerous small cascades and rock formations. But this is one hike where even the "boring" woods are very pretty. You aren't just trudging to the next attraction - at least until the end, when the next attraction is the car, and Niagara Falls would barely get your attention.

At that point you're tired, because this hike has its challenges. There are 3500 feet of elevation change thanks to the gorges. (Tip: Start at the Big Possum Creek end and do the worst while you're still fresh.) Little Possum Creek does not yet have a bridge and has to be forded. It is deep in spots, fast, and cold. To our surprise, there was a second stream, much more placid, that also needed to be forded (pictured). Normally, we were told, it is only half an inch deep; it had risen up to our knees.

All in all it was a beautiful but challenging hike.

Fiery Gizzard hike

We love stairs
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

This weekend I led an end-to-end hike to Fiery Gizzard. We started at Grundy State Forest and finished at Foster Falls, about 14 miles total. It's a strenuous hike, particularly the first half. The second half is level until the end, when you climb back down into the gorge and right back out.

The water was running high, so there were several wet stream crossings, and the waterfalls were spectacular. As always, the boulder field added to the difficulty of the footing. This is not an easy hike. Most visitors don't hike end to end but turn around at Raven Point and go back on the Dog Hole trail.

This photo was taken at Anderson Falls. This part of the hike is on private land, and the landowners have very recently put in a staircase that goes down to the base of the falls. The stairs aren't fancy, although they do have lights. The slope is very steep and I would not have clambered down it without the stairs - all 169 of them. (Feel the burn!) This photo was taken of us at the base of the falls.

Morning mosey

Some of us met to do a morning hike at Radnor Lake. When I left the house, the chance of rain was only 30% and the sky was lightly clouded. But the moment I turned in to the parking lot, the sky broke loose. We hunkered down on the covered porch while debating whether to call the hike off, but eventually the rain ceased and we decided to go for it.

I left my camera in the car in case the respite was only temporary, but in fact our hike remained dry. We took our time; perhaps the rain had thrown us out of our usual rhythm. We started by crossing the spillway over to boathouse. The storm had left a few low clouds behind that crowned the hills behind the lake. We stopped to admire the view, and a tree with each twig tipped in shining water, and an early-blooming lilac. It is wildflower season, and one of our number was an experienced naturalist and named for us rue anemone, dutchmen's breeches, and pussyfoot flower. We saw even more animals out that usual, perhaps because there were fewer people - a dozen each of deer and turtles, including one elderly turtle crossing the road, but also a pileated woodpecker and more common creatures like yellow millipedes with their reek of almonds.

All in all it was a very satisfying hike, and, of course, none of us had our cameras with us to capture it.

Hike-Inn weekend

Sunrise
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

I spent three days at the Hike-Inn at Amicalola Falls State Park in Georgia this weekend. It's a 4.4-mile hike to the Inn - no drivers allowed. Once you've arrived, you can camp in comparative luxury. It's not the Ritz, nor does it pretend to be, but it's a huge step up from a tent or even a primitive cabin. There are showers, heat, home-cooked meals, and entertainment.

On the second day of our stay we hiked up to Springer Mountain, the southern end of the Appalachian Trail. Although I've read about the AT and should have known better, I was still surprised by the trailhead. I expected it to be a three-ring circus swarming with people, surrounded by a parking lot and maybe even a visitors' center. Nope. You have to hike over five miles just to get to Springer Mountain. It was still a busy place - the vernal equinox is the traditional AT through-hike start date, and this was the day after - but it was just a one-ring circus.

Shouldering a burden

This weekend we did a hiking trip that required us to carry our clothes and any non-standard toiletries (i.e., bring your own deodorant), but no camping gear. The lodge we stayed at had a pack scale, and my pack weighed in at 24 pounds. Yikes, I thought: This is heavy enough without everything I'd need to do, say, the Appalachian Trail. One book I have recommends that on a two-week solo summer trip a pack might weigh 31.5 pounds. Pack weights are listed without water or food (which add to the final total by as much as 16 pounds), so after subtracting my 64 oz of water, my pack weighed 20 pounds. That still seems like a lot. So what would I do differently for a real hardcore long trip?

My pack itself weighs 6 pounds, 14 ounces. I like it, but it's not exactly a lightweight pack. I could spend more and shave a pound off that. I carried several things I wouldn't on a long trip - my wallet, my phone, a hardback, some toiletries. I wasn't sashaying around the lodge in mascara, mind you, but I wore deodorant, something most distance hikers dispose with: you stink anyway. My clothing might be slightly lighter, although it's hard to guesstimate because the mix of items would be slightly different. All that, if I'm generous, would take my pack down to 15 pounds. Then I'd have to put back in my tent, sleeping bag, etc.

Backpackers seem obsessed with pack weight and it sounds goofy to anyone who hasn't tried it - "Oooh, I shaved 3 ounces off, I'm so special." But when you actually put the big thing on your back and carry it for a few days, every pound matters and suddenly the obsession makes sense. Even backpackers who aren't ultralight freaks probably give at least passing thought to cutting off unnecessary tags.

Fiery Gizzard scouting hike

For an upcoming long hike, a few of us did a scouting hike to Fiery Gizzard. First we hiked the Grundy Forest Loop, a 2-mile trail that provides access to the Fiery Gizzard Trail. To the FG trail is either .7 or 1.3 miles; we agreed that the .7-mile segment was much prettier, so there was no value to adding extra mileage. The loop itself is rather nice. There was a great deal more water than the last time we'd been there, and we had a few wet stream crossings.
Next we drove to the other end of the FG trail to check out the Foster Falls climbing loop. It's another 2-mile loop created to give rock climbers access to the bluffs. However, in this case the longer portion of the access to FG was much, much better. The bluffs are impressive, and Foster Falls was much larger than I anticipated. This section of the loop is also more difficult, however, so for the upcoming through trip I'll see how everyone feels when we get to the junction.
Our third short hike was only 1.5 miles and mostly flat, but it was still intriguing. The Lone Rock Trail at Grundy Lakes State Park circles the lake and passes by many of the old coke ovens. These are left over from a coal mining operation of the late 1800s. It was run with convict labor, and it sure doesn't look like it would have been fun to operate a hot fire in the summertime.

Spring break part II

Beautiful day
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

It's spring break season, and the Cumberland Trail Conference is one of the many hosts of the Alternative Spring Break program. For five weeks, groups of college students are traveling to Soddy-Daisy to help build trail. I went out to help cook for the group of 70-some people (four schools plus CTC staff and volunteers) during the second week of the program.

The days were actually pretty long, and some days I never made it outside the building. But Wednesday was our day off (well, theoretically - we spent the morning shopping for food), and so that afternoon we did a short hike on the Possum segment of the trail. This photo was taken from the bridge we hiked to. This bridge is actually one that my hiking club helped build last summer. The really sad thing is that I didn't recognize it with more water, an approach from the other side, and a completed bridge!

I left on Saturday to come back to Nashville. Time to get to work.

Spring break part I

Blue Hole Falls
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

I left town last Saturday, heading south on I-5 to Old Stone Fort State Park. After seeing a freeway sign for "wind powered coffee" I stopped here for a drink. It wasn't much farther to the park, which has a very misleading name. Settlers saw the rock walls and assumed the area was a fort, but archeologists have since decided otherwise. I wouldn't even have known there were walls; they were never tall, and time has broken them down and covered them so they just look like small mounds. The wall itself is at the top of a plateau-topped bluff surrounded by the Duck River.

The main trail that circles the walls is just 1.5 miles long. There are several optional excursions down to see waterfalls and the river that are difficult to strenuous, making the total distance I hiked 2.6 miles. Most hikes this distance don't offer much scenery - or they are overrun with crowds. This one was neither. It was a very pleasant surprise.

After this break, I got back on the road to Soddy-Daisy where the Cumberland Traiil Conference was camped out.

Return to Cloudland Canyon

Sunny day at Cloudland
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Cloudland is a beautiful hike. Last time we were there it was fall, and the colors were amazing. Now, of course, there were few leaves other than evergreens, but the hike was still very nice. It has enough waterfall views and bluff views to satisfy even the greediest eyes.

For some reason our group ended up being small. Even a week ago it was at capacity and we had a waiting list, but by the night before it was down to 14 people, and six of those didn't show. However, along the trail we ran into the Soddy-Daisy chapter of the TTA, whom some of us had hiked with before. There were a lot of folks out enjoying the day - maybe Nashville was cocooning, but not everyone else!

Water Valley Overlook hike

The best part of the hike
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

We did a new hike yesterday that we vowed to never do again. Click on the photo to follow the story in photographs.

Return to Piney River

Peaceful river
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

We hiked Piney River almost a month ago when the weather was gray and rainy. This time it was sunny and a perfect temperature.

This time around, we hiked from Shut-in Gap to the Newby trailhead, the opposite direction of last time. A couple of us thought it would be more downhill, but we were so wrong. The elevation gain was about 2240 instead of 630! But a good half of that gain was in our side trip to the Twin Falls Overlook, which we didn't do last time. Either way it is a lovely hike.

Cumberland Trail Adventure Part II

White way
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Day 2, continued: We bail on the Cumberland Trail and decide to live in the lap of luxury by going to Cracker Barrel for lunch. We chat over nice, hot food in a nice, centrally heated restaurant, and two of our group decide to head back to Nashville. The rest of us decide that even though we can't do the trail as planned, we can tough out a second night in the cold. So we head out to Frozen Head State Park, one of my favorite Tennessee parks, and set up camp.

Day 3: We wake up to a winter wonderland. It is actually slightly warmer than the previous night, but the snow is falling and everything looks very picturesque. We don't do a real hike - just .6 miles to DeBoard Falls and then back. Then we pack up and head back to town.

All in all, it was cold but fun, and it was nice to know we could handle everything that came our way. Next time we go camping, though, it'll be a little warmer.

Cumberland Trail adventure

Big pack
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Day 1: We start the Smoky Mountain segment of the Cumberland Trail later than intended. It's pretty strenuous. We have to camp before we reach our intended campsite. We camp at Duncan Falls, which is pretty - although frozen. Instead of the low being the promised 20-something, it reaches 9F, plus wind. We all go to bed early to stay warm.

Day 2: Due to the mileage and strenuousness, plotted against our capabilities, we opt to head back to the car.

Day 3: Coming soon ...

(This photo is from Day 2, which was somewhat warmer, and I had put my extra layers in my pack, making it very tall.)

Packing

Tents
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

We're going backpacking this weekend, probably because we're insane - or at least everyone seems to think. I have backpacked in colder weather (let's skip over the fact that I didn't enjoy it at all), and hey, we are in the South, and our low is liable to be 20F. People sleep in tents in Antarctica, after all. People sleep on snow. People live in igloos.

So my biggest concern is packing warm. I'd rather carry a bit too much than not enough. My sleeping bag is rated to 15F, but I sleep cold, so I'm also bringing a fleece liner. Add in a Platypus bottle filled with hot water, and I should be cozy.

I'm also taking along my new tent. It's lighter than my old old one (it weighs 65% as much) and has more headroom. I put them side by side, and you can also see how much smaller it is. Yes, they're both one-person tents.

I think I'm pretty set. I'm doing last minute laundry and have a few items to pick up at the store. If I do freeze to death or get shot - oh yeah, didn't I mention there was a youth big game hunt on this weekend? Cold doesn't worry me nearly as much as adolescents with guns do.

Wilderness Trail

Not the big view
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

On Sunday we hiked the Wilderness Trail on the shore of Cordell Hull Lake. It's 6 miles long and as much elevation gain as you'll get around here - about 300 feet per mile. However, this is a horse trail, and so the trail goes straight up the hills rather than switchbacking, making for a rather vigorous experience.

The trail is a good workout and pretty but not gorgeous. Perhaps it was just the weather bringing me down, since it was overcast and cold. The hike offers a lot of views of the lake, but they are all through trees. In the summer you would be able to see much less. (It would also be very overgrown in the summer, and hot + ticks + steep hills = no thanks.)

Scouting Piney River

Waters
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

On Saturday we headed out to the Piney River segment of the Cumberland Trail for a scouting hike. We wanted to check it out before leading a trip there with the hiking club; the descriptions I had seen made it sound like a lovely hike without being terribly difficult.

The trail itself is about ten miles, so it's best done one-way with a car shuttle. The route we took was slightly different from the one I think I will use when leading the trip, and I can't decide which direction is best to hike it in. The way we hiked it, the most beautiful stuff was in the first half of the hike. This made the second half somewhat anticlimactic. On the other hand, if we do it in reverse, perhaps folks will be too tired to fully appreciate the scenery.

Because there was a lot of scenery to appreciate. The trail follows the Piney River, and there's something comforting about hearing the roar of a river while hiking. The eastern third of the trail stays high above the river, but the western portion follows close by, with five bridges crossing the river or its tributaries. Along the way there are many good river views, ranging from deep turquoise waters to shallow rapids and foamy white waterfalls. We were told that you can tube the river, suggesting to us an intriguing hike/tube combination trip.

The trail is at a high enough elevation that there are good number of evergreens. There is also a good bit of mountain laurel, which suggests it would be a good spring hike, when the laurel is blooming and there is still enough water to keep the river moving. Winter offers the advantage of even more scenic views where the leaves are off the trees, although there are enough vantage points that the summer hiker would not notice their absence.

I should mention that the weather on our hike was gray and misty, with occasional rain showers. Mist is attractive but eventually becomes tiresome, and this hike was still spectacular when we were damp.

All in all, the hike lived up to my expectations for it, and I'm excited about returning with the group to see it again.

Hiking in 2008

In 2008, I hiked 300.25 miles, nearly double 2007. I accomplished my goals of hiking Walls of Jericho, backpacking at least one night, and hiking the Sewanee Perimeter. The last was almost my longest hike ever.

Since I started keeping track in June 2002, I have hiked a total of almost 800 miles. I've hiked in 13 states: WA, OR, WY, IN, TN, CO, KS, HI, NC, AR, AL, KY, GA. (Before I started counting, I got MT in as well.) I've hiked about 780 miles since that time. By comparison, the Appalachian Trail is 2174 miles; at this rate, it'll take me another 14 years to hike its equivalent. But if I hike at this year's rate, rather than at the average since I started counting, it'll only take me another 7 years and a few months.

Weekend hikes

Nice day
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

This weekend I did two hikes.

On Saturday we went to Brady Mountain, a 7.9-mile segment of the Cumberland Trail. My mental image of "a mountain" is conical, but Brady Mountain is more like a snake; the hike follows along a long top ridge. The trail had recently been reblazed, and the trail was easy to follow - which had apparently not been the case previously. I didn't find it to be as scenic as some parts of the CT, although it had some charms. There are two airplane wrecks on the side of the mountain; we didn't see them because halfway through it started to rain and we hustled. Those would be worth hunting for. There aren't any real viewpoints, making winter or early spring the best time to do it. Otherwise, the trees would be too thick to see the valleys on either side of the ridge.

Sunday I led a hike at Edgar Evins State Park, also 7.9 miles. We did 9, though, because I mistakenly repeated a loop. I have to work on this leading thing! Some hikes I know really well, and others you can't get lost on because there are no intersections and they are well-marked. When I'm by myself or just with friends, I tend to be a lot more cautious about looking for signs and not being afraid to pull out my map. But when I lead a hike that I know only moderately well, I tend to get overconfident. And the group tends to assume I know what I'm doing, so they're not on the lookout until it's too late. However, we got back on track and completed the hike. Although the day was cold it was sunny, and we had some really nice views of Center Hill Lake - like this photo here.

Holiday season

I'm busy with dissertation stuff (and holiday festivity), so apologies for the sparseness of posting.

Last night I went to a holiday party at my adviser's house. He cooked up New Orleans-style food, and his wife (a professional pastry chef) made desserts. The food was really, really excellent.

Today I did a short hike at Shelby Park.

Various other activities have involved eating, working on my dissertation, studying, yoga, and more eating.

Twin Arches hike

Bluffs
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

On Sunday we did a hike at Big South Fork National Park. This park, which straddles the border of Kentucky and Tennessee, is beautiful but not highly visited. It is honeycombed with trails and is a great place to get away from the crowds you can find at some national parks. Our hike started with the Twin Arches and took us southwest to the Middle Creek trailhead. There are a lot of impressive sandstone formations. Sadly, there is also a lot of pine beetle damage.

Mullens Cove

Snooper's rock, looking right
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

On Saturday we hiked the Mullens Cove loop, which is 10.2 miles in Franklin State Forest. The trail is not new but is now part of the Cumberland Trail. The highlight of the trip is this overlook, called Snooper's Rock.

Return to Stone Door

View from the top
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

We went back to Stone Door on Sunday - not backpacking this time, but day hiking. We started at the ranger station, headed down the Stone Door trail to the Big Creek Gulf trail (heading in the opposite direction from last time), and then back around to the Door via the Big Creek Rim trail. All told it was 9.8 miles. A couple of us stuck around to do the quick .3-mile Laurel Falls loop afterwards.

Naturally, it was fall instead of summer, changing the landscape, but the biggest difference was that there was more water. This photo was taken where Big Creek drops underground into a sinkhole. Last time the creek was dry. We skipped the side trip to Ranger Falls entirely last time, assuming it would be dry, and this time it was roaring nicely.

Cloudland Canyon

Group shot
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Here's the group photo from a 6.8-mile hike we did at Cloudland Canyon, in Georgia near the TN/AL border. The leaves were just beginning to hit their stride.

Sewanee Perimeter hike

Memorial Cross
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

Yesterday I combined two of my favorite things: higher education and hiking. With a few friends, I hiked the Perimeter Trail around the University of the South. It's a 20-mile hike, and we reached it via a .3-mile access trail.

This was the longest hike any of us had done to date. One reason we were all willing was that the campus has lots of fire roads and other trails, allowing us to cut it short if we were pooped. Supposedly it was reasonably flat, although according to my altimeter, we gained about 200 feet per mile.

The hike was full of variety, much more interesting than the 18-mile hike from a few weeks ago. The scenery kept our attention (especially when we walked past Crust Pizza!). The distance took its toll, though. I was dying before we were halfway done. But by the end I actually felt better.

Taming the Savage Gulf

Enjoying the view
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

It was all my idea, so the praise (or more likely blame) falls to me: I thought hiking 18 miles would be a great idea.

Well, we survived it. I have a few blisters and a bee sting to show for it, plus some pretty pictures of overlooks. The highlight of the trip was the Great Bee Hunt.

When we were stopped for lunch, two men came through and chatted. Reportedly, there were yellowjacket nests on the trail the way we were going. They hadn't gone that way themselves, though. As the admitted bee weenie, I would have turned around, but my co-leader held firm. We had barely gotten started when we ran into a small group who had encountered the little buggers and had stings to show for it. Tension was running high among my fellow weenies, when one of the hikers pulled out his handy woodcraft. If we walked slowly and gently, he said, with some space between us, we shouldn't stir them up.

So after a few of us covered every inch of skin we could, we crawled forward. It was a funny sight; we looked like refugee mimes hunting wabbits. Remarkably, only our hardy woodcrafter got stung, and the yellowjackets did not chase us.

My sting? It occurred earlier in the hike, when without warning I felt a sharp pain in my butt. Rather unfair, you know, for it not to give me a chance to panic.

More photos at Darrell's page.

Tsali weekend

Amazing view
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

This past weekend I went on a weekend trip to Tsali, NC organized by Team Green. The group rented five cabins for four days. The area is a mecca for kayakers and mountain bikers, but I ended up just hiking.

On Friday we did a short hike along the Appalachian Trail up to Wesser Bald. At the top of the bald is a fire tower with magnificent views of the surrounding mountains. The photo here was taken on the tower. That evening, our fine chef made individual pizzas. (No, we didn't hire a chef; one of our cabin mates loves to cook and is really good at it.)

On Saturday we took on a more challenging hike. At this point I should back up and explain how little sleep I was running on. Our cabin had 17 people staying in it, and somehow it became the party cabin. Thursday night I was never able to fall asleep at all, and Friday night I only managed three hours. So come Saturday, I really had no business tackling a hike that gained 3000 feet over five miles. But no way was I going to be left behind. We planned to hike up the Bartram Trail, which connects to the AT. Once reaching the AT, the idea is to walk another half mile or so to Cheoah Bald.

The trail started off with some confusion, as there were quite a few side trails, but eventually we found the right path and started plowing straight uphill. I thought I was going to die. (And I'll admit it, I was the slow one on this trip.) Eventually the incline moderated as the trail followed Ledbetter Creek, which had many small cascades and moss-covered boudlers. After we crossed an ATV road, the trail once again went relentlessly up. It didn't stop until we reached the bald, where we found ourselves in a mist with no view. Going down, of course, was faster, although not easier for everyone - I'm lucky that my knees are good. By the end, we were thrilled to have completed what we called "Satan's run."

We planned to do a little paddling on Sunday, but no one felt motivated enough to make time for it.

Bridge buiding

Bridge
Originally uploaded by TheTurducken

I spent the weekend with a group of volunteers helping to build a bridge on the Cumberland Trail. The 70-foot bridge spans Possum Creek and will make crossing the creek possible during wetter seasons.

We spent most of the first day carrying fiberglass boards in from an access point. This was done in relay teams, with two people carrying a board for roughly one-tenth of a mile to the next team. On the second day, some folks assembled crosspieces that hold the railings, others blazed trail, and my group loaded bridge parts on a zip line down the gorge.

We got a lot of work done and actually came out ahead of schedule, which was terrific.