Tag: Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Appalachian Trail Dreaming

Since my vacation in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park I’ve tried to wind down my obsession with the Appalachian Trail a little. Honest! I want to concentrate on solo hikes in my neck of the woods and few group hikes.  Hopefully I will be able to get a handful of over-nighters during the summer months, too.

But, I can’t seem to get my head out of the Appalachian Trail or out of the Smoky Mountains! When I fall asleep I see those amazing mountains of blue, grey and purple. If you’ve seen them, you know what I mean.

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See what I mean?

You would think my dreams would be calm and sweet.  But NO!  My dreams are filled with walking the trail and sometimes the trail is a DEAD END! Or there’s a scary BEAR! Or I keep walking the same trail over and over and over.  I wake up in a sweat and can’t fall back to sleep.

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Please don’t let this EVER happen to me!

Well, I think I need therapy.  How about I take a walk!  No, seriously, I need help!  I’ve decided to step back from the Appalachian Trail a little, no a lot.  I’m going to concentrate more on my immediate surroundings, my house, my family and friends and even other hobbies besides hiking!

Let me clarify, I have not given up on my goal of thru hiking the AT!!

Recently, I’ve hiked with my MOM!  My mom grew up loving the outdoors and wandering around the woods between the border of NY and PA not far from the Allegheny National Forest.  I think I get my love for the woods from her!  We went to a trail that I’ve discovered before and that I knew would be “kind” to her.  It’s a mile and a quarter long trail with gentle slopes and meanders along a little creek with little waterfalls.  I know we will be back.

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My mom making a swan dive into the waterfall. I stopped her.
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My mommy!!
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She only accused me of trying to kill her once. She though the hill was too steep.

Linda and I have also been out in the last few weeks exploring (and geocaching).  I’m lucky to have friends and family that enjoy being outside.

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My bestie!
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Linda and I made an Inukshuk.
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Little waterfall.
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Big waterfall.

I was out on National Trail Day, June 4.  I visited the Eternal Flame in Chestnut Ridge Park.  My favorite place to go.

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These natural gas flames are in a grotto behind a waterfall. So beautiful!

Unfortunately, I said good-bye to my good friend and hiking partner, Shelly!  Livingonthedirt.com  She left for her grand adventure on Memorial Day. She’s traveling out West to visit many of the National Parks!  I’m going to miss this woman soooo much! She took me on my very first overnight backpacking trip and taught me so many things. Please follow her blog!  She’s so excited to start this new path in life.  I’m so excited FOR HER!

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Shelly is a secret Disney Princess – birds just land in her hands!

 

One day of Amazing Adventure in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park

A 12 hour drive from my home is the most visited National Park in the country – The Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  This park is visited more than the Grand Canyon!  I can see why, it is spectacular!

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The Appalachian Trail runs right through the Smokies so of course I decided I must walk a little bit of the trail while I visited.  The weather has been perfect for outdoor play.

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The 360 degree view from Clingman’s Dome Tower is amazing.  The hike up to the tower is at a 13 degree grade.  It is steep!  Clingman’s Dome is the highest point on the Appalachian Trail, so it was important for me to visit this place first.  It was worth every staggering step and drop of sweat.

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We encountered a few thru hikers at the tower, but I was too shy to approach them.  I just stared and looked like a creeper.  When we climbed up the tower an honest to goodness thru hiker took our picture for us.  He was a military man, but again, I was too shy to ask many questions.

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I had planned out a very short hike on the Appalachian Trail after hiking Clingman’s Dome.  It was just 1.7 miles from Road Prong trail head to Newfound Gap.  Easy.  Dave dropped me off at the trail head and I posed for the obligatory first steps/first white blaze ever on the AT photos.

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My boot hit the narrow trail and my heart skipped a beat.  My adrenaline flooded into my body and all the sudden I became very nervous, anxious, excited, happy, overwhelmed, you name it, I felt it.  I walked a few feet into the trail and saw my second white blaze.  Realizing I should not be out of breath so soon, and why were my knees shaking?  I stopped to check myself and my surroundings.  My brain was still wrapping itself around the fact that I was on the AT.  I took a deep breath of the mountain air, did a little spin in the middle of trail, looked up, looked down, to the left and to the right.  Finally, I propelled myself forward on the trail easily, knowing Dave was waiting for me at the trail head at Newfound Gap.  I told him to give me one hour.

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The trail itself was in great shape.  There were stairs built out of logs and you could see where some trees had fallen and they were recently cleared away from the path.  Trail maintainers are heroes in my book!  I gracefully tripped over a root or two, grateful for my hiking poles keeping me upright.  There were magnificent little white flowers in bloom so it looked like it had snowed.  I thought it looked like a fairy land!

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There was an enclosure that I had to hike over.  It was a fenced area protecting the beech tree from the invasive wild boar.  I was really, really hoping I didn’t encounter a crazy wild pig!  However, this post would have been more interesting if I had!

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When the end of the hike was approaching I saw Dave hiking out towards me.  He’s a worrier.  It took me about 45 minutes because of all the stopping to photograph and look around.  It was nice to complete a small, very manageable, portion of the trail.  I would love to do more, but that will have to wait.

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See Dave, I didn’t get lost!

 

 

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