Mouse Creek Falls Rendezvous

Yesterday morning we left our cozy rental in Gatlinburg and drove an hour to the Big Creek area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park to meet Sharon for a hike.  To get to Big Creek we took I-40 towards Asheville into North Carolina. We got off at exit 451 and found this fine mess in the middle of the road.  On our way back out after our hike I pulled over and removed all but the two largest pieces so no one gets hurt.

After detouring around the pieces of mountain that had left dents in the asphalt we continued on.  The approach road to Big Creek isn't very long or rough, but it is a narrow gravel road.  The views are stunning though!

We got right to business once we got out of our cars, and even though Cory was sleepy and reluctant to hike we encouraged him to give it a chance.  Who could resist faces like these?

We weren't on the trail very long when we saw two deer.

After watching them for a few minutes we continued on the gradual climb alongside Big Creek.  I noticed some quartz intermingled with the cliff face, and of course some lichens and other things.

We got caught up on each others' news, and Sharon asked Cory some questions and got to know him a little better. When we got to the halfway point we convinced Cory to keep going since the grade wasn't as steep.  He took out his Nintendo 3DS to keep him distracted from his tired legs.

The only thing of note that happened along the trail was a military jet flew over head, ripping apart the peace and quiet.  I wonder what the wildlife thought of it?

Eventually we made it to our destination of Mouse Creek Falls after 2.1 miles.  Sharon got out her snack and enjoyed the serenity while I hopped around trying to get a good shot.

The autofocus didn't want to focus on the waterfall, but the manual focus didn't do me much good since I suddenly can't see worth a darn out of my glasses.  I know there is a way to adjust the diopters for the viewfinder, I guess I need to investigate that.  Not like I don't know how to make that work for me, I do it on our lensometer at work all the time when I check in glasses.

Mouse Creek Falls

Sharon had Cory take our picture.  The look on his face as he was made to suffer this torture was just as cute as the looks on our faces in the pictures he took.

Back at the parking lot we introduced Sharon to the delights of chocolate from the Chocolate B'ar and now she can't wait to stop in there on her next trip through Townsend to get some sea salt caramels. Then it was so-long-see-you-later and Sharon headed north back to Knoxville while we turned south towards Table Rock State Park in South Carolina.

We made it just minutes before they were closing up the visitor's center and the lady was a little irritated that we didn't call ahead and rushed through all our check in information.  I'll talk more tomorrow about my impressions of SC's State Parks service issues, but the CCC built cabin we rented is lovely...and free from TV, Verizon service, and wifi is down the road at the camp store.  Somehow we will survive!

Sun, Sun, Go Away!

Yes, you read that right.  This photographer does not like the sun.  And the combination of sun, spotty snow and water did not make for nice pictures yesterday.  The polarizer was not much help either.

Cory shoots Lynn Camp Prong

This picture I took of Cory on the bridge at the Middle Prong Trailhead is the only one I got all day that I could say that I actually like.  Out of 78 pictures I took I only kept 7.  The glare on the rest of them was too crazy.

Middle Prong trail

Now, while I didn't like what the sun was doing to my photos, I was happy when we walked into its warming light.  It was only 35F at noon when we started our 2.5 mile walk.  Didn't we come south to escape that kind of thing?

After walking those 2.5 miles I let Cory off the hook and he went back to the car to play his Nintendo 3DS.  I then struck out on the unmarked side trail in hopes of finding some remains of the Tremont logging camp.

tannin stained icicle

I didn't find anything, either nothing is left or I need a guide to get me to the right spot.  But, I enjoyed adding another hour long ramble to my day, bringing my total mileage up to around 5 miles before lunch, and that half was all in the sun.

bobcat tracks??? size and shape seem right

Just a few minutes in on the unmarked trail is a metal bridge that crosses Thunderhead Prong.  While none of my pictures turned out worth a bobcat's fart, for some reason the video I made looked just fine.  Maybe I need to check my camera settings...

After hiking we were in need of sustenance so we headed in to Townsend where there weren't a lot of food options at this time of year.  We got Subway and then wandered next door to The Chocolate B'ar (that's hillbilly for bear, dontcha know) where all I've got to say is...AMAZING!  Some of the best chocolate I've ever tasted, and at a reasonable price too.

box on the left is ours, box on the right for
Wayne & Katrina...if it lasts that long

After that we stopped by the Little River Railroad Museum but it's closed for the winter.  Cory enjoyed looking at the Class C Shay locomotive that was built in 1909 on display outside.  They were made specifically for hauling heavy loads up steep hills.  It worked for the Little River Lumber Company from 1932-1935.  It inspired a little trip down memory lane for us to the days when Cory was a preschooler who watched Thomas the Tank Engine incessantly.

Cory checks out the cab

Legs tired and bellies full of chocolate we drove back to Gatlinburg where we made a quick stop at Ole Smoky Moonshine to buy Wayne some blackberry flavored 'shine for Valentine's Day.  As Cory said, "nothing says love like moonshine".

And I even got to see the moon rise over the mountains as the day ended from the deck of our rental house!  I may not have been a fan of the sun yesterday but I loved seeing the moon.  Today we packed up and left Gatlinburg to make our way to South Carolina...but we'll be stopping at Big Creek to hike with Sharon first, so stay tuned.

What We've Been Up To - A Smokies Sampler

First off thanks to the Furry Gnome for helping me out with the Frostweed identification the other day.  Turns out my first guess of ice was technically correct!

Cory's first Smokies waterfall

No ice Saturday behind the Sugarlands VisitorCenter on the nature trail to Cataract Falls though.  It was a short, level walk with a few interesting features including signs labeling a variety of trees.  I'll have to walk it again when I'm here at a time of year that the leaves are still hanging on.  Tree identification just doesn't seem to want to stick in my head.

Rue gets out for some fresh air too

Cory got introduced to the "plunge into the stream" concept of waterproof hiking boots.  Why try to balance on slippery stones or loose logs?  Just plant your foot down and cross that rivulet!

I'm pretty sure this isn't a plant and is in my lichen book...which I left at home!

He wasn't thrilled when I made him walk uphill on the Cove Mountain Trail for a few minutes.  I told him the best way to work out those sore muscles was to use them, and that as much as he didn't want to hear it they say "no pain, no gain" for a reason.  Just push through for a couple of days and the pain will be gone and won't return unless you overdo.

Back at the bottom we opted to cross over the road instead of going back under it and because we did we got to see a small graveyard on our way back to the Sugarlands Visitor Center.  When we got back to the car it was still early enough that I thought we'd take the Little River Road down to The Sinks for a quick look, no walking required.  It was also an opportunity to teach him about polarizers since he is trying to learn more about how work a DSLR.

Cory using extreme caution

Signs are everywhere telling you to use extreme caution at The Sinks, and we did, but we also got out onto the ledge to fully appreciate the view.  It wasn't the roaring madness that Wayne and I saw back in October, but those rocks are still deadly I'm sure.

I already showed you my solo hike up the Bull Head trail on Sunday, but in the afternoon Cory and I strolled around downtown Gatlinburg.  We passed on the Ripley's Aquarium when I heard the price, and when we got back home I did some research and found out we could get $5 off admission by going after 5:00 p.m. so that's what we did today.

shark alert

Even with the $5 off admission was $22.99 each and while we had a good time it was still overpriced due to its small size and limited variety of exhibits. The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago is $37.95 (gulp!) but if you're going to spend big it is the real deal and worth the money.

Even though photography was allowed it was incredibly difficult to get any kind of shot worth having due to their really bad lighting.  Not only was the lighting bad for photography, in a lot of instances it discolored the natural look of the marine animal in question.  For the jellyfish they had a changing "light show" where the color changed constantly.  If those jellyfish can sense that at all they must be driven insane.

Giant Japanese Crab

Cory's two favorite exhibits were the Giant Japanese Crabs and the Horseshoe Crabs.  The Horseshoe Crabs were in a "touch" pool and an attendant even took one out and held it upside down for us to see its underside.  As we approached the pool it dawned on me that I was carrying an underwater camera and I got permission to stick it under the water and take the picture below.

Horseshoe Crab

Lighting wise definitely the best shot I got at the aquarium since the light was fairly close to natural though I did have to adjust the light setting to get rid of a yellowish cast.  I think I had the ISO set too high on the pictures too because they came out too grainy, but with the movement and the low light what other choice did I have?  (If there is a good answer to that question, by all means let me know!)  Cory got to learn about ISO and how to set it on his camera though so a teaching experience was had.  I don't know if I'll make a hiker out of him, but I have a willing photography student!

While southern Wisconsin got a foot of snow on Sunday Gatlinburg was forecasted to get some yesterday so I was a little leery about driving down the twisty mountain road in the morning.  But since I couldn't imagine being trapped inside all day I slipped out the back door of our cabin and started scrambling down the hillside.

our cabin above

There were lots of branches, roots and blowdowns to keep me anchored but after awhile I made my way out to the road and came back up that way.  I was gone for half an hour, perfect for a little cardio and the road didn't get icy after all.

Innsbruck Drive, steeper than most of the trails!

Today's adventure....in search of waterfalls!

Bull Head Trail - What Happens Without a Plan

This hike was too good to wait to share, murals will have to wait for another Monday!  On Sunday morning I gave up on trying to wake up Night-Owl-Cory and decided to take a hike by myself on our first full day at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I didn't really have a plan, but wanted to keep it close to "home" so I drove over to Cherokee Orchard Road.  I knew that the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail was closed in the winter but that there was access to a couple of trailheads before that point.

Footbridge to the left of the "road"

When I got to the parking area I decided to take the Old Sugarlands Trail and when I got to the junction for Bull Head I'd decide which way to go then.  The Old Sugarlands Trail used to be a road and near the start of the hike it crosses LeConte Creek.  I opted to walk through the water in the "road" instead of crossing the creek using the little wooden footbridge.

The pavement eventually gives way to gravel and once past the sound of the creek there was much to see including some fungi and signs of the old settlements that used to be in the area.

property line most likely

There was a pair of ladies who got on the trail right after I did and as I was contemplating taking the turn for the Bull Head Trail they caught up to me so I asked them to take a picture for me.

At this point I'd gone 0.4 miles and was itching for a challenge so I took a left and headed up.

What I didn't know was that Bull Head was the name of a mountain.  Sometimes not knowing where I will end up going is a good thing or I might never go.  How did I get that shot of me on the trail?  I attached my new Canon Powershot D30 to my hiking stick!  Just plant it in the dirt, set the timer, and selfies can be yours without outstretched arms in the picture!

As I kept ascending I was glad that I'd opted for the light camera and all pictures in this post were taken with it or with my iPhone, including the one below.  Owl pellet?

Something else I had packed instead of my heavy DSLR gear was some Yaktrax in case I ran into some snow on the trail.  Since I ended up climbing 1.5 miles up the side of a mountain they ended up being very useful indeed.

Rue enjoys the view- selfie with iPhone this time

I also got the ingenious idea to use the flap on my unzipped pack as a seating pad.  Must have been all that oxygen I was getting to my brain.  Dry pants are important.

Protection from a snowy perch

Yaktrax

With my footing secured I was free to enjoy the climb and take in the views.  Even though there was snow on the trail it was 40F with only the occasional gust of wind and with all that exertion I kept warm easily.

The snow looked like no one but me had been on it that day.  Well, me and a few icicles.

 I kept hoping I'd run across a trail intersection so I could say I'd made it to a certain point before turning around but the trail just kept going up until it ran out of mountain to climb.

Besides the views I had lichens to keep me entertained including some rather large pieces that had blown off the rock face above me.

But my favorite was a new discovery just before I turned around.  I wasn't in the park 24 hours and I found 2 lichens that I needed to look up because they were new to me.  I guess I have to start packing that guide on trips.

Whoa! extreme close-up

 The trail leveled out and suddenly I thought I heard a human sound.  Sure enough a group of 4 hikers from Chattanooga appeared around a bend.  They were making their way down from the Lodge at Mt. LeConte and informed me it would be a long way if I kept going.  I let them pass me by and took a short break before turning around.  I caught up to them a little later and we chatted for a few more minutes before they stopped for a break and I continued on to the bottom on my own.

On the way down I kept a quick steady pace and with the timing I figured I must have gone about 1.5 miles up after I turned onto Bull Head.  With the 0.4 mile addition on Old Sugarlands I estimated I hiked about 4 miles.  Not too shabby for a "quick hike".  It only took me a little over 2 hours and Cory was just waking up when I got back.  Traffic in Gatlinburg on Superbowl Sunday was nonexistent, we picked the perfect time to come...especially to escape the blizzard conditions back home in the Midwest.  Sunday it snowed and blowed all day back home and here in Gatlinburg we're worrying that we might get less than an inch today because the temperature might actually hit freezing. I knew it was a good time of year to get out of Chicagoland!

No Mural But What a Post Office!

When we were on our way through Indiana I had it on my list of stops to detour in Terre Haute and find their old U.S. Post Office because I thought there was a mural there.  No mural, but the building was an art deco dream!

Built in 1934 the massive federal building was originally home not only to the Post Office but also to the IRS, the FBI and the Social Security Administration.

Now it's home to the Indiana State University Scott College of Business, and students were busy coming in and out while I wandered around with my camera.

If you have any doubt about whether what you are looking at is art deco, remember that the style favored shiny ornamentation of brass, chrome and aluminum and vertical lines as well as geometric designs.

As if the eagles aren't fabulous enough, there were symbols everywhere I looked.

elevator doors

Research reveals the mural is there...it was in the courtroom on the floor above.  Oh, well, another reason to revisit Terre Haute.

Egyptian influence also common in art deco

And as we drove away from the old Post Office I saw this building and instantly recognized the Vault style of architecture from my wanderings in Lafayette.  Sherry had commented that she was impressed with my architectural knowledge, but I confessed to her that Google is the one who knows it all.  However, once I learn some new jargon I'm usually pretty good at retaining it!

643 Wabash Avenue is the home of the Visitors Bureau according to Google