Sunday school Christmas Party

 

Great time with Sunday school at Jeff and Melvina's home. 

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Murfreesboro and Highland Rim Christmas Party

We combined our annual Christmas party with the Highland Rim chapter this year to try something different. We met at the Ada Wright Center in the Fred Deadman Park in Manchester. It was a potluck and with a cookie exchange. Door prizes were awarded to the best decorated tables, and we sang some Christmas songs. We enjoyed spending time with members of the Highland Rim chapter and their guests. Folks attending from Murfreesboro were Jay Brain, Anna Lina Buckley, Joe Campbell, Craig McBride, Lora McBride, Sara Pollard, Georganne Ross, Martina Terrazas and her son Eduardo. 

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Flipper Bend

Lora and I hiked the Flipper Bend Loop trail which is now under the Chickamauga Creek Gorge State Park. Nine mile trail with lots of hills and a couple of water crossings along with some wonderful views.

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Prentice Cooper State Forest TTA

Sara led 11 of us on a hike at Prentice Cooper State Forest. Snoopers Rock to the Natural Bridge. 6.2 miles out and back plus optional 1.4 miles out and back to Blowing Wind Falls on the Ritchie Hollow trail and is rated moderate. 

First we visited Snoopers Rock and then we hiked a section of the Cumberland Trail Pot Point Loop clockwise to the Natural Bridge. Along the way we enjoyed views of the Tennessee River. On our way back we took the Ritchie Hollow Trail to visit Blowing Wind Falls.

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TTA Scenic City Christmas Party

 

TTA Hayesville NC

So the Scenic City TTA rented a house at the Hinton Center in Hayesville North Carolina and we rented a campsite next to it. After our arrival we went back to town for fuel and went to the Chatuge Recreation Area by the dam. After everyone arrived and got ready we went to dinner at Mariolino's. 

The next morning we headed to Deep Gap off of SR 71 to hike the AT to Standing Indian Mountain the site where a tower once stood. It is about five miles round trip. Afterwards Lora and I took Cynthia and Patti on the Kimsey Creek trail for a few more miles.

Thursday we had rain in the morning so we visited until 11am and then headed out to see Big Laurel Falls. The water was gushing so the falls were wonderful. We drove on to Mooney Falls and then up to Albert Mountain where we hiked the AT to the tower. It was fogged in so not much of a view. After the hike, Lora and I took Cynthia and Patti and hiked the 4.3 mile Hurricane Creek Loop trail.

Friday everyone had to pack up and then we headed to the Chatuge Dam trail and did an out and back hike. It was a wonderful time with our friends.

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Hinch Mountain Segment - Cumberland Trail

Lora and I hiked 10.6 miles with the Scenic City TTA doing the Hinch Mountain segment of the Cumberland trail.

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Sale Creek

Todays adventure. Canoed from Sale Creek Patterson boat ramp, to May Road bridge. First time we’ve paddled with the water this low. Found a spring bubbling up from under a boulder. Usually this spring would be under water.

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Morgan Creek Segment

Hiked the Morgan Creek Segment of the Cumberland Trail from Hwy 30 to the Snow Falls trail. All new trail rated difficult due to the climb out of the gorge. Beautiful area with lots of mining history.

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TTA 2024 Annual Meeting

The TTA annual meeting was held at Fall Creek Falls State Park this year. We brought our camper and stayed at the campground. The first day's hike we did the Gilbert Gaul Loop. After the hike we had Happy Hour at the lakeside fire ring. After dinner we had a presentation "Fall Creek, Virgin Falls, and the Mid-Cumberlands: Tennessee's Hidden Treasure" by Ranger Stuart Carroll. 

Day two we led the hike to Laurel Falls in the Snow Pocket Wilderness. After dinner was the General Meeting followed by a presentation "The Magnificent Migration of the Monarch Butterflies to Mexico" by Kris Light. We joined the group for the after party that night.

Sunday we walked the campground before leaving.

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