Memphis

 

We headed to East Memphis in Arkansas to visit with our daughter and grandchildren. We stayed at the Tom Sawyer's RV Park on the Mississippi River. The adventure begins at their place for a wonderful dinner and visiting. 

The next morning we went down to the River Front visitor center. From there we took the bridge over to Mud Island and walked around. They have a miniature replica of the Mississippi River showing everywhere it goes. They also have the large Memphis sign.

From there we headed to Hueys for lunch. After lunch we headed down to Beale Street to walk and see it. We also checked out a church. Then we walked back down to the river walk and then visited the 

Pyramid AKA  Bass Pro Shop. It is really nice with lots to see. After that we went back to the campground and watched the Tugboats pushing the barges past. 

Friday we went to see the ducks march at the Peabody Hotel. It has a really cool history. We ate lunch at Kooky Canuck which had really good food. After lunch we dropped Melissa off for work, Samantha off for a nap, and we walked across the Mississippi on the Harahan Bridge. 

Saturday we went to see the Lorraine Hotel where MLK was shot. Then we went to see the some historic homes and churches. From there we went to see Graceland, where I think I saw Elvis peeking out a window, and then on to Overton Park and hiked the Old Forest Loop trail. Very large trees, lot's of wildflowers, and a snake. On the way back we went to see the girls school in Marion and stopped by to see Melissa at the Seafood Shack. We had dinner back at the campground.

Sunday we headed home. It was a great time and saw lots of stuff.

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Prentice Cooper Pot Point Loop-TTA

We had 17 hikers from 4 different chapters to hike the 11.7 mile Pot Point Loop at Prentice Cooper State Forest. This loop is a section of the Cumberland Trail. We hiked it clockwise starting at Snooper's Rock. We took a snack break at the natural bridge. We had clear views of the winding Tennessee River and Raccoon Mountain. We stopped for lunch at the Raccoon Mountain Overlook. The weather was a bit chilly and windy but it was a good day because the views were nice since the leaves haven't come out completely on the trees. We had several small creek crossings and had to climb over some downed trees. Beautiful rock formations and we saw a few wildflowers. 

From the Highland Rim and Murfreesboro chapter were Jim Barritt, Eleanor Gilchrist, Joan Hartvigsen, Scott Jordan, Sarah Lovett, Craig McBride, Lora McBride, Sara Pollard, and Kathy Stutts. From the Scenic City chapter were Connie Bexell, Mark Brossio, Maggie Cloud, Betsy Darken, Tammy Hendrick, Will Latham, Tom McElhone and Wayne Drown (Sumner Trails). 

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Possum Creek Gorge Plateau TTA

 Deb led 12 hikers on this beautiful CT hike. It started out cold 28 degrees, but the sun was shining. We shuttled a car to Retro Hughes trailhead then came back and started at Heiss Mountain Trailhead. The waterfalls and creeks were running strong and full today. And there were wildflowers! Pussytoes, Shooting Stars, Saxifrage, Fire Pinks, Purple Phacelia was all over the rocks in the second gorge. The red trilliums were tightly closed waiting for warmer temps, Foamflower, Trailing Arbutus, and two green lizards sunning on a tree. We ate lunch on one of the big boulders overlooking the gorge. Beautiful day. 

Seen on Blaine Smith Rd: 

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Laurel Falls Scenic City TTA

 Marti and Roy led 17 hikers to Laurel Falls in Dayton. Two new hikers joined us today. It was a bit cold with the wind blowing. There were lots of wildflowers along the beautiful creek walk. Yellow trillium was blooming, and we found two Jack in the Pulpit, Pennywort, Toothwort, Rue Anemone. Lots of water coming over the falls. 

After the hike we gathered at Monkey Town Brewery for lunch. 

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Dunlap Coke Ovens TTA

 Scenic City chapter hike led by Tom, 17 hikers. Mr. Carson Camp met us in the parking lot to welcome us and invite us into the museum. He is a historian of this area and a talented photographer. He owns a lot of the area surrounding the musuem property and shared the history of coal mining along with interesting stories of the coke ovens production and miners stories. He gave us maps of the trails and lots of info about the trails, and we were wishing he could walk with us to guide us thru history. 

We climbed the steep steep incline trail to Hanging Rock, and beyond to the waterfall, and the bluff view of the Sequatchie Valley. Back down then to another climb to see the Grand View. Me, Cynthia, Mark and Randy got a little adventurous, and rock hopped to a huge boulder to see a view from higher up. Watched a groundhog scurry into the rock crevice, but he wouldn't come out to play. Climbing back down was a little sketchy, but we made it safely. Then down, down to the creek, saw some wildflowers here, anemone, chickweed, and buckeye was starting to bloom. 

After the hike some of us gathered at the Sequatchie Valley Brewing Company. Good times with good friends. 

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Head of the Sequatchie Segment CT

Lora and I decided to check out the new segment of the Cumberland Trail between Stinging Fork Falls and Hinch Road. We figured it would be a three day backpack to go both ways on this section. 

We parked at the Stinging Fork Falls trailhead and then headed North on the CT. The trail drops down to cross Little Soak Creek and then climbs up the other side. You hike through a pine forest and then turn left on an old road and follow that to a clear cut section. From there you go down to Soak Creek and walk along the creek. You climb up out of the creek gorge and cut across the Little Soak Creek again. About four and quarter mile you cross a private gravel road and shortly afterwards is there designated campsite. After following the creek you will climb up out of the gorge where there are three small waterfalls from the bluff walls. From on top of the bluff you will cross several old roadbeds and tributarys of Sweeny Branch. At seven miles in you will drop off into the Soak Creek gorge and pass the 30' Keeton Falls. There is a metal bridge crossing Soak Creek. That is where we set up camp. It took us a long time to get to this point because we were picking up sticks and clearing the trail from all the branches that had fallen since they built the trail. We had a peaceful night under the light of a full moon by a campfire. 

The next morning we contiued to clean trail. You climb out of the gorge and then cross many old roadbeds until at nine miles you drop down into the Pond Cove gorge. You cross over Pond Cove Creek and then at about eight and three quarter miles end up at side trail to 40' Pond Cove Falls. There is a tent pad set up at the falls. At nine and a half miles you see the pond and then Hinch Cemetery. You cross the gravel road to the cemetery and go down switchbacks where you get a good view of the Sequatchie Valley. All along this area the Bloodroot was at peak, and it covered the hillsides. Also Virginia Bluebells were starting to bloom. You cross a dangerous crossing of drainage and then hike along a bluff wall. One you pass the wall you go back to roadbed. We turned around about three quarters of a mile from Hinch Road being out of time and hiked back to our first campsite. Another beautiful night around the campfire. That night I woke up to the sounds of leafs shuffling. I turned on my headlamp and looked under my hammock to see a critter on it's back rubbing all over the leafs. I yelled it and it ignored me. It finally rolled over and was a raccoon. I kept yelling at it and it ignored me. Finally I hissed at it and it looked all around. I hissed at it again and it walked off. It never did get into anything.

The next morning we got up and headed out. We made a lot better time not having to clean up the trail. We ate lunch on the trail and was back at the car about 1:30.

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Piney River Segment of the Cumberland trail

Lora and I did a backpack of the Piney River Segment of the Cumberland trail. We got a late start on the trail and did three miles in to the Piney bridge crossing and camped there. There were lots of wildflowers blooming along this section. We also saw a hawk, a deer, and a bat. We collected wood for a fire, set up camp, and ate dinner. It was a wonderful night under the stars and bright half moon. 

The next morning after breakfast, we packed up and continued along the trail. We saw more wildflowers, butterflies, and woodpeckers. We hiked another two and half miles to the Spiders den and went down to check it out. It had been a while. Then we headed back to the trailhead stopping at the Hemlock Falls and the Picnic area where Lora and I climed in the river for a quick bath. It was another wonderful backpack.

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