Hiking Not The Only Highlight Of The 9th Annual Thanksgiving Weekend Outing...Also Coffee!

It is Thanksgiving Weekend and for almost a decade it has meant one thing...hiking. Sometimes it is a long one or two days (like last year) and then there are some shorter ones, like this year in Hot Springs. For the ninth annual Thanksgiving Weekend outing, it was up the Appalachian Trail (AT) to Lovers Leap and then back the trail of the same name. It had been a while since I had been up there four years in fact.

I have done this hike a number of times and have documented it in this blog including a has part of a half-section and AT Section blogs. As always I started the hike in Hot Springs as the trail goes right through town. The first part of the hike is a road walk across the bridge over the French Broad River. Once the AT heads down away from the road it is pretty flat past the NOC Center and down by the river. Along the way passing Lovers Leap Rock and the French Broad Rapids before heading up Lovers Leap Ridge. 

New overnight kiosk

The sign has been knocked down

There are a number of outcrops with the best being the sketchiest, the one with the lone pine tree. But the views were great, and included a new feature across the river, on these and this includes "the Narrow" which is past the Lovers Leap Trail junction. At the junction were new trail signs installed by the Carolina Mountain Club (CMC). This wouldn't be the last new addition I would pass. 

Solar Panels

The Narrow

Old signs left & new on the right

As I headed down the Lovers Leap Trail I passed a new footbridge and more new signage courtesy of the CMC. This last hike of fall was all for the day. After spending a little time in Hot Springs on my way out I stopped at the other reason I came to Hot Springs. What is this reason? 

New footbridge...

...& sign

Well, I was stopping into one of my favorite places...the Laurel River Store, which has reopened! I talked about this after my overnight at Rich Mountain and looked forward to them reopening. Well, that happened in June, but this was the first opportunity to stop in. I must say I wasn't disappointed as the coffee was great as ever and I had a taste of pumpkin muffin to boot. A great end to a great day in Hot Springs.

Photo links:

Google

SmugMug

I'm Back! And I'm No Lover Of Slobbering Hounds!

I'm Back...did you miss me? Well, I don't give a crap because I am the Hiking Machine, and your not. However, I had lived up to that moniker as I have been sitting on my ass most of this month. The Lummox has been taking care of that pair of slobbering hounds. But I have had enough. If they gave hiking rabbits driver license's I would need him. But they don't and unfortunately, I do, so I slapped him around and made him hit the trail for a far too short a hike, but it was better than nothing. We hiked the AT (Appalachian Trail) out of Hot Springs (NC) and up Lovers Leap. While not very challenging to a Hiking Machine it was good to be out. The Lummox, all he could worry about was those mutts...what a pansy! Well, that about covers it which means I am out...BITCHES!

Turkey Day '21

It is Turkey Day 2021...I had turkey and all the fixings plus pumpkin pie. Because of rain today I had a fire yesterday. Oh, and I am taking care of the Wolfpack (Bax and Lester). Anyway, I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving!

Autumn Colors 2021 Edition

 

It is Turkey Day 2021 and that means it is time to look back at the beautiful colors of autumn. This year might have been the best for color since 2016. I really started seeing color on my three-day backpack to Mount Rogers in mid-September. This year because of starting at higher elevations trees started peaking in mid-October and lasted for a month. One special thing this fall was getting to see the autumn reds, oranges, and yellows from the catwalk of the Camp Creek Bald Fire Tower...it was amazing! Oh and I even got some fall color mixed with snow giving a preview of the winter to come. Anyway, as it's Thanksgiving, which is means fall is coming to an end, enjoy some of my favorite photos here and on my photo pages... 

Google Photos

SmugMug

Mount Rogers NRA (09-13 to 15)

Roan Highlands, Cherokee-Pisgah NF (09-30 & 10-01)

Great Smoky Mountains NP (10-13 & 14)

Greeneville, TN (10-16)

Camp Creek Bald, Cherokee-Pisgah NF (10-23 & 24)

Bays Mountain Park, Kingsport, TN (10-27)

Tusculum Trail, Tusculum, TN (10-31)

Pinnacle Mountain, Cherokee NF (11-02)

Gate City & Ft. Blackmore, VA (11-03)

Coldsprings Mountain, Cherokee NF (11-05)

Tusculum Trail, Tusculum, TN (11-10)

Greeneville, TN (11-13)