Caldwell Fork 0.8n, Boogerman 3.9n, Caldwell Fork 0.5n, Big Fork Ridge 3.2n, Big Fork Ridge 3.2pd, Caldwell Fork 0.5pd, Caldwell Fork 1.9n, Caldwell F

We had intended to do this hike yesterday but at 6:15 a.m. BZ called since the weather conditions did not look too good. We decided to do the hike today; although BZ Lane, Cecil Rowe, & John Kennerly could do it today, Bob Bolinger had a prior commitment. I picked up Cecil at 7:15 at his home and John at Tyson Park at 7:20. We arrived at Exit 440 at ~8:15; BZ arrived within 5 minutes and we proceeded to Exit 20 in NC. We got started on the Caldwell Fork Trail at 9:30.

In 2 hrs we completed 4.7 mi; Boogerman had a bit of climb. (At the turn of the century the Cataloochee area was well populated; here my fellow hikers are standing by a stone fence that extended ~100 yards. In the next picture Cecil is standing within a hollowed-out maple; bears climb up these during hibernation but he did not see any.) In 15 min. we completed 0.5 mi. of Caldwell Fork and set out on Big Fork Ridge; we completed this 3.2 mi. section at 1:20. Here my compatriots (John, Cecil, & BZ) are standing by the trail sign; it is in this area that tourists come to see Elk at dusk. In 1.5 hr. we retraced our steps and completed Big Fork Ridge again. It was back to Caldwell Fork to repeat a 0.5 mi. section, then a new section of Caldwell Fork (1.9 mi.) and a repeat section of Caldwell Fork (0.8 mi.) At 3:45 we arrived at my vehicle.

John drove the backroads through the Park as I iced my knee; I started driving just before we arrived at I 40. This was a very good day for me; I had 10.3 mi. of new miles and only 4.5 mi. of repeat ones. My compatriots are all trying to complete their second 900 miles of trails and/or trying to help me complete