Post 900 Hike #10: Gregory Ridge & Bald
Today I took my Pastor (Eric Murray) on a hike to see the flaming azaleas on Gregory Bald. Eric arrived at my house at 07:40; because of Cades Cove traffic we did not get started at the trailhead until 9:20. (I had never seen the parking lot that full.) Eric has done very little hiking; however, he is young, wiry, and an avid bicycle rider. I set a rather rapid pace (with which he was fine) going up and we passed several groups of hikers and covered ~5.7 miles (5.0 mi. for Gregory Ridge & 0.7 to the Bald) in 1 hr. 51 min. (Although I think that was the time to the Bald, it might have been the time for only the 5 miles of Gregory Ridge trail.)
After eating lunch, taking several pictures, and talking to others who had just completed this trek, we departed Gregory Bald at 12:00 and arrived at the Gregory Ridge trailhead (0.7 mi.) at 12:18. The pictures include two of the flame azaleas (not as good as my last year's) and one of Eric standing on a rock to the right of the individuals with whom we ate lunch. Along the way back to my car we met a number of hikers wanting to see the flaming azaleas; however, there were several that I doubt ever made it because of their apparent physical condition. We arrived at my car at 14:00, thus covering the 5.0 miles of Gregory Ridge in 1 hr. 42 min.
Eric drove initally so that I could ice my knee as we set out on Forge Creek Rd; traffic was very bad on Cades Cove loop road. I had decided that we would take the first cross road North, and then take the loop road West for a smidgen so that we could take Rich Mtn Rd out of the Park. I resumed driving at this point for I wanted him to better see the landscape and homes. After we had driven a few miles a very good size bear came down the bank on our right, darted across the road (~20-30 ft in front of us), and scurried down a very steep embankment; he evidently had an appointment. I am glad that he did not broadside us; with his velocity and mass he might have knocked us down the embankment. We arrived at my home ~16:00.
After eating lunch, taking several pictures, and talking to others who had just completed this trek, we departed Gregory Bald at 12:00 and arrived at the Gregory Ridge trailhead (0.7 mi.) at 12:18. The pictures include two of the flame azaleas (not as good as my last year's) and one of Eric standing on a rock to the right of the individuals with whom we ate lunch. Along the way back to my car we met a number of hikers wanting to see the flaming azaleas; however, there were several that I doubt ever made it because of their apparent physical condition. We arrived at my car at 14:00, thus covering the 5.0 miles of Gregory Ridge in 1 hr. 42 min.
Eric drove initally so that I could ice my knee as we set out on Forge Creek Rd; traffic was very bad on Cades Cove loop road. I had decided that we would take the first cross road North, and then take the loop road West for a smidgen so that we could take Rich Mtn Rd out of the Park. I resumed driving at this point for I wanted him to better see the landscape and homes. After we had driven a few miles a very good size bear came down the bank on our right, darted across the road (~20-30 ft in front of us), and scurried down a very steep embankment; he evidently had an appointment. I am glad that he did not broadside us; with his velocity and mass he might have knocked us down the embankment. We arrived at my home ~16:00.
posted by Wendell Liemohn at 6:09 PM
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