Post 900 Hike #27

I arrived at Cecil’s at 7:15; after he informed me that he did not get his van back, I agreed to drive. John Kennerly and Jim Harb arrived shortly; we then drove to Bill Woodrick’s house and then set out for Cracker Barrel at the Strawberry Plains exit. Janetta and Charlie arrived from Maryville; then Becky, Anne, Diane and one other arrived. I was in error with respect to the hike that we were taking; instead of our alternate from last week out of Cosby instead of the weather aborted Cataloochee hike, we were doing the Cataloochee one (i.e., into NC, ~ a 90 mile drive). We were to meet Bob Bolinger and BZ Lane at Exit 20; then proceed on Cove Creek Rd. into the GSMNP. (I had met Bob and BZ at the truck stop there on U.S. 321 more than once last year when I did a string of Cataloochee-area hikes.) The first section of Cove Creek Rd. is paved but had at least one 5 mph switchback; the last section is gravel as well as the first section into the park. Then it is paved with the very last section reverting to gravel.

At 10:05 we set out on a 2.9 mi. section of Rough Fork; after ~1.3 mi. this trail has a bit of up (~1,000 ft in 1.5 mi.); when we were ready for this section I had passed everyone and then Bill Woodrick and I set out a slightly faster pace (both he & I are runners). After Rough Fork junctions with Fork Ridge, our 3.15 mile section of the latter is basically down. Believe it was somewhere in this section that we saw a big elk ahead of us 20-30 yds; we stopped as he eyed us and we eyed him (& I endeavored to get my camera). He got off the trail and then joined four other elk; unfortunately my picture-taking attempt failed. We ate lunch ~12:00 just after the Caldwell Fork junctions with Hemphill Bald; Charlie joined us. We finally assumed that the remainder of our group had stopped for lunch too, we set out after ~a 30-min. lunch break. We reached Big Fork Ridge trail shortly; its 3.2 miles has a slight up and then basically down. In the latter part of this trail is big fence enclosure (also screened); this is where the elk brought to the park acclimate themselves before they are turned loose. Big Fork Ridge ends ~100 yards from my vehicle and our starting point; we arrive there 4 hours after we started. Bill, BZ, John and I sat at a picnic table and I iced my knee; within a short time the remainder of our group trickled back.

We then set out on our long return trip. Because I had not originally planned to drive, I had not refueled and had ~ a half tank when we started. My red light came on just short of our Strawberry Plains exit from I 40. As soon as I exited my vehicle at the gas station, Cecil said he was paying for it because he had planned to drive; I suggested that I could just as well pay for it and then not drive for a few times. He insisted otherwise; the other passengers chipped in so he did not have to pay the entire bill. This was one of the hikes that was not the best use of our time in that our vehicle time exceeded our trail time.