Post 900 Hike #55: Jakes Creek (2.9), Miry Ridge (5.0) & return (15.8)

Must preface the hike with something that happened at the dog park on Tues. afternoon; one Great Dane with the assistance of another did a cross-body block on my left knee (my right knee is the one that I always wear a brace for my patellar tracking problem). Tuesday evening in bed I made a wrong movement and it was quite painful; at this point in time I doubted that I’d hike Wed. and was concerned that this latest strain might relate to an ACL injury. I arrived at our meet-up at Food Lion ~06:50 intending to drop out; before I could do so Charlie Woodward said that it was just he and I from the group there that was going to do Jakes Creek and Miry Ridge to the AT, so I decided that I should at least try to hike. Although John Hutenspeler had planned to do the Old Settlers Trail hike with the others there, I talked him into going with us. That provided me with a caveat; I would drive too in case I had to turn around due to my new knee problem. We arrived at the Jakes Creek trailhead ~07:50; Bob Bolinger joined us there and we were on the trail at 08:00.

After putting on our crampons in route (snow was ~2-4"), we arrived at Miry Ridge Trail ~09:30 and my knee very seldom sent me signals. At 09:40 we set out on the latter and covered 5.0 mi. to the AT by 12:00 for lunch; here the snow had a good 6" depth. During lunch I told Bob about the neat GSMNP painting that was ready for me at some art gallery in Sevierville, for at this point I thought that I might be able to pick it up today rather than make an extra trip Sat. as originally planned. Bob surmised that it was the Robert A Tino Gallery; to me that name sounded familiar. He gave me directions to it and offered to drive there with me.

At 12:30 we started retracing our steps; John and I covered the first 2.5 mi. at 13:35; in the snow one has to be a little more careful in stepping. I had decided that I should make haste to ensure arriving at the Art Gallery by 17:00; so John waited for Charlie and Bob and I did not stop. I completed the next 2.5 mi. section at 14:35. including time spent in taking off my crampons and repacking. As I was taking a picture of the next trail sign three individuals from Indiana came up from the Panther Creek Trail; being an ex-Hoosier I talked with them for a few minutes (they were doing an in and out on Jakes Creek and Panther Creek trails).

I arrived at the Jakes Creek trailhead at 14:35 and pulled out of the parking area at 14:45 and made it to the Art Gallery at 16:40, only to find that on this particular day they were remaining open until 20:00.kes Creek (2.9 mi.) & Miry Ridge (5.0 mi.) and return (15.8 mi.)

Must preface the hike with something that happened at the dog park on Tues. afternoon; one Great Dane with the assistance of another did a cross-body block on my left knee (my right knee is the one that I always wear a brace for my patellar tracking problem). Tuesday evening in bed I made a wrong movement and it was quite painful; at this point in time I doubted that I’d hike Wed. and was concerned that the strain to my left knee might relate to an ACL injury. Nevertheless I arrived at our meet-up at Food Lion ~06:50 intending to drop out. However, Charlie Woodward informed me that it was just he and I from the group there that was going to do Jakes Creek and Miry Ridge to the AT, so I decided that I should at least try to hike. Although John Hutenspeler had planned to do the Old Settlers Trail hike, I talked him into going with us. That provided me with a caveat; I would drive too in case I had to turn around due to my new knee problem. We arrived at the Jakes Creek trailhead ~07:50; Bob Bolinger joined us there and we were on the trail at 08:00.

After putting on our crampons in route, we arrived at Miry Ridge Trail ~09:30 and my knee very seldom sent me signals. At 09:40 we set out on the latter and covered 5.0 mi. to the AT by 12:00 for lunch. During lunch I told Bob about the painting that was ready for me at an art gallery in Sevierville; he surmised that it was the Robert A Tino Gallery and gave me directions to it and offered to drive there with me.

At 12:30 we started retracing our steps; John and I covered the first 2.5 mi. at 13:35; in the snow one has to be a little more careful in stepping. I had decided that I should make haste to ensure arriving at the Art Gallery by 17:00; so John waited for Charlie and Bob and I did not stop. I completed the next 2.5 mi. section at 14:35. including time spent in taking off my crampons and repacking. As I was taking a picture of the trail sign three individuals from Indiana came up from the Panther Creek Trail; being an ex-Hoosier I talked with them for a few minutes (they were doing an in and out on Jakes Creek and Panther Creek trails).

I arrived at the Jakes Creek trailhead at 14:35; I pulled out of the parking area at 14:45 and made it to the Art Gallery at 16:40, only to find that on this particular day they were remaining open until 20:00.