Post 900 Hike #149 (School House Gap, Turkeypen Ridge, Finley Cane, Schoolhouse Gap)

Had planned to do a hike of ~15 mi. since I thought it would be a fair indicator of my neck condition; however, a chance meeting last evening with Dale Teague prompted me to consider Bill Broome's 8-9 mi. hike. It was a hike that I thought that I needed for my 2nd map; moreover, (1) the 15-miler was on trails that I had done a minimum of three times and (2) I thought that today's weather would be more problematic for it than this shorter hike which required far less driving.

I was at the Cracker Barrel in Alcoa ~07:20; besides Dale there were Bill Broome (who was with me on the first hike that I had ever made in the GSMNP and one who was most instrumental in my completing my first 900), and two individuals whom I had never met--Stewart Creech and Peter Lloyd. Lowell Reid (one with whom I hiked many a time) arrived shortly thereafter. Lowell rode with me and we met the others at School House Gap trail head off Laurel Creek Rd; it was sprinkling lightly.

Schoolhouse Gap is only 1.1 mi.; I put an emergency poncho on shortly after we left but could have done with out it. Next was the 3.4 mi. Turkeypen Ridge trail; we then crossed Laurel Creek Rd. and did the 2.8 mi. Finley Cane Trail. Next was ~0.6 mi. of Bote Mtn Trail; we then did a 1.2 mi. segment of Schoolhouse Gap which brought us back to Laurel Creek Rd. and within a few hundred feet of our vehicles. (Rather than do the latter trail, Dale and Peter did West Prong into Tremont (Stewart and Bill would pick them up there).

Not sure where I took this picture of my cohorts; from left to right they are Stewart, Dale, Lowell, Peter, and Bill.


We got back to our vehicles at 12:07 and Bill, Stewart, Lowell and I ate our lunches. Bill and Stewart then drove to Tremont to pick up Dale and Peter; Lowell and I went back to his car at the Cracker Barrel. All in all it was a very nice hike; Bill and I had not hiked together for quite a spell and we were able to fill in some voids, something that I find pleasurable.