Category: National Parks

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November, My Favorite Month in Tennessee

November did turn out to be the best month in Tennessee as I predicted in my earlier post. 

I really like hiking when you can see the landscape around you, and see what is coming around the turns in the trail. I hiked/ran the Cove Mountain trail a few times and got farther each time. Next week when I have a 18 mile run I should be able to get to the top. It’s steepest at the beginning at the waterfall and is gentle the next five miles. I like being able to see Ober Gatlinburg and all the peaks in the park.

Laurel Falls with Melani

I had time to reflect and write, and my next book is coming along. 

I walked dogs at the Sevier County Humane Society. It’s good to walk shelter dogs but I have to admit I tried to figure out ways to adopt the ones I fell in love with. But the reality of it, two dogs is all I can handle right now. I prayed a lot for the dogs and cats to find forever, kind homes. I was so happy to see Facebook posts of the adopted ones. There are so many sad stories, but there are happy ones, too. I try to keep thinking of the happy ones.

Please adopt Maddie – she is a good, loving girl.

Please, please please adopt a shelter dog. This beautiful girl has been at the shelter for 2 months and she is a joy, and a lover. She just wants to be loved. 

Full on training for my 2023 events is happening. I’ve been sticking to my training plan and doing the miles. I follow so many runners and motivational accounts on social media and the one thing that I’m learning, and finding out to be true, ultra running is about grit and consistency. 

What is Grit? A combination of passion and perseverance for a singularly important goal. It is the hallmark of high achievers. It is passion and sustained persistence applied toward long-term achievement, with no particular concern for rewards or recognition along the way. It combines resilience, ambition, and self-control in the pursuit of goals that take months, years, or even decades.

I’m going to keep this concept of grit in my mind and do everything to finish Leadville 100. 

Now on to December. I think it’s going to be a good month. Work. Train. Dogs. Walking shelter dogs. Celebrate the season with gratitude and love.

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Gatlinburg to Townsend in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Yesterday I took the dogs on a drive through Great Smoky Mountains National Park. My mission: to just drive and enjoy the landscape. This is the first time since moving here that I went into the park with the sole focus of just taking in the beauty instead of searching for a trailhead and hiking to a summit. 

It was a perfect day because it was cloudy and raining – and a Monday! Traffic was light and the sun came out a few times. Once in the park I decided to follow the signs to Townsend. 

With the rain, the multicolored leaves were on prime display. 

Driving back to Gatlinburg

Dogs are not allowed on trails in the park but they can be in the car and get out along the roadside. We got out of the  car a few times to sniff and take some pictures. 

Winnie
Goldie

We arrived in Townsend and discovered that it has more open land and less stores/attraction than Gatlinburg. It is definitely the quiet side of the park. We drove through town, turned around and came home. The only wildlife we saw was a few turkeys on the side of the road.

While I didn’t check off any trails on the GSMNP900 list, I became more familiar with the roads and place names like Metcalf Bottoms. I really did feel like I was in the middle of a wilderness. The trailheads along the way had very little cars. What a peaceful beautiful place to recreate.

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Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 900 Miles – New Goal

Since I can’t work on my NH48 4,000 footer Grid, I’ll work on this:

I saw the bumper sticker today and did a little Googl’ing – I’m excited for this new hiking goal.

It’s a big park and it will give me some great hikes and trail runs to do this year.

I downloaded the data to a Google Sheet: I’m going to start tomorrow.

Here are some great articles about the 900 mile challenge:

Why you should do it. Danny Bernstein: Because the trails intersect and many trails start from other trails and not from a trailhead, it’s the most complicated hiking challenge I’ve done. Physically it’s not difficult. The Smokies’ trails are so well-maintained and marked that I can get really spoiled. Mile for mile, Smokies trails are easier than those in the surrounding national forests. But like any trail challenge or in life, success doesn’t depend just on physical strength or stamina. Hiking all the trails in the Smokies is much more about perseverance, organization, and keeping your eye on the goal.

Or do it in 30 days like Nancy East: Chasing the Smokies Moon: An audacious 948-mile hike–fueled by love, loss, laughter, and lunacy is a thought-provoking memoir. If you like true-life feats, sentimental contemplations, and stepping outside of comfort zones.

Yes, ma’am I love all these things.

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Hiking, Running and Living in the Smokies

I have officially fallen in love with this place. 

I just got back from walking Goldie up the hill from my new apartment. Up Up Up we go and I’m almost even with the Gatlinburg Space Needle. And it is at this point that I realize, I love this place. 

I got here in a weird, wacky, way. I never would’ve imagined in my wildest dreams that I would be here, not in a million year. But somehow, magically, leaving and arriving all worked out. I am living in a beautiful mountain town, again….finally.

My dogs are settled in and I have stopped worrying about them when I leave each morning to go to work or on a run.

I am running and hiking and doing all the things that make me happy. I’m training for next year’s Leadville and feel like I’m on track. 

One of my go-to trail runs close to my house.

I live two miles from the entrance to Smoky Mountain National Park. It will take me 10 minutes to drive to a trailhead to a 4,000 footer. 

The people here are fun, engaging and kind. 

I got very, very lucky. Big time. 

This weekend I discovered there is an REI in Pigeon Forge. I could only buy online when I lived in NH. I walked through the store thinking of all the possibilities; and seeing all the winter coats, longing for winter. I bought maps and guidebooks and Nuun electrolytes. 

That is my update. My next post will be about Mount LeConte. Thanks for reading.