Reflections On A Bike Ride

I went on a bicycle ride last weekend.  That should be no surprise.

This particular ride was a long ride uphill.  It was just me and one longtime friend.  And before you go all "aw heck, Joe's gonna talk about the bike again" let me tell you that this isn't about the bike at all.

It's about getting out and enjoying what we have in our backyard.

This particular ride (sorry) was on the Cherohala Skyway.

Have you ever made the trek from Tellico Plains to Robbinsville, North Carolina along Cherohala?  Oh.  My.  Goodness.

If you value these mountains, if you find these rolling hills beautiful, you owe it to yourself to make that drive.  The views are incredible.

And not many people visit the Cherohala.  In several hours on that winding path, we were passed by automobiles only twice (but by motorcycles a bunch of times).  It is an incredible if undiscovered asset.

I guess it doesn't get the attention of say the Blueridge Parkway since it connects one small, rural town (Tellico Plains) to another (Robbinsville).  By the way, drop by The Hub in Robbinsville for a meal or a shake.  Or both.

Of course we have the Smokies in our backyard and all the hiking trails there.  My wife doesn't consider it a good hike unless there is a waterfall at the end and Fern Branch Falls off of the Porter Creek Trail in the Greenbrier section of the Smokies is one of her favorites.

Lots of folks head for Ramsey Cascades nearby but this one is another worth your while.  On the way you pass by the Ownby Cemetery and the old Messer farm site.

And if you've never ventured beyond Bald River Falls at the confluence of Bald River and Tellico River, you've missed a gorgeous hike. 

Speaking of Cherohala, there is a short hike (1.3 miles) from the Rattlesnake Rock parking area to another gorgeous and rarely visited waterfall.  My wife and I visited in the middle of the winter when the ice was everywhere.

Lunch on a rock at the base of the falls was cold but magical.

We are surrounded by water in this area and lots of folks take advantage of it.  Fort Loudon is abuzz with ski boats and personal watercraft every weekend.

But there are other options.  A lot of folks have gotten into StandUp Paddleboarding (SUP) and Chilhowee Lake seems particularly suited for that.

We usually opt for canoe travel.  Put in at the Harrison Branch boat ramp where 129 emerges from the hills and you first see the Little Tennessee River.  Go straight across the river where motorboats can't go and explore the inlets and creeks on the other side.

Watch close and you may see a bald eagle.  If you keep looking, you can find Citico Creek and can travel for quite some distance before fallen trees force you to turn around.  Along the way, you will see everything from prehistoric-looking gar to birds of every ilk.  One day we saw a deer thrashing in the bushes.

My point is this:  You don't have to go far to see wonderful and amazing things.  And you don't have to run marathons or bike 100 miles to get in the middle of wilderness (or what seems like wilderness) that will take your breath away.

It's all in your backdoor.