Here Comes The Sun

This morning I awoke to the sound of rain outside my window. Usually this would be a soothing sound, especially on a holiday when I could sleep in. Today it was the last thing I wanted to hear as I prepared for the second hike of the Humdinger Project. Not to be discouraged, I decided to wear a hat from Sundog Outfitters in Damascus, Virginia. It seemed like a good way to inspire the sun to come out to play. As Ashley and I drove toward the Smokies the rain continued to fall. The closer we got to our destination, the harder it seemed to rain.

One lesson I have learned from both the Smokies and the Appalachian Trail is that you can't control the weather, you just have to accept it. The other thing that I always try to keep in mind about the Smokies, even on days when the sun is shining at home, is that it is a rainforest. There is always the possibility of rain.

Oddly enough today, the vast majority of rain was what we experienced on the drive to the park. All the trails were damp from earlier rain, but there was really only about five minutes of actual rain on the hike today. Almost as soon as the rain had begun, it stopped and out came the sun and blue skies. The power of the Sundog showed forth clearly today.


We began the hike with a short section of Jakes Creek Trail and continued on to Cucumber Gap Trail. Cucumber Gap is a fairly easy trail with gentle ups and downs with one moderately difficult stream crossing. The majority of our hike today was on the Little River Trail. The Little River is actually pretty big when compared to many other rivers and streams in the Smokies. This trail too is a relatively easy hike that follows the river closely. The only difficulties we encountered on our hike of the Little River Trail were the several stream crossings, which were especially difficult near Campsite 30.


Rain did not discourage us today and as a result we had a sunny hike on soggy ground.

Defying the Cult of Haste

Earlier today I picked up a used copy of Michael Frome's book, Strangers in High Places, the Story of the Great Smoky Mountains. Since our first hike, we have been thwarted in our efforts to get back on the trail due to injuries and busy schedules and that fact has bothered me a bit as I have thought of the scope of this Humdinger Project. As I began reading this book I came across some words that helped me to relax a bit.

These hills demand time and patience. Entering one must take them on their own terms. They defy the cult of haste, being old and artful and surprising.

The whole point of our quest to hike the 800 miles of trail in the park is to slow down. That being said, Monday looks to be a good day for a hike!

Finding a Trail Name

In a recent comment on this blog, my partner Ashley inquired whether she had been given the trail name "Gimpy" as a result of our first hike. For those of you who may not be familiar with the term "trail name", it is a term used frequently among hikers of the Appalachian Trail. They are typically names that sum up your personality on the trail and are given by others. The idea is that the correct name will find you when the time is right. If I were a complete purist when it cam to hiking, I would tell Ashley that her trail name would have to wait until we are hiking on the 70 miles of the AT that runs through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Not being a person who has ever felt the need to follow the absolute letter of the law, however, makes me think her trail name could come about at any point during the Humdinger Project. So to answer the question, "Is Gimpy my trail name?" we will have to hike a bit further to see. If sprained joints become a regular part of hiking with Ashley, then Gimpy might be the name that has chosen her, but my hunch is that her trail name is still out there looking for her.

It took several hundred miles on the AT for the name "Worst Case Scenario" to be given to me, but I must say as fitting as that trail name is for me, I prefer the name given to my other hiking partner Fr. David and I when we hike together. It was while hiking on the AT in the Smokies toward Fontana Dam that three ladies dubbed us "The Karma Police". My favorite quickly acquired trail names are "Lost and Found" and "Longshot". Fr. David and I met both hikers on our first section hike down in North Georgia. "Lost and Found" got his name after having discovered that he had left his jacket on the trail seven miles back. He walked all the way back to retrieve it. "Longshot" was an older man from Florida who had decided to take on the challenge of the 2,000 mile thruhike. When his friends dropped him off they simply looked at him and said, "You're definitely a longshot." Some trail names come as easily as that. We will have to wait for Ashley's to make its appearance.

Video Clips from the First Hike of the Humdinger Project

Activities for me and my Gimpy Friend

Since it seems that a jump from a rock at Rainbow Falls and my lack of attention to Ashley's sprain, the two of us will be embarking on some adventures that we originally thought best to be saved for later. Our intent has been from the beginning to write not only about the 800 miles of trails we plan to hike, but also some of the points of interest surrounding the park; restaurants, attractions, and other activities that those visiting the Great Smoky Mountains might be interested in seeing, or in some cases avoiding.

Gatlinburg has never been one of my favorite places. Bill Bryson, in his book A Walk In The Woods, describes it this way:

Gatlinburg is a shock to the system from whichever angle you survey it, but never more so than when you descend upon it from a spell of moist, grubby isolation in the woods. It sits just outside the main entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and specializes in providing all those things the park does not--principally, slurpy food, motels, gift shops, and sidewalks on which to waddle and dawdle--nearly all of it is strewn along a single, astonishingly ugly main street.

This may be exactly where we are heading this week, unless of course you can help us.

Ashley is not going to be up for hiking for another few weeks, so we have decided to check out some the the extracurricular activities surrounding the park while her leg is on the mend. We already have a few ideas. There is Ripley's Aquarium which would feed Ashley's interest in sharks. There are the Forbidden Caverns, which I have seen signs for many times, but sadly have never visited since they are forbidden. There are several places that specialize in horseback tours of the Smokies. The question is, for those of you familiar with the surrounding areas of the park, where should we go? We look forward to your suggestions.

How My Priest Made Me A Cripple

In my previous post, I mentioned my bum leg resulting from the Rainbow Falls/Bull Head/Old Sugarlands hike.

The motto of the hike, in my perspective, was "it's mind over matter." That is true to a point, yes. However I did not fully explain the driving force that kept me going. So here it goes...

When I unfortunately realized that something had gone awry with my right leg, I stopped. Excuse the inaccurate medical terminology, but I'm no doctor. Anyway, it felt like my femur or "hip" (yes, I know, your hip can't pop out) had popped out of the socket or something. Obviously, that was not the case as I could still walk on it, albeit gingerly.

I told Fr. Christian about the recent development. He said, "Try and put it back in place." Much to my amusement, and his, I tried to put whatever it was that had popped out of place back into place. Nothing worked. We walked for a few more minutes when I finally decided that I could not go on. "I don't think I can make it!" cried poor little Ashley.

Fr. Christian, my priest and dear friend, made me a cripple with the following statement, "Yes you can! It's mind over matter." Begrudgingly, I trudged along in the back of the group for the rest of the hike. I was never given the option of turning around. Thinking back, I would not have wanted to turn around and not finish the hike. If it were not for FC, I would not have found the motivation to keep going. He's a good friend to have the faith that I would finish and to believe in me. Still...

Walking uphill hurt like hell. Each step was painful, especially when I would hoist myself up a rather large rock with the wrong leg. Even better though, was my uncanny ability to trip over every damn rock and tree root on the trails.

We finished our hike around 6 that Friday night. On Sunday afternoon, I finally decided that I should have my leg checked out. I went to the emergency room. The x-ray was all good, said the doctor. He believed that the pain came from a ligament between my pelvis and femur that was all wonky. I'll believe that.

The discharge report said, "You have a sprained joint. This means there is a tear in the ligaments that hold the joint together. Severe sprains often need 3-6 weeks to heal completely."

For obvious reasons, Fr. Christian and I won't be having a hike for a few weeks. Once my bum leg gets better, we'll be back out on the trails.

My leg doesn't hurt that much anymore. I know that hiking comes with the added risks of injury. Fr. Christian and our friend Fr. David have told me about their numerous aches and pains during their Appalachian Trail hikes. After this incident and upon hearing stories of far worse injuries, I feel that I am better prepared to embrace any future injuries while hiking.

I just never figured that my priest would make me a cripple on our first hike. To that, all I can say is lol.

Stay tuned!

Quite the Outing

As Fr. Christian mentioned, this hike was our first of many in our journey to complete all the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I wish I could say that the idea was mine, because it is so awesome, but he gets all the credit.

However, our first hike was picked by our honored guest, Ken Naumann. We hiked up Rainbow Falls and down Bull Head with a short trip on Old Sugarlands. The trails offered wonderful views of the park but were rather rocky. If you're tender footed or incredibly clumsy, like myself, I wouldn't start here. The jaunt to Rainbow Falls is slightly rocky, but the view is well worth it. Also, it would be a great spot to have lunch.

The wildlife consisted of the occasional bird, a lot of flies/flying insects, a beetle or two, a chipmunk, and this little guy!

FC's motto for the hike was "There's No Adequate Substitute for an Early Start." My motto unfortunately became "Mind Over Matter." At some point, I did something to my right leg, and after Rainbow Falls, it felt like someone was stabbing me every time I took a step. Although Rainbow Falls trail is not the steepest way to get to Mt. Leconte, the incline took a toll on my bum leg.

However, with my cheerleaders cheering me on, lots of water, a painkiller, and the always present and very annoying phrase "it's mind over matter", I was able to finish the hike. I'm glad that I did, because it would have been an epic fail to not finish the first hike!

You know, my favorite part of this entire hike was when we reached the sign and place where the Rainbow Falls and Bull Head trails meet. I remember sort of shouting with joy to take a picture. That sign was the most beautiful thing I had seen all day...because it meant everything after that would be downhill!

Downhill was easier to walk, but Grace is my middle name. If there is a rock or a tree root or a fallen branch, my feet will find them. And I will trip. It is inevitable. Unbeknownst to my companions, there were times when, because I tripped, I almost fell off the side of the mountain.

Cross your fingers that I will be less clumsy. Hopefully as time progresses and more hikes are completed, I will be in better shape. I didn't gain the "freshman 15" but I sure as heck didn't get in shape walking across campus the past year.

In the end, it's good to know that you're friends will be there cheering you along when you think you can't go any further. It is also nice to spend a great day outside away from civilization. We don't often get the chance to admire nature for the sake of admiring it, so if you ever get the chance, go hiking!

Rainbow Falls, Mind Over Matter & Traveling String Bands

This morning we set out on the first of what I hope will be many hikes on the way to our goal of hiking every trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Today's trails were chosen by Ken Naumann, a parishioner of St. Thomas who has been wanting me to head into the woods with him for many months. He chose a loop that took us near the summit of Mt. Leconte via the Rainbow Falls Trail, then down the mountain via the Bull Head Trail, ending with a very short section of the Old Sugarlands Trail to arrive once again at our car. As expected, we did not get the early start that we would have liked, but there was more than enough daylight to get us from beginning to end.

It has been a few years since I have hiked on Mt. Leconte and I had forgotten how high one climbs to get to the top. At 6593 feet, Mt. Leconte is the third highest peak in the park. There are five trails that will take you to the top of the mountain and prior to today's adventure I had only hiked three of them. Tonight as I write this I can add Rainbow Falls to the list. On a beautiful spring day like today, Rainbow Falls Trail is spectacular. It could be a tough trail for beginners though as it climbs 4,000 feet in under seven miles. Early in the day, I found myself breathing hard as we continued climbing, climbing, climbing.

As continued our trek up the mountain, we began looking for signs of Rainbow Falls. I didn't know whether to expect a large or small waterfall, but thankfully a couple who had been on this trail many times gave us a description that would make it hard to miss. They also were traveling with a beautiful Siberian Husky whom I felt sorry for due to the heat. When we reached the the falls and creek below, however, the dog knew where to find comfort and was soon resting in the cold mountain waters.

As we continued up the trail, we soon discovered some bad news. Ashley was beginning to feel some pain in her leg that was not to soon subside. Pain is part of hiking, but it is never fun to endure. One thing I have learned in many years of hiking and backpacking, however, is that much of this kind of pain can be overcome with what I would refer to today as "mind over matter". When things are tough on the trail, your thoughts can be your best friend or your worst enemy. Ken and I did our best to encourage Ashley as she made her way to the downward section of the trail, while also making sure to take plenty of rest breaks and pain killers. It isn't all mental after all!

On our downward journey we encountered an unexpected group that included another St. Thomas parishioner and an excellent musician, Bo Carey. Bo and his fellow musician friends were heading up to Leconte Lodge, instruments in tow, to spend the night and no doubt to entertain the other lodgers with their excellent skills on the strings. I hope they had an enjoyable time. Leconte Lodge is a wonderful hiking destination. Here's how it works. You reserve a spot in advance, hike up Mt. Leconte, sit down to dinner (which always seems to be beef stroganoff and noodles), sleep overnight in a bed, sit down for breakfast, and hike back down. Not a bad deal, is it?

So down we went on the Bull Head Trail, with beautiful views and several stream crossings. At around the half way point of this trail is a stone platform known as the Pulpit. Here I took a few moments to preach upon the one of the fundamental tenants of hiking, that being,

THERE IS NO ADEQUATE SUBSTITUTE FOR AN EARLY START!

There are certainly substitutes, like starting late with friends and making sure to care for one another with concern for injuries, good conversation and cold bottles of Snapple prepared in advance for the end of the day. But is this type of substitute adequate? I'll let you decide.

There Is No Adequate Substitute For An Early Start!

This coming Friday marks the beginning of an epic journey. It is a journey undertaken by many, but finished by few. The goal is for two friends to hike every trail in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Today, however, I was reminded by my calendar that I am scheduled to be at a fundraising breakfast on the very day we have set for hike #1. There is no doubt in my mind that we will still be on the trail this coming Friday, even if it means breaking one of the fundamental tenants of hiking, that being:

THERE IS NO ADEQUATE SUBSTITUTE FOR AN EARLY START!

My first encounter with this important advice was through Dan Allen's book, Don't Die On The Mountain. I was drawn to the book by the fact that I would like to avoid death in the mountains. Getting an early start is always good advice as it gives one a sufficient amount of daylight, which is especially helpful if you ever find yourself lost in the woods.

We hope to share our experience of hiking these trails with those who may wish to hike them too and to share advice on how to do so safely.

Be sure to check back often as we continue adding miles to our journey. It promises to be a real humdinger!