I found this 'good luck' rock at the trailhead.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Looking ahead to Big Bald, way, way in the back.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
These water jugs were the only trail magic I saw during this two week trip.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Pretty white flowers covered the ground as I headed up to Big Bald.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here's the view from Big Bald.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Here's a 360° video clip.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I only had the top to myself for a moment when some locals drove to the top.
They took my picture on the 5516' summit.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Off I go.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Looking back to Big Bald.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I skipped the .1 mile side trail to Bald Mountain Shelter.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I went up and over the 5185' summit of Little Bald which ironically didn't offer a view. All I can figure by the name is that it used to be bald until the trees were allowed to grow back. After making my way through Whistling Gap, I headed up to High Rocks. The A.T. doesn't go quite to the top. I decided to take the short but steep blue-blazed trail to the top.
There was a nice, but limited view from the top. Unless you are a stickler for going to the tops of mountains like I am, after having such a great view on Big Bald, this one probably isn't worth the trip.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I'm not one who can identify too many flowers. Runtrails probably knows what variety this is. I was right, she emailed me that day with the answer: Crested Dwarf Iris. She also helped identify several other kinds of flowers from this trip. Thanks Sue.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sign at the road crossing at Spivey Gap
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I've still got 11 miles to go.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I met a section hiker with her dog at No Business Knob Shelter.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I went through another area which recently went through a prescribed burn.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I'm glad I came through in May and didn't plan this trip in March or April.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Mountain Laurels
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Awesome view from Cliff Ridge.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Erwin, Tennessee
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I thought I would never get down from Cliff Ridge. Lots and lots and lots of switchbacks, but they made the descent quite gradual and very runnable. I ran most of the way down when I came across the prettiest view of the day, Lynn coming to meet me.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Like yesterday, we stopped at Uncle Johnny's. Today we had the privilege of meeting Johnny himself. He's been running the hostel for 11 years.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Cool sign at Uncle Johnny's
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I couldn't capture the whole sign in one picture.
This was such a great spot, and we couldn't pass up the Snickers that Johnny was selling for 40 cents.
