Day 185 Sept 30th

Rode up to the TN/NC state line today and continued on to Beauty Spot. This looks out over Erwin and mountain views all around.
From there we continued up gravel road to top of Unaka Mountain. This mountain overlooks Beauty Spot and mountains of TN/NC as far as you can see. Quite a bit of color at these higher elevations.
From there we started down the mountain to trailhead for Red Fork Falls. Again not a huge fall, but very pretty setting and a nice hike.
Completed the loop back to Rock Creek with 35 miles covered.

Day 184 Sept 29th

We hiked to Jerry's dad's cross in the woods above Rock Creek. Jerry put it up in the forest where his dad loved to hike.
After that we hiked to Dick's Creek Falls. This was about a six mile hike out and back. The falls are not very big but have a neat pool that they flow into. Was good to get out and hike some in the mountains.

Day 183 Sept 28th

Had breakfast with Jerry's sister and her husband. Latter in the day we road around the backroads nearby and visited Jerry's grandparents on mothers side at their gravesite. Just took in some of the beautiful scenery in the area.
81 miles today.

Day 182 Sept 27th

Today was a lazy day around the campground getting the site ready for family coming in from FL. Rounded up some more firewood for the nights up here in the mountains. Leaves are starting to turn and temps are getting a little cooler.

Day 181 Sept 16th

We set up a base camp at Rock Creek Park. Will be here for two weeks. Went and visited an old friend of Jerry's today. He hooked us up with some firewood. Edward makes wine so we had a wine testing. Great wine. Did laundry and finished the day around a campfire. Edward came up to oak Creek and we found that he and my wife have some of the same relatives. So I guess we are related in some way. Small world.
10 miles today. Life is good.

Day 180 Sept 25th

We rode from Gatlinburg to Rock Creek Park in Erwin TN today. My wife was born here and spent early childhood years here. Jerry moved here in his early childhood and spent hid late childhood years here. Rock Creek is a beautiful NFS campground in the Cherokee NF. We will be camping here for next few weeks hiking and riding the mountain roads of east TN and western NC.
The ride from Gatlinburg to here on the back roads is fantastic.
The NFS was draining the swimming hole when we got here and catching the trout that had been put in the swimming hole a few weeks ago for a kids fishing day. Lots of big rainbow trout.
Really feeling like we are back on home turf now as we have camped here for many years. Jerry's sister and her husband were setup camping here when we arrived. they live nearby and take advantage of this place quite a bit.
126 great miles today.

Day 179 Sept 24th

We rode up through the Roaring Fork Motoring loop. This is a one way road on outskirts of Gatlingburg into part of the Smoky Mountain National Park. Woods and lots of creeks.
From there we rode up to Clingmans Dome and did the short hike up to the observation tower. This is the highest point in TN at 6642 feet. From the tower we had a 360 degree view of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. We could see Mount Mitchell 73 miles away. Also Mount Pisqah about 30 miles away. As we were there the clouds started rolling in blocking the view of some of the distant mountains.
Only 62 miles today.

Day 178 Sept 23rd

Did a partial loop around the Smokey Mountain National Park today. Went into Cades Cove and took Parsons Branch gravel road out to US129 or The Dragon. Rode the Dragon north to the Foothills Parkway. Over the Parkway to 321 north thru Townsend. Back thru the National Park to Gatlinburg. Great ride today.
123 miles.

Day 177 Sept 22nd

We rode Fron Indian Boundry to Gatlinburg today. Over Cherohala Skyway to Deals Gap. From there to Fontana Dam. On to Bryson City and the road to nowhere. Cherokee NC to Gatlinburg where we finished the day.
152 miles through some of the best roads in the country.

Day 176 Sept 22nd

We hiked in the area around Indian Boundary Campground. We rode down to Tellico in the afternoon on some gravel roads,
Only 36 miles today.