Prom Night!

Saturday night was prom night for South Doyle High School. John's son, Lee, was suited up and ready to go. We don't often see him dressed up so this was a real shutter opp for John!

Running Downtown

Another beautiful day in Knoxville. The decision to run this morning was easy, but I really didn't want to run hills so my best option was to head downtown and run riverside on Neyland Drive. Neyland Drive is a mostly flat 5-mile out and back with a couple of options to add mileage. I varied the route and came up with a nice 5.5 mile run.

Henley Street Bridge and the Tennessee River

Knoxville Riverfront. The Three Rivers Ramble red caboose is visible on the right . Neyland Stadium, home of the University of Tennessee Volunteers is in the middle of the photo. Behind the stadium, barely visible on the left, is the arena and home to Tennessee's winning Ladies and Men's Basketball teams.

The Canadian Geese are back. Before long the geese and their babies will be stopping traffic on Neyland Drive as they cross the road from one feeding ground to another.

I have a nice variety of wildflowers in bloom in my garden. Above is the Foam Flower and the Dwarf Crested Iris (Tennessee State flower). Unfortunately, dandelions are in full bloom too.

Variegated Solomon Seal

Dwarf Crested Iris

Tuesday Workout
Run: 5.5 miles, 63 minutes, 11.45 mmp
Strength Training: 30 minutes

Maude's Crack and No Business Backpack

We had a great backpack! In spite of Saturday's early rain and gloom, the weather front had moved out and the sun was shining by the time we hit the trail. The temperature remained very comfortable for the entire trip.

The trailhead was located somewhere in the maze of gravel forest roads that wind deep into the Big South Fork. We started hiking near Terry Cemetery on a relatively flat trail along the Big South Fork plateau.

At the trailhead. From left, Kim, John, Ed and Steve.

Me, starting down Maude's Crack

Within the first mile, we hit Maude's Crack, our passageway down to No Business valley. Many mountain landmarks are named by (for) past residents and Maude's Crack is no exception. The generally accepted story is that the crack was named for Minnie Maude Roysdon who, after her house burned down, used the crack to travel between her homestead and the temporary rock shelter that she and her husband lived in during reconstruction.

A recent Knoxville News Sentinel article by Morgan Simmons, says "being in Maude's Crack is not unlike being in a cave. The footing is muddy and slick, and the gradient is nearly vertical." Boy, amen to that! The opening in the rock formation was barely wide enough for us to get through wearing our internal frame packs. We absolutely could not turn sideways. Steve, who was shouldering an external frame pack, had to carry it in his hands because the frame was too wide.

I put my camera over my shoulder and took this picture of John. You can barely see the light behind him where the crack begins.

Will (in front) and Kim preparing to exit out of the crack. I, for one, was really happy to be out!

We continued on the trail for a while and finally stopped on the river banks of the Big South Fork River to enjoy lunch amidst the wildflowers.

Kim and Will enjoying lunch

Giant Yellow Trillium

Woodland Violet

My favorite flower is the violet. As a child I use to make bouquets from violets in the yard. These days, I wait as long as possible before spring mowing so I can enjoy the rich purple blooms (yes, I have a yard full of violets).

This is a piece of foundation from one of the homesteads that once dotted the No Business Creek community. The rugged mountain community consisted of a homes, a small store and a post office. Mail was delivered by a postman on horse back. The name of the community is rumored to come from the often heard comment "we have No Business being down here."

Steve headed up the trail (actually he is turned around looking backward), We have just crossed No Business Creek for the 3rd or 4th time.

John and me in camp, under the tarp. At 4:00 PM, just as we pitched our tents and set up the tarp, it started raining again. It rained for a while then quit before bedtime. We stayed nice and dry.
Our tent along No Business Creek. We were camped just on the other side of another home site in the No Business Creek Community.

Sunday morning, John made a fine breakfast of sweet potato pancakes and bacon. The bacon was the precooked variety so we has no refrigeration issues. Yummy!

Our hike out included a stop at the Boyette homestead. The Boyette home was the last one in valley and on one of the nicest tracts of land in the community.

Ed sitting on the Boyette homestead foundation. Rocks from the foundation, pieces of rock wall and the incredible chimney are the only remnants of a life once lived here.

Ahhhh!

Trail to the Boyette homestead

Additional photos are located here: http://smithposts.smugmug.com/gallery/4763353_PTkUZ#282420521_qYSoi

and here: http://picasaweb.google.com/theskeltonview/NoBusinessCreekBackpackApril19202008

Where Did This Week Go?

Don't know where this week has gone! The yard is not mowed and a number of household projects are still incomplete, but I did get another resume out, the house is relatively clean and I spent some very pleasant time with Mother and Daddy.

My workouts were sparse, a 4-mile run on Monday, a 10 mile bike ride with John on Tuesday, a 4-mile run and weights on Thursday. These are not the fine efforts that make a strong athlete but that's okay; next week will bring another opportunity.

Tomorrow we head out on a backpack with friends. With a 70% chance of rain through the morning, we are not anticipating the effort with much enthusiasm. Not so long ago, we couldn't wait to shoulder our packs, the nastier the weather the better. These days we do it mostly to spend quality time with friends, and to take advantage of the exercise opportunity.

This evening we are going out to dinner, followed by a trip to our local Kroger. While recent backcountry cooking efforts have been tasty, we are looking for something different. We just don't yet know what that will be.

Below are a couple of pictures from the yard this week. With warmer temperatures, the flowers in bloom change quickly.

A cloud white Azalea by my front door

The Easter bunny is still lingering in my yard. Too bad he didn't bring a basket of Cadbury Eggs!

I Heart the Treadmill, Again

This morning was cold, overcast and I had a lot of things to do, so I slipped out just after 8:00 to go for a run at the gym. My hip discomfort (actually glute) is better but not gone so I hoped making tracks on the treadmill would be gentler. I have a love-hate relationship with the treadmill. I run on it for a week or so and I can't get away fast enough. A week or so off, I am back, proclaiming the treadmill to be just the greatest. Go figure.

The gym was not crowded when I arrived but the 20 some treadmills quickly filled up. I plugged in my iPod, turned on the treadmill fans and began to crank up the speed. No too long into the run, a lady about my own age climbed on the machine next to me with a phone held firmly to her ear. I could hear her over my iPod, doling out marriage advice to her daughter. Don't know why people feel the need to talk so loud while on a cell phone. I could have done without some of the details.

Regardless of the chatterbox, I had a nice run. Went in with a goal of 4 miles and completed the mileage at an 11:19 mmp for a 45.16 minute run. My hip/glute did not act up too much (though I expect I will feel it later) and I did not feel any tightness in my legs. It was a nice way to get in a quick run and I once again heart the treadmill, until next week anyway.

Met up with Daddy and my sister, Leslie, just before noon. We had a yummy but unhealthy lunch at Daddy's, hot dogs with chili and onions, french fries and coleslaw. I was not a member of the "clean plate club" but had to apply some discipline. Then it was errands, errands, errands.

The entire family met up again around 5:00 PM to enjoy a "Night of Fine Dining" with Mother. This is a special affair that Shannondale offers about once a month in the cafeteria, for residents and family members. It is by reservation only. We enjoyed dining to classical music with white table cloths, fresh flowers and waiters. The food? Well, local Chef Walter, who was dining with his wife, would probably not give the meal a 5 star rating for taste, but he would probably award 5 stars for effort!

A fine looking family, from left, Carol, me, Mother, Daddy and Leslie

Just thought I would drop this photo in :-) Daddy celebrating St. Pat's Day....

Riding the Back Roads

I can hear the tinkling of wind chimes through the screen door as I type. Another breezy, beautiful day in Knoxville!

John and I got out on our bicycles again today. We vacillated between a couple of routes that traversed various sections of town, but ended up on the country roads in South Knoxville, some 10-15 minutes from John's house.

Our ride started at Howard Pinkston Library on Martin Mill Pike. The property includes several ball fields, a water fountain and some decent bathrooms so it is a great place to begin and end a bike ride. We rode a short distance on Martin Mill, took a left and slipped into the spectacular East Tennessee countryside.

Rolling terrain took us over ridges and into lush valleys. The sky was Colorado blue, farm fields were laden with spring flowers and we slowed down to look at cows, horses, donkeys and other animals residing in roadside pastures. We saw a few cars and outfits on the backroads but mostly we were alone.

We rode for about an hour, snaking through some 12 miles of road. Once home, we cleaned up and headed to our new, favorite restaurant, Ephesus Mediterranean Grill. A plate of gyros with freshly baked pita bread hit the spot.

Below are a couple of pictures from our ride. We don't have a pocket friendly camera but we stuffed my larger Olympus into the saddle bag. John is looking a various small cameras. Not yet sure if he will purchase one.

Pre-ride photo. No need to look too close, there are no naked people in the reflection on my sunglasses :-)

Still in the Howard Pinkston parking lot, this is a picture of John warming up

A pretty country road
A nice roadside Redbud in bloom

So which one of us do you think is the serious cyclist?

Lunch Hour Bike Ride

It is raining now. Not the severe storms predicted but a nice, gentle rain. The weatherman says a cold front is on the way, but earlier today we had perfect late May weather, temps in the low 80's, a cloudless sky and brisk winds. Wonder what it will be like when May actually arrives?

John called this morning around 9:30 and asked if I wanted to pick him up around 11:00 for a bike ride at lunch. I said sure and promptly started piddling around the house. A little after 10:00, while I was securing the bike rack on the car, he called back to let me know his mid-morning student had canceled and he was ready to go now. Oh! I quickly gathered the bike, accessories, water and self together and took off to the University. We were on our bikes and peddling laps in his neighborhood by 11:00.

After a few warm-up laps, we left the security of the neighborhood and headed out into traffic. John wanted to hard ride but I hadn't been on the bike for a few weeks, my legs burned and I was bothered by the traffic. Yea, okay, and I was a little whiny about it.

The wind seeming to be blowing in what ever direction we were trying to ride. One rather fierce gust spewed dirt against our faces and arms and almost knocked John off the bike (he had loosened his grip). We ducked in and out of side streets trying to avoid the worst of the lunch hour traffic. I rode for 55 minutes, John finished faster. While I crawled up the last steep, hill, he sprinted. He was in the shower by the time I got my slow butt up the hill and to the house. Oh well, we both rode 10 miles, mine was just at an 11mph pace.

The plan is for me to do more riding over the next couple of weeks. Since I am still having inflammation with a nerve (or tendon) running from my hip down the back of my leg, John has banned me from swimming until the pain is gone and I am taking an undetermined number of days off from running. The problem originated during a swim and running, especially uphill, seems to aggravate it. The discomfort has been around at some varying level of intensity for the past month. It is time for things to get better before they get worse! Biking seems to have no effect on the inflammation.

Spring continues to pop up all over the yard. I have posted a few pictures below.

Korean Spice Viburnum. The flowers of the Korean Spice smell of sweet vanilla and spices. The fragrance is so strong that it hijacks an entire corner of the yard when the bush is in full bloom. To me, it is one of the most memorable scents of Spring!

This bright red and yellow tulip is the most cheerful flower in my garden!

Tulip time in Tennessee!

Running in Traffic

Several years ago, I was in my car attempting make a right turn onto a very busy two lane road. I was on a small side road and numerous shopping center parking lots had exits to the same two lane road I had my sights set on. Cars were in motion everywhere. Finally I caught an opening in traffic and took one more glance to my left to be sure the situation had not changed. As I let my foot off the brake to negotiate my turn, a runner ran in front of me.

My heart jumped to my throat and I hit my brakes immediately. The runner didn't slow down but gave me a very irritated look. I don't know where this runner came from or how I missed him, but I did. I have never forgotten the incident. I wanted to jump out of the car and throttle him. My thoughts at the time were "Make Sure I See You Before You Run In Front Of My Car, Do Not Assume That I See You." Assumptions can be fatal, in work or workouts.

As a runner now, I will not, under any circumstance, run in front of a car at an intersection unless I have made eye contact with the driver and know that he/she sees me. This effort has resulted in me making a fool out of myself on several occasions, jumping and waving at drivers who are not paying attention but I receive a lot of smiles and gracious waves from drivers motioning me on.

The above incident was very much on my mind this morning as I headed out for my run. I left from the house and put the neighborhood behind me quickly. Looping the same route a time or two was not going to do it. Distance is what I needed today, between me and the front door. The longer the run away, the longer the run home (or the walk home if my body won the battle over my mind). A longer run also meant I would be negotiating some two lane roads and many, many intersections.

I had my iPod in one ear and my other ear listening to the sounds around me. Depending on the circumstances, I tuned into the music or tuned it out. I ran on sidewalks, through parking lots and on the road. I found a perfect dirt foot path along a very busy 2 lane road, a path I had never noticed before. I heard birds chirping, lawn mowers running and lots of traffic. I had a really good time!

Toward the end, my body starting complaining and I worried about walking but I didn't walk. I did enjoy the stops at several busy intersections where I grabbed a couple of seconds of rest while waiting on lights and I did a few wild arm waves at drivers who weren't paying attention (all resulted in smiles and friendly waves). Finally the reward, I made it home. My time? 1.30.10. Since I have have no way of measuring the run, we will call it 7 miles. This will account for my pace (think 100 year old runner) at the end. This is my longest run (time wise) in the past 10 years.

I did get hungry during the run and am thinking about trying some of the goo things for runs over an hour. I also got thirsty. Will have to work out something with hydration as really warm, humid weather is not too far away.

Run: 1.30.10 minutes, 12.87 mmp (maybe), 7 miles (at least)

A Peek at Cherokee Boulevard

Today was another warm, sunny day in Knoxville. We are just a few weeks from the Dogwood Arts Festival and so many trees and flowers are in bloom. I decided to head to Cherokee Boulevard for a run and a little preview of the spring floral treasures.

Inspired by Rainmaker's photos of the Cherry Blossoms in Washington, DC, I brought my camera to give you a peek at Cherokee Blvd. The Boulevard is the main street in an old Knoxville neighborhood (Sequoyah Hills). Unfortunately, many of the homes in this neighborhood do not meet the criteria of today's wealthy homeowner so one by one, the old homes are being purchased, destroyed and replaced with very large McNew homes. Many of the McNew homes are built with the neighborhood character in mind but the history is slowly disappearing. It is for this very reason that John's neighborhood is attempting a historic overlay on the oldest craftsman homes....but this is a whole 'nuther out of control story.

Anyway, back at the Boulevard, a trail (greenway) runs through the center in an area that once housed tracks for the local trolley cars. Ornate concrete seats, light fixtures, neighborhood markers and fountains are located along the 2.6 mile road. The Tennessee River is visible along the 1st 1.5 miles and the city of Knoxville has turned a portion of the river front property into parking and city parks. These public areas are loved and used by a lot of people.

An arch of fruit trees and Dogwoods line a portion of the trail. Note the concrete seat in the middle of the trail and neighborhood marker to the right. The trail and green area is maintained by the city.

The fountain marks the 1.5-mile point, better known as the turnaround for a 3-mile run. The next 1.1 mile is hills, beginning with a gradual hill just after the fountain and getting steeper.
A picture of the Tennessee River from the fountain area. Again, beautiful concrete seats grace the area.
Another picture of the trail. Just beyond the visible point in this photo is an Indian Mound. It provides a nice hill in the middle of the trail.

So this was my run today, the 3 mile piece....I turned around at the fountain. Time, I have no idea, I forgot to time but I hope you enjoyed the photos!

Honey Creek Dayhike, Big South Fork

Yesterday was a workout of a different sort, a wet, rocky, uphill sort. John and I went hiking with friends, Bill and Silke. The hike was a short 5.5-mile effort but guess what?!!! It took us a little over 4 hours to complete. This is one tough trail.

We left Oak Ridge around 8:00 AM, our destination, Honey Creek Loop Trail in the Big South Fork River and Recreational Area. While very beautiful, John and I don't hike in the Big South Fork very often. Either we don't think about it or when we do, it is summer when copperheads and bugs rule.

Winter in the BSFRRA is perfect, spring hiking great as long as it hasn't been raining. Unfortunately, it rained hard on Friday and we knew the rain swollen creek crossings would be wicked. In the back of my mind, I expected to take an unplanned swim so in anticipation, I packed everything in my day pack in plastic. What I unwisely forgot was my gaiters. I would regret this lapse of memory many times during the hike.

The hike began under overcast skies somewhere along an old forest service road. We made the first creek crossing over a small wooden bridge but the volume of water flowing through the creek tipped us off to expect a strong current and deep water in the areas that required creek wading.

Honey Creek Trail has a number of waterfalls. Bill told us that during his hike here last year, the drought reduced most waterfalls to a mere trickle with a few non-existent. During this hike the waterfalls were spectacular, including a few falls that don't normally exist.

Bill and Silke headed down to the base of a waterfall. Bill told us that he had never seen this waterfall before, the waterfall is a direct result of the amount of rain the area had recently received.
Ah the ladders. Yep, that's me. If you have been reading this blog for a while, you know that I have bad memories of ladders based on our West Coast Trail backpack in 2005 (blog post). The good news is that this was only 40 some rungs, versus 926 on Day 3 of our trip. The ladder in the above picture was very worthwhile because it led to the incredible view below.
This is the granddaddy of Big South Fork creeks, well rivers. This is the Big South Fork River as seen from the Honey Creek overlook. Lots of water flowing!
John crossing the first of the water crossings. John and I had on long pants. While I rolled my pants above the knee, John fastened his around his thighs with the buttons that usually cinch hiking pants around the ankles. With a giggle, Bill and Silke dubbed this fashion statement "pantaloons."

One of several boulder caves we climbed through. This is a photo of Bill (in front) and Silke. We still had our water shoes on at this point 'cause we had a lot more water to wade through.

Part of the Honey Creek trail is IN the creek. "This waterfall was just a trickle last time we were here," Bill told us. You can see Bill headed up the rocks in the middle of the picture, straight up the waterfall. Luckily the rocks were not slick so we had no trouble getting up and over. Otherwise we would have had to turn around and go back the way we came in. This spot was a little less than halfway through the hike.

One of the significant landmarks on this trail is the Indian Cave. We climbed the ladder (see wooden box at the bottom of the cave) to explore and eat lunch. It was shortly after this that we put on our hiking shoes, expecting smaller creek crossing . These small crossings were numerous and deep. John, Bill and Silke had their gaiters on, which protected the tops of the boots from water. Without gaiters, water flowed in my boots and I sloshed for some 2 miles. At least I didn't have to worry so much about keeping my feet dry....no point.

Large boulders made this part of the hike quite interesting. The creek flows between the boulders, you can see flat rock under the water.

After the many creek crossings, we finally returned to a nice forest trail then back to the parking lot. We arrived home mid-afternoon. Lucky for us. The overcast sky turned into rain and rain fell most of the rest of the day!

For more photos from this hike: Honey Creek Trail
For photos from the 2005 West Coast Trail Backpack: West Coast Trail
(located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada)