Cummins Falls!

My husband and I love hiking. So we're game to go anywhere and try anything.

And when I mentioned a place called Cummins Falls, my husband was eager, even though it was a two-hour drive, each way, down back roads with no names. And even though it was in the 80s and we had to take the vehicle affectionately known as the "sweat mobile." (It has no air conditioning.)

But Cummins Falls was worth it!

To the left, is a photo I took from the top of the gorge before we hiked down.

It was a long way down. Thankfully, there were steps on some steep sections. Because of foreshortening, you can't tell how steep this is--the rises between the steps were often well over 18 inches. I felt like I was on the Stairs of Cirith Ungol. Especially on the return when everything was uphill.

On our way hiking up the gorge to the falls.

Here is my husband putting his boots back on. We had to ford the river a couple of times.

 Once we reached the gorge, we climbed up part of the waterfalls. And an another adventurous climber took our photo.

Even though we are in the midst of a severe drought in Eastern Tennessee, the falls were gorgeous.

The water was freezing cold. I had the shivers despite the heat.

My husband swimming in one of the top swimming holes in Tennessee.

Couldn't close the post without a shot of my hiking boots. These shoes have given me more than twenty years of hiking pleasure. And have seen their share of bears and stepped on more than one rattlesnake--though those are other stories.

Gorge: down and up

Yesterday, we and some friends went hiking at Cloudland Canyon. If you remember, my last encounter with CC included me stepping on a rattlesnake. This time, no rattlesnake! Of course, I missed a lot of the scenery because my eyes were glued to the trail.

However, no visit to the wilderness would be complete without a negative experience with some wildlife. This time we stumbled into a swarm of yellow jackets. My friend was going to everyone’s picture and the moment she said, “Smile!”, the screaming started. We scattered, but the stinging continued. I wonder how the picture turned out…

On the hikes we’ve been on in the past, we’ve hiked around the rim of the gorge. This time we decided to hike into the gorge and see the waterfalls and pools. Did you notice the words “down” and “gorge”? Good, remember that. The views were stunning. Tumbling waterfalls, river-smoothed boulders, inky pools, and forest floors of millipedes, centipedes, etc. (Yes, I really do like bugs.)

Time flew. And we turned to hike back, which was great until…you remember “down” and “gorge”—now we faced “up” and “gorge.” Staircase after staircase after staircase anchored to the undulating face of the gorge. The height didn’t bother me—it was the stairs! My friend called them the “Escher stairs.” (You remember the Escher drawing called Relativity of the steps that never end—they traveled forever.) Add to that low blood sugar and empty water bottles. Yep, misery. But we made it, although my calves are exacting a nasty revenge.