SMOKY MOUNTAINS TN

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=60 BGCOLOR="#555555" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="03c467f1diriop.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CC6600" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#CCFFCC" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#333333" FACE="Arial" >gbwebb art</FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#A6CAF0" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#339900" FACE="Arial" > </FONT> |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="gbwebb art"><U>home</U></A>   <A HREF="artist80_travelii.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" TRAVEL"><U> travel</U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B> </B></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=420 BGCOLOR="#777777" TEXT="#080000"> <div>  BIKE TOURING NORTH EAST OHIO LAKE ERIE OHIO PRESERVES GOLL WOODS <A NAME="neohio_bike"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A> PORT CLIN</div> <div>  <A NAME="smkyo8"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="1" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="1" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" ></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1214fe080.jpg" border=0 width="510" height="264" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> BACKPACKINGMOKY MOUNTAINS</div> <div> THIS IS PROBABLY THE BEST MODERATE BACKPACKING LOOP IN THE EASTERN USA</div> <div> COSBY RANGER STATION-GABES MOUNTAIN TRAIL-CAMP SITE 34 RESV NEEDED-5MI</div> <div> CAMP 34-GABES MNT TRAIL-MADDRON BALD TR-CAMP 29-6MI</div> <div> CAMP29-MADDRON BALD TR-A.T. TR-CAMEL GAP TR-CAMP 37 RESV NEEDED -8MI</div> <div> CAMP 37-LOW GAP TR-COSBY RANGER STATION-5MI</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1208eea70.jpg" border=0 width="750" height="167" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> THE HIKE TO CAMP  34 IS AN EASY CLIMB AND CAN BE REACHED BEFORE DARK WHEN LEAVING COSBY AS LATE AS 3PM.</div> <div> THE CAMPSITE IS LOCATED BY A SLEEP INDUCING STREAM.FIRST NITE DINNERS ARE ALWAYS BEST AS THEY CAN HAVE ITEMS THAT WOULD NORMALLY</div> <div> SPOIL.OUR MEAL WAS ITALIAN SAUSAGE WITH POTATO DUMPLINGS  IN  MUSHROOM  PASTA SAUCE WITH GARLIC BREAD.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1213f4390.jpg" border=0 width="500" height="313" ALT="ALBRIGHT GROVE" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> BETWEEN CAMP 34 AND 29  IS A REMNANT OLD GROWTH FOREST IN THE ALBRIGHT GROVE.MY KIDS HAVE DUBBED IT "DAD'S TREE PORN"</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="120becbc0.jpg" border=0 width="748" height="188" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> CAMP 29  IS A MODERATE CLIMB THROUGH THE ALBRIGHT GROVE LOCATED ALONG A STREAM.BE WARY OF MICE THAT SEEM</div> <div> TO BE ABLE TO GET PAST BEAR  FOOD HOISTS.PAST CAMP 29 THE SNAKE DEN TRIAL LEADS STEEPLY  BACK DOWN TO COSBY FOR A WEEKEND TRIP.</div> <div> INADU  KNOB HAS SWEEPING VISTAS CLEARED BY TREE DOWNING WINDS.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="120deeeb0.jpg" border=0 width="750" height="235" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> AT  RIDGE TOP IS THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL AND THE STATE LINE BETWEEN TENNESSEE AND N CAROLINA.YEARS OF FOOT TRAVEL HAS ERODED</div> <div> AWAY THE SOIL AND LEFT ONLY ANKLE TWISTING BASALT ROCKS.ODDLY THE ROCKS ON THE A.T. ARE MUCH OLDER THAN THE SANDSTONE AND LIMESTONE</div> <div> ON THE RIDGES BELOW. WE WERE GLAD TO GET OFF THE LAVA ROCKS AND WALK ON DIRT AS WE DROPPED DOWN INTO N CAROLINA ON CAMEL BACK TR.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="120eeeba0.jpg" border=0 width="750" height="186" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> CAMEL BACK TRAIL FOLLOWS  BIG CREEK TO CAMP 37 OFFERING  SOME SWIMMING HOLE NIRVANAS TEMPERATURE PERMITTING.</div> <div>  LOW GAP TRAIL IS HALF WAY BETWEEN CAMP 37 AND COSBY LOCATED OVER , ER..... A LOW GAP.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="120feed00.jpg" border=0 width="750" height="208" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> WE WERE LUCKY FOR GREAT WEATHER.WE DODGED FREEZING TEMPS AND SNOW BY FOUR DAYS BEFORE OUR START. IT RAINED ON THE</div> <div> MOURNING  OF  OUR LAST DAY.WE ENJOYED THE NAME SAKE SMOKE ON TOP OF OLD SMOKY AND DOWN IN THE VALLEY.</div> <div> I AVOIDED OUTRIGHT REVOLT BY FREQUENT REST BREAKS AND PACK LOADS DIVIDED BY ABILITY.YOUNGEST CARRIED SLEEP BAGS CLOTHES</div> <div> AND A WATER BOTTLE.OLDER CHILD ADDED  FOOD. I CARRIED SAID AND TENT PLUS  STOVE  COOK POTS.EVERY ONE HAD TWO SETS OF CLOTHES</div> <div> AND RAIN GEAR.ONE PAIR OF BOOTS WAS COBBLED BACK TOGETHER WITH SUPER GLUE AND STICKY BANDAGE WRAP.FOR A SPRING TRIP</div> <div> PACK FOR FREEZING TEMPS RAIN AND BALMY SUNNY DAYS.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1210ee270.jpg" border=0 width="750" height="295" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Copyright © 1999-2008 GEORGE B WEBB / gbwebb-art.com</div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>