Big Ridge State Park, 2-21-2024: A Real Hike This Time (published 2-22-2024; article #457)

Introduction

“I had an itch. I had to scratch it.” That's what I told Mrs. Appalachian Irishman when I called her at 4:32 PM yesterday. Last evening, we would need to have baked taters, not mashed taters, with our supper. At the time of my call, my truck and I were fixin' to head home from Big Ridge State Park. Normally, at about 4:30 PM, I start peeling taters for my wife to mash once she is back home.

Tuesday's article—with the embedded Appalachian Irishman - Podcast (YouTube) episode—was about my walk down memory lane last Sunday afternoon at Big Ridge State Park. I had picked up a paper copy of the Park Map Brochure, which shows the trails and the distance of each trail. That started the itch. I wanted to explore those trails! Yesterday, I scratched the itch by exploring trails!

This article, the 64th in the Hiking topic section, encapsulates yesterday's real hike at Big Ridge State Park! My 2006 Frontier and I took the longer route (Highway 441 north to Norris and then east on Highway 61). The last five miles on Highway 61, in Union County, are curvy. It is, however, far less curvy than the shorter route, mentioned in Tuesday's article. Leaving the house at 12:30 PM, we arrived at the park at 1:13 PM.

The hike in and up, including four photographs, is followed by the hike out and down, with four photographs. The total time hiking was three hours and eight minutes, from 1:20 to 4:28 PM. I hiked at least 7.8 total miles. The weather was mostly sunny with a light breeze. The temperature rose from the mid 50s Fahrenheit to the mid 60s. I was glad that my upper layers were only a T-shirt and a short-sleeve shirt.

The Hike In & Up with Four Photographs

After parking my truck, I started hiking in at 1:20 PM on the Lake Trail. (It begins beside a paved road, behind the visitor center, and heads northwest.) I hiked the first six-tenths of a mile, which came to a footbridge spanning a lake inlet. The segment was easy, with gentle ups, downs, and curves. Much of the trail offers views of Big Ridge Lake and Norris Lake.

Crossing the footbridge, I turned left (or west) onto the Dark Hollow Trail West for a two-mile hike. (From that trail intersection, the Lake Trail continues east for about 1.2 miles and comes out near the Group Camp on Group Camp Road.) The first part of the Dark Hollow Trail West winds northwest and offers views of Norris Lake. I met one couple, about my age, as they were hiking out. We conversed briefly and pleasantly. Later, the main part of the trail turns northeast and continues below several ridge lines. The trail is fairly level. I stepped across a few narrow mountain streams.

On October 4, 2008, my wife, our niece (20 at the time), our niece's female friend, and I camped overnight at a backwoods campsite along the Dark Hollow Trail West. The next two photographs show the campsite. I found it. A footbridge crosses a creek just before the campsite.

I took the above photograph, looking northwest, at 2:11 PM. Two minutes later, the next photograph shows the campsite from the opposite direction.

Back in 2008, we pitched two tents behind the fire pit. I had fixed camp stew, as I call it. We ate well and enjoyed a wonderful camping experience! I wouldn't mind camping there again.

Shortly after taking the two previous photographs, I met a younger man who was hiking out. We conversed briefly. I didn't meet any other hikers during the rest of the hike.

Along the trail, I saw where a few homesteads once stood a century or so ago. Rock foundations of houses were still visible. This trail is long but relatively easy. I enjoyed a few instances where the uphill climb increased my heart rate a little bit! I saw human and canine tracks in a few muddy locations.

The last section of the trail is steeper. It leads north and up the ridge. At 2:45 PM, I took the following photograph:

The two-mile Dark Hollow Trail West was behind and below me. I turned left, or northwest, to continue onto the Big Valley Trail, which is 0.45 miles long at this segment. The trail is steeper as it heads up to the ridgeline. I enjoyed the workout!

After reaching the intersection, I turned left, continuing northwest, and onto the Indian Rock Trail. It is a 2.4-mile loop trail. I hiked up the 1.3-mile west section, which turns northeast to reach the ridge top. At 3:03 PM, I took the following photograph from the ridge top:

I enjoyed the view of Norris Lake, below and in the background. Due to the time of day, I decided to hike down and out.

The Hike Out & Down, with Four Photographs

I hiked back down (southwest and south) on the same 1.3-mile section of the Indian Rock Trail and then the 0.45 segment of the Big Valley Trail. Afterward, I stayed on the Big Valley Trail and passed where it intersects with the Dark Hollow Trail West (up which I had hiked).

I took the following photograph at 3:45 PM. I had already hiked down the first 0.75-mile segment of the Big Valley Trail.

At that juncture, the trail intersects with the 1.25-mile Ghost House Loop Trail. I didn't see or hear any ghosts in the area! I only saw and stepped around a few muddy spots along the trail. The smell of the nearby pine trees was pleasant.

After hiking down the final 0.70 miles of the Big Valley Trail, I took the following photograph at 4:04 PM:

A paved park road, not visible in the image, was behind me. I had returned to modern civilization. During my hike, I speculated how folks, who lived in the area a century or so ago, must have lived. I wondered why they had chosen such remote locations. Old cemeteries mark the passing of some of those people.

After a brief visit to an outdoor urinal (behind a large pine tree that had fallen), I took the next photograph as proof of civilization at 4:09 PM. The view looks southwest.

The mailbox is for the park ranger's house, which is up the paved driveway. The Norton Gristmill is visible at a distance to the left in the image.

Wanting a closer shot of that mill, I trekked the distance. Four minutes after the previous image, I took the following close-up photograph of the mill:

It is a replica of the Norton Gristmill. As the 2/20/2024 article states, “The original mill was built in 1825 and operated until 1930, three years before TVA started construction, on the nearby Norris Dam.” Before taking the photograph, I asked a man, who had been standing at the entrance, if anyone was inside selling corn meal. He laughed and said no.

I decided to hike back to my truck on the Old Mill Trail, which starts beside the mill. It is a 0.25-mile trail that winds below the paved road. Leaving that trail, I still had to walk past the cabins and the beach area to reach my truck.

Conclusion

Returning home, just after my truck and I crossed the line from Anderson County into Knox County, the odometer reached exactly 190,000 miles! Once back home at 5:27 PM, supper was almost ready. The smell of baked taters welcomed me into the kitchen.

Early into the hike, I felt my “bionic” (surgically repaired) right foot as it “talked to me.” I think that the left side of that foot, around the ankle, must be undergoing further recovery. Early this morning, once out of bed and standing with that foot on the floor, was a “wonderful” experience. As the day continued, a step with my repaired right foot started to return to its “normal” feeling.

I am thankful to the Lord that I am still able to hike. Hiking at least 7.8 miles on five trails was a real hike at Big Ridge State Park!

Today, the clouds and strong wind should bring rain sometime this evening. Yesterday, I noticed light clouds forming and felt a light to moderate wind. I figured that rain was coming in a day or two.

My feet still need to discover a few other trails or trail sections. Who wants to hike Big Ridge State Park with me next time? I am awaiting at least one reply.

Big Ridge State Park, 2-18-2024: A Walk Down Memory Lane (published 2-20-2024; article #456)

Preface

Greetings to all national and international readers! To national readers, did you enjoy Presidents' Day yesterday? George Washington, the first President of the United States, was born on February 22, 1732. Abraham Lincoln, the sixteenth president, was born on February 12, 1809. The celebration of their birthdays, close together in February, was combined into Presidents' Day in 1971 by the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established more three-day weekends for American workers.

Mrs. Appalachian Irishman didn't have to work in her teaching profession, but she did work by helping me with chores in the house and garage. She also helped detail our 2012 Sentra, after I returned from a nearby car wash. Finally, at 4:30 PM, after enduring a 30-minute wait in the lobby, she had a six-month dental cleaning. The dentist's office doesn't need to overbook patients.

Ironically, on Presidents' Day, a door-to-door campaigner visited. She was taking a political survey and advocating for Nikki Haley. She asked which candidate will get my vote in the upcoming presidential election. I assured her that the current president will certainly not garner my vote. The former president, who has a lot of baggage, will not either. Nikki Haley could win my vote, but polls don't seem to indicate that she has a chance in the primary election against the former president. I am frustrated, not undecided. I will vote for myself if I have to do so. As the article from 1/26/2024 concluded, “Where is the truly Christian constitutional conservative, who can get my vote, in the next presidential election? Could someone please stand up!”

Don't you wish that a candidate, a true states person in the tradition of Presidents Washington and Lincoln, would run for office? With an apology for these personal and political sidetracks, let's walk down memory lane!

Introduction

On Sunday afternoon, my 2006 Frontier and I went to Big Ridge State Park in Union County, Tennessee. I didn't take time for a long hike, but I enjoyed a walk down memory lane, remembering my childhood in Appalachia. (This article is the 28th entry in the topic section Appalachia - Northeast Tennessee and also the 63rd in the hiking topic section.)

Earlier this month, a young man, Jonah, with whom I have become acquainted recently, told me that his brother and he planned to participate in an eleven-mile trail race at the park. The race, hosted by the Knoxville Track Club, started at 2 PM. I told Jonah that I planned to meet his brother and him to talk for a while and encourage them before the race started. I arrived about 20 minutes early and looked for Jonah. I didn't see him, but I enjoyed watching several runners gather at the starting line. At the signal, they took off running! Jonah and his brother may have changed their plans.

Update, Friday, 2/23/2024: Earlier today, I saw Jonah. His brother and he were there! He was looking for me. They were in the group of runners, who started on a grassy area near the starting line. Before the race started, I walked to that area, but the two men weren't there yet. Jonah told me that his brother and he finished the race. We both regretted that we missed each other.

Big Ridge State Park

Big Ridge State Park is a nice park with magnificent scenery and several excellent trails. From the house, the shortest route (on Highway 33 north to a left turn onto Highway 61) is about 35 minutes. Nearing the park, on Highway 61, the road curves and winds up and down several hills. This is why I don't hike often at Big Ridge State Park. The road is so curvy at a couple of turns that the rear end of my truck met the front end as we turned! Hiking Big Ridge State Park is encouraged. Just be aware of the curvy road that takes you there if you drive in from the east! From the house, a longer route, driving on Highway 441 north to Norris and then turning east onto Highway 61, is less curvy, but it adds about an extra 15 minutes to the drive. This way, you reach the park, driving from the west, and avoid the previously mentioned hairpin curves.

Opening and enlarging the Park Map Brochure in a web browser identifies the Big Ridge Lake and Norris Lake areas, the camping and boating locations, fishing, swimming, the hiking trails, and other features. About fifteen miles, in eleven trails, which range from easy to rugged, provide good hiking options. Old cemeteries and remnants of old home sites are along some trails. Three of the 50 campsites are for backwoods camping (without water or electric hookups).

A replica of the Norton Gristmill, once used for milling corn, is in the park. The original mill was built in 1825 and operated until 1930, three years before TVA started construction on the nearby Norris Dam. A photograph of the gristmill at a distance is included in the next section.

A Walk Down Memory Lane

I have been keeping a hiking log since 4/23/2000. The hike on Sunday afternoon was my 244th total. It was only my fifth at Big Ridge State Park. The four previous hikes were on 11/12/2005 (alone), on 7/26/2008 (when my wife and our niece, 20 at the time, joined me), on 10/4/2008 (when my wife, our niece, our niece's female friend, and I camped overnight), and on 1/5/2012.

I didn't realize at the time that I had not hiked at Big Ridge State Park in just over twelve years! During the hike in January 2012, I found and photographed the cabin, which I recalled from my childhood years. I also saw and photographed the deer that were grazing nearby.

I didn't see any deer on this hike, but I did find again the cabin in which I had stayed back in the late 1960s. I took the photograph below at 2:55 PM. The view looks southwest.

The cafetorium in the distance is being remodeled. Several cabins are behind me, and several are to the right (north) of and behind the cafetorium. During my grade-school years—in the late 1960s, or possibly in the early 1970s, before 1974—a group of us young'uns, boys and girls, from the West View Baptist Church in Rogersville, Tennessee, attended a church camp at this location.

I recalled fond memories of the experience. Several godly adult counselors and the director oversaw our activities, which included meals, devotionals, singing, arts and crafts, skits, sports, and swimming. In an evening devotional around a camp fire we sang “Pass It On.” Back then, I had not heard the song before. A choral version is “Pass It On (It Only Takes a Spark)," Frederick Lau (YouTube), 11/12/2018. We sang a cappella. The young boy who I was then and the older man who I am now were and are inspired by the deep meaning of the lyrics.

A minute later, I turned around and took the photograph below. The view looks northeast.

The closest cabin, centered in the image, is the one in which eight of us boys stayed, back in our grade-school days. Several other cabins and a bathhouse are nearby. The cabins are being renovated. I smelled fresh paint. The doors and window screens were not yet replaced.

Shall we walk inside that cabin? Let's do! Walk along with me as Appalachian Irishman - Podcasts (YouTube) presents the third episode in the Appalachian Heritage section, titled Big Ridge State Park, 2-18-2024: A Walk Down Memory Lane (published 2-19-2024; episode 26). Near the end of the three-minute-and-thirty-second video, I point out the bunk where I slept many years ago. Back then, competition for the cleanest cabin motivated us boys to pull weeds and sweep grass and dirt off the entrance steps! I remember it all very well.

After a fairly brief trek, I took the following two photographs at 3:17 PM. The first image, facing northwest, shows a walking path sign with trail directions and distances, the parking area, and my 2006 Frontier.

It was this truck's first venture into the park. He enjoyed the day despite the hairpin curves.

The next photograph, looking southeast, shows at a distance the replica of the Norton Gristmill (mentioned in the previous section). After taking the photograph, I crossed the field to the mill and walked inside.

I wondered what it was like when the mill was still in operation a hundred years ago. I imagined farmers in bib overalls swapping tales, knives, and family stories. Several probably spit tobacco.

Conclusion

One of these days, my truck and I may decide to take the longer route to return to Big Ridge State Park! There are still trails to be explored! I wonder if Mrs. Appalachian Irishman, our niece, other family members, or friends will want to join us. An overnight backwoods camping experience would even be nice.

The lyrics in verse two of the song “Pass It On” are:

What a wondrous time is spring,
When all the trees are budding.
The birds begin to sing;
The flowers start their blooming.
That's how it is with God's love,
Once you've experienced it.
You want to sing; it's fresh like spring;
You want to pass it on.

Signs of early spring were noticeable. The freshness of spring is coming. I hope, dear reader, that you know the freshness of God's love! I do. If you don't, I want to pass it on! Please use the “Contact Form” to email me if you would like me to pass it on to you.

Valentine's Day, Truck Visits Car: My Wife Was Surprised Too! (published 2-14-2024, article #455)

“Truck Visits Car” photograph by M. Fearghail on 2/14/2024 at 12:21 PM

Introduction

Happy Valentine's Day greetings, dear reader! Today's warm and sunny weather was excellent for a day trip! My 2006 Frontier wanted to visit Mrs. Appalachian Irishman's 2012 Sentra. I went along for the ride.

Welcome to the 120th article in the family topic section. Last Saturday's article concluded by stating:

By the way, I heard recently that, if you cook a raw, unpeeled potato with soup beans, the potato draws out what causes gas from eating soup beans. You throw away the potato afterward and by no means eat it. I may have to try that, unless my “long-suffering” wife decides to do so. I know how to cook soup beans.

In the freezer for well over a year have been an unopened bag and a half-empty bag of frozen breaded okra (or okry, as we say around here). In the pantry for about the same duration has been an unopened bag of soup beans (which some folks call pinto beans). I have been deviling my “long-suffering” wife about not fixing fried okry or soup beans in over a year.

Last Sunday for supper my wife made soup beans, mashed taters, and fried okry! Add a few slices of red onions and a glass of buttermilk. That has been my favorite meal since childhood. I was raised on soup beans and mashed taters. By the way, a raw, unpeeled potato cooked with the soup beans does draw out what causes gas!

I had to return the expression of love. My truck also wanted to visit our car.

Truck Visits Car

My truck hadn't been anywhere since last Thursday, when he took me to haul off garbage, give him a good handwashing, shop at the Tractor Supply, and fill his tank with gas. Today, he insisted on getting out of the “barn” (garage)!

My truck really wanted to go all the way to Sevierville, Tennessee, to see our car. He last visited her in Sevierville on 8/24/2023 (as the 8/25/2023 article recounts). More recently, he took my wife and me to that area last Christmas Eve (as mentioned in the 1/5/2024 article), when we had an enjoyable visit with family members who were vacationing in a cabin.

My truck and I left at about 10:40 AM and returned at about 1:30 PM. As the caption above states, I took the photograph at 12:21 PM. My 2006 Frontier had a good visit with our 2012 Sentra. Both vehicles appear to be smiling in the image. Don't you think so?

My Wife Was Surprised Too!

I had already made a stealth phone call to the secretary at the school where my wife teaches. My truck and I arrived at the school building just before noon.

Beforehand, I tried to find the florist shop, where I have ordered delivery flowers to my wife at her job over the years for Valentine's Day and our anniversary, but I never found it. The shop wasn't answering calls. They must have been busy, preparing and delivering several floral arrangements!

A local store offered better and tastier options! As noon was approaching, I bought my dear wife two boxes of SweeTARTS and two Hershey's chocolate bars. She can't eat roses, but she does enjoy those two types of sweets!

Arriving at the school building, I made another stealth phone call to the secretary, who planned to tell my wife that a visitor was awaiting her outside the front door. The new principal, however, met me and invited me into his office. Yes, I went to the principal's office!

He fetched my wife and brought her to me! I wish that I had a camera with me. Her surprised look is etched in my memory!

Conclusion

This article wishes a happy Valentine's Day to every reader. Personally, it's a happy Valentine's Day entry for my dear wife. Happy Valentine's Day, dear! Thanks for finally fixing soup beans and fried okry for supper last Sunday! This Valentine's Day is better than last year!

On Valentine's Day last year, my “long-suffering” wife drove me in our car for my “roto-rooter” appointment. The article from 2/15/2023 is about my Valentine's Day “Roto-Rooter.” The 8/15/2023 article placed that “roto-rooter” in my rearview mirror! Please pardon the pun!

Yesterday, the folks who “roto-rootered” me last year left a voicemail in an attempt to schedule an appointment. I did not and will not call them back. My exhaust system works quite well. No sale this year!

Memories: 78th House Mountain Hike on 2-6-2011 and Target Practice on 2-7-2015 (published 2-10-2024; article #454)

Introduction

Greetings, dear reader. Thanks for stopping by. I trust that you are well. Around these parts, we are into our second rainy day. Temperatures have been seasonably mild or warm since January 23rd, when our eight days of winter ended. (The 1/23/2024 article describes those eight days.)

This article remembers a hike on House Mountain and target practice at the homeplace. It's included under three topic sections: family (119th entry), heritage (100th entry), and hiking (62nd entry).

Visiting the homeplace three days ago on Wednesday, 2/7/2024, inspired me to write. I didn't take any photographs, but I found all to be in sufficient order. The sunny and seasonably warm weather made for an enjoyable trip. I got to wondering what I had done without publishing any articles about it in Februaries gone by. I recalled at least two memorable experiences, about which I'd not written before now. Here they are!

78th House Mountain Hike on 2/6/2011

Thirteen years ago, on 2/6/2011, I was 50, turning 51 in July. Our niece, the daughter of my wife's younger sister, was 23. On House Mountain, it was her eighth hike with me. It was my 78th hike. I reckon that before or after the hike, I called my lifelong friend, Steve, to wish him a happy 51st birthday.

Back then, I wish I had published a timely article about the hike. The only article that I published in February 2011 was Norris Dam State Park Hike on 2/26/2011 (published 2-27-2011). It is about one of my two solo hikes at the park that month.

On 2/6/2011, my hiking log indicates that three of us hiked together. We hiked up the west trail in 28 minutes to reach the west bluff. Next, we hiked across the ridge, heading east, to the middle bluffs and then to the east bluff. We must have hiked down and out on the east trail. The weather was sunny. The temperature was about 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

The following photograph, the only one that was taken, shows our niece and me standing at the lower middle bluff. The view looks north. The sun was setting to the west, of course.

That's a lovely view! Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I are quite proud of our niece, who is now 36 years young and doing very well. She and I still enjoy exchanging witticisms, to the chagrin of other family members.

You may be thinking, “Who was the third person? He or she must have taken the photograph!” The third person was Dr. Antonov! He and I had met the month before on 1/2/2011, while we were both hiking on House Mountain. Dr. Antonov and I had hiked House Mountain together on the Sunday afternoon of 1/30/2011. So, this hike was his second with me (or mine with him). Dr. Antonov's home country is Bulgaria. He's a few years older than me. At the time, he was living and working in the Knoxville, Tennessee, area.

Dr. Antonov, my Bulgarian friend, has doctorate degrees in philosophy and nuclear physics. He is brilliantly eccentric. On House Mountain, he and I either hiked together or met each other, while hiking separately, on eleven total occasions.

Dr. Antonov and I last met, while hiking House Mountain, on Sunday afternoon, 12/3/2017. That was my 141st hike on House Mountain and my fifth hike there, since my near-death experience on 3/29/2016. (The article I’m Still Alive - Why? (published 8/26/2016) bemoans that day, which still lives in infamy.)

On 12/3/2017, Dr. Antonov and I met on the ridge trail. I was heading west as he was hiking east. I remember the location well. Dr. Antonov had not known about the accident that almost killed me. I encapsulated the news. We talked. I agreed to his request to examine me. The ridge top examination by this outstanding doctor of philosophy and nuclear physics concluded that it would take about ten years of ongoing recovery before I wouldn't notice much difference.

That examination formed the paradigm for my ongoing recovery. Different medical doctors had already predicted certain limitations that I would have. By God's grace and my determination, I have overcome their preconceived limitations! This coming March 29th will mark the eighth year of my ongoing recovery. The muscle groups around my surgically repaired left shoulder, right knee, and right foot still need fine-tuning. I feel and move around almost as well as I did before the accident. I hope in another couple of years I won't notice much difference, especially in my right footstep. I want both feet to feel the same while walking or hiking!

Sadly, I've lost contact with Dr. Antonov. He may have returned to Bulgaria. I will always be grateful for his ridgeline examination! More precise than any medical doctor, his prognosis framed the patience that I still need as I continue to recover. Lord willing, I will know in a couple more years how fully I have recovered.

Target Practice at the Homeplace on 2/7/2015

As the Website Archive shows, I didn't publish any articles in 2015. I could have and should have. Life, such as it was, must have been quite hectic. I may have temporarily lost interest in writing.

Stepping back nine years ago, I was 54, turning 55 (the double nickel) in July. The date was Saturday, 2/7/2015. My 1995 Nissan pickup and I traveled to the homeplace. My youngest brother and I cleared some brush, and we cleared out around a cherry tree, which was still standing at the time. My brother even climbed up that tree!

After we cleared the brush, I fired 50 practice rounds, target shooting, with my Ruger .380 handgun. (The information is in my target shooting log, which I started on 12/31/2010.) I don't think that I had my FNP 40-caliber pistol with me. The 4/13/2019 article explains how that Ruger was replaced. The 1/1/2011 article describes the New Year's Eve shooting, which started my target shooting log.

On that Saturday, I took the following photograph at 5:51 PM, as the sun was setting. The location is the southeast corner of the property. The view looks east.

I have a good truck now, the 2006 Frontier. I miss that 1995 Nissan. He died while saving my life on 3/29/2016, when the uninsured 18-year-old failed to yield to my right-of-way. The image shows that I had not yet taken down the target, which is visible to the right. A fishpond, which is still stocked, is behind my truck.

My youngest brother had to leave before I started target practicing. Later, I joined his family and him for supper at the Golden Dairy. It was a good day for family and heritage.

Conclusion

The Wednesday trip to the homeplace inspired the recollection of a couple of memories from Februaries gone by. I wish that I had published timely articles about both back then. I have done so now.

As I close, my next-to-youngest brother, nine years younger than me, was born in February. Earlier today, he and I enjoyed a good long phone conversation. He is doing as well as he can. My “adoptive brother-in-law,” Mike, passed away 17 years ago in February. The short story from 8/5/2023 and the 10/26/2023 article include loving words about and conversation with Mike.

As daylight fades to dusk, I'll close. It's almost suppertime. By the way, I heard recently that if you cook a raw, unpeeled potato with soup beans, the potato draws out what causes gas from eating the soup beans. You throw away the potato afterward and by no means eat it. I may have to try that, unless my “long-suffering” wife decides to do so. I know how to cook soup beans.