For this ride I suggest the National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map #316 Cades Cove – Elkmont Map which in addition to the GSMNP map has contour lines and it’s much easier to distinguish between hiker only and horse and hiker trails.

You can pick up both maps at the Visitors Centers or the Heritage Center or any of the back country vendors outside the park. I can not imphasize enough … Do NOT go without a map. A GPS doesn’t cut it and your smart phone is a brick once in the park. I also suggest a compass, but that’s just me. Also, learn to read a map and learn to identify map features (like contour lines) as they can inform you ahead of time what you are getting yourself into. Orienteering is a life skill that everyone should have. More so if you enjoy the outdoors and being in the back country.

This ride starts at the Cades Cove Riding Stable parking lot.  We parked our truck and trailer just outside their gates on a large gravel turn-around area.

From the parking spot ride back across the Cades Cove Loop road and up to the picnic area you first passed on your left (now it will be on right). Head into picnic area where you will be the object of attention to children, dogs, and people visiting the park (of which you will now be ingrained in their memories and photos).  For this reason alone, we will not do this ride again.

Ride to the end of the parking/picnic area and head up the Anthony Creek Trail. A few hundred yards out of the parking area is a stock and tie area for horse campers who aren’t brave enough to bold the back country campsites. The Anthony Creek Trail is very rocky. This is why our trip was shorter than we planned (which was to do a full loop up to the Appalachian Trail and back another trail, but our horses had sore feet from all the rocks on this trail).  I recommend this only if you have shod horses or endurance boots.

1.6 miles up the Anthony Creek Trail we took left hand fork to continue on the Anthony Creek trail up to the primitive campsite (#9) where the horses rested while we ate lunch before heading back down. As our horses were a bit foot sore, we rode back down rather than continuing up to Bote Mountain Trail to make a loop back to the Russell Field Trail (off the Appalachian Trail).

This ride was a good three hours. While not as rough as the other two rides I’ve listed before, this is still a 3/5 in terms of terrain and skill as it is quite rocky with a half dozen stream crossings. Take plenty of water and some snacks for yourself. A few peppermints for the ponies would be a welcome treat during the breaks.

Things we have in our saddle bags:

1. Map
2. Compass
3. Water Bottles
4. Sunscreen
5. Snacks (trail mix, sandwiches, granola bars)
6. Small first aid kit
7. Wasp/Hornet spray

This ride starts at the first truck and trailer accessible parking spot when you enter the park from Townsend and are heading towards Cades Cove.  The parking spot is about a mile past the tunnel and is indicated as a black half circle on the Trails Illustrated Map.

I’ve included a map below with some arrows and numbers (you can click the map to expand it to full size).  I used black arrows and red numbers (there are already black arrows, but with a little bit of studying you’ll see the trails I’m recommending in this ride).

For this ride I suggest the National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map #316 Cades Cove – Elkmont Map which in addition to the GSMNP map has contour lines and it’s much easier to distinguish between hiker only and horse and hiker trails.

You can pick up both maps at the Visitors Centers or the Heritage Center or any of the back country vendors outside the park. I can not imphasize enough … Do NOT go without a map. A GPS doesn’t cut it and your smart phone is a brick once in the park. I also suggest a compass, but that’s just me. Also, learn to read a map and learn to identify map features (like contour lines) as they can inform you ahead of time what you are getting yourself into. Orienteering is a life skill that everyone should have. More so if you enjoy the outdoors and being in the back country.

The parking spot (#1 on the map) is where both the Schoolhouse Gap Trail (to the north of the road) and the Bote Mountain Trail (to the south of the road) terminate at Laurel Creek Road.  We rode this route clockwise by starting heading north from the parking spot on the Schoolhouse Gap Trail.  This part of the ride is nice with a smooth grade and can be ridden two abreast for most of the climb.

The Schoolhouse Gap Trail intersects (@ #2 on the map) with the Turkeypen Ridge Trail.  Follow the Turkeypen Ridge trail to the left.  This trail is single file and has some pretty steep terrain. There are times when you are riding on the side of a very steep mountain with a very long drop on the down hill side.

Once you have descended all the way to the bottom of the Turkeypen Ridge Trail (before the intersection) there is a nice lunch spot with some running water that the horses might enjoy.

The Turkeypen Ridge Trail intersects at a four way intersection (@ #3 on the map).  Take the left most trail which is the Finley Cane Trail. This is a bit tricky as the trail goes under the road in a stream. You wouldn’t want to hike this portion as you will be wet from the ankles down, but the ponies didn’t seem to mind.

Just under the bridge there is a fork in the trail (# 4 on the map), just stay to the left on the Finley Cane Trail.  The Finley Cane Trail is mostly gentle grade and we did trot intermittently. We did come across a very large underground hornet’s nest but luckly nobody was stung. My wife yelled out “Hornets!” kicked her mare into a run and left me with the swarm.  I likewise ran up the trail a few hundred yards then dismounted to check for hornets.  There were some stuck in my mare’s mane and two trying to sting the polo wraps.  This is why from now on we will ride with hornet/wasp spray in our saddle bags.

There is a hitching post about 3/4 of the way up the Finley Cane Trail before you reach the next intersection which would be another good stopping place to give the ponies a break.

The next intersection with the West Prong Trail (@ #5 on the map) is well marked.  From here back to the parking area the trail is very well maintained and wide enough to ride two abreast and can also be trotted or cantered.

The intersection with the Bote Mountain Trail (@ #6 on the map) is also well marked and is a gentle grade back down to the parking areas.  While this could be another area to trot or canter, we kept it at a modest walking pace as we like to let them cool down as we get towards the end of our ride.

This ride was a good four hours. While not as rough as the 8.6 mile ride I listed yesterday, this is still a 3/5 in terms of terrain and skill (while the other was like a 4 or even a 4.5). Take plenty of water and some snacks for yourself. A few peppermints for the ponies would be a welcome treat during the breaks.

Things we have in our saddle bags:

1. Map
2. Compass
3. Water Bottles
4. Sunscreen
5. Snacks (trail mix, sandwiches, granola bars)
6. Small first aid kit
7. Wasp/Hornet spray

This ride starts at the Cades Cove Riding Stable parking lot.  We parked our truck and trailer just outside their gates on a large gravel turn-around area.  I asked at the stable offices if it was OK, and was also given plenty of information for future trail rides as the receptionist seemed to be a horse person herself and gave us some great pointers for the near future.

For this ride I suggest the National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map #316 Cades Cove – Elkmont Map which in addition to the GSMNP map has contour lines and it’s much easier to distinguish between hiker only and horse and hiker trails.

You can pick up both maps at the Visitors Centers or the Heritage Center or any of the back country vendors outside the park. I can not imphasize enough … Do NOT go without a map. A GPS doesn’t cut it and your smart phone is a brick once in the park. I also suggest a compass, but that’s just me. Also, learn to read a map and learn to identify map features (like contour lines) as they can inform you ahead of time what you are getting yourself into. Orienteering is a life skill that everyone should have. More so if you enjoy the outdoors and being in the back country.

I’ve included a map below with some arrows and numbers (you can click the map to expand it to full size).  I used black arrows and red numbers (there are already black arrows, but with a little bit of studying you’ll see the trails I’m recommending in this ride).

From the parking lot you can ride up the fence line to where the Cades Cove Loop Road becomes one way. Just after the road switches to one way the trail head is well marked on the north side of the road (#1 on map).

It’s a half mile ride to the first fork (#2 on map). This part of the trail is well maintained, wide, flat, with few rocks.  At the first fork (#2) we went left to make the loop counter clockwise.  In hindsight, the clockwise route may have been better as the Crooked Arm Ridge Trail (which is what we came down) has a lot of very rough switchbacks and a lot of rock.

I’ll continue narrative in the counter clockwise direction….

From the first fork (#2) we took the Rich Mountain Loop trail. Before the climb, you will come up to the John Oliver site which is an historic cabin.  The trail makes a right angle turn to the right and is labeled “Trail ->”. Once past the cabin this trail follows a creek up a ravine and crosses a few times. There is some very steep terrain and we dismounted and walked up some tricky spots with very large flat rocks. There was evidence on those rocks from slipping horses (scars from shoes) so we played it safe. Once you leave the creak the ride is rather steep heading west, and can be done on or off your horse. There is a nice lunch spot just before the Indian Grave Gap Trail (#3) (you’ll know it as it’s after you turn back North but before the fork).

The trail merges with the Indian Grave Gap Trail (@ #3) and heads due east. At this point (and if you have the Trails Illustrated Map you will see this via the contour lines) the trial is a gentle grade on the very top of a steep ridge. There are beautiful views to the north (Townsend) and south (Cades Cove).  This might be the ridge where you can see 5 states, but I’m not sure. This section of the Indian Gap Trail is also a great place to trot or slow canter. The trail is mostly gravel and well maintained. There is one fork (@ #4) where you just stay to the right.

The decent starts when you reach the Crooked Arm Ridge Trail (#5).  This is a very steep descent and there are some very tricky switchbacks. Our horses are very surefooted but we still dismounted a few times. There was also a tree across the trail that could not be ridden around (hikers had just gone under it).  We hacked it up and moved it enough to get past, but it wasn’t easy.

There is a creek once you reach the bottom of the descent. This is the first open water since leaving the creek on the Rich Mountain Loop Trail and the horses were thirsty as it was a hot and humid day.

We walked the half mile back to the trailer once we reached the final fork (#2) to let the horses have a break.

This ride was a good four hours as the descent is rather slow. Take plenty of water and some snacks for yourself. A few peppermints for the ponies would be a welcome treat during the breaks.

Things we have in our saddle bags:

1. Map
2. Compass
3. Water Bottles
4. Sunscreen
5. Snacks (trail mix, sandwiches, granola bars)
6. Small first aid kit
7. Wasp/Hornet spray

We recently moved to Tennessee and now live within 20 minutes of the Tremont area of the GSMNP.  We have our own horses and trailer and these ride descriptions will be geared towards similar people.  There are plenty of rent-a-horse places both outside and inside the park for those that just want to try riding or have a story to tell when they return from their vacation. Some of the trails documented here are pretty rough and only seasoned riders and horses should attempt them.

I will try to put in detailed maps and a narrative of the ride for each ride.

A couple of pointers -

1. Review the rules and regulations for the area you are riding.  Know what is and what is not allowed.  Know when can and when you can’t ride (no point in driving
2. Learn the difference between a hiking only trail and a mixed use trail. It’s a great privilege to be able to ride in a National Park, don’t give the park a reason to resend that privilege.
3. Take plenty of water and a small first aid kit.
4. Be safe.  You will be riding in an area that is pretty remote and medical and veterinary assistance may be unavailable.
5. USE A MAP

For years, ever since a spectular dinner at The Pink House in Savannah, GA, I’ve been “underdoing” my pork.  The dish I had at The Pink House was a medium rare pork loin dish with a disclaimer on the menu that the USDA does not recommending pork cooked to a medium-rare doneness.  I ate it, I didn’t get sick, and I’ve been doing it that way since then.

My dinner guests often scoff and ask for the “done” pieces of a loin and I have gotten away with hogging (pun intended) all the pink pieces.

I upgraded to the 3G iPhone the week it came out (even though there was no 3G where I lived (yet)) and I’ve still got my eye on a WiFi iPad.  I just can’t wait until Christmas to see if Apple and Verizon can come to terms (and if Apple will build a CDMA version or if they will wait for LTE).

Eventually, the AT&T network in Blacksburg, VA improved, I could use the phone in my house if I stood by the window in the dining room or our bedroom (but not where my home office was).  We moved to Raleigh, NC last summer and there was decent coverage out where we live in Apex.  There were still a few places where I didn’t have any service that were regular travel destinations (a few clients in VA and NC). I used open WiFi an Skype when I needed to make a call, but eventually broke down and bought a Verizon Wireless MiFi which works just about everywhere with higher speed (and allows me to make Skype calls from my iPhone to boot).

I was still on the fence since we are moving to a new location near Ithaca, NY and our new landlord said that the only network with any signal out where we are moving is Verizon. I considered the $150 (and no extra fees) network extender, but that would only work in and around my home … what about the drives to the grocery store, or drives to and from town?

The coup de gras was just the other day on a pretty big road between Raleigh and Chapel Hill, in the suburbs. I couldn’t make a call while my wife was gabbing away on her Verizon phone.  I had to ask her to get off the phone (with her mother) and make my call from her phone.  Later that day, even with signal (that was flipping between Edge (2G) and 3G) I couldn’t use my phone for any data. My contract is coming due so this seemed like the appropriate time.

I don’t have my Android yet, but I just ordered the HTC Incredible from Verizon Wireless and it won’t ship for a few weeks. I will do my best to post unbiased reviews and comparisons when I get my new phone. I will admit that I’m a huge fan of Apple products.  I bought an iMac when the Core 2 Duo processor was introduced, I have a MacBook Pro, Airport Extreme and Express, two iPods, my wife also has a MacBook Pro and a Touch, and I’m itching for an iPad. So the Android has a high bar to get over.  I will have my 30 days of evaluation to determine if I can live with the phone (and if Steve makes some unexpected announcement at WWDC).

I’m sad to have to do this, but the phone is only as good as the network it is on and I’m finally fed up enough with AT&T that I’m moving on.

On the up-side, I have a lot of paid iPhone apps.  I may just be forced to purchase an iPad to run all those apps I own .

She asked that I help her with some changes, but when I started making suggestions she was reluctant to include my changes in her article because the audience had never heard of “web2.0″ and were more concerned with the loss of prescriptions as a profit center to 1800petmeds.com.

I was taking the angle that the practices, universities, and other vet professions (like drug sales (e.g. 1800petmeds.com)) that aren’t taking advantage of new advertising media (e.g. social networking, viral marketing, etc.) would lose to those that do. I’m not an expert in the field, but even I see the changes that these technologies are causing in my business and my company is trying to find way to use them to our benefit.

Additionally, as clients get younger a yellow pages advertisement just doesn’t go as far as it used to. A friend of mine recently complained that his children couldn’t find something on the Internet when it was easy to find in the yellow pages and they just didn’t even think to look their first (or even second).

I think that most successful practices at this point do have Web sites, but do they allow e-mail appointments or respond to e-mails?

Should veterinarians start Facebook groups for their clients, blog on the latest epidemic in their regions, tweet suggested reading or even reminders for annual vaccines. Better yet, if they don’t will they lose out to those that do? After all, it’s a profession that is based upon a veterinarian-patient-client relationship and relationships are moving into cyberspace whether or not the practicing veterinarians want that or not.

I’d be happy to get some perspective from either veterinarians or cognoscenti in social media and new forms of advertising.

Last night, Stacie and I went to see the movie and thoroughly enjoyed it. Stacie didn’t have any idea what the movie was about and was afraid that I was taking her to see a political movie based on the name and the fact that she had never heard of it before. I also am guilty of taking her to political movies in the past.

As I said, I had not been to the Lyric before and was very surprised when we walked around the corner to see how long the line was.  I was afraid we were going to have to go the the big theater, but we made it in just before they quit selling tickets to the early show.  While in that long line Stacie saw the poster (my thumbnail) and thought that was a wierd poster for a left wing political movie.

The movie was great. It’s been a long time since I remember a movie that made me laugh and cry at the same time. I throughly enjoyed the character development and by the end of the movie you really liked all the main characters, even the one that you weren’t supposed to like.

I highly recommend the movie to anybody who likes movies and even those who only see a movie once in a blue moon (like my father…who hasn’t been to a theater in at least 15 years).

Stacie napping

Stacie thinks I have too much time on my hands if I’m actually considering a blog.  I’m not so sure.  We’ll see how it progresses.

The picture above is another from our summer 2006 vacation to Alaska.  We had a nice long hike on a glacial bar somewhere in the vicinity of Polychrome Pass in Denali National Park.  We came across lots of wildlife including a herd of caribou shortly before this picture was taken.

We stopped for a hot lunch of some sort of soup or other, then Stacie settled down for an afternoon nap.

I walked around and took pictures of some flowers which I will eventually get posted to the photo albums.