This trip was a combined vacation / ASEE SE Executive meeting and took place from Oct 7 -> 12, 2015.
Oct 17 - Drove from Memphis to Leeds, AL (Days Inn 1838 Ashville Rd Hwy 441&I-20).
Oct 18 - Drove from Leeds, AL to Atlanta, GA for ASEE-SE Meeting.
Oct 19 - Drove from Atlanta, to Chattaooga, TN for meeting about FIRST. Then drove to Fall Creek Falls State Park.
Just did a quick walk on the path around the lake from the inn and as far as I could before the thunderstorm started. Made it back to the inn a minute or two after the rain started, but didnt get too wet.
Then went to the dinner buffet and then had a quite night in the room and planing the hike for the next day.
Oct 20 - After the breakfast buffet, I drove to the Cane Creek Parking area and hiked to lower loop. I made it to Backcountry Camp #1. Nice easy hike. Didn't find any water source at this camp (but did cross a Walling Mill Creek a little before the camp, so you can fill up on water their before heading on the the camp). Had a snack there, then continued on. The hike down to Cane Creek was tough, especially the part that went down from aprox 1700' to 1100' right at Cane Creek. The swinging bridge over Cane Creek, unlike other swinging bridges in the park, was not a problem for me to cross (this bridge was pretty stable, and only a few feet over the creek...although the wood planking was slippery because it was wet from the rain last night and early in the moring). I decided to have a snack and then started back to the parking area (taking the same path back to the car). Total milage for the day 10 miles.
Oct 21 - After taking a few pictures from the room and then breakfast, I drove to the Betty Dunn Nature Center (saw a few wild turkey along the way) and headed off on the Paw Paw Trail. Hike the full loop, stopping off at the Overlooks at Cane Creek Gorge. Nice, fairly easy hike, but I did feel the hike from the previous day. On my return, I took a look at the Cable Trail. It is exactly what the name implies, a cable leading right down to the bottom of the gorge. I probably could have done it (given enough Ibuprofen) but decided to save my knees for other hiking. Did a lunch at the Nature Center and took a look at the Cane Creek Cascade. Nice little fall (well little for THIS park). I took a look at the swining bridge over the Cascade, but with all the people and the height, I knew it wasn't doable for me (I hate most swinging bridges if you haven't figured it out already). After a lunch, I got back into the car and drove to Fall Creek Falls, took a look at the Falls from the overlook and then did the Base of Fall Creek Falls trail down to the bottom of the Falls. Tough hike, and I was surprised how many people were doing it (even with little kids and even smaller dogs). Hard hike, but it was neet seeing it from the bottom, but boy did my knees complain about the hike. After some time at the bottom and the hike back up, I headed back to the in for a swim and some down time before dinner. Did walk the path around the lake and sat by the lake until the stars came out. Total for the day about 8 miles.
Next morning, was quite foggy, and got some very interesting shots from the hotel room. Then off to breakfast. Decided to do the path around the lake one more time (more to lossen up the old knees before the drive than anything else). Took some more pics around the lake. Than I packed up the car and headed home.
