...and I was totally wrong!

I think you can see a little bit of tired in my face here. When it comes to strength, my legs have always been very strong. Cycling, swimming, climbing pretty much you name it... ahem...well, I was totally wrong! This trail gave me just what I was looking for! Leg burn. And oh how I needed that too! You know that shaky muscle feeling when you've arrive at burn? Well, yep this trail creates the burn and turns out proved me totally wrong on my confidence in my leg strength. (Guess that gives me plenty more reason to hike this trail often. Yeah for me!)

One of my favorite places in "Outdoor Chattanooga" is an area of Signal Mountain called Suck Creek. The Cumberland trail crosses over Suck Creek Road and South Suck Creek...and if you follow this North...it'll take you on a brief but fairly tough climb up to a ridge and then down to North Suck Creek on the other side. But the rewards are endless!!!

I'm a sucker for ridge trails. Because usually there's some great views to be had. But this particular trail has the reward of seeing a very cool suspended bridge that hangs over North Suck Creek (which I discovered quite by accident one day when hiking here back when I was in college some 15 years ago...and obviously I've not forgot this place, as I fell in love with it!) I had the pleasure of having Ellen Kimbro (conversation when hiking adds a whole other element to being outside...and spending time with friends is fab) join me on this hike yesterday, although we weren't able to go all the way to the bridge because of time constraints so I returned today to do it again.

I'm also a huge fan of rock hopping (and skipping for that matter, which I practiced up on today) along a creek or river. So I spent about an hour wandering up North Suck Creek exploring the sounds and "shoreline" of this amazing display of rocks and water and awesomeness! It's not that its a rushing torrent of river or anything. It's more to do with its rustic-ness and seclusion. Of the many times I've hiked this trail, I've never seen another soul...and love this fact! (There's something to be said for wandering uninterrupted amidst the sounds of the woods).
I'm looking forward to returning to this place so I can swim in the creek when it warms up a bit. That brings a whole other level of adventure! (Except for sloshing through the woods on the return hike.) So yeah for getting outside again today!! Yeah for warm, gorgeous weather and sun and the ability to explore it even if I do get leg burn!