my hard head knew better...

So I may look like a hiking rockstar here, but let me be clear about something. I "lived" a good lesson in gear on this hike up and down Mt LeConte last week. Having hiked this mountain many many times, I knew what to expect, but ignored it in my hard-headed fashion when it comes to packs.

Here's a few comments about gear and its potential positive or negative effects on a hiking experience.

See that little pack I got on in this photo? Little $8 dollar pack I got at a shoe store on a "spin the board" sorta game thing. Granted this pack is stellar for little day hikes, but it's certainly not meant to go 15 miles nor a combined total of 6,500' in elevation with any amount of true weight in it. My shoulders were SCREAMING about an hour into this hike. While it performed like a rockstar (as in didn't tear or fall apart), but on a comfort level when packed full and weighted down, I give it a 1 out of 5 rating. So let's just say lesson learned in the value of a properly fitted pack for not only the amount of gear, but the weight of gear and proper distribution of that weight across one's lumbar region.

I'll be shopping for a "medium sized" pack that's MEANT to carry some weight in it before my next hike like this!

On another more positive note, my Asolo boots DID in fact perform like rockstars! I realized on this hike that I've had this same pair of boots since 1997!! (although resoled this past year) A good pair of boots are like having clouds strapped to your feet when it comes to hiking. Well worth whatever the dollar amount. Don't skimp on boots.

But one funny thing did happen with my boots on this hike. At one point I had some little pebble under my heel so I stopped to take it off, shake out the pebble and continue moving down that trail. Well, as I retied it, the string popped into two pieces in my hand. Everyone looked at me like I just had a train wreck (because everyone stopped to watch this process with my boot). Undisturbed, I just tied that string in a little knot and off we all went again. LOVE my boots!!

So don't be fooled about gear. Those "gear" issues of Backpacker magazine are published for a reason!

The Mountains are calling!!

I had the privilege of accompanying my long-time bud Robin Huskey Dailey, her nephew Brandon and his friend Caleb on a hike up to Mt LeConte last week!

Spending the night as a guest at the LeConte Lodge has been on my bucket list for some time. So naturally I wasn't about to say anything but YES, when Robin called me to see if I was interested in going!

It was like visiting an old friend for a few days...that Mountain holds some very fond memories down to the very the trails we took. (Not to mention it was tons of fun to hang out with Robin again!)
Alum Cave Bluff on the way up (took us 4 hrs cause why hurry), a 5.1 miler with an elevation gain of 2,560' it's nothing short of a butt kicker. Bullhead trail on the way down (took us 4.5 hrs cause again why hurry), a 6.9 miler with an elevation drop of 3,940'.

Click here to view all the photos.

Needless to say, the leg muscles got a serious workout! And I find that my head is still on that mountain some three days later... it was SUCH a wonderful experience...again! So over the next few days I'll be telling some stories and some memories from this trip.

Wow! Anyone can hike this Mountain, given the right pace...and oh how empowering it is...for everyone who goes there!

Stay tuned...

blew out my flip flop...but not on a pop-top...

Sad day cause I blew out my flip-flop on Memorial Day. I know everyone has their favorite flip-flops...and these were mine. My Teva flip-flops from like 1989! yeah, that's right! My old friend...sign.

So was paddling on Harrison Bay with my bud Ellen Kimbro...and we ferried out on a spot where it required we walk on the mucky, thick clay bottom of the bay....and while I was stepping up onto the shore...my flip-flop blew out. Yes, we laughed...but...goodbye old friend.

Sad day...but at the same time...creates a great excuse to invest in another pair...which might last me another 20 years. Who knew a pair of flip-flops could last sooooo long. These guys have been at the Ocoee River, up Mt LeConte (Smoky Mtn National Park), in Dayton-Oh, Amarillo-Tx, Pembine-Wi, and of course ye ole home town of Delta-Oh, and on and on the list goes.

So good-bye old friends...RIP. Love me some Tevas!!!

Peace out, Rachel

way past due...!

Wow, I'm way past due here updating my site with the latest greatest Rachel adventures. and geez, between paddling my kayak on Harrison Bay and hiking at North Chickamauga Creek (NCC)...life is good!
Today I went to NCC to hike and swim. It was a bit on the hot/humid side today, so what better place to do both! I'm prepping to hike Mt LeConte next month, so I needed what I call a "suck wind" trail. And this one delivers. Long uphill grade with lots of beautiful views and waterfalls and such. It was fab today! (add in that I didn't see any snakes...a good day)
So this photo I took when I was pausing at what's pretty much the top of the climb. Impressed that I wasn't showing any of the exhaustion I was feeling. I could really tell the effects of the humidity today. Felt like I was hiking in slow motion.
I hiked for about 2 hrs and then changed shoes and hit the creek. The water felt soooo good! Rock hopped up the creek for a bit, dunked a few times, sunned a bit and called it a day.
...more to come! happy trails.

a walk in the park...

Couldn't stand it. Had to get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather we had here today!!! Sunny and 67!

So drove over to Booker T Washington State Park off Hwy 58 and hit the "mountain bike trail" on foot again!

What a FAB trail! Even if you do have to step aside every so often to let the bikers pass. No big deal. The views on this trail are awesome! A little meander through the woods, a little walk along the bay, a bit of hills and truly a great workout can be had!

I took a few "short cuts" this time around since I was more familiar with this trail today that I was the last time I hiked it. Still managed to be out there for a solid 2 hours. Stellarness!!!

Nothing like that after-hiking-tired-just-gotta-sit-down-for-a-while feeling.

Glad to say, my boots are holding up. Yeah for that!

fair...to partly cloudy-ish

It's in cloudy days like these that I'm reminded...that I don't truly appreciate a thing until I don't have it...and in this instance...I'm referring to the Sun!

The other day while convincing myself that "hey, this is no big deal, all these cloudy days" and "maybe I could live in Seattle" and then of course the following thought was, "RACHEL, STOP! be careful what you wish for. Why would you choose to experience cloudy days et-nauseam?"
So, three cheers for sun. It's predicted we'll see it here again on Friday coupled with 68 degrees!! for which I am EVER so grateful!

stellarness!!!

For those of you who know me...besides the outdoors and original art, I LOVE hearing live jazz and/or big band performances! And since moving to Chattanooga...finding live jazz has been a bit of a challenge (although in all honesty...it's likely that way everywhere but maybe New Orleans if I were to guess...as jazz isn't one of the most adored genres by the masses). So anyway...I was thumbing through fyi weekend "events" paper published by the Times Free Press and there in big bold letters was "JJ's hosts swing, comedy."
(yes, I too thought swing and comedy was an interesting pairing...but hey...whatever).

What really caught my eye in the paper was a big photo showing members of this band "Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade" along with their instruments... guitar, sax and upright base. Had me at upright base and sax!

But as I dug for a little more info I found this group's website and listened to audio clips on their myspace page. OH MY Goodness! And they're from Brooklyn! ok...another reason I now was interested in seeing their live performance.

Can I just say...I fully believe Miss Tess's voice can be compared to that of Diana Krall! So here I am now seriously considering going out to JJ Bohemia's downtown where they would be performing on a Tuesday night at 10p. And then...I happened to catch a live radio interview with Miss Tess and her Bon Ton Parade on WUTC fm. Ok, this was no accident...me hearing this interview. Now I KNOW I have to go hear this group. And I certainly wasn't disappointed!

LOVE this group! I did get to meet and speak briefly with Miss Tess and Alec the saxophone player too. Good people, talented musicians...and Miss Tess, stellar vocalist.

Here's a little write up I found online about Miss Tess:

"Equipped with her 1920s Weymann guitar, a satchel full of new songs and joined by a stellar band that includes upright bass, saxophone & clarinet, and drums, Miss Tess is ready to make sweet music for your ears with her fifth release Darling, Oh Darling. The Boston-based singer-songwriter is best known for her ability to invoke the sounds of Classic Jazz and Roots Americana circa the 1930s-50s with a distinctive spunk and imagination that shows that she is much more than a tribute act. She springs a new life into some of the best styles of yesteryear with the dozen original compositions on her latest record."

Modern, fresh take on Classic Jazz and 30's Era swing. yep...that's what I'd call it! I mean can you go wrong with upright base, sax, clarinet, guitar and drums and a vocalist with a special talent for this style of song?

I may just have to go hear them play in Nashville at the Lovelace Cafe in September.

http://misstessmusic.com

Check this group out! ...and if you've ever read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and the chapter about the 10,000 hour rule, then you'll understand me when I say, Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade is well on their way to their 10,000 hrs!!