More Animals and Waterfalls …

Friday – Strength Training and 5.5 miles of Hiking

• Rainbow Falls Trail – 5.5 miles
• Kettlenetics – 20 minutes (FlowMotion Basics)

Two years ago when we were up here, my boyfriend and I saw a LOT of animals along the Cades Cove Loop. That trip we only spent two nights in Gatlinburg so we were only able to the loop twice. One time was at dawn (which I highly recommend) and the other time was split over several hours because we went on a hike to Abrams Falls. That trip we actually saw three groups of black bear mothers and cubs. Please keep in mind that while seeing bears is amazing, it is also really uncommon to see three different groups at separate times and separate locations in the same day. When we started planning our trip this time, I suggested that we stay an extra night so that we could go on another hike or see more of the park. The idea went over really well. My boyfriend suggested that we drive the Cades Cove Loop as many morning as possible. With that as our goal, we woke up at 6 this morning and headed into the Cove to see more animals. I think the animals must have known we were coming back because they were out in full force this morning. We were having a wonderful time spotting the animals and taking pictures when my boyfriend said, “where are the cute,

cuddly bears?” I promise you that he really did say that. I asked if he expected to see as many bears as we did last time and he said yes. I then informed that what we saw last time was really rare to see that many bears. He actually looked really upset about that … almost crushed. Shortly after that, we came across a doe on the side of the road who was playing and bucking. She crossed the road right in front of our car and his day was immediately brightened.

Once we left the Cove, it was already lunchtime so we head back to the Subway and grabbed some sandwiches. We ate half of the sandwiches right there and saved the other half for later. The skies looked clear so we headed over to the Rainbow Falls trailhead, which is located on Cherokee Orchard Road. While both trails we hiked yesterday were considered moderate in difficulty, the Rainbow Falls Trail is considered strenuous and is 5.5 miles round trip. After just 30 minutes of hiking, we completely understood why this trail is considered strenuous. The entire way up to the waterfall is a steady uphill incline. Also, the trail is very rocky and showed evidence of washouts. Foot placement was absolutely critical throughout the hike. I promise that the waterfall at the end is completely worth the effort. There are several smaller waterfalls along the trail but the real prize is Rainbow Falls. The water drops 75 feet and is surrounded by

discolored rocks that look like a rainbow. My boyfriend had loads of fun swimming in the tidal pools and climbing up them to get closer to the actual waterfall. While he was doing that, I was taking some more photographs of course. Before we left the waterfall, we sat and ate the other halves of our sandwiches and drank plenty of water. On the way back, it started to rain and it was really coming at some points. Foot placement became even more crucial on the way down then it was on the way up. The hike was completely worth getting rained on though mostly because the waterfall was gorgeous.

After we got back to the car and dried off, we started to make our way back to the hotel. Just as we pulled out of the parking area, we ran into a bit of a traffic jam. Almost instantly, I realized what was going on. Traffic only backs up like this for one reason and one reason only … black bears! I quickly grabbed my camera and jumped out of the car. As I approached the crowd of people, my suspicions were confirmed. Up in a tree on the side of the road was a mother bear and her two cubs. Now I couldn’t actually see much of the cubs but the mother was beautiful. Please note that I do not recommend taking pictures of bear cubs without knowing exactly where the mother is at all times. While I

taking pictures of the mother bear, I made sure to pay close attention to her body language. She started to show signs of agitation probably due car doors opening and closing and the number of people around. At that point, I returned to the car not wanting to be too close if she decided to leave the tree. Other people followed suit and the traffic jam dissipated.

After we got back to the hotel, my boyfriend cleaned up and took a little nap. I decided to finally get a strength training workout in. I knew that I wasn’t going to be able to workout the next few days and I wanted to try and keep up with my kettlebells. After the 20 minute workout, I cleaned up and we finished getting ready for dinner. Because it was our last night in Gatlinburg, we had decided to have a really nice diner and then find a bar with a live band to listen to. We chose a really nice place called The Park Grill. If you are ever in Gatlinburg and looking for a great, I would totally recommend this place. I had the grilled rainbow trout with grilled veggies and my boyfriend had the pork shanks with a baked potato. It was absolutely delicious. After we finished our dinner, we walked around, went into a few shops and observed the “local” nightlife. One of the shops that we love in Celtic Heritage, a shop that specializes in all things Irish, Scottish and Welsh.  Two years ago, my boyfriend actually bought me a claddagh ring from this shop. We eventually found ourselves at a local bar that we discovered two years ago but they didn’t have a live band tonight. We decided not to stay and headed over to a bar that was much closer to the hotel. It wasn’t crowded at all and even though there wasn’t a band here either the atmosphere was good enough to enjoy a beer or two. Unfortunately, the two guys working there (they may have been the owners) decided to turn it into a nightclub. The music was ridiculously loud and wasn’t enjoyable at all. We quickly finished our drinks and went back to the hotel.

Animals and Waterfalls …

Thursday – 3 miles 5.6 miles of Hiking

• Laurel Falls Hike – 2.6 miles round trip
• Grotto Falls Hike – 3.0 miles round trip

We woke up this morning at 6:30. Who does that while on vacation except to catch a plane? We do when we visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Two years ago I brought my boyfriend to the Park for the first time. At the time, he thought that both my dad and I were completely crazy when we told him our mantra is “dawn and dusk”. Then I took him on the Cade Cove Loop at dawn and he understood.

My boyfriend knew how much my training means to me so he tried to figure out the best time for me to get my 3 miles run in. I told him that as the day goes on I will figure it out. He even suggested that I run on one of the trails we were going on because it was paved and almost 3 miles.

So after I got out of the shower, I started pulling my running gear together when I realized that I was missing the most crucial item … my running shoes! After my run on Tuesday, I didn’t put them in my bag so that they could air out and dry from the sweat. On Wednesday morning, my boyfriend grabbed my bag and I didn’t check the room. I was fuming at myself. All of my prep work to find the best routes were just chucked out of the window. I spent the next few minutes mentally berating myself for my stupidity and then I decided that it wouldn’t ruin our day or our trip. I spent the next 45 minutes (the drive from the hotel to Cades Cove) convincing myself that I was still going to be working my leap with the amount of hiking we were planning.

Once we got to Cades Cove and started the 11 mile Scenic Loop, my anger disappeared and I absorbed the beautiful scenery we were surrounded by. Now what is so special about the Cades Cove Scenic Loop and why must you be there at dawn? Cades Cove is an area of the Park that at one point was the home to many families. The old homesteads are still standing for you to see and walk around. It is an area of the Park that is teaming with wildlife, including wild turkey, deer and black bears. During the warmer months (everything but winter), the best time to see the animals is at dawn and dusk because the weather is cool enough for them

to come down from the mountains to graze. We saw a lot of wild turkey and some younger deer (not fawns or greens horns but still visibly younger). It was really amazing to see all of the animals in the Cove. The scenery that the mountains provided truly lived up to their name. The morning haze lingered for a long time after the sun rose. The effect caused the “smokey” look that the national park is known for.

After an hour of driving the scenic loop, we headed over to the trailhead for Laurel Falls. This hike is 2.6 miles round trip and is considered moderately difficult. It is also a very accessible trail because the trail is paved, which allows people to bring strollers and even motorized scooters. I know that you probably don’t believe me but we actually saw an elderly woman on a motorized scooter

coming down the trail as we were headed up. The actual hike only took us about and hour and a half total. Of course, we spent about 30 minutes at the water fall mostly so that I could take a whole bunch of pictures. Unfortunately, my boyfriend was a little disheartened with this water fall because the tidal pool at the base wasn’t really big enough for him to swim in it and it was also really crowded due to the accessibility of it. I thought that the waterfall was gorgeous especially with all of the mountain laurels blooming. The crowd was definitely detracting from the overall beauty of the waterfall and its surroundings but it is also a must for any first time visitor to the National Park.

Once we got back to the car, we headed back into town to grab some lunch. Oddly enough, there is a Subway right next to the hotel so we were able to eat healthy for several of our meals. While eating our oh-so-delicious sandwiches, we watched the weather to make sure that we wouldn’t get too wet while hiking to Grotto Falls. I am glad we waited to leaved for the hike because as soon as we finished our lunch the sky opened up. Luckily, it didn’t last very long and it wasn’t humid and muggy afterwards.

In the Gatlinburg area, there are actually two scenic motor loops in the National Park. The Cades Cove Loop is near Townsend and is the one we went on this morning. The other loop is the Roaring Fork Loop, which is named after the river that runs parallel to the road. The trailhead for Grotto Falls is located on the Roaring Fork Loop. The hike is 3 miles round trip and is considered moderate in difficulty. Unlike the Laurel Falls Trail, this trail isn’t paved and is therefore not as accessible to everyone. The lack of pavement alone was enough to thrill my boyfriend about the hike. Because we waited the storm out, the trail was empty and when we got to the waterfall it was empty. He was stoked because he was able to go swimming in the tidal pool. Word of warning: the waterfalls in the mountains are usually part of the river that run through the mountains. If you haven’t figured it out yet, this means that the water in the tidal pools is utterly freezing. My boyfriend has a

tendency to forget that fact until after he jumps into the tidal pool. Of course, his reaction always gives me a wonderful fit of laughter so I never remind him. I think we spent about an hour at the Grotto Falls and it was really amazing to just sit there and take in our surroundings. One of the coolest features of this waterfall is also where it gets its name. The Trillium Gap Trail actually continues behind the waterfall and heads up to Mt. LeConte, which is the highest peak within the National Park. You can actually walk behind the waterfall, which is totally cool.

Within 30 minutes of getting to the waterfall, more people started to show up. I finished taking my pictures while my boyfriend dried off and put his shoes back on. We ate a Clif Bar and drank some water before we headed back to the car.

After we got back in the car, we finished driving on the Roaring Fork Motor Loop. Towards the end of the loop is another waterfall known as The Place of A Thousand Drips and it is a roadside cascade. We stopped, of course, so that I could take more pictures. Finally we got back to the hotel. All of the hiking we did today really wore us out and another storm was fast approaching so we called it an early night. We just had leftovers for dinner. I had the other half of my Subway sandwich and my boyfriend had the last two pieces of pizza from last night.

The Tale of the Dragon …

Wednesday – Strength Training

Even though I brought my kettlebells, yoga mat and workout DVDs, I didn’t follow my schedule. I was quite upset with myself today about it but then I reminded myself that I was on vacation and that my normal routine was chucked out of the window when we left my place on Monday morning. I also reassured myself that we had planned to go on three hikes in the next two days.

After waking up this morning, we loaded the car back up and headed across the mountains to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Now, the most direct route from his mom’s house to Gatlinburg is to go through Cherokee, North Carolina and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by way of US 441. Of course, we never do anything the quick and easy way. There are two other ways to get there but they go around the National Park and

add at least an hour on to the drive. One of these routes is along US 129, which has a stretch of road that is known as the Tail of the Dragon. When we were up here two years ago, my boyfriend kicked himself for not going on the Dragon. The Tail of the Dragon is a stretch of road that is 11 miles long and has 318 curves … one way! It is very popular with motorcyclists and is the major reason why my boyfriend wanted to trailer his Harley up to his mom’s house. Time was not on our side to add a hitch to his car before we left. Not having his motorcycle did not deter him from driving the Dragon. Yes we actually drove 318 turns in 11 miles. I had a raging headache by the end of the drive. Apparently, I have a mild case of motion sickness. The Dragon was definitely a very cool drive but it wasn’t as scenic as US 441 in my opinion. We stopped at one of the highest spots to take in the view and I took some photographs. After we “tamed” the Dragon, we went into Maryville, Tennessee to the Smoky Mountain Harley Dealership. If you ride on the Dragon, then you should definitely stop at this place

to pick up your souvenir t-shirt. As well as the obvious souvenirs related to the Dragon, this shop also has a great selection of bikes and other gear. We spent at least an hour in the store as well as a lovely amount of money (we just couldn’t stay away from the t-shirts). Once we were done in the Harley Store, we headed to Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

Gatlinburg is a town that is a wonderful tourist trap. It is known as the Gateway to the Smokies and because of that it has become a town that thrives on the dollar of the tourist. The town is actually quite perfect for what we needed … a place to sleep and eat. Once we checked into the hotel and got settled, we headed out to walk around and find something to eat for dinner. If you plan accordingly, once you get to your hotel you won’t need to drive anywhere. So while I didn’t do my scheduled strength training workout, I did walk up and down the streets od downtown Gatlinburg. We ended up eating at the Mellow Mushroom. I had heard great things about this restaurant from friends who live near one in Florida. Unfortunately, the closest one to to my place would take two hours to get to. For those who have never tried the Mellow Mushroom, I highly recommend it. The Kosmic Karma pizza was delicious. Now before you start thinking that I have fallen off the healthy living wagon, the pizza was covered in veggies and I only had two slices. We also split a dinner salad and I had oil and vinegar on it. We didn’t stay out too late after that because we wanted to get up super early to drive the Cades Cove Loop. We did check out some of the shops though, including the new wine shop and monnshine distillery. Free tastings at both!

The Dog Days of Running …

Monday – Strength Training Rest
Tuesday – 3 miles

• 3.83 miles, 44’ 00” minutes, 11’ 30” min/mile average pace, 168 BPM average heart rate

So yesterday was the first day of vacation and most  of it was spent in the car (as I predicted). That’s ok though because the end result was well worth the 10 hour drive. We left my place at about 4:45 AM and headed north. We stopped in Lake City, Florida for gas and breakfast around 7:15. Now I promised myself that I would try my best to continue to eat healthy while on vacation. We stopped at Subway for breakfast and I had an Egg White Flatbread Sandwich with turkey, cheese, spinach, tomatoes and onions. It was actually very delicious. (I have never had Subway for breakfast before.) We didn’t stop again until after we got near Atlanta and we needed more gas. For the most part, the drive up was fairly uneventful and went really smooth. We did drive through two rough patched of weather, one when we hit Helen, Georgia and the other one near Hiawassee, Georgia. The weather near Hiawassee was the worst one because at one point it was a total “white out” of rain and hail! After almost 10 hours in the car, we safely made it to my boyfriend’s mother’s house. We didn’t really do anything after we got there. Of course, there isn’t a whole lot to do in the town she lives in. I know that I don’t live in a thriving metropolitan area but I don’t think I could ever live in a rural community.

This morning I woke up still a little tired but I went ahead and got ready for my run. I will be completely honest with you. I 1as nervous about running an area that I am unfamiliar with. Apparently I wasn’t the only one concerned. My boyfriend’s mom and her friends insisted that he take me out and drive the route before I start running. They even warned him that there were loose dogs, which of course made him nervous. After I ate my yogurt and granola and got dressed for my run, my boyfriend and I drove my chosen running route. We used the odometer in the car to make sure the route would be at least 3 miles. We also found the loose dogs. They were cute little things and not anything at all like what we were led believe they were.

Once we were reassured I would not be attacked by vicious, rabid dogs running wild on the side of the road, I started my run. Right around the first half mile mark, the dogs saw me. I guess I was running within their property limits because they literally chased me and barked at me until I left their property. They were completely harmless though. Not only did I find the loose dogs at this point but I also hit the first hill. I took it slow and steady and even shortened my stride so that I could maintain my pace. The downhill was much longer than I expected but I focused on not increasing my pace. It was actually a really enjoyable run for me. I came across another dog about a quarter mile before the turnaround point. This one didn’t chase me but it did bark at me. On the way back to the house, the dog was actually waiting for me on the other side of the road and was still barking. It actually made me laugh. I think I was laughing up until I hit the first uphill segment on the way back, which didn’t even come close to the the hills I am used to on the treadmill. The second uphill wasn’t as long but it was very steep. Halfway up, I couldn’t run anymore so I walked. Once I crested the hill, I started running again and continued to run until I made it back to the starting point. I was quite surprised that the other group of dogs didn’t meet me at the beginning of their property limits. I guess the owner didn’t want them chasing someone who is running in the road. I will say that I was pleasantly surprised with the temperature outside. I don’t think it got higher than 75 degrees and I didn’t finish my run until after 10 AM. All in all it was a really good run.

What a way to start the day!

Friday - Strength Training

• Kettlenetics - 34 minutes (Total Body Blast Workout)

The more I do this workout the I sweat. That probably sounds really gross (and it is) but I think it means that I am working harder each time I do it. It could also mean that my place is warmer than it was the last time I did the workout. I am hoping that I am actually working harder. When I started doing the the warm up, I actually felt like I should have been using the 8 lb. KBell. I stuck with the 4 lb. KBell though and by the end of the workout I was glad that I did. I know that the 4 lb. KBell is not going to work my arm muscles or my core as much as the 8 lb. KBell would but the lighter weight allows me to get a handle on the rhythm of the workout. Eventually, I am going to do this workout with the 8 lb. KBell but that won't be happening for at least a few weeks. This workout is quickly becoming one of my favorites because of the crazy plyometrics that I end up doing. And even thought the 4 lb. KBell really isn't providing a ton of resistance, the body weight exercises really compensate for that. I can only imagine how using the 8 lb. KBell will affect this workout.

On another note, my vacation is only three days away. If you can't tell, I am super excited! I haven't started packing yet but I have all weekend to get to that. My big concern is making sure that I will have room for my clothes after I pack my running clothes and my photography gear. You can tell where my priorities are. My other big concern is that fact that none of my clothes actually fit me anymore. That is actually a really good thing except when you are trying to get dressed in the morning. I guess I will have to go buy some new clothes this weekend so that I am not limited to the two pairs of jeans that barely fit me (and they are my new ones). I can't go overboard with new clothes though because I am still losing weight. My body has not quite reached the weight that it wants to be at (I know because I am losing weight). People always ask me when I will be done losing weight. My answer is always I don't know. I have never been a tiny person so I don't know what my body wants to weigh. According to the BMI chart, I need to lose at least another 18 pounds before my weight will be considered healthy. I am hoping to achieve that weight by October 1st for my very first half marathon. But after that who knows. Needless to say, even though I have lost 42 pounds this year, I don't think that my body is close to its true healthy weight. Because of this fact, I am having a difficult time justifying buying more new clothes. Unfortunately, none of my clothes actually fit! What a vicious cycle I am stuck in! I also need to go through my old clothes and get rid of the ones that don't fit anymore. They are taking up valuable space in my closet and dresser. I am having a serious mental block with that mostly because I am truly afraid that I wil lbe right back where I started a few months from now. I know that the likelihood of that happening is slim to none because I love the feeling that exercise gives my and I don't want to give that up.

Only 1 more week to go!

One week from today I will be driving with my boyfriend to the mountains! This will be my first vacation in about two years (not counting some little weekend getaways) and I am completely stoked. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of those places that I feel truly connected with the beauty of nature and I can remember the loved ones I have lost over the years. My grandfather was a park ranger many years ago during the summer when he wasn't teaching. That was one of his favorite places in the whole world besides Walt Disney World. He really loved the It's A Small World ride. I can't remember the first times I visited the mountains but I do have many wonderful memories. It is the place that my father and his borther got lost for three days when they were much younger (teens and twenties). It is the place that my father took my mother backpacking with his brother and sister. It is the place where I spent several summers, falls and winters camping with my family. I can remember waking up in the middle of the night needing to use the bathroom only to nearly get stuck to the toilet seat because of now cold it was outside. I can remember horseback riding with my mom, my sisters and aunts. I can remember going on hay rides with my entire family, including several aunts, uncles and cousins. It is the place that I realized how much I really love my boyfriend. It is the place that I first saw the look in his eye. That look which told me he loved the mountains as much as I do. It is the place I look forward to visiting with every fiber of my being.

2 weeks and counting ...

So for whatever reason, I realized today that I will be on vacation in 2 weeks! I simply can not wait. I am nervous and excited all at once. I love going on vacation and I especially love where my boyfriend and I are going: the Mountains. That is not what had me nervous though. For the past several months, I have been trying to stick to a fairly regimented eating and exercise plan. Vacations have a tendency to cause people to fall off of the wagon. I know that for the most part we will be eating out, which means I can sort of control what I am eat but I will still have to be careful. We won't be eating out when we are staying with his mother. She has probably not been made aware of my new routing either. I have talked with my boyfriend about my concerns and he just tells me that I worry too much. I don't think he realizes how much of a daily struggle it is for me when I am surrounded by temptations. Will power is the name of the game. Oh well, I have a plan. Since beginning this lifestyle change, I have found that without a plan nothing really works out the way you want it to. I have no intention of allowing my training to lapse while out of town. I have already figured out my running routes. I actually get to do two of the three runs that week in the National Park! I am totally stoked! My other run will be on a looped road right near my boyfriend's mother's house. I am also bringing my yoga mat, yoga DVDs, and my Kettlenetics DVDs with at least the 4 lb. KBell. My boyfriend and I have also decided to go on at least one hike (probably two) to go see some waterfalls. The pictures should be breathtaking. I will probably be posting the best ones after we get home. For anyone who has never been to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you are in for some stunning views. That place is truly a place of serenity and natural beauty.