The Beauty of Winter

The Beauty of Winter

Each season has its beauty and often this is in the eye of the beholder. Some like the Spring with the blooming shrubs, trees and flowers. Some prefer the Fall with the color of the hardwood trees' leaves. While others like the Summer with its variety of greens and little wild flowers along the roadside. I'm one of those people that love all four seasons for each has its own beauty, even the dead of winter.

I have a friend that comments on how much he likes the late Fall when all the trees have dropped their leaves. He says he can see more since there's no leaves to block his vision nor the lens of his camera. He's right to some extent but then you have basically three colors; gray tree trunks, gray rocks, green of the evergreen trees, and shadows. That is until the snow comes and then the basic colors become grays, greens and white.

Winter, especially when there's snow, has its own beauty, the quietness of the woods, the softness of the snow and the brilliant white shining among the gray tree trunks and rocks. The snow also decorates the tree limbs and the needles of the evergreen trees with a shadowy white layer, just enough sometime to make it look as if an artist simply passed their brush against them. Boulders among the trees look like cupcakes with white marshmellow frosting. Fence rows of wood with just the right amount of white on the top of the rails and posts.

The temperatures do get cold, in fact sometime just plain icy. But if you dress correctly for it, spending some time admiring the wintry surroundings is and can be very pleasant. There's usually less activity in the woods as the birds stay on the tree limbs all puffed against the cold and wind. The furry animals are usually in their burrows or nests clutched together to fend off the cold. And all you hear is the quiet murmuring of the breeze as it twists and turns among the trees. Or maybe the babbling stream flowing over the snow covered rocks. Then you make a step and you hear the crunch of the snow under your boot sole. Peace as it should be.

If you haven't gotten out this winter to just enjoy looking around, maybe a little trip to the back of the field or into the edge of the Smoky Mountain National Park will awaken those memories of your youth. It is more enjoyable this way rather than when you have to get out in it to work. For now you can pick and choose when and where you go and how long you stay. It becomes a matter of choice.

The four seasons are great and I hope you enjoy something of each. Right now we are in the ebbing of the winter season. Check it out for its beauty. You may be surprised at how beautiful it truly is.

A Quiet Sunday Afternoon Ride

Sunday, Nov. 15, 2015.  After lunch today the sun started to come out more as it had been really cloudy like a rain was on its way all morning.  I decided about 2 p.m. to take a ride.  Well, let's back up a bit.  At 8:30 a.m. this morning I had donned my winter riding gear, put my Sunday School book in the saddle bag, threw my leg over the bike, turned the key and hit the starter button.  NADA.  Zilch. Nothing, not even a click.  I happened to glance up and saw the green light glowing on the plug for me heated gloves and then the red light from the accessory power plug.  I had forgotten to turn it off Saturday and the battery was DEAD.  So I quickly hooked up the battery charger, stripped off my riding gear, grabbed a different jacket and jumped into the van using it to ride to church.

Now we can get back to the afternoon.  I was sort of feeling a bit low as today is my eldest son's birthday and I would liked to have been with him to celebrate it but I knew his daughters and friends would take care of that.  So I decided to take a ride.  Not too long as it gets dark earlier now, maybe a couple of hours would get my mood changed.

This is the route I ran as none of it was planned prior to departing, sort of played it by ear and made changes as I went along.  It starts at my house, riding south on Boyds Creek Hwy. for a bit and then taking Shiloh Rd. over to US 321.  This is a neat mountainous back road with lots of personality.  I've ridden it many many times over the past 7 years.  It can be rather wicked as it has sharp turns up hill down hill and sometimes all of these at the same time.

This old house, located on Shiloh Rd., is not too far from where I live.  It's constructed of squared logs and let's you go back to the old days just by looking at it. 

In places a small stream meanders along the roadway and makes interesting patterns as it criss-crosses the land.  On this road there are very few level places as the mountains come almost to the road leaving only small places that you can use to build on or make a garden.

With a dreary looking sky and most of the leaves gone from the trees it definitely gives one the feeling that winter has come.  Low this morning was 30 degrees with high this afternoon of 55.  Nice frosty morning.








This is one of those slow rolling roads with just enough curves and changes to keep you really alert.  No speed racers here.










Next I hit Chapman Hwy., US 441, toward Sevierville where I would make a right turn onto Pleasant Hill Rd.  You can see the sky is a little dismal and makes you think rain is just around the bend.








I ran US 321 from the south edge of Pigeon Forge towards Wears Valley and turned left onto Wears Valley Rd. over to Metcalf Bottoms Picnic area in the Smoky Mtn. National Park.  Metcalf Bottoms is about half way between Townsend, TN and Gatlinburg.

This is a very nice and large valley with lots of small farms or horse ranches along with a lot of tourist stuff.  From US 321 into Metcalf Bottoms about the only tourist stuff are a few RV Parks.







This view is one of several horse stables and pastures.  Amazing how green the grass is since we've had several frosty mornings lately.

Reaching Metcalf Bottoms I crossed the Little Pigeon River.  This view is looking downstream towards Townsend.  A lot of people tube this river in the summer months.  It's ice cold even in August.





This view is looking upstream.  This river flows through the Elkmont Campground.  The boys, when we all were younger, use to tube it when we vacationed in this area.  Last day before leaving for home was to do a long tube trip.  Once we did about 4 miles before we finally got out of the water just before we turned into a block of ice.

Shortly after crossing the river I hit the Pigeon River Road.  This was originally the track bed for the railroad that hauled huge logs from this area back in the 1920s.  Elkmont Campground was then a small town consisting of a sawmill, general store, some houses and railroad tracks going back into the mountains to haul huge logs to the mill.  Often only three logs fit on the flatcar.


The speed limit in the park varies from 25 to 45 mph depending on the area.  Today there were very few vehicles traveling.  Color is gone, tourist are gone.  Next will be the Christmas season in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.  Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede is already decorated for Christmas along with the towns of Sevierville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.


Once you couldn't see much as you rode along the road but now with the leaves gone you get to see just how many tree trunks are out in the woods.

There were a lot of fishermen out today trying for those mountain trout.  These two young men were apparently looking for the right location to catch the "big one".                                                
                                                                                                        





First the river is on one side and later it's on the other as you wind around the mountains.  This time of year the water level is rather low unless there's a rain and then it can come up quickly.








Many shapes and forms occur as they cut the land to put the roadway.  Today they would have leveled the area on the left but back when this roadbed was made, the equipment was nowhere near what we have today.

Small waterfalls can be seen at this time of year but during the summer
months the water levels are much higher obscuring the small falls or rapids.

I also like to look at the various rock strata along the highways.  One area on my last ride looked like a mountain of gold.  This is a variegated brown and tan.  You can see the drill marks on the rock face.







Looking into the sun makes the camera go crazy but one of these days they will make a camera that is as good as our eyes and won't cost a trillion dollars.  I love looking at the mountains and the various layers or tiers.






This picture on the right is what most people look for when taking mountain photos.  You get the blue haze in the far mountains that extend into the foreground but still allows you to capture the various folds and layers of the hills and valleys.

I don't care at what angle you look at the mountains, they are still grand structures.  And since they were made through shifting plates deep in the earth, can you just imagine the noise they made getting pushed around and up like they are.






This is actually looking toward Gatlinburg from the Sugarland Visitor Center side of the Laurel Falls trail area.









How about raking all of those leaves into a pile.  The pile would be many feet high and that would come from just a very small area.  Worse than my yard for sure and it has plenty enough for me.

Entering Gatlinburg from the Park.  Empty sidewalks in places indicates the majority of tourists have gone home.  This was a banner October for the Smoky Mountain National Park.  They had more visitors this October than in the past 20 years.  Helps to keep my taxes down too.

A couple of gentleman that happen to be related to me knows this place is one of the best eating establishments in Gatlinburg for breakfast or lunch.  It is the Pancake Pantry.  Cash only.  No plastic accepted.








Downtown shot of Gatlinburg.  It's mainly one long stretch of gift shops, restaurants, candy shops and memorabilia.

Today's ride was a quicky but still very pleasant.  I often do this ride to release some tenseness that builds up for almost any reason.  It is a nice 2 or three hour run depending on traffic and has some great scenery along the way.  Door to door was 57 miles.  Travel time, 2 1/2 hours.  Relaxation, 100%.  Well worth the time.  I hope your day has been a good one and that you have been able to relax and enjoy yourself.  So often we get wrapped up in things and forget to enjoy what life has to offer.  Stay safe, my friend.
                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                              

Circumnavigating Douglas Lake

Friday, Nov. 13, 2015, 40 degrees, blue sky, 7:30 a.m.  A good day to ride.  All bundled up in winter riding gear including heated gloves, Sweet Thang roared to life with a deep throaty sound in the crisp morning air.  Ahh, she sounds tough but sweet.  Always did like those raspy voiced women, something that seems right, like Susan Plachette, Debra Winger, etc.  Meet up time 8:45 or so at Pilot's on the corner of Boyds Creek Hwy. and TN 66.

This rather large body of water is known as Douglas Lake which is the source for TVA's Douglas Dam Electric Generation Station.  It is made up of several rivers and streams and is a fisherman's paradise.  In fact, last year they held a Bass Pro fishing tournament and on one day, launched 1500 boats all going for the giant prize.  Our feat today was to ride around the lake on roads staying as near to the lake as we could.

This was taken just about 8 miles from my house on the way to the meet-up place.  It's difficult to see but just at the edge of the shadows is the Island View School dating back to the early 1900s.  I think I have photographed this building in every season several times over the years.  Unfortunately it is in disrepair.  Age and the environment is taking its toll on the structure.

Approximately 16 miles from my house is the jct. where we meet up sometimes.  I got there early enough this morning to make sure I had a bite to eat and drink a whole cup of coffee before Paul arrived.  And I did.  In fact, I was on the side of the lot at the point I took the picture waiting for him for 20 minutes.

Paul filled up his CB500 Honda and we hit Rte. 66 (TN) and then made a quick left turn onto Alder Branch Rd.  Lake Douglas, here we come.

The photography is not too good early in the morning when you're facing the sun but hopefully you can get glimpses of our route.  This particular route takes us through some nice curvy roads over some nice hilly countryside and by some large cattle farms and dairies.

One of the few really straight stretches of this road.  Not clearly seen is a building that looks more like a church spire that is used as a gazebo.

A turn here, a turn there and some more curves taking us closer to the lake.











My power shot.  Transmission power lines with the sun in the background.  Lots of power, one harnessed, the other controlled by a higher power.








  
We arrive at a point in the lake and we will travel to a lot of points as you can see in the first picture of the map.  The lake is being drained or pulled down so TVA can inspect the lower portions of the dam.  They do this every few years and it doesn't make the home owners very happy when this is done.

The green is where the water usually is and then you see where the water actually is.  Makes your lake front property not so lake front for a while.

In fact, farther on in this writing you will see some floating docks that are no longer floating.

We pulled into one of the many day picnic areas to get a view of the lake and the mountains in the background.

Then back on another road trying to stay as close to the lake as we can.  A lot of trips took us down one way roads.  One way in and one way out.  And some should not have been called roads.

The sun was getting up toward the 10:00 a.m. position, maybe a little later, and looked so big against the blue sky and high clouds.  These are the only clouds we saw today, all in the East.

Crossing one of the rivers that helps to make up the Douglas Lake.

A little farther along we get near the lake again, this time on TN 139 which will take us into Dandridge, TN.

But before we get to Dandridge we take another turn off and actually ride out onto the dry lake bottom.

Riding into Dandridge gives you a nice view of a very old town.  It's buildings are somewhat like those found in VA and Maryland from the late 1700s.

Outside of Dandridge we're back on some very nice back roads where every once in  while you see a few trees that still have leaves.  I would estimate that about 2/3 of the leaves have fallen and after the wind all day by another week they will all be down.

Paul, my biker friend, likes the winter without the leaves so that he can see things that you just ride or drive by during the spring and summer that you can't see because of the leaves.

It is difficult to see but this house already has Christmas window decorations in place.  I've passed here since last Christmas so i know they didn't leave them up like some places I've been by.  Beautiful old home also.

This little red roofed church is hard to miss.  It is very old and just draws your eyes to the styling and he red roof.  I would say the roof is not nearly as old as the structure since it was metal.

Another overlook point and a bridge below that we will eventually cross to continue our trek.

Riding these roads will take us through some low mountainous areas, some valleys and some small hollows.  It will also take us through parts of Sevier, Jefferson, Green and Cocke Counties. 

We traveled a number of 1 1/2 lane roads today.  At one time it was down to one lane and with the leaves along the roadway, it made you really nervous when you met another vehicle.

High up on the side of a mountainous area we got a grand view of just part of the lake.

A short while later we stopped to take a pic or two and a little stretch break.  Almost a "Million Dollar" picture.

There's just something about old barns that are hard to resist taking pictures of.  Near this barn was a pasture with some well fed horses.



Farther along the route we passed these two old barns.  The one on the right has a weather protected lifting beam for storing feed in the loft.



This soybean field appears to have as many weeds growing as beans.  And with the recent rains and wind they will be on the ground in a short while.









When you're not doing anything else, you can always split wood for firewood.  Apparently the person owning this place sells it or either they keep a very hot house in the winter.

The Lady and her dogs.  Only one is beside her, the other two I have just passed.  No bike chasers but later on two very large healthy Rottweilers took after Paul but he was ahead of them and didn't know about it until I told him later.  When they noticed me I was almost past them so no juicy tender calf meat for them today.  They probably weighed around 80 lbs. each.  A lunge from one of them would have knocked me off the bike.

Mother Nature gets a little confused every once in a while.  Here two trees are just starting to turn and have all of their leaves while the surrounding trees are leafless.

At 11:00 a.m. we pulled into the parking lot of Haye's Hill Restaurant.  Today, Friday, was catfish day, their special.  I forgot how large the fillets were so I ordered the two piece special which came with two sides and hushpuppies.  The fillets were as large as my hand, perfectly cooked and delicious.  So was the coldslaw.  Being stuffed, or a fancier word "sated", we mounted our trusty machines and took off again.  We were only half way the ride.

Shortly after leaving Bybee, TN and the catfish, we were once again near the lake.  As you can see from the first picture of the map, there are many fingers extending from the lake.  Not all have connecting roads.

Make a turn and you're back to the lake again but at a different location.

After riding parallel to the lake for a while we eventually had to make a turn onto a different road to continue our ride.

This was one of those one lane roads I mentioned earlier.  And it was very rough.  Not any tax dollars spent keeping this road surface up.

Kind of like a Daniel Boone story, wherever there's a small flat place in the earth, you find a simple house and a garden or field.

One of the roads that shouldn't be called a road.

And this one wasn't much better either.

If you look closely you can see the floating dock is now on dry land.  Several other areas the dock was now about 100 plus feet from the edge of water.

Oops. Another one of those dead-end roads.  This one ended at private property and those signs were to let you know not to trespass.  Paul doing a U-turn.

Where did all of those leaves go?

Well, they went right down here along and on the roadway.  Makes you tighten up on the seat every once in a while as they are slick when wet and slippery when dry.

Some of the valleys are long and lets you open up a bit but not all of them are straight.

Quite often they may have a stream that winds its way through the valley and the road follows the winding stream.  This particular valley had a nice long straight run in it.

But straight runs don't usually last very long and then you're back to tree lined roads with curves.  Darned old curves, just makes it too enjoyable to have to stop.

We did pass some very nice farms as we went from road to road.  One farm we passed last week had a field of tomatoes.  Today they were black bushes mostly on the ground and plenty of ripe and green fruit wasted.  Apparently their temps got lower than ours and the tomato plants and fruit froze.

Eventually back to the lake and a dock on the dirt.

At this point you can see how high the water normally gets.  Not a good time to sell lake front property.

This was the last nook we rode in on this trip.  We've been here several times as it has a pretty vantage point of the lake and mountains.  A very nice neighborhood.

This shot was taken from the same position, just a different view.

But then all good things seem to come to a close eventually.  Sweet Thang poised to head back to the house and close out the loop around Douglas Lake.  It was a long day with lots of turns and twists but something we can put in the book for future reference.  We have ridden around Douglas Lake, all in one day taking time to take pics.





I left the house at 7:30 a.m. and we pulled away from the meeting place at 8:50.  I returned to the house at 3:30 p.m. after having traveled 146 miles door to door.  Not a bad day at all.  Good ride, good friend, good food and a beautiful day all rolled into one.  How much sweeter can it get.

So until the next Valkyrie Adventure, here's wishing you a time to enjoy life and the wonders of this world.  Take a look in your backyard and check to see if you've seen it all or not.  If you have, try a new place tomorrow.  Ride/drive safe.