Friday, October 30

Smokies to Chattanooga

Woke early to  cool 39 degrees, but warm sunshine!

We decided to drive a part of the Cades Cove Loop, which yesterday was bumper to bumper, then take a little used  12-mile dirt road over Rich Mountain.  (The ranger said we shouldn’t have a problem.)

The loop was busy but not crazy.  Lots of low morning clouds reinforced why these mountains are called the Smokies. 

Saw a few deer and a flock of turkeys before we reached the turnoff.

The sign for Rich Mt. Road warned that it was a primitive, undeveloped  dirt road and indeed it was.  Also, thankfully, one-way! The narrow, leaf-paved road began to climb through colorful trees.  Much more color here than down in the park.

About half way up the mountain there was a break in the trees and a view of the valley below filled with soft billowy clouds.  A wow moment!

  Most of the trees on this route were shades of yellow, orange and gold, with a few red and occasional evergreen. With the warm, bright morning sun,  at times it was like driving through a stained glass forest! A wow ride. We stopped several times to look around and take photos, and we didn't see another soul the whole ride.

 Eventually back to asphalt, we turned south again toward Chattanooga and Lookout Mountain.

We finished listening to Shadow Divers by Robert Kurson, about two divers who discover and seek to identify a sunken WWII German U-boat about 65 miles off the New Jersey coast. Interesting!

We  follow our directions through part of Chattanooga and up Lookout Mountain, where we arrive at the entrance to Ruby Falls.  Ruby Falls is a 145’ underground  waterfalls that is located 1120 feet below Lookout Mountain.  We first took an elevator down 260',  and then walked about a half mile through limestone tunnels to the waterfalls. 

We stopped to watch a couple of videos and listen to our tour guide, Tommy Carlson.  Passed some interesting formations – stalagtites, stalagmites, flows, curtains, columns, etc.   Though there was only one formation we were invited to touch, many people in our group and throughout the years have touched (and killed) formations.  Still, it was an interesting walk. 

The cave where the falls is located is dark when we arrive, then dramatically lighted.  Quite beautiful! 

The cave is rather small so it is impossible to capture the entire falls on one photo, even with a wide angle.  We retraced our steps and headed up some stairs to a view of Chattanooga and the Tennessee River.

Next on the agenda is Rock City, Georgia, just a few miles away.  Anyone who has traveled within several hundred miles of Chattanooga has no doubt seen the signs, often painted on the roofs of barns, saying See Rock City.   A successful advertising campaign! This is also on Lookout Mountain which is a very large, long mountain extending well into Georgia.

We started with lunch in their parking lot (thanks, Mom, for the Lebanon Bologna).  Today is partly cloudy but dry.  We follow a designated trail through hundreds of huge and interesting boulders,  including grottos, narrow passageways (Fat Man's Squeeze), swinging bridges, Lover’s Leap (a Cherokee legend of star-crossed lovers) lookouts, a herd of fallow deer and the interesting Fairyland display with scenes from familiar fairy tales in individual caves and caverns. 

Seven states visible from here...

Note the coral ceiling

Also, cafes and gift shops… rather too commercialized for our taste, it was still an interesting walk and was no doubt an amazing discovery back when it was natural.

From here we drove about 15 miles to Oglethorpe Walmart, which had good reviews as being quiet and away from the city.  Rotissarie chicken and potatoe salad for dinner and made plans for tomorrow.