Today was amazing in so many ways I can not even tell people how great this was. When I decided to come to Great Smokey Mountains National Park I wanted to do something different than what others do. The others being as a friend called it Redneck Aspen. So I chose Cades Cove and I made sure I would be here on a Wednesday when the loop, a single lane one way road around the area is closed to motorized vehicles. Only bikes can go. Best choice I have ever made.
The day started off great managed to have a great nights sleep and on my way to turn in key and grab some free coffee to go i met my neighbors from the night. They are actually going home to Michigan. The only of the lower 48 I have not been to.
Breakfast today was a cozy little place I found on the way to Tennessee. It was called Country Thyme Diner. Courtney was my waitress and right from the get go you could tell this was a down home family business. The tables around me were occupied by locals left and right. All older white guys shooting the shit before doing whatever people do in their 60s and 70s. I had a western omelet and a side of pancakes. See picture for what a side of pancakes means. It was amazing.
After that it was off to Cades Cove. I got here right at check in time, 1pm and they handed me my ticket and I rushed in. Bikes and people were already whizzing onto the loop. But I had a good day left I wasn't worried about the time. Cades Cove Loop maps out at about 11 miles according to the NPS website. I did not think it was that long.
The tent site was perfect. Though will be my first time doing camping without running water since I was a kid in the Boy Scouts. I don't care something just felt right. Tent went up. Unloaded the bike geared up and off I went. It was beautiful. Just check out these first few shots. I will be stopping and dropping shots in on this blog because today was crazy.
So I continued along and checked out several old churches along the route. The first took me down a windy gravel road. No problem for the Adv 3.1 gravel bike. After what I put her through early on this was a cake walk. At the end was the Cade's Cove Primitive Baptist Church. When someone says primitive church this is what I think. One room, one door, a cemetery out back, bell on top. The stories this place could tell.
Next stop was the Cade's Cove Missionary Baptist Church established in 1839. Like the previous church. Simple and told the story of this area way before it became a park.
Continued along the loop and came across even more amazing scenery. The mountains and the trees the backdrop for my ride was equisite.
These pictures are from a pull out. Up on the side a guy was playing a piccolo. He had been riding like me. But it was perfect and peaceful. As I was getting ready to leave I noticed a couple looking out at the tree line. I was not sure what they were looking at but pulled over and BEARS. They said a momma and 3 or 4 cubs had crossed the road just down from us and were now up in the trees. I would later find out they were in a cheery tree gorging themselves. I pulled out the trusty Nikon off the back of my bike. I had bought the travel case just for these moments while biking. I was about 100 plus yards away but these were the best I could get.
As I was getting ready to leave the woman of the couple I had been talking to said she had never ridden the loop on wet roads. I was like well hopefully it will hold out. It started drizzling as I said that. The sky opened up full on down pour. Every inch of me was soaked in minutes. Most people were ducking off the loop into buildings. There were a few cabins still standing. I did not. I had no idea how long this was going to last and I was worried about something. So probably about 5.5 mile dash in rain took me back to Cades Cove. For the record Cades Cove is inside the National Park if you missed that earlier. My campsite is just a tent site. There are some flushable toilet bathrooms but nothing really great.
I made it back to the campsite just as the rain let up. But the damage was done. I had left the front and back of the rain fly up to let air in so it wouldnt be so hot later. So instead there was some water in the tent. I wiped it up and then took my mess of a self over the bathroom and dried off and changed into some clothes. Then damn it I got a loop scoop!
Then sort of clean. I was like I am going to go find food. I had looked up a handful of places and new I had to just drive back about 20 minutes into Townsend to find anything. So off I went. And well to be honest finding the Dancing Bear was amazing. A chef's muse, sweetened sourdough bread and the a Bistro Burger. Just read what is on that burger. That is why I ordered it. It was amazing.
Okay, after the filling meal I should have just gone back and collapsed. Really you should not do any strenuous exercise after eating that much. So yeah ... I did the loop again!! I got to stop at all the places I had missed due to the rain.
I can't imagine doing this loop in a car. It is a single lane road more a bike and horse trail. The congestion must be horrible. So what a great second ride!! What? You were expecting something even more cool?? Oh yeah....
Ten minutes into my 2nd ride I came upon what the National Park Service calls a wildlife jam. But this one was just a bunch of us hikers and bikers. And what pray tell caused this jam....
A momma bear and her two cubs gorging on a cherry tree. One of the wildlife jammies informed me that is what they were eating. And also pointed out what they do the limps so you can look for the tree's elsewhere.
Look there was no way I should have done another 11 mile bike ride. But I did it and I am so glad I did. Seeing those bears early on made me keep going and just enjoying every single mile. Till next time.
Tree bears are the best bears. ❤️
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