I woke up Saturday morning to temperatures 10-15 degrees below normal.  So much for running in the heat.  I think it was in the 40’s throughout most of the morning and then the 50’s in the early afternoon.  As most of you know, I don’t perform well in the cold and stiffened up with the cool breeze within the first hour.  After a bit I finally got into a run/walk rhythm that I could manage in these temperatures.  It was a .65 mile loop, which I did 50 times covering 32.5 miles, in just over 7.5 hours.  The locals could not understand why this ‘yankee’ (spoken in kindness) thought it was so cold and was wearing three shirts under a fleeze jacket!  I eventually removed my hat and gloves, but people still thought I was a ‘crazy’.  Well at least I know I’m crazy!!  They were all very friendly and I actually had a cold beer with them after I finished!

It’s time to head home and rest!  After a national weightlifting contest, a competitive 1/2 marathon, six high points and an ultrarun, I do have to say I’m pretty tired…

 

I found myself winding around the roads of the Chattahoochee National Forest on my way to South Carolina.  A majority of the land I’ve been travelling in over the last two days is Cherokee land.  It was great to see how the area has been preserved to acknowledge the Cherokee people and their customs.  And after the beautiful scenery I’ve seen over the last week, I was looking forward to Sassafras Mountain.  The small towns leading to the mountain were well-kept, which made me even more excited to see what was around the next bend.  I eventually arrived at the parking lot, the high point was only 100 feet away, I casually walked around the closed gate up past a cell tower and stood there for a moment or two.  I was surprised to see how un-kept the area was.  If it wasn’t for the high pointers bench and marker, I wouldn’t have noticed that this was South Carolina’s high point.  There is a bench mark here, but again, it is not accurate.  The natural high point is about 50 feet away. 

 I have a rest day planned (Friday) and I have arrived in Kennisaw, GA.  I had planned to run a ultra run in Sebastian FL, but it was cancelled.  So I eventually found an alternative here in Kennisaw.  A 24 hour event.  I hope to be able to run/walk for a least 6 hours and no more than 12.  I let you know how it goes…

The drive up to the parking lot at Georgia’s high point was absolutely beautiful.  The 3 mile road was lined with mountain laurel and rosebay rhododendron bushes (later I found the trail up to the top was also lined with the same gorgeous, welcoming vegetation).  All I could think about was this site must become one spectacular colorful bloom late May.  I was a bit ‘beaten up’ by yesterday’s hike and decided to hike the summit trail up to the top, as it was paved and a little easier on the body.  Once I arrived I looked around for the gates to the bench mark.  That’s right.  This bench mark is locked behind a gate and only accessible to those who ask.  So I found the gate, walked into the visitor’s center and asked the ranger for access to the high point.  He immediately stopped what he was doing and cheerfully marched outside and unlocked the gate to reveal Brasstown Bald’s marker.  There was a lot of curious onlookers wondering what was going on.  The ranger was very friendly and happy to entertain everyone in view!  Lots of fun!!

 The high point of South Carolina was within reach today, so off I went to Sassafras Mountain…

After a very long slow drive from Chattanooga thru Dollywood (An amusement park the size of a small town, with everything you could think of that says country in the Smoky Mountains of TN.  It reminded me of the Clampett’s hometown, you know the Beverly Hills family, to the Red Skeleton Show, to Dolly herself.  It looked like Las Vegas without the slot machines!), then thru Gatlinburg (where there was at least 100,000 cars and people everywhere!), to finally the Great Smoky Mountain highway leading to Newfound Gap.  I parked the car intending to walk up the road, but I knew the Appalachian Trail was close at hand and I couldn’t resist it’s pull.  So I hiked 7.9 mile up the trail to the high point of TN, Clingman’s Dome.  Hiking up the trail I met a dozen or more ‘thru’ hikers on their way to the trail’s terminus.  Everyone was friendly.  It was a lot of fun chatting with them.  And I can see why people want to hike this trail for whatever reason.  Stepping on rocks and stumps of trees that were obviously not only weather worn, but also because of the 1,000’s of foot steps before me.  It was ruggedly beautiful.  At the top there was a constant stream of people walking from the visitor’s center parking lot to the dome.  The actual natural high point is a rock adjacent to the dome’s supporting wall. 

On my drive back to the hotel I ran into a severe thunderstorm.  Kind of scary driving along a road that is constantly winding on the edge of the mountain range.  I thought to myself, I hope tomorrow’s drive to Georgia’s high point isn’t like this.  And anxiously continue driving…  The next morning I found myself on the same road, winding up the mountain side thru one spectacular view after another…

I klimbed the high point of Mississippi today, which is designated as a drive up.  Upon arriving, I drove up the gravel road to check out the area.  I had read the site was not one of the best kept mountains and was unsure about the condition of the road, which was actually in very good shape.  So I drove back down to the highway, parked and walked up the one mile road to the top of Woodall Mountain.  This high point is 806 feet and the 4th lowest natural high point of all 50 states.  I was pleasantly surprised to see the site in good condition and enjoyed the one mile hike back down the mountain road.  The soil in this area is rich in iron which makes the soil look red.  And the drive thru Alabama (as the MS high point sits right on the Alabama/Mississippi state line) was rich with historical markers.  From the civil war to the civil rights movement, to Jessie Owens homestead, to Helen Keller, and on and on.  Remarkable indeed. 

 

I’ve arrived in Chattanooga, TN to klimb Clingmans Dome.  It’s the most visited high point in the nation because of the enormous amount of history in this area.  I’ll let you know what I find!

Cheaha Mountain, Alabama, became #10 high point today.  It was a drive up, but I had the opportunity to explore a variety of trails surrounding the mountain.  I spent about five hours hiking trails that ranged from an elevated boardwalk, a very steep rock climb, a rappelling cliff and a waterfall.  I met some very friendly people along the way.  I do have to say after some apprehension, that I was a little nervous traveling thru the state of Alabama.  But, even though the confederate flags were flying, I had a lot of people waving as I drove by and others who took the time to stop and say hello.  The weather was spectacular.  And the trails were challenging.  I think I hiked about eight miles today.

 There is an observation tower on the summit, but the true natural high point is a large rock to the left of the tower.  There is also a CCC museum and a monument dedicated to the Boy Scouts of America on the top of the mountain.  And there are a lot of very friendly people in the park as well.  Everyone took the time to say hello.  Fantastic!  I’m happy to say I get the chance to drive thru Alabama one more time on my way to the next high point in Mississippi!

 

 

 

The drive from Fort Myers to Lakewood Park took about 6.5 hours, while klimbing the lowest point of the 50 states (Britton Hill, 345 feet) took about 6.5 seconds!  The Florida point is a drive up high point located on the panhandle, just south of the Alabama border.  The classical location of this high point is considered the monument seen in the picture below.  But, recently that point has been reexamined by a new technology called LiDAR DEM which confirms the real location is actually 500 feet south southwest of the monument (the pic of the woods seen below).  So I visited both locations just to be sure!

On my drive from the Florida high point, passing thru Alabama and heading to Savannah Georgia (site of the National Masters Championships), I drove thru a town called Opp, home of the annual ‘Rattlesnake Rodeo’.   As I passed thru, the signs told me I was two days too early for this years ‘rodeo’.  They claim there has been no rattlesnake bites in over 40 years.  Definitely an unusual event I’m sorry I missed.  But, I am happy to say the Alabama high point is my next klimb!