quiet awareness

Photography is a small voice, at best, but sometimes one photograph, or a group of them, can lure our sense of awareness.
--W. Eugene Smith (1918-1978) photographer.

Above: A quiet trail at Rock Creek Park outside of Erwin, TN.

rock creek cascade

A memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen. 
--Edward de Bono (b.1933) author. 

I set out to take some photos today at Rock Creek Park. Camera charged? check. Backpack? check. Tripod? check. Memory card? Umm...oops.  Of course, I discovered this while composing a different photo standing in the creek, camera set upon the tripod. So here is a photo from my trusty backup, the iPhone.  It did pretty well, and weighed a whole lot less. Image quality... well, fortunately I can see a difference. That's good, otherwise I've wasted lots of money on lenses! Anyway... the intention was there to take a quality image. I like this angle of the walkway at Rock Creek Park outside of Erwin, TN. If memory serves, I'll be back. :)

a true friend

A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; 
feels your fears but fortifies your faith; 
sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; 
recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.
--William Arthur Ward (1921-1994) American author, pastor and teacher

icy and chill

Christmas is here:
Winds whistle shrill,
Icy and chill,
Little care we;
Little we fear
Weather without,
Sheltered about
The Mahogany Tree
--William Makepeace Thackeray (1811-1863) Indian-born English Author.

Didn't make it out exploring today, but here's a photo of Rock Creek from a couple years ago. :)

grace and gratitude

Grace and gratitude belong together like heaven and earth. 
Gratitude evokes grace like the voice and echo.
Gratitude follows grace as thunder follows lightning. 
--Karl Barth (1886-1968) theologian.

Happy thanksgiving to you! :)

Above: Rock Creek outside of Erwin, TN.

imprinted

Nature herself has imprinted on the minds of all the idea of God.
--Cicero (106 BC-43 BC) Roman Statesman and philosopher. 

Above: The lower portion of Upper Rock Creek Falls.  To see the full, two-tiered waterfall, click here.

the easy life

There are two ways to slide easily through life: to believe everything or to doubt everything. Both ways save us from thinking.
--Alfred Korzybski (1879-1950) American Scientist and Philosopher.

Lower Rock Creek Falls (really more of a cascade). It's quite a hike (especially on a hot, humid day!) Read about it here.  See all my blog entries for Rock Creek Park here.

joy and glory

Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitful. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb.
--Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British Prime Minister

A long, steep ("ever-ascending" seems about right!) climb is rewarded with this view of Upper Rock Creek Falls, near Erwin, TN. For directions and detailed description, click here.

gratitude

Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world.
--John Milton (1608-1674) English poet. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

autumn spiral

The growth of understanding follows an ascending spiral rather than a straight line.
--Joanna Field (1900-1998) English psychologist. 

Swirling leaves out a Rock Creek Park, Erwin, TN.

changing seasons

All things change, nothing is extinguished. There is nothing in the whole world which is permanent. Everything flows onward; all things are brought into being with a changing nature; the ages themselves glide by in constant movement. 
--Ovid (43 BC-17 AD) Ancient Roman Author

stretch

Enlarge your consciousness. If your consciousness is small, you will experience smallness in every department of your life.
--Robert Pante 

The second of four creek crosses on the way to Rock Creek Falls.

forgiveness

He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven; for everyone has need to be forgiven.
--George Herbert (1593-1633) English Poet and Clergyman 

inspiration

It is not from ourselves that we will learn to be better than we are.
--Wendell Berry (b.1934) Author

On the trail to Rock Creek Falls.

Rock Creek Falls

 

These remote waterfalls are located on the side of Unaka Mountain in Unicoi County, TN. The photo here of the main (or upper) falls doesn't really do it justice. The way the water plunges 50 feet down its two tiers is unique and beautiful -- and difficult to adequately capture. It's one of those that I guess you just need to go see for yourself.  Standing there you also get an idea where most of the rocks in Rock Creek came from. You're surrounded by sheer rock walls on three sides that have been shedding fragments both large and small which have been washed down the mountain over the time. When I arrived a steady rain began. So I didn't get to stay long. On my way back I stopped by the lower falls, which I passed on the way up. The rain had slowed to a mist and I was able to get a better shot of the 30 foot tall lower falls (below, left) -- which is more of a cascade.  In between these two falls are the aptly named middle falls - which would be very difficult to reach.  You can get a glimpse of this 15' waterfall from the trail above.

Though the sign pointing the way to Rock Creek Falls says 2 miles, it seems quite a bit longer than that -- maybe it was the heat, or the rain, or the 1200 foot climb in elevation. The first part is easiest, as the trail takes you around the campground and along the creek.  You eventually come to the first of four creek crossings -- all of which have been greatly improved since my last visit to the falls. As long as the water isn't too high, you shouldn't have too much trouble rock hoping these crossings.  The trail gets more steep after the third crossing.  But in all, the trail is well maintained, and follows the tumbling creek the entire distance, giving some nice views of cascades on your way up. (More photos included in my prior post here).  Click here to read Hiking Bill's excellent account of this hike.

The flow of Rock Creek varies a lot throughout the year...from a torrent in the spring, down to a trickle in the late summer. There's a small man-made waterfall near the beginning of the hike, which directs part of the flow of the creek to a man made swimming pool/cement pond in the park. I use this as a guide/indication of whether to continue on up to the falls. If there's water flowing over this waterfall, that's a good sign that the waterfalls above will be worth venturing to.  Here's a pic of this man-made waterfall this past spring when the water level was very high.  Yesterday, there was only a thin curtain of water coming over, but still it was worth the climb.

Directions: From I-26 take the Erwin Main Street Exit (#36), at the end of the ramp turn east toward town and you will immediately arrive at a stop light. Turn right onto Rt. 107 and drive 1/2 mile, turn left at stop light onto Rock Creek Road (Rt. 395) -- continue on for 3.1 miles, turn left at entrance to Rock Creek Park.  Circle through the park making your way to the parking area next to the bath house/swimming area (in the winter months, you'll have to park further back and walk in).  Park here and begin walking north toward the campground.  You'll immediately see a sign pointing to a gravel trail to Rock Creek Falls to the left. Follow it for 1/2 mile (a nice walk along Rock Creek) and you'll come to a bridge, but don't cross it, instead, dog-leg to the right and you'll come to a bulletin board containing this map (above right). Continue past the gate to the falls.  It's a well marked trail -- and you can't miss either waterfall. The lower waterfall is down a fairly steep and muddy embankment - it's not too bad if you take your time.  The upper falls is about 5 minutes further up the main trail.

dare to begin

All glory comes from daring to begin.
--Eugene F. Ware (1841-1911) soldier, lawyer, politician and author

A trail at Rock Creek Park after our recent heavy rains.

shadows of life

Most of the shadows of life are caused by standing in our own sunshine.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist and philosopher

On the trail at Rock Creek Park outside of Erwin, TN

the long winter

All through the long winter, I dream of my garden. On the first day of spring, I dig my fingers deep into the soft earth. I can feel its energy, and my spirits soar.
-- Helen Hayes (1900-1993) American actress

Campsite at Rock Creek Park, Erwin, TN

exhilarating

Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.
--John Ruskin (1819-1900) English Writer

Above: Rock Creek outside of Erwin, TN

a little bittle

One must maintain a little bittle of summer, even in the middle of winter.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American Essayist, Poet and Philosopher

You won't even find a little bittle of summer right now at Rock Creek Park.