Page 104 - USA ROAD TRIP SUMMER of 2000

It was hot and humid so we were soaking wet when we finished

the hike and not, shall we say, “fresh”. Also, we were tired from a
full day of tense driving and walking. So we just picked up a hot

dog and fries at the local bistro and ate in the room. As tomorrow

is our last day of the trip prior to the drive home we have made
big plans for day. Should we survive those plans, we will be home

on Thursday.

CADES COVE BIKE RIDE and RICH MOUNTAIN TRAIL

Wednesday - Cades Cove is one of our favorite places on earth. It

is a relatively flat 2500 acres of pasture, streams, and hardwoods.

The last tenant died last year and his cattle were sold as his little
farm transferred to the National Park. They are now mowing and

using controlled burns to keep the Cove open land. They hope to
rid it of introduced grasses and get back to the natural plants of

the original landscape.

The Cove is surrounded by tall tree-covered mountains and ringed
by a one-way paved road of 11 miles length. On Wednesday and

Saturday mornings from sunrise to 10 AM, the road is closed to

cars so that bikes can be ridden around this periphery. A lot of
people take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. This was

what we did as our first enterprise of the day arriving at the
entrance to the Cove at 7:30. And we’re off!

The ride is a lot of fun and substantial work. There are long

downhills where you can really get up a head of steam. My only
worry was that a deer might pop out of the bushes into my path.

That would have been a wicked surprise for both of us as I’m

certain I was, at times hitting 35 mph. Now - since one starts and
ends at the exact same spot, those downhills must be repaid. And

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