Knoxville Cycling Blogs

I found these old photos of the look out tower on White Rock, which was not mentioned in a GSMNP trail map. I went on to discover that White Rocks has since been renamed as Mt. Camarrer.
I had missed this portion of AT when I hiked a small chunk in 1996. Starting from Cosby up Low Gap; heading south. I begun just a few miles south of the tower.
Needles to say, I've got this in my sights. HERE on the state line.





Photo Credit:
Albert "Dutch" Roth

This weather is a little too much for me. Luckily I am heading to AZ to trail ride with JP and Loo for 4 days starting on Thursday. But back to soggy, wet East TN for now. Devin and found snow just above Caryville on Saturday. Then on Sunday we broke Terry in right at Duncan’s loop on his new KTM 200. In Terry form he was pinned right off and it won’t be long before he is up front leading the charge.

Friday Meghann and I got a new LG LED 42″ full HD TV to replace the recently dead rear projection. Then on Sunday we added Apple TV to the mix.

I thought I'd be done with off road moto for awhile when I sold my 250X to Jay. But Sarakate knew better and in exactly one week I was picking up an 06 KTM 200 XC-W. I guess the thought not having one while all of my friends were out shredding was to much to handle.

Sunday I met up with Devin, Doug, and Terry Jeffers for a throw Terry to the wolves ride. The conditions limited where we could ride and our original plan to do an easy ride at Brimstone was halted by to much snow in the upper elevations. Our only option at this point was to ride somewhere lower in elevation which meant that Terry would be put to the test from the get go. And in typical Terry fashion he killed it! Seriously killed it!

Terry preparing for battle

Devin wheeling and dealingTerry adding to his legend
Some guy we found on trailTrail guides/Punishers

WR Moto from Ben Ramsbottom on Vimeo.

Managed to salvage a few outdoors hours this weekend with ongoing home and lab/school work. House Mtn first ascent. Some pics in no particular order. Definitely going back if it snows again or when things start blooming in the spring.

Despite less than ideal weather, I was determined to make something out of nothing. Fortunately I was able to talk Eric into going for a hike on a shitty Saturday. We drove to the mountains in the rain, which became snow above 2000'. It was hard to tell at what elevation the snow would fall, so rain was a good possibility.

Snow was a welcome sight. We climbed around on icy boulders in old growth forest looking for a big waterfall, and I figure that was good way to spend what was a rainy Saturday morning in Knoxville. Hope you enjoy my pics.

On our way back from the falls, we passed a couple of other groups, which was somewhat of a suprise given the conditions at the lower elevations. But the true hearty souls were the one carying kayaks up the trail to put in the Middle Prong of the Pigeon River on a cold day with the water ripping. We saw two different groups making runs. The water looked rough, way above my skill level in a boat.

The spelling of the the name Ramsay is contridicted here:









I'm a tree hugger

Jan 31
January ended with a bang with the TN state cyclocross championships, There was lots of snow and ice the first day and LOTS of mud and goop the second day. This is Joel suffering during the single speed race - the last race of the weekend.


February 1st
Eleanor usually runs and hides because she's scared of most everything. Looks like she found a new hiding spot at the top of the laundry room.


February 2nd
Hi Stella!!


February 3rd
I get really tired of riding the trainer, so some days when it's cold, I'll take a little tour of the parking garages around downtown. This particular parking garage tried to kill me with an invisible cable stretched across the entrance to the 6 floor.


February 4th
Sunsphere-shaped trophy on the mantle

My interest in the Smoky Mountain backcountry has been renewed since picking up a copy of Our Southern Highlanders. If not for the ban on dogs, I would certainly spend more time in these mountains; not to mention the favoring of horses over bikes!
In the interest of exploring, my latest bike is a shoe. I'm heading into the cold rain and snow tomorrow.

Historical Photos from Horace Kephart

Devils Backbone

Hall Top / Stone Mountain

TN Loookout Towers

Of course it's better as a shuttle run, but Dunnigan lays out a good route to climb it:

From the Hartford exit (Exit 447), you can ride a 19 mile loop up to the Stone Mountain tower ( Hall Top). Park at Mill Creek road (1260') on your left, ride the pavement up Big Creek Road 3.7 miles to a left at Raven Branch and then a left at mile 4.1 and then a left at mile 4.5 up gravel Hall Top Road (FR 207). (The lower area is residential, and there are lots of dogs!@!) Climb 5 miles to the tower (3610'). Stone Mountain trail (#9), departs from the cliff area 0.2 miles before the tower and descends 2.5 miles to FS 110 which drops 3.5 miles along Mill Creek. Follow Mill Creek Rd 1.3 miles back to Big Creek Road.

SMART TRIPS Making plans for Smart Trips Month 2010! What was your favorite event from last year? The First Friday Art Bus, Bike to Work Day, How Many Can You Fit in a Fit, or the Jack Neely walk?

Rode Norris to get in my require interval training and boy was it wet. There was still quite a bit of slush and snow and where it was free of snow it was a river. My glasses last half of the descent down White Pine. Yuck. This weather pattern has to break at some point right?

Of course I rode last Thursday- it was in the 50's and the sun was out. There were even times when I would be climbing sans covering on me arms! Yes, I suck for getting the 2nd best day of Jan. to ride but I'm o.k. with that. No pics 'cause it was mostly a pain-fest- SS Mtn.-style bike, out n back (not quite all the way) on Richard Mtn./ P.diddy Branch for a little over 40, in right at 4 hours. It's time to get ready for Cohutta!!

A couple weekends ago Geritt came over and this is what we did.

Another Icycle in the books and this one was a true Icycle. Heavy snow and ice pounded the TN Valley and NC mountains, which caused the attendance to be really low. But as usual it was really fun to see friends, drink beer, and do a night dh run. This year British Ben’s light went out right before his run. So in typical Icycle fashion we did our run together off just my light. He had a mechincal and had to pull over so I finished by myself. Managed a third place and won some beer money.

The drive back was exciting to say the least. The NC road was scrapped and salted. The TN side was 1/2″ sheet of ice with s ow on top.

January 26th
Finally ate at the other Nama. We had two rolls of sushi and one of their "hot plates". Goooooood.


January 27th
I like to eat. Have you noticed? We added sour cream and some strawberry yogurt to the batter. They smell really, really good while they're cooking, but the flavor wasn't much different. I plan on playing around with the recipe a bit more. Waffle Wednesday, perhaps?

Hey Dave, I said "perhaps".

January 28th
Packing for cyclocross races in cold and snowy Bristol. Cold, wet races = lots of stuff


January 29th
Oh crap, it's 10:30 and I have yet to take a single picture! Ice skates found in the Chandler garage.


January 30th
Jeremy and Boogey take a ride on the sled at the cross race. Boogey looks like he's being tortured, but he actually got back on...twice.