What happens when you go out and buy new rain gear to wear and new rain covers for the backpack along with a new tarp to test? Murphy's laws kick in of course! The weather was to be unseasonably warm but with rain all weekend so we (Rebecca and I) figured it was a good time to try a local trip to a new spot. Strangely enough it's misting when we get to the trailhead so we toss on the rain pants and make sure the jackets and covers are easily accessible.
First stop was at the power plant on the NC/TN border since I had never been to it before.
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151142_zpsd41f49da.jpg]Note the water level coming through there...
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151144_zps789791f2.jpg]
I parked at the trailhead below the bridge just off of I-40 and was a bit leary about leaving the car there. Then again, it's a Mini Cooper so people probably took pity on me and left it alone. lol
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151212_zpsd81c06ca.jpg]
From there we started our hike up the mountain..and by up I mean up... as in we climbed virtually the entire way to the shelter. Some sections were a little steeper than others but nothing too bad with plenty of switchbacks, especially in the beginning. Also from the start of the trailhead until at least the first half of the climb you followed along the streams and creeks with a few crossings so you had plenty of nice stuff to watch.
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151218c_zpsc28b5a05.jpg]
Along the way you find some odd assortments of things including the fabulous fungus
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151226a_zps8d4b24b3.jpg]
My personal favorite was an old hollowed log that fell across some rocks and became a nicely polished flume.
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151230_zps07d17abc.jpg]
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151230c_zps7f7e64f8.jpg]
Naturally with all the high winds and recent storms there were a few downed trees. This was certainly the worst of them with about 4 trees down (3 low the last limbo height)[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151238_zps244acf40.jpg]
First stop was at the power plant on the NC/TN border since I had never been to it before.
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151142_zpsd41f49da.jpg]Note the water level coming through there...
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151144_zps789791f2.jpg]
I parked at the trailhead below the bridge just off of I-40 and was a bit leary about leaving the car there. Then again, it's a Mini Cooper so people probably took pity on me and left it alone. lol
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151212_zpsd81c06ca.jpg]
From there we started our hike up the mountain..and by up I mean up... as in we climbed virtually the entire way to the shelter. Some sections were a little steeper than others but nothing too bad with plenty of switchbacks, especially in the beginning. Also from the start of the trailhead until at least the first half of the climb you followed along the streams and creeks with a few crossings so you had plenty of nice stuff to watch.
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151218c_zpsc28b5a05.jpg]
Along the way you find some odd assortments of things including the fabulous fungus
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151226a_zps8d4b24b3.jpg]
My personal favorite was an old hollowed log that fell across some rocks and became a nicely polished flume.
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151230_zps07d17abc.jpg]
[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151230c_zps7f7e64f8.jpg]
Naturally with all the high winds and recent storms there were a few downed trees. This was certainly the worst of them with about 4 trees down (3 low the last limbo height)[IMG:http://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g172/Adventuremyk/2015_01_03-04-DavenportGapShelterHike/0103151238_zps244acf40.jpg]
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The trouble with reality stems from a lack of background music!
The trouble with reality stems from a lack of background music!