VOLuntarilyConservative

Since I've put more time in at work over the past two weeks than at any other fortnight this year, the VOLConWife and I knocked off a bit early Friday (translation - 3:00) and hit the road for the Townsend entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. One of the great things about Knoxville is that I can leave downtown and be in the Smokies in about an hour. The VOLConWife and I used to take advantage of this feature during our 3L Year of law school at UT, and we most recently completed over a half-dozen hikes of various lengths and difficulties (including Chimney Tops) last summer.

Today was our first hike together this year. We hit Abrams Falls in Cades Cove (pictured above), a 5-mile "moderate" trail that leads to the powerful 20-foot waterfall. As with my hike last weekend to Spruce Flats Falls near Tremont, the mountain laurel lining the streams are blooming, making for fragrant and beautiful hikes.

Also of interest - the deer population in Cades Cove is a bit out of control. We saw at least three dozen in the Cove, and we weren't exactly looking like all of the deprived Yankees along the 11-mile loop. They also seemed to be a bit too tame, an example of which was seen early in the loop with a large doe feasting on ferns on the roadside within petting distance of the VOLConWife.

I'm proud of the VOLConWife, for sure. It was her first hike this year, and we make the trek up from the falls to the trailhead in right at one hour. She just remarked that her legs are going to be achy tomorrow. I think I will keep my mouth shut, because mine are already inoperative.