We had a splendid time hiking the South Soddy Gorge. A cool, cloudy day made hiking easy - even though the trail was 5.3 miles and a bit of a descent into the gorge and then, of course , the ascent out of the gorge. There was a nice view of the valley, framed by rugged rocks and colorful trees. Bob tried raising the roof on the Rock House. Wayne attempted rock climbing and did fine as long as his feet stayed on the ground. A few downed trees presented an obstacle course. Roy discovered an egg during one of our snack breaks. Who or what laid it? And what emerged from it? It was a wonderfgul day, walking through the forest, listening to train whistles from the valley and thiniking of coal mining days. The oldest coal mine in Tennessee was opened in 1866 in this area by the Soddy Coal Cmpany. Mules were the source of transporting coal in ore cars from mines to the Tennessee river, until steam engines powered the incline to the valley.
If you would like to see some beautiful pictures taken during this hike, click here.
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