It was mild and sunny on our last vacation day in the Bryson City area. We started the day mountain biking on Tsali trail. We made our $2 per rider deposit for use of the trail then took the right loop trail. This time we pressed on far enough until we found the official shortcut. Still, we made a wrong turn towards the end of our route and pedaled a half mile out of our way before recognizing our error and returning to the path. The additional distance we rode included longer and steeper inclines and descents than any we had ridden before. They were also bumpier (the chain came off Curt's gears twice while bouncing down these trails). As the right loop was reserved for bikers this day, there was much more traffic on it then the earlier times we traveled it. Most of the traffic passed us, though we played leap frog with a couple of guys who weren't in great shape. The "pro" mountain bikers we met, those with double suspension bikes, biker outfits, and well-defined muscular calves gave lots of compliments to Eric. "You're doing great!" "I wish I'd have started at your age." "You're gonna be an animal when you get older." (As if we were starting him young for a career in mountain biking.)

Eric riding...	...and trick riding...	...Tsali trail.

Our lunch of cashew butter and jelly sandwiches, fruit, crackers, and pretzels was eaten in the car during our 40 minute drive to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest. Joyce Kilmer is the poet of "Trees" ("I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree.") We hiked the four trails of the park, a distance of only two miles. The walk through this old virgin forest was beautifully scenic!

Eric and Missy hugging at a huge poplar tree.	A view of Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest.

Much of the woodlands in the mountains we travelled through earlier had been clearcut. Their trees were less than a hundred years old. This forest was very old. Huge poplars, some seven feet in diameter, towered over us or lay moss covered and dead where they had fallen after centuries of life. As the hikes were rather short and not demanding--the inclines not too steep, the path well-marked, and there were bridges over the stream crossings--there were many people on the paths and many of them were older adults. We moved slowly through the forest on our way up the mountain, taking in the sights, sounds, and smells. On the way down the mountain, Eric thought it'd be cool to run the trails. The trails do have quite a few rocks and roots so while walking them is not especially demanding, running them requires concentration and quick reflexes. Curt ran a little (for the video camera), Missy and Eric ran over half a mile.

From Joyce Kilmer we drove to Fontana Dam and took the day's last tour of the pilot house. As we boarded the tram to the bottom of the dam, we passed through a swarm of thousands of lady bugs. They got over everything and on everyone. The pilot house told the history of the building of the dam. It was built from 1943 to 1946 largely to provide power for an Alcoa plant producing aluminum for use during WW II. A village was built to accommodate the thousands of workers needed to construct the dam. Fontana Village exists to this day.

Fontana Dam, at over 400' tall, is the highest dam in the eastern United States.	Fontana Lake's water level is purposely lowered in the fall so that the winter and spring snows and rains don't cause it to overflow the dam.

On our way to the cottage, we stopped at Tsali Trails for a few final photos and short rides as darkness set (around 7:00 PM). Back home we had a tasty bean and pasta pressure cooked dinner and banana shakes with chocolate chips for dessert.

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