Solo Trip, Day One 8-18

Woke up early, decided to get going with my first full day.

I stopped by the boat launch at Lake Watauga one my way into Hampton to return the DVD I got from Redbox last night.
It was Dark Crimes with Jim Carrey.  He was amazing in it, but it's a Polish movie.  Apparently, no one in that country has ever been happy for even 12 seconds.

After hitting Redbox, I decided to start my day at Dennis Cove

UGH, so I decided to hike to a waterfall.  I forget that waterfalls are ALWAYS uphill, I nearly overheated and it was not even 70.

How does this happen?  How is that streak of quartz between the limestone in such a straight line?

Coon Den Falls

I call this one 'Say Hello to my Leetle Frien'
It's my bear spray!  I NEED POCKETS.

I walked on the 39 trail to the trout fishing area.
It's a totally flat trail, even by my standards.  I give it 5 stars.

Lots of red leaves on the ground, none in the trees above!

On the way back to Hampton, I got behind a trailer truck sized thingie, but the road was SO tight and twisty that there was a second guy on the back of the flatbed trailer part steering it!!  I wanted to get a picture, but he looked stressed and I was staying way back so he didn't have to worry I was going to squish him!

I had lunch, then went to Limestone Cove because on the map it's a wildflower area.  I saw ONE wildflower.

Then I went to Rock Creek and they have a pool! 

It looks like a really NICE campground, too.

Then I drove around without cell signal, no clue where I was.

Then I popped out at Roan Mountain!
I had not planned to go since I was just there a year ago with Matt and I would not hike any further than we did, and I want to see new stuff!

But, I turned anyway and the Gardens area was open, so I went up there instead and walked a while.

Back at the lake for the evening, I stopped again to catch the sunset, but it doesn't face west at all!  The sun went behind a big old hill and that was that!

The AT skirts the lake for 3 miles!

I saw one bear while hiking.  No photo as I saw 1/20th of the bear and then I saw rhododendron move for a few seconds and then I saw nothing.

I think I passed where one had been sleeping-based purely on the smell.  I have never smelled anything that musky before, not even bobcat pee.  Don't ask. 
This was at Dennis Cove and not on the AT, or I would just assume stanky hiker!