Suicide Sipsey - A trip report

“Wow! Great pictures dayhiker!”

“I've been unable to get into WebShots this morning. I wonder if my company put a block on it?”

“Sometimes it's just really slow, I've noticed...”

“Man... too bad I missed out on this one.

I decided late in the week that I would be better off staying home instead of driving to Alabammy...

I've been on some awesome TT hikes in recent weeks, and shortage of $$$ finally became an obstacle.

I'm glad y'all had fun and didn't catch pneumonia.”

“Thursday:
I arrived at the trailhead around 8:30 and found SuperTroll and divinity waiting to break trail. We headed out together but I needed to be at camp (1.5 miles one way) and back by 10 to meet Arky. I was carrying my typical gear plus two tarps in my pack. I wore a second pack on my chest that contained 6 cans of pie filling, 3 bags of cake mix, and (2) 1 gallon bags of diced potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery. In one hand was a cooler full of ice and 2 frozen water bottles. About half way down I ran into Houndog. He offered to carry the cooler when he came back and I didn’t argue with him too much. At camp I dropped gear, emptied the day pack, and went to chat with HOI a bit. On my way back I crossed paths with Divinity and ST, but couldn’t talk too much since I needed to get to the trailhead. When Arky arrived I loaded a 30 pack of Miller Lite into the daypack and picked up my cast iron 10” dutch oven, grill cook top and hiking stick and we were off. On the way down we came across ST and divinity on their way out. They decided they would car camp over at Brushy Creek because of some safety concerns. They mentioned a rope area being difficult. Since I hadn’t seen a rope I couldn’t really address it. It turns out that in my hurry to get to camp I hadn’t marked a crossing that lets you avoid the tough part they saw. I didn’t understand why it was difficult since MDS’s 6 year old did this hike in January with my dad, my 4yo son and me. On the way in the 2nd time I went the rope route to check it out. Yep, it’s a doosie. I almost decided to go around with the gear I had, but gave it a try. It was, uhh, fun with the dutch oven in tow.

Arky and I got to camp, set up and met Tennessee War Eagle and got to talk with HOI and Houndog a little more. TWE, Houndog, and I decided to head up for part of Quillen. We maybe made ½ mile in an hour and turned back to be in camp by 5. Walkabout was in camp when we arrived. About the time that we had the fire going Dub and Slack showed up. About dark Houndog broke out the red wine and Yukon Jack whiskey. Walkabout likes Yukon Jack. Yukon Jack doesn’t like walkabout. We grilled hot dogs and had peach cobbler and girl scout cookies. Houndog and walkabout were a hoot and half around the fire. We were all amazed when at 8:30 a light was seen in the woods. In a bit, Photo Pack showed up with a pack that was twice as big as he is. There is no way that pack weighs less than 60#’s. Amazing.

Friday:
Dub, Slowroller, Photo Pack, TWE, Houndog, and I headed out to make a loop of Quillen, the main road, and the trail in. This might have been 4 miles, but it felt like over 10. It was very rugged. Most of my pictures were taken in a 1.5 mile stretch. The day was hazy and threatened rain. Every time it did rain someone would yell, “dayhiker, put on your rain coat” and the rain would miraculously end. At then end of the hike we loaded up the packs with the 2 cases of beer that Houndog had. We ran into Rabbitman who warned us about the weather reports. He decided to spend the night at home and come in on Saturday. At camp trekkngirl had made it. HOI, Arky, and walkabout ran into her at the trailhead and escorted her in. Camp was fun under the tarp. No fire, well flaming fire that is. Trekkngirl passed around some concoction that I’m not man enough to drink. After an hour of chatting she started talking about going to Alaska and Pohhh-LaRRRR-Bearrrrr Hun-Tinnnng. That doesn’t do it justice phoenetically, but picture a drunk Asian accent while saying Polar Bear Hunting. She decided that it was time to call it a night. About 10 the rain came.

Saturday:
I awoke to a nice day. All the beer had been washed downstream. I was pretty pissed at myself for littering about 35 cans of beer into the area. TWE and I recovered 9. I try to be careful with litter and in one felled swoop I introduce about 2 dozen aluminum cans into a Wilderness area. Freaking brilliant! Gemini made it in about 8:30. Dub was feeling sick and decided to pack out and spend Saturday night with ST and divinity. She took his camp spot. We hiked out to the trailhead to shuttle to Thompson. Rabbtiman was at the trailhead and helped with the shuttle. Dub was trailing. We waited 45 minutes and decided that he must have decided to leave. We hiked from Thompson to White Oak Hollow to Big Tree, to the Eye of the Needle and back to camp. At the Big Tree we decided on the longer route, but would have to hustle to make it by dark. At the rapids I put it in overdrive to be sure and make it. The stream crossings were all difficult. I saw BAMA’s truck on the way back. Yeh, I finally get to meet BAMA. At the trailhead we found Dub and divinity. He has missed us by about 5 minutes. Great, I get someone to drive 10 hrs and they miss the Big Tree. Apologies to Dub. He and divinity had explored the area so all was not lost. At camp we made our introductions and the feed bag was on. More hotdogs and girl scout cookies and beer. That’s a good combo. The conversation around the campfire was wonderful. Bama had plenty tales of local yore while defrosting the gumbo. I usually try to order gumbo in seafood restaurants and they never quite get it correct. His was perfect. He could put any type of meat in that and it would be wonderful. I baked the veggies and then did the cobblers. The 2nd one was much prettier and better tasting than the first. Sorry about that you first batchers. As the camp fire wore down we handed out door prizes supplied by HOI. Most miles driven went to Houndog. He won a HOI original cookset. Fewest miles hiked went to Arky. He got a headlamp. Best meal served went to BAMA. He won a SGT Rock original alcohol stove. BAMA and I talked til maybe 11:30 about the land. What a magical place Sipsey is. I hope I continue to get to visit at least twice a year and slowly learn some of the mysteries. ALA was great around the campfire. Most kids his age would have been running all over camp, but he sat there and helped cook, took in the conversation and added what he knows of the area. People that are worried about the next generation need to spend an evening around a campfire with ALA and his dad. BAMA has every reason to be one proud papa.

Sunday:
We broke camp and off we went. Photo Pack graciously offered to pack out my dutch oven. I didn’t protest too much but did ask at least twice if he was sure. He said yes and I asked where the rope was. We met up at the trailhead for some chit chat. At this point some folks left and others went to the Bluff Shelter to view Indian carvings. This was another opportunity to learn from BAMA about local legends and the lives of the Indians. On my way out I discovered a tick. It had been there a while so I was a little concerned about what type of tick it was. I showed it to several people and then BAMA took it out of my hand, acted like he put it in his mouth, and bit down. I’m sure I gave him a look of horror. I asked the significance of biting it and he said that deer ticks were bitter. I told him I wasn’t falling for the Crocodile Dundee bit twice. On the hike out he had started acting like he could hear something. He said he heard a branch break and whatever broke it was bigger than a deer, so we must be catching up with someone. We were next to a waterfall so there was no way he heard anything. I kept my mouth shut because sure as the world we’d have ended up catching someone. About this time I did take off though because my shoulders were killing me. I’d rather hike quick and get my pack off than suffer. What’s a wood tick taste like again?”

“Great trip report! Don't be too hard on yourself for leaving me ;-) I had a good time tracking you guys and exploring the area by myself. It was the only solo time I had on the trip and I always enjoy a little solo time on my trips. So I still had a great time! I'm gonna write my trip report tonight, school permitting.”

“Did I mention I gained 5#'s on this trip?”

“I think I lost 5#'s.”

“I lost 5# too, but it wasn't because of this trip.
Thanks for the more detailed report dayhiker!
I STILL can't get into the pictures!”

“I hope mine turn out half as good.”

“I hope mine turn out half as good.”

“heehee, I lost 3#, but I had to suffer. LOL”

“anyone who prepares and eats a low calorie salad on a backpacking trip deserves to suffer”

“I think that was the real reason she went to sleep early. She didn't want to see all the good food we were eating that night.”

“You mean bear gumbo & cobbler isn't diet food?

Great time this past week. It's amazing I've been on 5 TT trips now & I haven't met a person I didn't like. Well... except for maybe that Dunadan guy.”

“was not!!! if that would've been the real reason I would have gone to bed much later. your gumbo was still frozen solid.

anyway, I am ticked off at myself for falling asleep so early, but that sleeping bag was soooo warm and comfy. It won't happen again.”

“Wow dayhiker, your pics astound me!”

“Great Pictures Dayhiker!”

“Wow great Pics. sounds like a great time was had by all. I was looking for results of the Challenge between Fr Goose and stove stomper.”

“HOI, which way did you go out. ALA and I were going to stop at the end of the road offer to take you to dinner if you had time. When you didn't make the turn we made I figured that you would be taking the second road down which would have still brought you out in Mount Hope. We waited for about 45 min. but no HOI. Sorry we missed Ya.
The road we took takes you directly to Mt. Hope. It drops off the mountain and turns into pavement then deadin into another blacktop. turn left here and into Mt. Hope. You will come to a stop sign and then the quick left, right and your on the 4 lane. This is the quickest way out. If you went to the second road past this it goes down the mountain but much longer it will also comes out in Mt. Hope if you turn left at the blacktop. Third road to left will also take you out but not in Mount hope. It will take you through Youngetown but with several turns. 4th road left comes out in Speake. If you keep going strait you would go back to hwy 33 all the way across the forest. I was just wandering which way you went. If you follow the direction I left in the other thread you will go in the way ALA and I came out.

BAMA”

“Sorry, neither of us could make this trip.”

“BAMA - I made a wrong turn and if I recall correctly ended up on FS-213 - I had a GPS with me and just kept going roughly north - caught the 4 lane from 101”

“The road we took is the most direct. The way you came out is more turns and longer but still works. Where you came out on 101 at the 4 lane you can see my house in the wintertime. after turning right (east) on the 4 lane there is a road to your left 112. it dead ends onto a paved road in front of my house. Glad to see you made it home safety. Sorry about not getting to take you to dinner.

BAMA”

“Dayhiker....

AWESOME pics!!!!!!!

and look at the Motley Crew!!!!”

“Glad everyone liked the pics

div - did ST make it back? I hope he's doing well with the loss of his compadre.”

“He called me Sunday eve to make sure I got in......his friend will be buried in Arlington....last I heard he was going there...not sure when....”

“Anybody else get your pictures in?”

“Yea! Where the heck are you other's trip reports and pictures?

..waiting..

..tapping foot..

..waiting..”

“I think I sabotauged(sp?) this thread by not putting a full trail report when I created it. Oh well.

Did you hike all over your new land this past weekend?”

“No, I didn't dayhiker. After the deal was done I went home with an absessed toothache. My oral surgeon sees me tomorrow.

It was land that was in the family in the past and I played in it as a child so I know every inch of it already.”

“Now that sounds fun. You'll get to spend the next 3 days with your mouth packed full of gauze.”

“Mrs. Rabbit
Leatherneck
walkindude
jerbear
radagast
bpbaby
gojo
Sarabelle
Skull Cap
Inch worm
Buddha Bear
Sandi
Super Troll
Town Dawg
Ruffian
JOSH MAN
wwwanderer
Tenn Man
Katibug
Goose
Running Man
dayhiker
MDShiker
Sandy
Opie
Miss OPIE
HOI (Hog On Ice)
Bitpusher
Chili36
Tango313
TrailHound
PackRat
Ala
Bama
Ewker
Father Goose
Bbinkly
Arky
trekkengirl
Dub
Slack
walkabout1
Tenn War Eagle
Photo Pack
Gemini
Divinity
HoundDog

and……bacpac”

“sorry, wrong thread”

“LOL at Rabbitman”

“This sounds like an awesome trip. I am sorry I missed it! I hope there is one I can make, because Sipsey is beautiful. I loved the pictures.”

“Went to the doctor today, they think my sinus infection was caused by allergies so they gave me some Allegra and Flonase to try out. They also gave me an antibiotic and a decongestant for my cold. I'll see about dropping off my pictures for developing today. Once I get them back I'll scan them and write my trip report and post the link here.”

“Get well Dub.”

“i still have some pictures. I will upload them today.”

“Glad you're feeling better. I wound up with a sinus infection too. I guess wet feet for 4 days had something to do with it. Today is the first day I feel like myself.

I'm starting to put together some general ideas for next years trip. I'll set up the trip when I get a better picture of what I want. Exploring Clifty and Braziel creeks comes to mind. 2 days on one watershed and 2 on the other will likely be the plan. We'd probably spend the first 2 nights in one place and then the last night at the other creek.”

“I have set up a trip for the same weekend next year. We'll probably explore an area further east of where we were this year.”

“dayhiker, sounds like you guys/gals had a great trip, the pic's were great. Sorry I could not make it out ,but as you know I had my own adventure that weekend.....”

“Yes you did, I'm just glad you didn't get blown of Guadaluchee Mtn.”

“Dayhiker I got my photos back and would like to share them if you get a chance and can call, I would like to step through how to upload the photos to share.”

“If you want to send your photos to me I'll host them for free. I work at an ISP and I've got bandwidth out the boo-hiney.

summers AT dixie-net DOT com

I'll make something nice for them.”

“yes, and I still have to upload mine :( I'll do it today, I promise”

“Good morning Slack and Gemini! I don't have time right now to up load but tonight I will. Thanks Slack.”

“Great pics Gem!!!
Thanks for posting!

Who p*ssed these TTers off?LOL!
Was dayhiker littering the wilderness with beer cans again? ;-)”

“hahaha, I forgot to put a caption on this one. Thought the same as you. They look mighty p*ssed!! LOL”

“Remind me to NEVER p*ss trekkngirl off! She looks like she has already opened that can of whupa$$. ;-)”