Who We Are
Hi everyone, my name is Miranda. We live in East Tennessee, and I’m grateful to share our adventures here with you all…I am 42 and am half of 2 humans, 1 adventure. My son is the other half, and for the purpose of this blog…we will call him Pepperoni! Pepperoni is almost 11 years old, and he will begin his backpacking adventures with me this year. He has been hiking with me since he was 5, and we regularly hike in the Smoky Mountains. We both take advantage of our outdoor time.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) is the top visited National Park in the US, with 14 million visitors in 2021. The GSMNP hosts a section of the Appalachian Trail, and has a humid continental climate… The Smoky Mountains have a wide variety of wildlife, from bears to salamanders to eagles. You will definitely find something to love here. From Chattanooga to Bristol, there is something for everyone!
What We Do
Pepperoni and I both hike, bike, and kayak. We also do a lot of camping at TVA, BLM (Tennessee Valley Authority, Bureau of Land Management) properties. We camp a lot at Cherokee Lake. We backcountry camp as often as possible, but most of our time is spent hiking and biking. I’m trying to work my body up to running too, but not quite there yet. Anywho, our lakes here are a series of hydro-electric dams.
TVA or the Tennessee Valley Authority owns the land and allows residents “Public Use’ of the land for dispersed camping and small game hunting. Licenses are required for fishing/hunting, but no fees are required for camping. Camping is limited to 14 consecutive days. Here’s some info on their public use guidelines.
“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine into trees.”
~John Muir
Our longest adventures are about 4 days, and we’re generally back country camping then. I carry a High Sierra 30 Liter pack, and Pepperoni carries an Ozark Trail 20 Liter pack. My pack weighs about 30 lbs, which is well within the 20% of my body weight suggestions. Pepperoni’s pack weighs about 12 lbs…Packs come in different liter and frame sizes. That will be covered in my next blog post.
As with any outdoor activity, you must be prepared for any situation that might arise. My dad always taught me to over prepare instead of under prepare. So, I always do my best to think of everything that could happen. The weather, location, and distance are my first hurdles. The rest is a piece of cake… Carrying the basics can potentially save your life!
Here are my 5 tips for any outdoor adventures.
- Prepare and plan, extensively, for every trip… have a back-up plan! No matter what activities you’re participating in. Things can change rapidly! Weather, injury… you just never know!
- Acquire the basics. BackPack, water filtration, fire, shelter! Carry them with you, every trip. No matter where you’re going. Kayaks require a dry bag.
- Start building up your body before you venture out! Walk, bike, hike; just be active… start small and work up from there!
- Leave No Trace; if you brought it in, you bring it back out.
- Have an emergency back-up plan! Let two to three trusted friends know your exact locations and when to expect you there. And what to do if you don’t show up. Give your friends contact info for the closest Rangers Station. Plus, your last known location.
Well, I appreciate you if you got this far. I will leave you with a question!
What is your favorite outdoor adventure? Let me know in the comments, or just cooment to say hi!