Nature Day: Raccoon Mountain

Most of our nature days are typically on the mountain where we live. But the Chattanooga area has a lot to offer, so sometimes we try to adventure a little farther from home.

On this particular day I decided to take Jack to Raccoon Mountain. This is a TVA managed area that is special because it has a pump station in the inside of the mountain.

TVA makes power by pumping water up from the Tennessee River to a reservoir at the top of the mountain and then releases the water to generate power. The reservoir also collects rain water that can be released.

This particular day was overcast with a chance of rain. We took our chances!

We started by driving to the back of the mountain, stopping to look at the huge turbines before driving up the mountain.

At the top we stopped at the Visitor's Center for a view of the river and valley below before heading inside to watch a video to learn more about how the pump station works.

There was also a lot of history about TVA. This spot is definitely worth a visit for its educational value.

We checked out the switch yard outside of the Visitor's Center. If you like to mountain bike or trail run and hike, this mountain is a great place. There is a mountain bike trail that runs through the switch yard here and many trails that circle the mountain.

We hopped in the car and drove around the top of the reservoir to the Laurel Point parking lot. I ran a 5K here shortly after Jack was born.

Jack and I wandered on a ADA trail, easy and you can't get lost. Our nature study was about wind so we would stop periodically to access what we thought the wind was doing and use the Beaufort Wind Force Scale to try to determine what we thought the wind was doing.

The trailhead also had more information about the water cycle in the Tennessee Valley, which was very interesting.

Our final stop was the East Overlook to get a view of Lookout Mountain and the city of Chattanooga. We had another successful day outside, we learned a lot and we didn't get rained on! (that started after we got back in the car :)

Raccoon Mountain is special to me because Daniel and I lived in the Raccoon Mountain campground for 3 months when we first moved to the Tennessee Valley back in 2010. I spent a lot of time walking Sophie on these trails while Daniel was at work.

Notes from the hike:
Location: Raccoon Mountain (bottom of mountain, Visitor Center, drove around reservoir, stopped at Laurel Point and East Overlook)
Date: Nov. 30, 2017
Time: 10:30-12:0opm
Weather: 50F, overcast
Beaufort Wind Force Scale: 0-1 (calm, light wind)

Jack's drawing in his Nature Journal

Check back on Thursdays to see where our nature studies have taken us...
Previous Nature Hikes with Jack:
September: Green Gorge, Althaus Park, and Mabbit Springs
October: Reflection Riding Center (Monday Nature Day with friends) ⎮ Joyce Kilmer Wilderness Among Trees (hike we did as a family) ⎮ Greenway Farms Nature Day (family archery lesson and hike)
November: Glen Falls ⎮ Mushroom Rock (with Mommy and Daddy)

Dirt Bike Date to Snoopers Rock

Last year (I think), Daniel purchased his first dual sport bike after going several years without a motorcycle. He has several friends who enjoy this sport, so when their schedules align, he likes to sneak off for a few hours in the woods.

But he has always hinted (maybe not so subtlety) that he would like me to go ride with him. He has big aspirations of doing a ride out west some day. Last January we watched The Long Way Round, and I have to admit the adventure of an epic ride like this has some appeal (especially when Ewan McGreggor's wife joined him for part of the ride through Africa... if she could do it, I probably could too).

I guess Daniel has had his eyes open for a specific size bike, and when he found out that a friend was selling a TW200 for a good price, he asked if I would at least try it out.

So I did. I haven't ridden a motorcycle since 2004, but I still have my motorcycle endorsement on my driver's license...

Even though I haven't been riding motorcycles, I did take up riding mountain bikes about ten years ago, and I have been driving a stick shift for the last 15 years. So in a sense riding the TW200 was like riding a bike, I hadn't forgotten. Though I did need a refresher on how to start it.

The new-to-us bike was purchased at the end of September, but I had not been on it since my initial test ride. In the meantime, Daniel has taken it out on the trails several times and really enjoyed it. The bike is geared really low with really wide tires, so it is really forgiving and easy to ride. Perfect for learning how to ride (again).

During Thanksgiving, we had a houseful of guests and Daniel requested that we leave our kids with my family and sneak off for a date to ride in the woods.

And so we did.

To start, I rode around the rocky parking lot to make sure I felt confidant on the machine. The parking lot was small and rocky, but I didn't fall off, so we ventured away from our car.

We started out on a gravel forest road. In hindsight, we probably should have just found some jeep trails. The gravel made me nervous and I fish tailed at least once. I also couldn't muster the confidence to ride above 20mph (mostly 15mph). I did a lot of deep breathing from yoga to stay focused and not freak out. Thankfully I didn't fall.

Then I agreed to follow Daniel down the rocky trail to Snoopers Rock. This was the scariest part of the ride and I had a hard time not riding the brakes the whole way down (and I was relying on the front brake only, which I know is a bad idea, but trying to use the foot brake simultaneously for the rear was a bit much for my brain to handle). Thankfully I made it to the bottom without a problem. I immediately hopped off my bike to a break and walk off my adrenaline rush from being afraid during the ride down.

We walked out to the Snoopers Rock viewpoint and I tried not to think about the ride back up. Daniel gave me a pep talk and told me it would be easier if I went faster and that I just had to trust the bike. Both things I know, but it is so hard to do when you are in the moment.

We agreed that I should follow him back up the trail, and it was much easier than the ride down! We also decided he should lead on the way back to the car. After a nerve-racking, narrow, winding gravel climb, I finally got the confidence to keep up with Daniel on the flat parts, going 30-35mph on the way back.

I still have a lot of riding to do before I will be truly confident on a dirt bike, but it was a lot of fun and I always enjoy doing adventurous things with Daniel. When our boys are bigger, this will be a great bike for them to learn on.

Thanksgiving 2017

We have so much to be thankful for.

I’m thankful for family and the opportunity to be together, whether we are silly or having serious conversations around the campfire.

I’m grateful for our children and the fact that they were able to spend several days together, playing Nerf wars and Sardines, going on hikes on our property, and letting their creativity shine.

I’m thankful for the blessing of good food and helping hands to make the work light.

I’m thankful that we can laugh at mistakes like soupy potatoes, or my inability to buy the “right” kind of marshmallows for s’mores. 

I’m thankful that we had the chance to talk with my Nana who is in a nursing home in Canada. I hope she was blessed as we passed the phone around. 

I’m thankful for a warm, safe home with enough beds and floor space to accommodate 15 people comfortably. 

I’m thankful for perfect weather and this chance to be with loved ones. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

It has become a bit of a tradition for the kids to put on a Talent Show for us when they are together (spearheaded by their Uncle Mark, of course). 

Isaac really wanted Izzy to carry him to go for a hike.

Isaac didn't want to miss a drop of ice cream. 


Levi demonstrated the Sock Hop for us to "Barbara Ann"