DeSoto State Park

Daniel and I have been itching to go hiking, but the south is WAY TOO HOT in the summer to hit the trails {especially if one of you is pregnant}.

 

Yesterday we had a cold front move through that cooled things off tremendously. It was in the 70s this morning and we decided that if we wanted to hike in July, we better find a place to go.

We wanted to stay within an hour's drive of our house, but this seriously limited our hiking options. 

 

We decided on a waterfall hike in DeSoto State Park. Namely because it was featured in Backpacker Magazine and had received a rating of 4/5 for scenery on HikingChattanooga.com.

I think we are spoiled because the best we would have rated this trail was 2/5. 

 

To be fair it would be the perfect place to go mountain biking – lots of old growth trees and well groomed trails without a lot of technical parts {Daniel won't let me consider mountain biking right now... I can't wait for spring to get here}. For hiking, this trail was a disappointment.

Since it was overcast and very few people were on the trail, we let Sophie run off leash for a while but ended up revoking her off-leash privileges when she ran away and wouldn't come back. Daniel had to chase her down and found her laying in a creek next to a family that was hiking the trail.

We completed a 3.5 mile loop that included a stop at Lost Falls and Laurel Falls. Due to low water levels, they weren't much to look at. 

I am really missing the open balds of North Carolina and Virginia and would be in heaven if we could do a big mountain hike out west... that is just not in the cards for us right now.

While the weather was cool, the humidity turned out to be wretched. I was glad to get off the trail, but thankful that at 23 weeks pregnant I can still get out and hike.

My Top 10 List of Magazines

Here is a Top 10 List of Magazines I love:

10) Real Simple - This magazine provides handy tips for organizing your life. It also offers design and organization ideas for the home.

9) National Geographic ADVENTURE - I dream of far off places, exotic destinations and future trips that I hope to one day embark on.

8) Kraft Food & Family - I am easily bored, and new recipes at my fingertips 4 times a year with beautiful pictures are just what the doctor ordered for me.

7) Creativity - An inspiring magazine about what the design community is up to.

6) PRINT - One of several design magazines I make a regular effort to read.

5) ID (International Design) - I love to see design in products. The newest and freshest designs from around the world always amaze me.

4) HOW - This magazine always has wonderful articles about the graphic design profession. It offers a personal perspective from people who have been there and done that.

3) WIRED - I suppose that I am a geek at heart. I love this magazine and the crazy stories they share. Where else can you learn about someone who came up with the idea to create a machine to cut down submerged trees (at a depth of more than 60 feet) in order to harvest the wood. When his idea was turned down by his company he quit his job and started his own company. (Reservoir Logs, February Issue, 2007)

2) Communication Arts - Their design annuals are fabulous, I dream about one day gracing their pages with a stellar project.

1) Backpacker - This magazine gets the number one spot for a couple of reasons: A) I LOVE to backpack and spend as much time outside as possible. If I can't be outside all of the time, at least I can read about other people's adventures. B) The great photos and simple layout is fresh and clean. This magazine is easy to navigate and shares good information about a topic I love.

What are your favorite magazines?