Back on the bicycle?

I noticed a couple weeks back that "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" was going to be coming to the Tennessee Theater supporting a live cast. The movie itself is rather lame, but has developed  a cult following over the years.

I recall when I was in high school (and a few years after) that the local theater would play this movie at midnight. Those were the days! We used to go and make sure we had a bit of a buzz on because it wasn't about the movie, it was about the experience!

People yelled certain obscenities to/at the screen when certain characters showed up, sang parts of the movie when some situations arose, would all run down the middle aisle and as a group dance the "Time Warp", etc.

It was quite the spectacle and made an otherwise dumb movie ... FUN! I believe the interactive nature of this led to its cult following.

Anyway, I conned Melissa into going, since Isaac was around and could be available to tend to Dad for us and allow the two of us a date?!?! Yes! a date! WOW!

I asked Melissa to reserve tickets, because I told her it may sell out. She did, and it was now official -- money was invested! The movie wasn't going to start until 11:15 PM, so we had all day to get there. However, knowing the rarity in which we get a date, I suggested maybe going on a hike earlier in the day so that we could make the most of the day instead of just taking in a movie.

Isaac was okay with this and we are now "on". Holy crap! A real bona-fide date-type situation! I just hoped we remembered how to do this.  ; )


We left here around 11-ish AM with a destination of Baskins Creek Falls in the Smokies (about 50 minutes up the road). My beloved Vols had a kickoff set for 12 PM and we got to listen to the first few minutes of the game before reaching the trailhead.

I had *really* wanted to make it to this game. Steve Spurrier, a perennial nemesis of Tennessee, was bringing his Gamecocks to Knoxville. Additionally, 200 former UT players were doing the Vol Walk and running through the famed "T". What a sweet moment that would be to take in. I looked for tickets via Craigslist, etc. but could find nothing that fit the budget.

Ah well! hiking is more intimate anyway. I am intently listening to the radio as we are approaching the trailhead. Melissa says "If you want to go to a bar and watch the game, that would be fine too." Melissa did not want to go to a bar and watch TV, she knew I would love it, though. God! I *love* that woman!

It took a lot of discipline, but I told her "No, we are here to hike". We find the trailhead and initially go the wrong way down the trail. I told her as we entered I wasn't sure that was right, and as we went on, my intuition was only strengthened.

We backtracked and were soon on the trail we needed to be. However, since we were passing the truck again, I had to check in on the score. A short listen and we are Falls-bound.

This was listed as an "easy" hike by the http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/baskins.htm site at 3 miles round trip. However, the terrain was steep for most of that mile and a half each way. I get the feeling Melissa takes issue with their assessment of "easy".   ; )

It is apparent that her and I have a much different pace. I would get ahead of her and then wait. I tried walking with her, but couldn't stand to walk that slowly.

The way in is almost all downhill (if you clicked the link, check the graph). I have motorcycle knees, but her knees are obviously much worse.

I felt bad leaving her in the dust, so to speak, but I just couldn't walk that slowly either. Additionally, we are both shutterbugs, and her probably moreso than I, so that added to the gap between us as she was snapping many pics.

photo taken by Melissa Rockefeller

Here are some that were taken along the trail to the falls ...

"I'm going to sit down a minute"

photo taken by Melissa Rockefeller

Some of the higher elevations starting to show some color

Maple leaves are a-changing

A mushroom with a visitor

Peek-a-boo

Hello little snail

same mushroom w/out snail

(another mushroom shot) photo taken by Melissa Rockefeller

The terrain is mostly downhill, as mentioned, but the grade is steep. It drops about 700' in one mile's distance.

This was just to be silly and was taken specifically for a friend who has a tendency to point in a direction as he is photographed ...

By now we are at about 2200' and nearly to the falls. There were some stone steps to get down the last little bit ...

and finally, here we are!
















We milled around for a bit and I took many pictures trying to work with a long exposure, since it was overcast. However, my dumbass forgot to bring the tripod so all pics were hand-held. A 2+ second exposure is not conducive to a clear picture when hand held, no matter how still you try to be.

I took well over a hundred pictures, but since I didn't have my tripod, most were tossed due to being too blurry. Here are a couple of the ones that were not deleted ...

photo taken by ?? some generous stranger who were there too

This was the best, in my opinion

Not bad, but still blurred

photo taken of me taking pictures
by Melissa Rockefeller

It is now about 3 PM and we are supposed to be back at the truck by 5 PM to make it to a dinner with some friends, so we put the cameras away and begin the hike back up.

Getting there by 5 is going to be tight. It took a long time to get down, and it's a bit more strenuous to climb.

On the way back, we came across this tree (we obviously passed it on the way down, I just missed it)

It's ruttin' season!

Poor Melissa! I really felt bad for her on the way out. She was a-huffin' and a-puffin' and damn near heart stroke sometimes it seemed. I kept telling her, that we could make a phone call and cancel the dinner thing. That didn't help, though.

I was more interested in her getting out on her own power than having to be drug out. "Pace yourself woman! Hydrate!" I kept telling her. The new goal was to get out of there before dark.

We got back to the truck right at 5 PM, which was the absolute latest to get to the truck and still make the dinner., To make matters, BETTER, my boys won the game -- they beat Spurrier! and they beat a ranked team (the first time in the last 20 tries).


Anyway, we are rolling and I am enjoying the commentary of the post-game call-ins while being stuck in traffic. The road to the trailhead is a one-laned one way road. This was the first weekend the Smokies were open after the government shutdown, and it was crowded. Worse still, it's the height of tourist season as this time of year is typically the peak for the leaves to change.

EVERY ... SINGLE ... BRIDGE (going over a rushing creek/river) the people two cars in front of us stopped to take pictures of the cascade. EVERY ... SINGLE .. ONE!

I was livid! If you wish to take that many pictures, fine! NOTICE the line of vehicles behind you and PULL OVER! ARGH!

To make matters worse, the tire pressure sensor on the truck indicated that both the right front and right rear tires are now low on air. GREAT! I must've run over something with both tires and I only have ONE spare!

We finally get to 441 (4 lane road) and I point the truck to a gas station that will have an air compressor. Sadly, the one I picked don't have a gauge on the compressor. Meh! I'll use the sensor, as it tells how many PSI are in each tire.

I add air to both tires, and the PSI doesn't change. WHAT? Okay, I deflate the rear, doesn't change. ???? I deflate it until I can *see* it's flat!

Still no change! GRR! I am so glad I found "free air".

I aired it back up, went and got a cheapie tire pressure gauge, and checked it. The TPS is off. This little tail-chasing cost us nearly a half hour. With the slow down on the way to 441, and now the TPS issue, it is now nearly 6 PM and there is *no way* to make it to the dinner on time without making everyone else wait because of us.

I have Melissa call them and we apologetically back out. There is no sense in them sitting there that long waiting on us.

We just pointed the truck northwards towards Knoxville and grabbed dinner along the way. Traffic was horrid, and I'm sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

Those reading this likely know, I am not a very patient man and being already angered to miss the dinner engagement, sitting in traffic is NOT what I need right now. GAH!

We find a place to eat and decide that since we have time, once we get to Knoxville, there is a bar near where the movie is playing to grab a few good beers at. I have corrupted Melissa. She has grown an appreciation for certain beers (mostly the dark stuff -- stouts, porters, and the like). It wasn't a hard sell!

Anyway, we sip on a few great brews and enjoy the company of a couple gentlemen who were good enough to allow us to join them at their table for a while, then it's time to go to the "Show".

The house is packed. The marquee reads "Sold Out" ...  SWEET!

There was a pre-show with prizes and everything. The characters this movie draws are ... umm ... interesting. Sadly, we left the cameras in the truck. If we make it again, I will not repeat that mistake.

Many dress up as their favorite characters of the movie. Others just dress up as .... well ... something!

The experience was no less than I remembered. Newspapers were donned, obscenities were yelled, toilet paper rolls were thrust, decks of cards were flung, the Time Warp was danced, however, it was ... different.

The movie and the followers have evolved some. While there were parts that were the same, there were other parts I had no idea what the crowd was yelling. It's a living thing!

What a day! It was great to have a date with the love of my life, and ... "us" time. While we missed the dinner, that was the only part of the date we messed up -- and part of that was not on us. Maybe it is like riding a bicycle?