We took a little ride up to Mentone to eat lunch at the Log Cabin Deli today...Suzanne had some homemade greens, pinto beans and rice, and steamed carrots, along with some cornbread. I had a hot bowl of Chili with cheese, and a piece of cornbread. Lots of sweet tea w/lemon, and topped it all off by sharing some hot Peach Cobbler with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top....mmmmmmmmgoooood. If you're ever up that way, I recommend stopping and eating at this place...food is good, and the folks are down home. Plus, the old cabin is for real...really old timbers and rock construction.
It was chilly today, with highs only getting into the low to mid 50's, after lows last night near freezing. We just bundled up in long handles, fleece, and leathers....the sun was shining, so the temps weren't too bad.
On the way back home, we rode through Desoto State Park, then took the side loop off Lookout Mountain Parkway over to Little River Canyon National Preserve. Through the efforts of some conservation groups, beginning about 25 years ago, Congress was petitioned to help fund the cleanup and buying up the land in and immediately around this amazing natural treasure. It took several years to get the old cars, washing machines, and other junk the locals had been throwing into the canyon for the last 100 years or so, but the job was finally completed. It was finally designated a National Preserve, rather than a National Park, as was originally hoped for. The Park Service has put in a few minor services along the canyon rim and at Little River Falls. Being a Preserve, hunting is still allowed, though there are only a couple of trails in and out of the canyon, and I can't imagine hauling a deer out of the bottom of this place. I've hiked to the bottom before, and it is RUGGED terrain, and one hell of a climb back up to the rim. Decent fishing down in the bottom though, but you definitely have to want to get to them. At any rate, there's some good riding around the rim, nice pulloffs, and rangers are present to keep folks from messing the place up again. Just a few signs and porta potty type things is about all the facilities there is to offer. Permission can be granted to canoe/kayak when the water is up, but it is not for the inexperienced, with class V/VI rapids in some places. People have died there. You can also get permission to rappel, if you're into that.
Anyway, it was a beautiful ride, the leaves were gorgeous, the food was good, and the bike performed flawlessly. Here's a few pics...first one is on the way up I-59 at a stop for fuel...
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Topic: Little River Canyon (Read 3615 times)