Cades Cove

Years ago, we used to run long distances in preparation for marathons.  In August of 2000, I was training for a half marathon in September and a marathon in December, and I remember that the idea of a training run in Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains originated during that period of time.  An eleven-mile one-way loop road circles the Cove and passes by historic cabins, barns, and churches.  I was running one day with our friend Anthony at the time and mentioned it to him, and he enthusiastically replied that he had always wanted to run there.  So we organized the very first trip to Cades Cove that year, and since then I have run the loop thirteen times with many different groups of runners and friends, including Martha.  The road used to be closed to traffic on Wednesdays and Saturdays until 10:00 a.m. during the summer (now it is closed all day) so we would get started running before then and hope to complete it before the steady stream of cars and trucks were released and caught up to us. 

Martha and I had not run in Cades Cove for five years.  We were sharing running memories several months ago, and she suggested we consider organizing another trip there, even though we are no longer running those kinds of distances.  We remembered a pasta-loading dinner we had all enjoyed at an Italian restaurant in Townsend, and Martha graciously volunteered to host our own pasta-load at our hotel, the Gateway Inn, where most of us were staying.  We sent an e-mail to runners, former runners, spouses, and anyone else who might be interested in going and it attracted thirteen willing participants.  Some of us fondly recalled our last visit there when, on the evening after completing the run, we had gathered around the fire-pit at our hotel and shared food and drink and camaraderie – a memorable time!

That is how all thirteen of us ended up sitting in the picnic shelter at the Gateway Inn enjoying a delicious salad and spaghetti dinner miraculously prepared by Martha on the tiny stove in our cabin (and toll house cookies baked by me the day before).

It was a perfect day in Cades Cove.  Rain had been predicted but never showed up.  We had just returned from our five-week road trip out west a little over three weeks ago, during which I had only run a mile or two a few times.  And Martha had not run at all since June except for a couple of short runs after we returned.  But we both surprised ourselves, running (with walking breaks) the entire eleven miles, and enjoying the scenery and the wildlife, which this year included deer, a bear, and some wild turkeys.

Others in the group ran, walked, or cycled various distances - there are two shortcuts across the Cove that total either three or eight miles, and bicycles can be rented at the Camp Store. 

After the run, we all gathered for lunch at the Peaceful Side Social Club and Craft Brewery in Townsend, which coincidentally was located in the same building where that Italian restaurant had been.  That evening, we met around the fire-pit as we had five years ago, but when light rain began to fall we adjourned to the picnic shelter again to enjoy food and drink that everybody had brought with them.

Such a wonderful day, with good friends, in one of the most beautiful places on earth!  We may have to make this a regular annual event.