Yesterday I woke up to a real southern treat, SNOW! Significant snow by our standards, an official 3″. With salt trucks running the roads on Friday and dire weather predictions all week, I was convinced the snow would turn north and miss us. Afterall weather fronts often do funny things around our Great Smoky Mountains and as a result, the weather folks usually get it wrong. But they were dead on this time, yay for a good southern snow.
On the other hand, it is good not to be living in Blasdell, NY where 28″ of snow fell. According to the National Weather forecast, 65.4% of the country is currently covered in snow and ice. Brrrrrr!
I intended to be out running 1st thing Saturday morning, 4 miles was the plan.Over the past six weeks my running has really suffered; I went on two weekend trips, spent four snowy days in Quebec City (a later post) and family came in town for the holidays. However, a layer of ice lay below the snow and the temperature hovered around 18 degrees F, so I gave into the situation and took a 3.5 mile walk with my hubby. It was cold!!
Our destination was an out and back to Ijams Nature Center , the 300 acre cornerstone to South Knoxville’s urban wilderness, a mecca for mountain bicyling, birders, hikers, canoers, SUP boarders, runners and photographers. This amazing area is a quick 1.5 mile hike (or run) from the house!
We walked the short .5 mile through our neighborhood and jumped on the Will Skelton Greenway. The greenway begins in our neighborhood park on the banks of the Tennessee River and continues along an inlet that branches off the river (above). Each summer I swear I am going to rent a kayak and paddle through the inlet. 2017 is going to be my year to “get it done”!
Bird houses were installed along the Will Skelton Greenway in 2016. I think they are decorative only. The boxes sit low enough for the curious to peak in on any given walk (not guilty yet).
The wind was strong Friday night and appears to have prevented the light, fluffy snow from settling on the branches in the trees. We were not the 1st walkers (or bicyclists) on the greenway, but not many had come before us.
The water was lovely from the trail lookout in Ijams Nature Center. The inlet is is part of the same inlet as the first photo, about a mile (probably less by water) east. During the summer, the vegetation is heavy and the water is not as visible.
Snowy bridge in Ijams Nature Center
Winter wonderland
The ice covering this pond was very superficial. Like others before us, we did not venture onto the boardwalk for fear of slipping. John had a little incident earlier on another bridge but shhhhh, I didn’t tell you that!
Stay safe!
