21-Apr-2017 -- This is the second year that I have been to a contract bridge tournament in Gatlinburg Tennessee - last time I managed to persuade my fellow travelers to visit 41N 84W on the way south from Toronto. This time I decided to take an afternoon off for a trip to this point. It has been visited twice before but a long time ago (2001 and 2005).

I decided to take the shortest route from the road - visiting a house in Data Way for permission (see 2005 visit). The owner said that it would not be possible for me to go through his back yard (although only 300 meters from the point) as there was a barbed wire fence and in any case the landowner may not be happy ( inference of bullets etc!). He also mentioned coyotes and suggested I carry a pistol. He did tell me where I might find the farmer and when I spoke to him he was very helpful and suggested an easy route from the bright blue gate just visible in photo 6, which is about 500 metres east along Long Creek Road. I went up the grass hillside to the top where there is a lot of logging going on and the most of the woods near the point have now been taken out. I walked down the tracks made by the loggers to a small stream just south of the point. The point lies on a grassy slope in the small valley.

The land is used for cattle grazing - there are a number of water troughs and feeders scattered around. After taking the photos I returned to the car - but taking a slightly more northern route to stay on the grass as long as possible. There were a few drops of rain on the way back but nothing serious.

On the way back to Gatlinburg the heavens opened and I was glad the job was done. Gatlinburg is just recovering from a big forest fire last November - 14 people died and several thousand houses were destroyed in the neighbourhood. The town itself survived but there are a lot of empty spaces where houses got caught.