Brain Dead Dada

Levin was out from school today so I took both kids on an explore east of Tellico Plains, in the Cherokee National Forest. I visited this area once when I tackled the cache, Wildcat Creek, with a group of Chattanooga area cachers. I had noted two earthcaches highlighting waterfalls not far from where we were, and was hoping that we would have time to visit them after that cache, but we didn't, so I made a mental note to return to the area some day. That day was today, with warm summer temps, and two kids eager for some adventure.

We started at Baby Falls, or Brain Dead Falls, as the earthcache calls it. There was a nice little picnic area that we utilized first, eating a hearty lunch of beanie-weenies, for which I even brought our camp stove. With beans stuck to our ribs, we changed into swim wear and headed down to the waterfall and swimming hole. It turned out to be a great spot for us to hang out and play, with smooth slabs with shallow running water on them for the kids to frolic in, and a deep pool for swimming. The pool underneath the waterfall was too turbulent for the kids, but off on one bank was a calm and deep pool that was perfect for us. We played for a good long time. Another group of bathers were also there and were jumping off the waterfall, and I was just waiting for a good opportunity to do it myself. These same folks told me that they had heard that this was a dangerous waterfall to jump in due to some tricky underwash currents, but I'm not sure if any of them actually believed it. Then again, the CO for this earthcache stated that they think folks who jump off here are braindead, so maybe there is some truth to it. Anyhow, my opportunity came when the kids were shivering cold and deciuded they needed to sunbathe for a while to warm up. I made sure they were good and settled, then scampered over to the waterfall to take the plunge. Definitely worth it! I did it three more times.

After spending a couple hours here, I convinced the kids that we should check out the other waterfall, Bald River Falls, only a stone's throw down the road. This waterfall is much bigger, but did not appear to ahve as friendly a swimming hole, nor was it getting as much warming sunshine. Still, we took the use trail down to the bottom and were quickly in the water again. This time, the kids focused more on catching critters. There was a nice sandy bar near the rock face, only 12" deep or so, and the kids were able to catch crayfish, a minnow and a salamander (or maybe it was a newt, hard to say). So it was different kind of fun here.

After another hour, it was time to get going. The earthcaches themselves didn't have much by way of geology lessons. Seems like there is an overabundance of waterfall earthcaches around these parts. Don't get me wrong, they bring you to great locations. But the geology lessons are very repetitive. How high, how wide, what classification, how was it formed.... Only the last question makes you think much and even for that one most of the waterfalls around here seem to have formed in about the same way. But I had fun, and the kids had fun, so that is all that really matters.