Day Hike: Henry Horton State Park

The KTF Blog hit the road Saturday for an all-day outing featuring cross country, hiking, and tennis. With the sun shining brightly and afternoon highs at or near 70 degrees, it was a perfect day to be outdoors after an unusually cold and downright dreary winter. The middle school x-country meet, an event sponsored by the Tennessee State Parks Run Club, was held in Marshall County, near the town of Chapel Hill. My oldest daughter competed in the 2-miler, which saw both the Dickson County boys and girls teams come away victorious.

Running in 7th place, along the banks of the Duck River

 

This was our third trip in little more than a year to Henry Horton, yet we'd never hiked any of the trails. Being such a nice day with a couple of hours to kill before tennis practice in Nashville, we knew the time was ripe for backwoods exploration. We picked two 1-mile loop trails to cap our outing at the park, the Hickory Ridge Loop and the Wilhoite Mill Trail. These wooded trails are both clearly marked and easily navigated.

 

Along the Hickory Ridge Loop

 

 

Where the Wilhoite Mill Trail parallels the Duck River

 

Man-made creek as seen from the Wilhoite Mill Trail

 

The final leg of our outing planted us indoors in Nashville for our youngest daughter's weekly tennis session. But the nearly perfect weather lured my wife back outside to continue our walk, this time around the paved trail at Centennial Park. We walked the mile loop three times, bringing our total for the day to five miles on foot. What a great way to kick off meteorological spring!

 



 

Tennis Camp

This year's summer vacation occurred in 4-hour blocks in and around the Curtis Holland Tennis Complex at Garner Street Park in Springfield, Tennessee. Though Monday's session was rained out, the remainder of the week featured ideal conditions for playing tennis and exploring Springfield's greenway. The camp, led by certified tennis instructor Curtis Holland, is geared for kids of all experience levels and held at what are truly first-rate public courts. The complex is adjacent to one of the greenway's many access points, which made it easy for me to explore the surrounding area.

 Greenway near Garner Street Park

The greenway follows the Sulpher Fork Creek towards Garner Street Park before yielding to a more urban landscape, a tour which passes through the city's picturesque historic district before reaching the Robertson County Courthouse.

Robertson County Courthouse

Back on the courts, the relaxed atmosphere was fostering a positively fun environment for the kids while simultaneously producing noticeable improvements in form.

Practicing the forehand with Coach Holland

Backhand work with Coach Holland

Playing for points

Our week at tennis camp was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Coach Holland is a top-notch guy and his instruction is second to none. Tennis is a great sport that can be enjoyed for a lifetime, and tennis camp is the perfect way to introduce your youngster to a game which offers another outlet for participants to lead healthy, active lifestyles.