The Mountains are Calling: June 21 - June 27, 2020

Day 1&2

After months of lock downs, social upheavals, and historical reinterpretations, we left Texas for a week.  As the nation - parts of it - began opening up we made reservations to return to the Great Smoky Mountains.  Fully aware that things might be limited, we set out on June 21 - Father's Day - for Tennessee.

We made good time, stopping only for gas and bathrooms, and arrived in Hoover, Alabama, around 5 pm.  Supper was takeout from Arby's who had their dining room closed.  It was next to the LaQuinta.  

And it was a nice hotel!

The next morning we loaded up and was on the way.  We filled up at Sam's Club and bought a few supplies in Chattanooga.  Traffic in Knoxville got heavy and remained so all the way to Pigeon Forge.  Aldi was out of some items we needed but we bought what we could and set out for our rented cabin.  This time we were in Saddle Ridge.  

Almost immediately I get the last of my grades turned in and started fixing Poor Man's Dinner.  It was a long two days, and we all settled in early.

Day 3 -

There were thunderstorms predicted today so hiking was not on the agenda.  After a quick breakfast of toast and jam, Steph, Sadie and I went to the Sugarlands Visitor Center.  There were a lot of people there, as well as on the streets of Gatlinburg, and in the VC we were asked to wait as other guests exited.  We asked advice on trails in Cataloochee, bought a few items, and set out for the Christmas Place.  Mom and Dad met us there.  Then, we planned a late lunch at the Old Mill again, but the wait was all the way down the ramps.  It was a 45-minute wait at the Applewood Restaurant, but it was worth it.  Sadie has a new favorite - fresh apple fritters.  

We returned to the cabin, walked Wee Fergus, and settled in.  Sadie and I played Pac Man while Dad watched the news.  Steph retreated to the porch to write and later began to read up on the recommended trails.  We are going to Cataloochee tomorrow.

Day 4 - 

We got up early, made sandwiches, and set out for the Cataloochee section of the park.  It is 2 hours across the mountains, in North Carolina, and is one of the sides of the parks.  It has many old buildings and some trails that are of interest.  We traveled down I-40, stopped at the NC welcome center, then headed over the mountains into Cataloochee.  The road was narrow and gravel, and certainly an adventure.  It was one-lane in places.

We visited the Palmer Methodist Church, which was built in 1903.  It was the only historic building we got to see because the road to the rest of the Cataloochee Valley was out.  We easily found Caldwell Fork Trail, though.

We parked near the trail head, but there wasn't much room.  Immediately we crossed a foot log and went about .8 miles to the juncture of Boogerman Trail.  This was a way that we could have gone, except that it would add 3.8 miles to the walk.  It was a 10-mile trek round trip as is was, so we stayed on Caldwell.  We soon found an unbridged crossing, so we took off our socks and shoes, and waded across.  The water was swift and Sadie fell in with her camera.  I quickly took the batteries and card out and decided to wait a few days to power it up and check on it.  We did this at two more crossings.  At the fourth crossing, we decided to turn back because of the steepness of the banks.  We will have to wait until another time to see the big poplar trees. If the road were not out farther past Palmer Church we could have hiked from the other end. At one point, someone had put wooden step stones to cross a deep mud hole.  Steph and I both fell victim to this and wound up in the mud.  Just one more reason we decided to turn back.

View from Cataloochee Overlook

Palmer Methodist Church, built in 1903 and restored in 1929.  The National Park was created a few years later.

I can just imagine the congregation worshipping here!

Trailhead

One of several crossings

Fording the creek.

We took a part of the Blue Ridge Parkway back to the Onacaluftee Visitor Center (on the North Carolina side) and decided it was one of the prettiest drives we have been on. Wild azaleas and mountain laurel were everywhere.  

Sadie spent her vacation money on a sherpa wool blanket printed with black bears as a souvenir of the trip.  Then we crossed the mountains via Newfound Gap and fixed supper.  We turned in early after a day such as this.

Day 5 -

We got up early today and had breakfast at Flapjack's Pancake House.  I think it was better than the place we ate at in March.  It was more recognizable food, for sure.  After breakfast, we went to the Sugarlands Riding Stables to see about horseback riding for Sadie.  There was a 2-hour wait, so we paid our fare, went back to the cabin to change and check on the dog, and then returned for our 1-hour ride.  Sadie's horse was a paint mare named Cookie.  Steph rode a bay mare named Cha-ching.  I had a bay gelding called Coupon.  The trail was very muddy after so much rain.  Before long we saw a young black bear in the woods.  We all enjoyed it very much!

Cue the Western music!

Sadie on Cookie.

Stephanie and Cha-Ching

Myself on Coupon (as in discount).

Heading back, we stopped at the Gatlinburg/National Park Visitor Center to get a few things and talk to a park volunteer about hikes for tomorrow.  She suggested Hen Wallow Falls, so maybe that is what we will do. We got back and soaked our sore muscles in the hot tub, then lounged around until supper time.  Tonight's entertainment - Ticket to Ride.

Day 6 -

Today was our last full day here.  The weather was forecast to be clear and cool, so we decided to drive to Cosby picnic area to hike Gabe's Mountain to Hen Wallow Falls.  It was a steep, root-strewn path with a round trip of 4.6 miles.  It was a busy trail but nothing like Abram's Falls was in March.  

At rest on the trail

Footlog.  These were much better than the crossings the other day!

Mountain Laurel blooming.

Crying Creek, I believe.

Hen Wallow Falls

We got back to the picnic area and had our sandwiches.  Mom and Dad arrived a few minutes later.  The gnats were bad, so we didn't stay long.  We tried to find House of Douglas Bakery in Cosby, but they were closed due to Covid.

We came back to change and Stephanie stayed at the house while the rest of us went to town for a bit of shopping.  Supper was hot dogs and whatever leftovers were in the fridge.  A small thunderstorm came over the mountains that made for a beautiful panorama.  

View from Saddle Ridge

Walking Fergus

We started packing for an early start home.  What we find at home might be like what we found back in March -  more shutdowns?  Possibly.

Day 7 -

Traveling home.  We left Gatlinburg a little before 6 am Eastern and got home at 9 pm Central.  We made really good time.  Our Forester, which we bought in Tennessee last March, did well.  We have decided to name her Tennessee Rambler.  I am ready to hit the road in her again!

Bluegrass Revival at Salmon Lake!

So for the first time in nearly two months, things felt truly normal...  

For all that time I have been anxious to take out the camper and enjoy time in the outdoors, and that has not been possible at Texas state parks.  Private parks, however, have been open but it has not been something that we could do.

This weekend, however, was the Bluegrass Gospel Revival/Gathering at the Salmon Lake Park in Grapeland, Texas.  

We traveled down on Thursday.  We left out around lunchtime and traveled down I-45 to Fairfield, then 84, then backroads.  The road was not great and the trucks made the trip with an RV stressful.  The trip took less than 2 hours, though, so that wasn't bad.

This weekend was about music, and we set up with near Raymie, our friend Nathan, and Mom and Dad.  Out of our front door was a large field, so that made it nice and airy.

The space between the campers also made for a great place to pick and jam!

Salmon Lake Park is a quirky place.  The hallmark of the place is a large spring-fed lake with a swimming area and many, many old buildings converted into cabins.  With over 300 camping spots, it is a sizable place.

The highlight of the weekend, however, was the two Saturday concerts by Wilson Fairchild (formerly known as Grandstaff).  The duo is made up of cousins Wil Reid and Langdon Reid, sons of two of the founding members of the Statler Brothers.  It was a fantastic evening!

For anyone interested, Wilson Fairchild's signature song (and Statler Brothers Tribute) can be found here!

We left out on Sunday morning after a breakfast of steak and eggs, and would have loved to stay later were it not for a threat of severe weather from the west.  This time we traveled home via Palestine and 287.  We beat the storms and rain.

Already we have begun to plan another trip to Salmon Lake!

It feels so good to be blogging about traveling again!!!

Another novel read... The Magician's Nephew.

Movie night has become a regular tradition lately.  With Sadie's fascination with Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, along with her Harry Potter novels, we thought it was time to introduce her to The Chronicles of Narnia.  She has not seen The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe before.

With it being so long, we made it into a two-part affair. We finished it last night.  This led to a curiosity about the first novel in the series (that they never make a movie of, it seems):  The Magician's Nephew, originally published in 1955.

Since I am currently waiting for the next novel in Bernard Cromwell's The Saxon Tales (The Lords of the North), I decided to read the first Narnia book.  I started it last night and finished it today.  It is a short, somewhat weird book on the creation of Narnia and how evil entered into C.S. Lewis' fantasy world.  Interesting, but overly silly. Still worth a read with a significant religious meaning that is at the heart of Lewis' writing.  

Now if only my ordered Cromwell book will come in the mail.  I am ready to see what Uhtred is up to!

Milestones - A few books read!

In the last two months thing have been crazy with the shelter in place, and while the SIP is not pretty much over (aside from some continuing restrictions) some projects begun during quarantine are now finally getting completed.

My reading list, for example.

In the past two months, I have read three books and read bits of several others.

Two of the books have been on my bucket list for some time.  With the release of the 4th Season of The Last Kingdom, I decided it was time to read the source materials.  I already had the first two in paperback, which covers roughly Season 1.  They are very good with enough differences from the series to keep me interested.  And considering that it rained over 3 1/2 inches today, it was a good day to read.

Book 3 and 4 should arrive in the mail soon.

Book 1 can be found HERE

Book 2 can be found HERE:

Book 2 was a quicker read than Book 1, and I am anxious to get the next few in the mail!  

The other was a re-read - Book 1 of The Dresden Files since the newest book in the series is to release this summer.  Good times!

Corona Thoughts, part 47 (Conclusion)

5.7.2020.

Thursday.

Today was much less hectic but almost resulted in a trip to the hospital, which in Navarro County is the last place you want to be.  Dad needed our help to get the post-hole digger on the tractor, and a mishap resulted in me on the ground.  No lasting damage, but it did result in a sore right arm.  

We spent some time discussing summer vacation, but no decisions at this point have been made.  While Texas is opening up, many destination states are not.  A lot will hinge on those state resolutions.

Sadie went to play for a while with her cousin, so Stephanie and I went to town to Aldi for a few groceries for the next week or so.  Once home we had supper and spent about an hour with the instruments (Sadie on her Madolele - lent by Pearl Bluegrass; Stephanie with her bass; and myself on the Guitar).  I hope this becomes a family tradition!

Tomorrow is a day to clean the house since we will have company tomorrow evening.  So, with normally scheduled summer break now on us and what is practically a reopened state, I am concluding these daily logs until there is something to write about. 

Fin.

Corona Thoughts, Part 46 (Wednesday Wings)

5.6.2020

Wednesday.

More work from home today.  Grades due.  I had them in by mid-morning, Otherwise, it was a quiet day with very little to report.  

After much soul-searching, we canceled the reservations at Lake Murray and instead, contacted Salmon Lake for Memorial Day's Bluegrass Gospel Festival.  It will be nice to pick and play with folks again.

Supper was wings at Bottlecap Alley again.  We met Michael and Valerie and had a nice visit.  Quarantine at the Movies was the original Love Bug.  Sadie didn't know who (or what) Herbie was.  It was great fun!

I have a feeling that these daily logs are coming to a close. Today would have been the last day that I would have gone to the office in a normal Spring semester, but of course, Stephanie should still be in the classroom for a few weeks.   The shelter-in-place is over, barber shops are reopening in Friday, and restaurants are seating customers again.  All told, as far as I am concern, this crisis is over.  

Hopefully, future installments will be travel or issue-related, which is what I had started it to be.

Corona Thoughts, Part 46 (Truck problems and veterinarians)

5.5.2020

Tuesday.

Today was intended to be an occasion to finish my grades and wrap up the semester.  That was not to be.

Fergus needed his Parvo booster and all of our cats are at the end of their Rabies shots, so I told Stephanie I would take them in because she had even more work to do than me.

It wouldn't take long, right?

Our vet's office is open but doing curbside, so I took the truck to get our bbq propane tanks filled first.  After getting the tanks filled, however, the truck wouldn't start.  It seemed to be the battery, but even booster cables didn't work.  It was still the factory battery and the truck is almost 5 years old.  Guess I got my money worth.  Jarrod from Moore Tire and Auto came out and replaced the battery; I cannot recommend them enough!

Already frustrated, I took in Fergus and Shadow.  It took them over 20 minutes to see us (You had to pull up, call them, and wait) but finally, they came out for Shadow and quickly gave him his shot and returned him.  Then they took in Fergus but kept him for near 45 minutes.  It turned out that they didn't know Shadow had been brought out.  They thought they lost the cat!

After that, I drove to Moore's to pay for the battery.  He said it is about the most expensive battery made, and it is the one required for the Chevys.  

In honor of Cinco de Mayo (and Taco Tuesday), I picked up tacos from Taco Shop. Sadie loves that.

The afternoon was calm, and I worked on Wild Montana Skies on the guitar.  After supper (Korean-style Oxtail), I worked with Sadie on her "mandolele" (Ukelele tuned like a mandolin) and Stephanie worked through a lesson for her base.

 Meanwhile, I spoke to Raymie who told us about a bluegrass gospel festival at Salmon Lake.  I think we may try to take the RV rather than journey to Oklahoma to Lake Murray this time.  It is closer and works better with our work-at-home situation.

The governor made another statement today and the barbershops open Friday.  Still no word on the state parks.