Take A Hike.
Last we left, I was camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Since then, I've spent the night in a random motel in Gatlinburg, TN., which oddly enough is basically a smaller times square. There are four different Ripley's Believe it or Not venues and neon lights everywhere. This is all within I'd say, maybe eight blocks. I went on a hike in the park the morning after Gatlinburg. I had been eyeing the Alum Cave Trail and had held off going until then. Little did I know that while it was 66 degrees two days earlier, it would be snowing Friday morning. It was a nice change of scenery though, hiking in the snow. There were waterfalls everywhere with icicles trickling down them making them glisten. Two hours later and freezing, I headed out of the park back to the North Carolina side.
It was kind of fascinating seeing the park one way the day before and then everything powered in white the next. If you've been following along, you will have seen some pics in Camping 101., the ones with clear blue skies and perfect clouds, remember those? Driving along the byway Friday morning, it was a complete 180. It looked like a ghost forest. Fog rolling in lightly, trees faded shades of grey and white disappearing into the blank sky. It was a bit spooky actually. I pulled off into an overlook and just to add to the feeling of macabre, a raven landed next to my car. He stayed there about ten minutes while I took pictures of him from my front seat, making noise and pacing around Bertha like a bad omen.
After more driving and small town sight seeing, mostly in Bryson City, NC., I spent Friday night in a very minimal hiker’s hostel in the Nantahala National Forest, (pronounced Nanna-hey-la). Really it’s in a town called Wesser, but to be honest I’m not sure if this was actually in the town or off of a street connecting two bordering towns. Either way, I got there and realized that I was one of two people staying over. The cabins were decorated with a couple of summer camp bunk beds, a heater, shelves, and that’s it. The bathrooms/showers and common space were all located in buildings up the steep flights of stairs at the top of the hill, which I promptly tripped over. Surprisingly enough, I got some of the best sleep there.
Saturday rolled in and so did another hiking challenge. Hiking to the top of Table Rock Mountain in Table Rock State Park, South Carolina. Two things you should know about me if you don’t already. 1. I like a good challenge and will try to talk myself into almost anything; the 7.2 mile round trip hike being the challenge. 2. I tend to downplay situations. When I read about the hike being “strenuous”, in my mind I read “somewhat uphill and kind of long”. I should probably work on that second one, I was definitely wrong. The first half of the hike was a steady uphill battle, covered with giant boulders, stairs made of rocks, and tree roots to climb over. Finally making it 1.8 miles to the halfway mark and a PB&J later, I guess I looked official because two other hikers asked me if I knew how much farther it was. I laughed and told them the stick and the backpack were just an illusion and that I also had no idea what I was doing. Their response - to finish out the hike with me and call me Gandalf. They became more affectionally known as Frodo and Sam. Fun Fact: I really dislike Lord of the Rings. So when I tell you that I now know that Frodo and Sam are hobbits and Gandalf is kind of a big deal with a very cool stick like mine, it should surprise you. Once we made it past that halfway point, not even the ‘highway to hell’ section of the climb could stop us from getting to the summit at 3,124 ft. We were rewarded with a perfectly clear view of the mountains while multiple hawks soared around us. Totally worth it.
Saturday night was spent in Greenville, SC. I met up with some friends from earlier in my trip and Frodo and Sam came out and had a beer or two with us as well. It was a very eventful and incredibly fun evening between a group of five strangers. Finally seeing Greenville in the daylight yesterday, I realized how beautiful it is. I knew it was, but it looked like most other places I had seen recently. Then I arrived at Falls Park. The park is at the end of Main St. downtown and it’s a park Leslie Knope would drool over. Perfectly maintained and decorated with it’s small bridges, hammocks, colorful flowers and waterfall. Truly a great way to spend a lazy Sunday.
Off to meet up with a friend from home and then to see my third national park!
Hope you’re enjoying my travels so far, I am!
- G.
The Photo:
Waterfall icicles on the Alum Cave Trail.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
1/27/17.
