Heading East -- The Smokey Mountains

Sunday morning, Rick and Kay left yesterday afternoon so, one last try this morning fishing this beautiful stream at the approaches to Wolf Creek Pass.  Slight chill in the air so the coffee tasted even better than usual and the sun rising gave enough light to add a warm feeling inside (if not on the outside yet).  Pondered the thoughts of catching another fish or two and hiking upstream to a few holes less accessible to most people -- holes that might produce the 2 foot fish of my dreams.  I did decide beforehand that if I lost the last two Rooster-tails to snags and such that I still would leave with a sense of good fortune that I had even made it here and had been so lucky to catch the fish I had (and that Rick had the same satisfaction perhaps).  Will always remember that look on his face and even have a picture somewhere in an email -- haven't figured how to transfer it to a folder yet (need my son or daughter to help me perhaps).

So I climbed the hillside by the stream close to the easements of the highway going over the pass -- managed to stay out of the stream and climbed onto some large boulders overlooking the pool that looked most promising to produce that lunker of a fish.  Awkward casting but, got the lures where I thought they might be best drawn through the hole and into the sight of some waiting fish -- only caught snags and lost both of the Rooster-tails fairly quickly so, abandoned hope of getting that fish (this time).

Packed up the camper and hitched it to the trailer with visions of a return trip in the near future.  The drive back down through Del Norte, Alamosa and over La Veta pass seemed to pass in a blurr and soon the Spanish Peaks were again in sight (tried a couple more pictures at a stop a little ways past the approaches to the pass).  I also pondered what might be there to be discovered at the base of the Peaks near the town of La Veta to the southwest -- maybe a little side trip the next time I'm in the area.

Reconnected to I-25S and headed for Raton with hopes of getting through the tip of Texas and most of Oklahoma.  Raton pass was a fairly steady climb and the desolate stretches after were nothing to be desired stops along the way.  In fact, as I headed through Oklahoma, it looked every bit as desolate as the Texas or New Mexico desert country and the temps were over 100 degrees making it less desirable to stop anywhere in this part of the country.  Did end up stopping for the night in Ft. Smith Oklahoma when it got nearly dark and when I stopped the temp was still pretty unbearable.  The motel where I stayed had me parking the Jeep and camper on a street parallel to the motel, in front of the room I had.  However, when I parked on the street and stepped out to get my thinks, I discovered mounds of fire ants right beside the curb of the street -- decided not to leave the rig there and pulled closer to the room.  Didn't want an infestation of ants going anywhere with me, especially fire ants.

Next morning, got an early start and hoped to get somewhere into Tennessee by end of day.  Ended up stopping at the same motel in Tennessee I had stayed on the trip out and visited the little bar again in hopes of seeing the young bartender that I had met before (and danced with).  She wasn't working that evening but, the DJ I had danced with was tending the bar this time and we chatted a bit.  A couple red-neck guys were at the bar too and shared their left over sushi from their evening meal -- highlight of the night.  The same "regulars" were there that night too but, they had a couple tables setup where they were playing poker.

Next day, was like the previous as I wanted to get to the Smokey Mountains and check out my Cherokee ancestry as best I could there.  Made it to the RV park by mid afternoon and settled into an end corner locations -- 2 and 1/2 days from southwest Colorado was, in my mind, making good timing (some other campers confirmed that too).  Not a luxurious place but, the people were really friendly and from all over.  The pool looked liked it had an algae bloom like my pond back in VA -- got corrected the next afternoon.

Took the Jeep and headed for Smokey Mountain National Park in the morning and planned to make it over to Cherokee, NC on the other side.  The usual fog of the Smokey's persisted most of the morning and pictures at the top were iffy at best -- staying on the roads sometimes tricky too.  My mind must still have some of that fog in it too as I recall the order of what I did those few days there.  I know that I visited the Cherokee museum and saw their video/diorama but, among their many books on Cherokee ancestors, couldn't find any familiar names or confirmation of the Cunninghams or Russells among them.  Some slight disappointment.  On the way back to my RV park on the west side of the park, I stopped and gave a young woman a ride over to the other side of the mountains and dropped her off in the middle of the tourist town of Gatlinburg.

Clingmans Dome

Indian Creek Falls

The next day, I decided to go again to the eastern side of the park and visit the town of Bryson City where many people went tubing down a stream there -- I wanted to hike around and see the waterfalls that were sprinkled about the countryside and around that same stream Deep Creek).  The area around there looked like the economy had failed and numerous businesses were closed or in disrepair -- some deserted.  Maybe they couldn't sell their moonshine on the side -- I might have bought some.

Some of the flora

Some Idiot

Tom Branch Falls



Meditation Spot - Mid Stream

 I stopped this time near the top and hiked to the lookout at the highest point in the Smokeys and took a few timely shots of the best views mother nature would present -- had to nap once I parked and waited for the fog to clear some.  After getting back to camp and having some lunch, I headed to a nearby Greenbriar entrance to the park and followed a narrow road up a Pigeon creek for a few miles.  Then, I hiked along the stream and found a nice place where I could climb out on the rocks to the middle of the stream and meditated there for some time (wondered how my Cherokee ancestors might have felt here in these beautiful surroundings -- hard to leave behin).



Wishing for a spiritual connection all the time I spent in the Smokey Mountains made me wish I had more time to spend here but, I needed to make it to Sumter, SC and wish my cousing Janet a Happy Birthday.