Spring Break, 2006

Spring Break, March, 2006

I drove almost 900 miles to western Kentucky (12 hrs. 20 minutes) to spend the first 3 days (4 nights) at Bill's beautiful cabin in New Concord, KY. We poked around a couple of civil war battlefields in the Land Between the Lakes, visited the town of Murray daily to take care of a herd of cats for which Bill is partially responsible, walked down to the Kentucky Lake shoreline, and hung out at home.

Then on Thursday, with both cars, we drove east across Tennessee and spent 4 more nights in a cozy log cabin on a steep mountainside near Hot Springs, North Carolina. The weather was still very wintery, blustering winds with snow, freezing rain, sleet, and sneet, but we still managed to have a wonderful time. We hiked up to Lovers Leap on the Appalachian trail for a great view of the town of Hot Springs, admired the cold rushing waters of the French Broad River, hiked up into a deserted national forest area beside Paint Rock Creek, had a delicious dinner at the Bridge Street Cafe (their first night open this year) -- and that was just the first day. The second day we drove south to visit my land at Black Rock Creek, near Cherokee, to find my crocusses and some shivering daffodils poking up through 2" snow (elevation 4000 feet). We walked around the place and remarked on the number of newly downed trees that need to be cleaned up (not sure what it was about this last winter that brought so many down). Then we went on down to Bradley Creek at Smokemont Campground in the Great Smoky Mtn. Nat. Park, planning to fish but having forgotten a vital piece of gear back in Hot Springs, and so hiked further up Bradley Creek, vowing to return and hike farther up that trail next summer. On the way back to Hot Springs, Rt. 209 goes over a high mountain known only as Betsy's Gap to the locals. There were several inches of snow which had probably been slush but which had been packed down, not sanded, and which turned to ice as night fell. It was very slippery, and scary because it was so steep and winding. Butch the truck's 4 wheel drive and Bill's excellent coaching got us over the mountain without injury. The next day, after a fun visit to Bluff Mountain Outfitters in downtown Hot Springs, we visited my land near Hot Springs on the south branch of Big Laurel Creek, had a picnic there and brainstormed about where and how to situate our solar dreamhouse there. We had planned to hike down to the creek and fish there, but ran short of time and so stopped instead and fished Big Laurel Creek alongside the main road. We had a 4:30 appointment at the Hot Springs Spa -- a bunch of hot tubs fed from the hot springs, scattered along the French Broad and Spring Creek. It was still cold, but the sun and clouds were taking turns, and spring seemed almost close at hand. We went in the changing rooms and put our suits on under our clothes and bundled back up to walk to our tub (Tub #6 -- very nice, but Tub #5 is an even better location at the point land where Spring Creek meets the French Broad.). Standing on the platform of Tub #6, trying to build up courage to strip and jump in, it seemed like a really crazy thing to do. But, it turned out to be wonderful! The hot springs actually aren't-- they're more like tepid springs, but that was good, because it was perfectly pleasant to soak in for the full hour, unlike a conventional hot tub which is a few degrees hotter and unsafe to spend that much time in. Relaxed after that experience, we went to Silvermine Creek and fished and hiked until dark. The trout goddess was coy, however, and Bill didn't get even a nibble.
Back at the cabin we had a delicious dinner and then built a fire in the firepit behind the cabin. Made stupid by one too many gin and tonics, I managed to catch my favorite down coat on fire, and scorched my hand a bit beating the flames out (I had no idea how fast down feathers will go burn up-- my coat virtually exploded). Nothing serious, but it did make us think hard about how far it was to the hospital (Asheville probably -- 50 miles), no phones, no cell phone coverage, and ridiculous steep road access -- gotta remember not to get that stupid again when there's no way to get help.

We do love those mountains. and hope to find a way to live there someday.

From Hot Springs to Purcellville = 470 miles. 8 hours, comfortably.