July 08 Camping in western NC

We spent 9 days in the wild, high mountains of western North Carolina. We camped at site 43 at Deep Creek Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National park, after the first night in our favorite cheap motel in tiny, charming Bryson City.

There was a minor health misadventure early in the week, but the feared diverticulitis which had Bill doubling over in waves of pain at two minute intervals turned out to be either a combination of severe indigestion with a reaction to prescription antacid, or a miraculous, fortuitous spontaneous healing. I choose to believe in the miracle (but will continue to prod Bill to make an appointment with his gastroenterologist. ) We spent a fairly entertaining few hours in the Bryson City ER with Nurse Dana and Dr.Tom Bile, and were happy to escape with our vacation and Bill's colon intact.

The trout were elusive, but there were lots of butterflies and wildflowers to admire. We visited old favorite spots on Deep Creek, Bradley Creek, and the Nantahalah River, and found new favorites far off the beaten path. By accident, driven off the Middle Prong of the Little River on the Tennessee side of the mountains by a sudden drenching rain, we pulled into the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont -- (see www.gsmit.org) -- an environment education center. Tremont is a non-profit located in the National Park with the blessing of the Park Service, but it is an independent non-profit. Lots of wonderful programs for kids, teens, adults, teachers & whole families, with the central mission of "connecting people to nature." Just what I always said I wanted to do when I grew up. Now I've found that a 40 year old organization is already doing it, in an area where I'm already hoping to retire. Hmm.... what a coincidence. Now I just need to figure out how to add my energy to theirs when the moment is right. Maybe they need an HR person (not likely). Somehow I doubt that the part-time cook position that is now available will pay any better than barely enough to qualify as pay.

The general idea was to do things the easy way where possible, and site 43 at Deep Creek with a private trail to the close-by restroom was easy, especially compared to camping on the Blackrock Creek land without drinking water, a bathroom or even a picnic table. We did visit my land near Cherokee briefly, resolving to put some money into regraveling the driveway before it disappears under the weeds.

Sleeping in the truck is easy also -- comfy and dry, complete with full mattress, cotton sheets and our favorite jumbo billows. It takes one person about 4 minutes and 5 bungee cords to put the truck tent on the back, and only about 2 1/2 to take it down.

We spent the last night camping at the private park at Big Laurel Creek near Hot Springs, NC. At Big Laurel Creek, 2.3 acres with a perfect, south-facing cabin site awaits my eventual retirement. The guy who is developing the Big Laurel property set aside some acreage along Big Laurel Creek as a private park to be used by the property owners. In addition to getting the paved roads and underground electric lines installed faster than he originally promised, he has also created this wonderful little park which I can use as a property owner. In addition to a beautiful log picnic pavilion with a massive stone fireplace and the nicest outhouse I've ever used, he had a wood-fired hot tub installed, with a nice deck area. There are rumored to be big trout in Big Laurel Creek and some native brook trout in Spillcorn Creek which comes on one side of the tract, but Bill didn't find any this trip. Except for the time when we heard a very odd animal screeching noise (or was it a bird? I say mammal, Bill says bird) and felt a little spooked, it was a wonderful night in a magical place.

And an easy drive home, with a stop in West Virginia to pick up Shelby the wonder dog, who did well staying with Debby and Sam and all their dogs, puppies, goats, chickens & cats, but who was ecstatic to come home . All in all a great trip.