The people in the group
site moved up to the tent campground. They were up there early negotiating with
resident campers to take their spaces when they left. They had told me last
night that a toilet in the ladies room near us was stopped up and running
over. I called it in to dispatch, since
it was after hours for the Cosby maintenance crew. Then I turned off the water. This morning,
one of the women told me that a toilet in the tent campground ladies room was
also stopped up. I called Junior on the
radio and he said he would be over to take care of both of them. The new group
moved in and began setting up camp, including enough tarps to keep them dry in
any weather.
These ruins in the
center of the parking lot are the remains of the old logging camp that was here
before the park was created.
We met a group of
hikers in the parking lot from the Milwaukee area. I mentioned that Daughter Jennifer lives in
Mequon on Green Bay Road, and one of the men told us he works in Cedarburg and
drives past Jennifer’s house every day. Of course, we told him that when he
sees a motorhome in the driveway, to stop in and say hello.
This couple in Site 3
lives in nearby Dandrigde, Tennessee.
They really know how to relax in a campground. The man told us those coffee mugs belonged to
his grandmother. I love that.
We take this path off the campground road when we go
to the bridge over Big Creek in the picnic area.
This is the end of the
bridge at the far side of the creek. On
the picnic area end, there is a “no horses” sign. These posts at the far end ensure that horses
do not go up the Baxter Creek trail. It
is too narrow along the steep mountainside before it gets into a nice forest
path. But then, later, the trail gets
steep and difficult, not suitable for horses.
We ran out to Newport
again for Andy to drop off a prescription while I set up my computer in the
East Tennessee Coffee Shop. I did an
email send/receive, but have given up on updating the blog. Maybe I should post the words without the
pictures to save time. I had put on a pot roast in the crockpot in the morning
and the motorhome smelled wonderful when we got back.
Avalon was building a
small fire in Site 9. She just finished
medical school in Florida and is on her way to her residency in Delaware. She
thanked us for our morning hiking recommendations and had a great day.
This view is from the
beginning of the parking lot as we walk up to the tent campground. I was looking down toward the bridge.
The grandpa in Site 11 was taking a cart-load of
foodstuffs back to the car. His little
grandson came along and was pushing a toy truck all the way. The picture does not show how steep this section of the path is. Grandpa was struggling to hold the heavy cart
back so as not to run over the little boy.
On the radio
There was a report of a
helicopter hovering close to the ground near the Oconaluftee visitor’s center.
It was doing slow circles just above the trees. There were no numbers on it. We
never heard any more about it.
At 1652 a large bull
elk was next to the road causing major traffic problems just inside the park near
Oconaluftee. Luftee Rovers were sent to deal with him, or at least encourage
the park visitors to keep moving. I figure the bull elk was going to do
whatever he pleased.
A ranger called
dispatch to say he was out of service.
They do that every day, but this guy added, “I’ll be out of service.
Thanks for a good three years.” That’s
as close to personal chit-chat as I have ever heard between rangers and
dispatch.
At 1800 a
twelve-year-old boy had cut his foot.
They did not want an ambulance, but did want a ranger to take a look at
it.
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