Monday, May 31, 2010
Risked Life and Limb
...to bring you these :)
The Story:
We set out on a normal
weekend road trip for us,
thinking we would head to
Pisgah National Forest (N.C.)
to explore and to photograph.
On our way down, we could
see the Blue Ridge Parkway
as it stands currently,
alive with all its greenery
and with light (bottom.)
What a truly beautiful
and a lush day it was.
Our entryway into the
Pisgah National Forest
was preceded by a LONG
drive down, a 7 percent
grade down over only 11 miles;
steep and swervy driving at its best.
Drivers and the motorcycles
alike were out everywhere
touring this highway in the
sun and the balmy, warm
temperature of 72 degrees.
We entered the Wilson Creek Gorge
area off Brown Mountain Beach Road.
Wilson Gorge is located off this road well
into the forest along a wide gravel
road that goes on for miles, with the
gorge and swimming/entry areas to the left.
To obtain photos of the creek and gorge
it requires a hike down rocks that are
the steps and over tree roots.
The angle of descent is rather steep.
What We Didn't Know:
To get OUT of the gorge it would
have been wisest (--truly--) and easiest
to turn around taking a navigable
gravel highway out onto paved roads.
However, thinking there was (eventually)
paved road ahead (God- I love those words...)
we continued inward toward the
--very-- small and highly secluded town of
Mortimer. THIS was a gravel road that went on
for MILES. What I want to ask you here is this....
Have you ever reached the 'point of no return?'
Well~~ this surely, is what we were well
afflicted with. We continued further inward
into the forest via said gravel road. Now,
my story takes an even stranger turn.
Upon becoming a wee frightened (or almost
disoriented although my husband would
never admit to this :) ) and really downright
unsure that we would EVER get out
(of the forest...off the gravel...
out of the mountains...back to some
semblance of mini-civilization!!!) ....
my husband MET the mayor and
the sheriff on the front porch of the local
VERY SMALL mercantile when asking for directions.
"Can you tell us which way is the safest
and the fastest way out??"
WELL. Let me tell you....
They both assured us and directed us
to take --the road to the LEFT--
All I can say is...thank God (Did I say that??!)
I said that because we later
found out when researching
and googling detailed maps of the
Pisgah...the ---other way---
(the road to the RIGHT) was
a 2000 foot climb over 4 miles on bad gravel
--and narrow...( which we came alarmingly
close to taking; we 'would have' had to
-come back down- as our vehicle
could not possibly have navigated it...)
Did I tell you that when you are reading maps
of this area ...that one cannot discern gravel
roads from the paved???
And that the map doesn't discern
when they go from gravel to paved
then back to gravel????
I have to say they actually call
roads roads that, well---I would not
deem fit to be called as such!
Back to our story.
We took the road to the left thinking
at some point--surely; we would reach paved road.
Boy, were we wrong. I cannot aptly
nor fully describe what we endured.
What I can say is this: we will never,
never, never take this road
( just the name 'Roseboro Road'
(?? road really!??)
makes me now--still--shiver...)
It was lonely; very steep at times,
it went from O.K. gravel to
what I would call small bolder-like
ROCKS (or tough bad nasty gravel.)
There was no power (electric.)
And no cell service (I can endure this)
at all; not a lick (for many many miles up.)
Can I say it was well; rather bumpy?
How 'bout jaw rattling? It made me nervous
(and I consider myself an adventurer of sorts.)
All in all were not really sure
-where we were- nor
how we actually and finally
got back on the Blue Ridge Parkway
( that is near where I kissed
the very ground to be home!)
But we DID
climb
between 3 and 4000 feet
on gravel roads
(and bad gravel at that.)
Signs we saw along the way:
1. Road narrows ahead
2. No horses in the recreation area
3. 26 MPH
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Mr. Bumblebee and the Big Blue Flower
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
The Watauga River Valley
Monday, May 24, 2010
Idyllic
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Delighted.
Posterized.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Friday, May 14, 2010
Morning
Thursday, May 13, 2010
A Photo and a Poem
Top: A hazy day
and the view
(...between
two
trees.)
Bottom:
Soon to be
published
poem!
Voila!
"On Poem Writing"
Some words jingle, foam and pop;
sweet dainties of the mind-delight.
Like twangle, dangle, smoof and pling-
words that make my heart-song sing.
There are those words that 'ping' the night-
they sneak up fast behind with fright.
Like hooga, dooga, swarf and blight;
they grab your ankle--snarl and bite.
Like mit, and split, and stagger-twain;
they haunt like spirits...and remain.
Words like soldiers flood my cortex,
piling high; a thought-filled vortex.
A small battalion, they hold me fast;
accusing voice: "You battle-ax!"
Just let us loose...to fly away-
or we'll take you to court today!"
Terse and mean; they oft dispute;
"Let us out...avoid 'bad' lawsuit!"
They shake their finger, they rock the boat
and when they're out--they sometimes gloat.
But after all is said and done,
words like friends are lots of fun;
they link arms and settle down
to bring joyful blessing all around.
Like"...joie de vie" or "jolly elf,"
just stash these words upon your shelf.
And if a rainy day consumes, or black pitch-filled night
--it finds you;
just take words out and shine them up
to grace your head, revive you.
...They lead you on; they save the day-
words can take your breath away.
Adorning gems or jewels that glisten-
take them out and 'oft to listen.
Windswept, racing, vast filled rooms-
encrusted ones; dug up from tombs.
Like burnish or skirmish or gobbledygook
these words to use--require work.
So when you're lazy or your mood; it's gray
take them out and 'oft to play.
They might sing, or jump, or move
but they will help you find a groove
to produce a haunting tune,
of a blue haired girl
'neath a pink-yellow moon
or of a sailboat lost at sea--
words can tell you own story.
So don't delay,
put your pen down
and satisfaction in words--
be found.
(Copyright K. Powell, 2010.)
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Morning Has Broken...
Sunday, May 2, 2010
May Morning Stroll 'Round the Mountain
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