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(August)
We just got back from another wonderful horseback camping trip up
in the Smoky Mountain National Park. There were seventeen of us on
this adventure. We all met here in the hollow and loaded trailers
with horses, tack and camp gear and set out for the mountains. We
set up camp at the Big Creek horse camp in the Great Smoky Mountain
National Park. After we fired up the grills and ate dinner we fed
and watered the horses and went to sleep listening to the songs of
the river in the background.
Our first day out on the trail took us up and out of the valley. We
crossed and followed the river for several miles and eventually found
our way up to a pass where the Appalachian trail crosses. We strung
ropes in the trees and made hitches for the horses and ate the lunches
we had packed in the saddle bags. These mountains are so beautiful.
It's as green and lush as a rain forest. The air is clean and cool
and each inhale is a fresh mixture of wildflowers, pine trees, and
the sweet smell of good earth. It was a long ride and the ol' camp
site was a welcome site to see. A few brave souls went down to the
river and inched their way into the frigid waters. After dinner we
sat around the camp fire and talked about horses, friends, journeys,
and dreams. I pulled out the ol' guitar, sang a few songs and passed
it around to a couple other pickers. As the full moon cast its shadows
through the forest we slowly drifted from the fire and into our tents
and horse trailers for a good nights rest.
We woke
up to the smells of coffee drifting through the woods. Everyone pitches
in and before long we added to the morning fragrance the smells of
bacon and eggs. There were a few folks that decided to rest their
aches for the day and headed out on their own day hikes or sat by
the river reading a book. Today we rode to a great swimming hole.
It was soooo cold but felt sooo good. We climbed on top of a 30+ ft
boulder and jumped and dove into the bottomless, clear swimming hole.
That afternoon we went fly fishing, practiced lasso roping, and ate
watermelon. We spent another evening around the camp fire singing,
sharing, and trying to roast the perfect marshmallow.
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