|
|
||
Farm
Journals
Snow Flakes and Snow Skiis
|
Butterfly Hollow Farm ____ The Path Leading Us Here ____ How The Farm Got Its Name ____ Restoring the Old Farmhouse ____ Where The Beefalo Roam ____ Saddle Up The Horses ____ Saving Wilderness and Farm Land ____ Farm Journals ____ Sharing The Farm ____ Guest Book ____ Site Map ____ |
|
 |
|
(January) Since we've been together, the two of us have always enjoyed anything to do with being in the great outdoors. We've both learned to snow ski over the years and the bug to find a snow covered trail always seems to find us about this time of year. Snow fall in these parts is unpredictable and conditions in the Appalachian Mountains can be perfect or the worst and makes it hard to plan a little get away. Our "weekend away" mason jar has just about enough savings to cover our gas, a couple nights of lodging and a days worth of lift tickets, if the snow and our schedules would just start working together. I remember last year about this same time, we were getting real anxious and after a couple failed attempts at being spontaneous and going at the spur of the moment, we decided to plan our three day get away. We were suppose to leave Tuesday night after work and begin the 4 1/2 hour drive to Banner Elk, North Carolina. I checked the web sites from work that day and learned that they'd just had 10 inches of fresh powdered snow and all the lifts and trails were open. I also learned, but quickly and conveniently forgot, that middle Tennessee was under a winter storm warning as well. The spits of snow on my windshield on the way home just got me more excited and determined to wake up tomorrow morning knee deep in snow with skis and boots on my shoulder. Sharon had gotten home an hour or two before me and had the bags, food and everything ready. A weather advisory came on the radio and we both looked at each other but said nothing. Turned off the radio, loaded the bronco and away we went. Nothing was going to stop us. This trip was meant to be. We kept saying this to ourselves and each other as we looked out the truck windows noticing the interstate slowly covering with snow. By the time we made it up onto the Cumberland Plateau, still some 3 1/2 hours away from our skiing adventure, the interstate turned into one lane of traffic and the snow was falling so hard you could barely see. Sharon noticed and commented that there wasn't any traffic coming in the other direction and we decided that there probably was an accident or something up ahead on Monterey Mountain. A few minutes passed and our excitement and joy for the snow, now over a foot deep on the sides of the road, turns to silent doubts and an intense concentration on the single lane of travelers now going about 20 miles per hour. As we approached the last exit before the long, steep haul up Monterey Mountain, we had a quick "board meeting" and discussed if we should turn around and admit defeat or keep plunging towards the mountains. We just knew that it would be the best skiing ever and some thing's were just worth fighting for. Well this determination or stupidity, whichever you want to call it, allowed us to disregard that voice of reason that began as a whisper when I first heard the storm warning and now was screaming "Get off the interstate while you can....." Nope... wasn't listening as we yelled out "Banner Elk Here We Come!!!" and inched past the exit now going about 10 miles per hour. As we approached the beginning incline to Monterey Mountain, traffic completely stopped and the snow just kept falling. We figured someone must have slid off the road or something, but we were still feeling somewhat positive since we did have four wheel drive. Thirty minutes pass and we begin to notice that the semi trucks in front and behind us have shutdown and have turn off their lights. Good thing we had plenty of snacks and warm ski clothes, I began thinking to myself. I'm startled by a tap on my window and notice a man knee deep in snow drifts standing beside the truck. I rolled down the window and he explained that he heard over his CB that the interstate was shut down in both directions and wouldn't be opened until tomorrow sometime. He offered us a soft drink or a blanket if we needed one and suggested that we try to turn around and make it back to the last exit if we could. Well we put our tail between our legs like two beaten puppies and slipped and slid our way back up the interstate. A couple close calls and a few moments of holding our breath but we eventually found our way to the only hotel and building with lights for miles. There was a line of folks ahead of us trying to get a warm bed and from the look of the exasperated desk clerk, some of us were going to have to sleep in one of the county emergency shelters. As luck was to have it, we got the last room. Just as we were brushing our teeth the power went off for the night. We cuddled up close, closed our eyes and dreamed about..... skiing.
|
|
info@butterflyhollow.com
Butterfly
Hollow
Gordonsville,
TN 38563