November Camping Trip to Fentress County

November Camping Trip 

Weekend of Nov. 18th , 2017

   We had not spent any time with our friends Sharon & John since July. 

Kenny's working out of state, trying to help babysit grandkids and other stuff just

kept getting in the way.   We determined we needed to fix that.   We planned to get 

away to see our friends and relax.  It worked out that we were able to get together

with Nelson Matthews and his family on this trip!  At last some of the stuff we'd been

wanting to see was going to happen!  We were thrilled about that.   Seeing new things.

Meeting folks you've kept up with on Facebook, but not met in person.  Spending time

with folks who are friends of longer standing.  It is a great combination.  We had already

said that over the weekend we'd at last get to Jammin' at Hippie Jacks on Saturday night.

John and Sharon had been trying to get us to go for a long while.   

     Saturday  we got up and met Nelson at Wal-Mart in Jamestown. He brought along his

daughter Rachel and two granddaughters.    They set out with us leading the way to see some

waterfalls and rock features in the Allardt area.   

First we visited the long sought after Yellow Creek Falls. I had been pining over that ever since seeing Nelson's photos of it.  We spent a few minutes pondering how to get down the bluff?

He had been before, but he had slept since then.  It seems that once you've hit a saturation point with hiking to waterfalls it all begins to run together.  I sure know how that works. We found our way down without too much trouble and it was a short walk over to the falls.  

 Yellow Creek Falls with a pretty good flow for Autumn!

Yellow Creek Falls with Kenny and Sharon in the shot for scale!  It is a large falls!

  We went on back and then followed the bluff down to a second falls. I do not recall the name of it.  It was barely a trickle.  We climbed back up the bluff and back to the vehicles to continue our tour.   We went to Barn Creek Bridge and a couple falls next! I had long wanted to see 

Barn Creek Bridge, but never expected to as it is on private property.  It is a very pretty and interesting natural bridge.

 Above and below Barn Creek Bridge.  Maddie and Belle were all over the place they were so energetic!  Say what you want about the youngsters of today these girls are the exception and not the rule. They love outdoors and spend lots of time exploring with their family.

Barn Creek Bridge is a bigger feature than I expected and the side channels of it and rock over hangs were complex!

One of the side channel overhangs of Barn Creek Bridge.  

   Not too far beyond Barn Creek Bridge were two small, scenic waterfalls.  I had never heard of them to my recollection.  

Small un-named falls beyond the bridge

Another small falls beyond the bridge.

The property owners graciously agreed to let us visit, but asked that the falls not 

be named or any directions shared.   

   Once we had visited these pretty spots we headed back to the truck.  These features are in a residential area.  Most of what we saw today was in an area near homes on private land.  

Nelson had obtained permission to bring us to see these spots.   It began to drizzle rain when

we got back to the cars.  We stopped in Allardt at the Dollar General for snacks and drinks.

We then continued on to the last falls of the day.  It was another un-named pair of falls in a 

beautiful gorge at the home of a couple Nelson is friends with.  The lady was exceptionally nice.

She not only let us see the falls, but invited us in to see their home which is partially underground!   It was a beautiful falls and a fabulous home!  Making new friends is always great.  The little girls were all about getting to hug up on Charlotte.  

Set of twin waterfalls in a gorge on private property.  

It was a fantastic day of exploring!  It had been drizzly, but stopped for awhile. It was so warm today that a garter snake was out!

 Yoo Hoo!  Charlotte yodeling down to us. :-)

Mr. No Feet trying to get some exercise and not get stepped on. 

   We finally parted company with Nelson and his family.  We made fast friends and look so forward to taking him to see Franks Flume and having more adventures with all of them.

He is more a kindred spirit than I could have known.  

   Saturday night we went to Jammin at Hippie Jacks. It was one of the most satisfying 

experiences I've ever had.   Our friends were so right that we NEEDED to get there.   It is funny when you realize you've been hungering for something , but you don't know what.. and then you find it.  Listening to that high quality music and being in that groovy, mellow atmosphere was food for the soul.  It was a rainy night and the place was packed, but we still managed to get in the sanctuary.   I was deathly car sick from back seat riding in the dark

on route 85 to get there.   I took a couple motion sickness pills and sat down and got real still.

The music took my mind off it and the nausea went away at last.   I was tickled to death to feel better.  Ugh!    Everyone was very kind and in a good mood.  Nice place to be.  

  We listened to the Bar Stool Romeos and loved them.  Next was Daniel Kimbro and Ross Holmes.  Loved them and had only heard of Daniel. Lucked out like mad and got to hear Ross too and loved him as well.   Then last but not least was the bard.... Malcolm Holcombe. I had

never heard of him until this weekend.  I had read up on him and listened to his music a little

prior to coming.  I knew he was great and I was very excited about it.  I also could NOT believe I had never heard of him as good as he is.  His music hits nerves you didn't even know you had.

It speaks to the times. It reminds us what is important. He is a dry wit and his fingers moved so fast our eyes couldn't keep up with them on the strings. His technique is unlike any other.

I sat with tears running down my face after some of his songs.   The sheer beauty of them and the message of some of them was a word in season.   

    Here is a link to Jammin' at Hippie Jacks

  These concerts are all free except for two per year which are the Memorial Day Weekend Event and the Labor Day Weekend Event.  Buy tickets for those.  The rest of the events all year

.. the way to get in is show up with donations of cash, non perishable food, childrens coats and toys.   These folks help the "invisible poor".  Fentress and Overton County and some places out in the Cumberland Plateau are hard hit by grinding generational poverty.  There are few to no jobs. Most folks are so poor they are barely surviving much less able to help their neighbors.  

Where we live there are poor folks, but there is far more aid and chances for folks to break that cycle of poverty.  Some say Hippie and his company "enables" these folks.  I call bullshit on that.   I have seen the way these folks suffer. I have seen how salt of the earth most of these folks are.   Jesus commanded us to love and help one another, not judge.   

Below is a You Tube video that is not mine, but is shot by Jammin at Hippie Jacks.  It is from their You Tube channel.  

    Here is also a link to their Facebook page.  Become part of the solution.  Donate!  

Support the work these folks are doing to help the poor.  Jammin at Hippie Jacks Facebook Page

Sunday-- Revisiting the Will Wright Tunnel 

   Sunday morning after breakfast we decided to do something short.  We revisited the Will

Wright Branch Tunnel.  It is the longest natural tunnel in Tennessee.   John hadn't got to see it 

the previous trip. Another reason to revisit was that the first time there was no water coming over the small falls on the far side of the tunnel.    We went back and had the usual ponder on where is it?

Despite having been there before we managed to come to it a different way today.   We were all

turned around.   We found it though and finally got parked and began our short walk down over the bank.  We headed into the mouth of the tunnel and there was more water today than before. 

It is a real neat place.   We made it through to the far side. Me and Odie the dog were the only ones

'who took the trouble to climb down to see the falls from below.   It was not that hard.

 Looking out of the mouth of the tunnel

Shot of the inside of the cave

The gang looking at the falls.  You can see what a big place this is!  We're down in a hole for sure.

 Looking downstream beyond where I am standing in the creek.

This waterfall here at the tunnel is about 8 ft high.  Rather pretty.

We were glad to find some water on it today.   We ended our day by going to try Simply Fresh restaurant in Jamestown! It was a fine lunch with great friends.   I had such a good time and I look forward to many more to come.

Below is a video of our time at the tunnel.