Tuesday after Kenny and Gabe left I relaxed. I spent the day resting and trying to decide what I wanted to do. I had to shift gears from grandparent and caregiver to being me and doing what I wanted. Sometimes the effort is exhausting. I just did not want to have any plans today. I brought along lots of projects I've been putting off. I knew that being out here with no internet, not much tv and not much phone signal would be a good time to tend to the creative side of me.
I sat down with my water color paints at the table and went to work on illustrating a children's book I've been working on completing for years. I made some good headway on it. Water color is a difficult medium to master, but I like it. I started the book illustrations as water color so I am making myself stick with it.
I am glad because it is getting better and easier. I also brought along my sewing machine and a couple sewing projects I wanted to complete. Over the course of the day I knocked out several illustrations in the form of water color paintings. I also sewed cushions for my patio furniture. I was really tickled how they turned out. I taught myself to put in snaps! I had never done that before. It is actually kind of fun. I sat down and created myself a MOAB t shirt. I wanted one from our trip, but I couldn't find one that suited me. I made my own. I used images of petroglyphs from that area. Poison Spider Mesa was awesome. Now I have a very cool souvenir shirt that is like no other.
Above: back of my moab long sleeve t shirt
Below: front of my Moab t shirt-- all of it done free hand.
Above: two of six chair cushions I sewed.
Below: Our son, Jared refinished our porch swing for us. He did a marvelous job! I was ready to junk it and get a new one, but this one looks great again. I sewed a new cushion for the seat. Kenny and I sit on the front porch swing and I tell him we are being my Aunt Mary Margaret and Uncle Bob. How I miss those days of sitting on the front porch swing with them.
After lunch I went hiking and exploring in the state park and forest. The sun was out and the day was warm with a soft breeze. I thoroughly enjoyed the wildflowers, creatures and scenery. I ran upon a water snake buried in the leaves while exploring off trail. I was glad I saw him first.
Above: shooting stars, phlox and fire pinks growing in a group near Mill Creek.
Below: a close up shot of shooting stars.
Above: can you see me? water snake in the leaves. harmless.
Above: a trio of trilliums
Above and below: Bryans Fork and the low dam across it.
Above: dwarf crested iris
Below: looking up a tributary of Mill Creek where you have to drive through the stream.
Wood poppies and southern red trillium
Close up of dwarf larkspur
The roadside along Beach Road was lined with phlox , larkspur and purple phacelia
Near another old water control structure was a patch of purple phacelia and fire pinks.
Wednesday rained all day. I went into town shopping, watched movies, read, played games, deep cleaned the camper, worked on some more art and paintings. I organized the camper and resolved several storage issues that we had been putting off for months. It was not fun, but was rewarding in that now we are not juggling some stuff around that has been continually in the way. We have under the bed storage that we don't make use of like we should.
Thursday the rain had stopped but it was over cast. I decided to ride over to Alpine to get some photos of Christchurch Presbyterian along with the locations that pertain to a blog write up I want to do on Cumberland Jack and Paul Adams. They lived there for a time. I also went exploring a little in Overton County.
Out toward Shiloh Road. I visited Falling Springs Baptist church and the waterfall it is named for back in the field. The falls used to be visible from the road, but no more. Cedar trees have grown large enough to block the view of it entirely. The cemetery here has some fascinating and old comb graves and box graves. I got photos of those. I also visited the Copeland Cemetery nearby in search of my son in law's ancestors. It was not the correct bunch of people. I left in a hurry when I saw an open grave.
Above: open grave or opening grave at Copeland Cemetery. I did not go closer to investigate. I left in a hurry.
Copeland Cemetery.. but not the correct one.
Masons Lodge and Baptist church combo at Shiloh Road.
Wheel of some sort at Falling Spring. It is a hold over from when the stream was used to generate power or some manmade contrivance.
Falling Spring is worth seeing up close.
Comb grave with the clasped hands on it.
Cairn type grave
Bo
Box grave at Falling Springs Cemetery
Falling Springs Baptist Church
The old shop and maintenance building at the former Alpine Academy is being cleaned up. How exciting? I wonder what they will do with it?
Placard on the side of Christchurch that is a dedication to Rev. Clair Adams, father of Paul Adams.
Christchurch Presbyterian was affiliated with the Alpine Academy in later years.
The buildings shown here are the Alpine Academy school once it was moved down the mountain next door to the church. The exception being the shed in the front.
Below is a short video of Falling Spring Falls is I also went round to Hardy Reagan Falls and Upper Waterloo Falls. Thankfully the sun came out. I had planned on going to Waterloo Falls as well, but something was going on that made me think it unwise. There was some kind of business that involved the TWRA officer showing up in a hurry. I decided the best thing for me to do was stay clear. I had also needed to go to Cookeville for supplies, but was able to get everything I needed at a large Dollar General instead. It was right on my way. Google maps had showed a cluster of traffic in three spots between me and Cookeville so I was relieved not to have to deal with that.
Below is a short video of Hardy-Reagan Falls
Above: Hardy Reagan Falls aka Roaring River Falls
Above: beautiful spring colors at Upper Waterloo Falls
Spring Creek Scenic River looking downstream
My favorite view of Upper Waterloo Falls.
Below is a video of Upper Waterloo Falls
Friday
By the time Friday rolled around I had gotten to the point of being homesick, bored, and lonely. Unusual for me to be any of those things, but especially bored and lonely. I missed Kenny. I was over this place. He on the other hand was working and looking forward to coming back over Friday night to enjoy a good weekend. I talked to him about it and tried to decide what to do. I felt a little more cheerful Friday morning. I packed my jeep with things that were no longer needed at the camper. I packed up the stuff I needed for today's outing. I would go do something in the direction of home. If I still felt the same way later in the afternoon I'd go home.
I had not visited Alvin York State Park in a long time. It was a bluebird day with sunshine, blue skies and a nice breeze. I headed up toward Byrdstown and cut across toward Pall Mall. I had never visited the York Bible Institute which is a now abandoned school for teaching pastors, Sunday school teachers, choir directors. It was one of the things on my list I'd been eager to check out. I decided to go see that first. The google maps route I chose was a very scenic drive. I enjoyed it very much. It was also easy to follow the directions.
I arrived at York Bible School and found that not only could I tour the outside, but I could go indoors. It is a very nice structure in a pretty setting. I was glad to finally see it for myself. It operated for fifteen years before closing. It is a shame it is not put to use for some other purpose because it is beautiful and historic. I loved the paint colors they chose. Aquamarine and green. The structure is craborchard stone. It has some nice architectural touches with a set of archways out front.
Above and below: two scenes of rural beauty on my drive between Byrdstown and Pall Mall.
Arriving at York Bible Institute this is the first view of the structure.
Below informational boards that tell about the place.
view of Pall Mall from York Institute
Lovely archways on the side entrance of the building.
This was a big place. It has a full basement. It has a sanctuary like assembly hall.
This was a sort of assembly hall and pulpit/choir loft.
Loved the sunlight and the view under those pretty arches
School desks left behind inside
Wasn't much in the basement. gutter pipe and old windows. mostly empty.
I liked the paint scheme they chose for inside. It was a super pretty shade of blue like the skies or the water in Wolf River!
Once I had toured the York Institute I headed over to the state park proper. I enjoyed this tremendously. It was so beautiful that at one point I found myself tearing up. It is a gorgeous piece of pure Americana. I cannot wait to take my grandkids back here to play in the river and enjoy this place. They have done a lot to improve it since I was here. The parking areas are improved. It is the absolute most handicap accessible state park ever. It would be the perfect place for families with kids or elderly with limited mobility. The picnic area is spacious. They have grills, covered pavilions for rain protection and shade. The river is shallow and clear and has lots of tiny shells and pebbles and driftwood. I saw newts, minnows, fresh water mussels, and cray fish. It is a good fishing hole or swimming hole.
Covered picnic shelter #1.. there is a second one just past it! Wheel chair ramps all the way around.
Large parking area and basketball courts.
Nice big playground and benches for sitting.
Picnic tables and grills!
Looking up the hill at the picnic shelters and swings from the lower walking path
Trash cans, restrooms, and if you cannot find a spot to have a picnic here that suits you... there is no pleasing you!
walk path toward the mill
Mill dam on the Wolf River
Fresh water mussels
Wolf River is very shallow here for the most part. There is a white sand beach
Pretty red York Mill is the centerpiece of this state park.
I walked around and enjoyed the river, the dam, the white sand beach. I enjoyed talking with a mom who had brought her little boy for a day of play and a picnic. I saw two older men fishing by the river.
Above and below: the Wolf River is amazingly clear and blue. This is part of what got me by the heartstrings!
Two older fellows fishing by the river through those trees.
post card perfection here... front of the mill
Mom and son playing tossing pebbles in the river.
the mill race
The Highway 127 bridge across Wolf River. I got to see a couple cool bridges today that were new to me!
I pulled over to see some other things I had missed. One was the York Spring. I had not paid attention to it during any previous trips.
Above and below signage for York Spring and the actual spring
Below: christmas ferns unfurling
Below: spring beauties.
I do not remember for sure, but something makes me think that the Pall Mall post office may once have been housed here.
I went in the visitor center. They have information, souvenirs, snacks, drinks, presentations of history about Sgt. York, restrooms, historic displays. I bought a patch for me, and a key ring for Gabe who loves keys! He's been eyeing my new key ring and wearing it around. Maybe this will pacify him. Keep him from losing my keysah! ( he has been calling them keysah since he was tiny so now our whole family uses the word to be silly)
I went cross the road after talking to the nice ranger and getting a look at the map on the wall. I got oriented and crossed the road to the house. I have been on the house tour before so I declined that today. Instead I hiked the trail from the house to the burial site and back. It crosses the coolest suspension bridge which I have missed until now. It is very pretty and I couldn't believe I had waited until now to do this.
Alvin York house
Dogwood blossom
red barn by the house
Below: stone silo by the barn which I had never paid attention to before
Signage that explains where things are and what is here in the park.
River trail
Pretty waters of the Wolf River
Going up the suspension bridge for the first time
below: looking back across the bridge
cairn type grave
above and below: the thing I wanted to see at the cemetery was these coffin shaped above ground box graves.
Coffin grave of Coonrod Pile. I finally got to see them for myself.
Above: gorgeous blue waters of the Wolf River.
I enjoyed my time at Alvin York State Park. It was lunch time now. I was still homesick. I headed in the direction of home. I called Kenny on the way and told him what I was going to do. I would simply go home and meet him there when he got off work. We could ride back over together. Have dinner together. I had brought home one vehicle and a bunch of stuff that I was done with. My sewing machine, finished cushions, all my art supplies. I went home and was so glad to be there. I put stuff away and rested. I caught up on my emails. I ate some lunch. I just was over it, but had to get through Friday night, Saturday night. and Sunday's trip home. At least I'd have Kenny with me for the rest of it.
Drunks in the Campground--Mean & Mouthy
We got over to the camper Friday evening about 8:45 p.m. and were both weary. We went to be by 10 p.m. The campground was busy and a lot more folks had arrived. We went to sleep to the sound of the folks across the way talking. It was rather soothing. No worse than falling asleep on the couch with the tv on.
I woke up at 12:30 a.m. the volume on the folks across from us had gotten turned way up. I tried to ignore it and go back to sleep. That wasn't going to happen. They were now in fight mode. I heard a cussing match not soon to be forgotten.
A man and a woman were into a big argument. They almost had to be liquored up to be that loud, that mean and mouthy at that time of night. I heard lots of dogs barking. The argument escalating. I didn't know what to do so I got up and dialed 9-1-1. I finally got hold of Overton County sheriffs department. I told them what was up and they said they'd send someone to cruise through and tell them to either go to bed there and shut the hell up or come with them to sleep it off in the drunk tank in Monterey.
The next morning we woke to them still mouthing off, but they were dialed down some. We stopped by the visitor center at Standing Stone and asked the ranger to please cruise through and remind them tonight to shut the hell up. Quiet hour is 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. You have to pass several signs indicating this when you pull in to camp. You cannot miss it. He was surprised, but agreed to go see about it. I got a real nice super soft sweatshirt as a souvenir of my stay. We got Gabe a garter snake stuffed animal. He loved it!
We headed over to Alpine Mountain WMA to ride the RZR today. That was what Kenny wanted to do mainly. I was down for that. On the way over there we discussed what to do about tonight? I was in favor of leaving early and sleeping at home. I did not want to put Kenny to a bunch of extra trouble. We stopped by Stovers Country Kitchen and tried it out for breakfast. Wow! It was an instant favorite. We both loved it. Inexpensive. Clean as a pin. Huge menu. Delicious food. Fast and courteous service. The place is decorated like a charming home from one end to the other. Even the restrooms were spotless and decorated with all the flourishes. Changing tables for babies that are handmade. We will definitely go back. It is like going over to someone's house for breakfast.
We arrived at Alpine to find we were the only ones in the parking area.
That was surprising as popular as the place has gotten and on a pretty Saturday in Spring? We were to learn what the problem was. We got up on the mountain and found increasing amounts of downed trees and limbs. Tons of damage from an ice storm back in November. We had noticed it at Standing Stone and in Livingston.
It was here as well. Thankfully much of it had been cut out earlier in the year. Prior to Muddin' for Melton.. a benefit for Chris Melton... it was cleaned out. About 20% of the trails are still in foul shape and littered with downed trees and limbs. What a mess!
I got to see a lot of great Spring wildflowers. I found my first hybrid prairie trillium ever. I had just got done telling Kenny that in all my years I had never seen a hybrid of prairie trillium. Then I spotted one! I saw quite a few blends between the red and white trilliums.
Above: one parent of the hybrid
Hybrid prairie trillium-- the hybridization has produced not only a lovely color pattern, but some interesting ruffling effects on the petal edges.
Below: the other parent of the hybrid... a regular prairie trillium.
A huge patch of white flowered trilliums, prairie trilliums, southern red trilliums, dwarf larkspur, solomon's seal and more on the slopes of Alpine Mountain.
Above: trillium trio
Trillium above is aging to pink
Below: a hybrid between white and red trilliums has formed a unique candy striped pattern!
First time ever seeing this pattern in these colors! I had seen pink and white, but never red and white.
Above: a very pretty jack in the pulpit
We worked our way in the direction we thought we'd find the Bigfoot Overlook.
Kenny was going off directions given by someone on a previous visit. We had a nice ride and saw some pretty spots, but I began to get the feeling we were aimlessly wandering. Finally we went down Medlock Hollow which I had wanted to see. I was there at last. It was pretty but there were no waterfalls I had hoped to find. I did find huge patches of golden seal and other pretty wildflowers.
Above: we saw lots of bluets atop the mountain at Alpine
Ugly mud holes and damage from ice storm. broken and bent trees.
Beautiful red maple samara
some shelter a man built atop Alpine Mountain
We ran upon this rock mining operation on the eastern slopes of the mountain.
a pretty view to the east from Medlock Hollow.
We went down the mountain and came out near someone's house. We went over to the confluence of Puncheon Camp Creek and West Fork Obey River. It was real pretty. The photo above is looking down the West Fork River.
Above: looking upstream West fork Obey River
Wild cherries in bloom
Below: Wood betony in bloom near Puncheon camp creek
We stopped by a dude's house and visited with him and his father who were out doing yard work. We got directions from him how to get to Bigfoot Overlook.
We would try again. He also told us that 1. while you're not supposed to go on Hwy 85 past the barriers... you can. 2. that the bridge on Shiloh Road is open. They deemed it needed closing for repair, but when it came right down to it they did not want to make the effort nor spend the money on it. No doubt they will wait until something bad happens and then fix it. Kind of how things go round here.
They do not care about the residents. The state officials just want to draw a paycheck and feel important and pontificate.
We went out along Puncheon Camp Creek along the road. We saw where one very nice fellow's house had burned to the ground! Someone was there doing yard work, but we could not tell if anyone is currently staying there. It doesn't look like it. I hope he is okay. The area was pretty as could be. I looked up the slopes by the road and saw rows of shooting stars growing! Puncheon Camp Creek itself was quite pretty today. We could hear the sound of other machines back there riding, but never did see them. We stopped to eat lunch before we tried again to find Bigfoot Overlook.
decent view off the back of Alpine Mountain, but still not Bigfoot Overlook
Kenny on the trail in Medlocke Holler
phlox and a skipper butterfly
Looking up the slope in Medlocke Holler
Looking down from the trail... a stream, but not flowing too good.
goldenseal in Medlocke Holler
Above: a lone box grave we encountered on our second attempt today to find Bigfoot Overlook.
Below is the headstone which reads:
Margaret Vaughan The Wife of Charles Allred was bornd Oct. 13 1858 dec. (deceased) May 18, 1878. She is buried near the house and is the only one there we saw. She was young.. only 18 or so and they had not been married but a couple years. I imagine that was a hard blow. He later remarried and the rest of the family are buried in the nearby Allred Cemetery.
above and below... Puncheon Camp Creek was pretty today.
Above: delapidated shack near Puncheon Camp Creek.
Above: perfect specimen of dwarf crested iris.
We finally got up top of Alpine Mountain once more. We kept going and I told Kenny I have that deja vu feeling and I could describe what was going to happen next. We were on the wrong trail yet again. We stopped to turn around and encountered a man and his son both on dirt bikes. We visited with them both and they were extremely nice. They had us follow them and show us the turn off for Bigfoot Overlook. It was impassable today. It had never been cleared out from the ice storm. We were both tired and ready to end our day. We went off the back of the mountain coming out in Conatser Hollow. We followed the road out to the hard top road. It did not emerge where I thought it would. It was further drive down the black top road than I'd thought. We swung by the OTHER Copeland Cemetery on the way out. I still did not find Adam's ancestors so I am out of ideas.
We went back to the camper and decided to stay the night. We slept well as the rangers had enlightened our noisy neighbors about obey the rules or get kicked out. It was a shame really. We passed two nice couples both of whom checked out a day early because of their unwillingness to tolerate another rowdy night.
They were meek as lambs tonight. Went to bed at a decent hour and we did not have another moments problem from them or their dogs. The ranger swung by in the morning to let us know what had been done and to apologize for the difficulty.
He was super nice and we thanked him. We appreciate their efforts to keep things nailed down. It can't be easy.
I have decided after consideration that I no longer need to take protracted camping trips for Spring wildflowers. I started that because initially I needed it.
My life is different now and better. I no longer need that. I also need to pick a different place. I have worn out Standing Stone State Park in Spring wildflower season. I need to pick a different season to visit or a different state park or campground. I think I'd prefer several shorter camping trips as opposed to one long drawn out trip. I still didn't get everything done I wanted to do. I did not see the cave as I planned. I did not get to hike back to Bryan Fork Falls and on to Rocky Mound quarry site. If I return to Standing Stone I will need to come rent a cabin in Winter or camp in Summer when the pool is open. Something different to spice it up.
All in all a good trip, but not without its mess ups and disappointments. I was glad to see it in my rearview mirror.
I leave you with two final videos. One of the Wolf River trail and the other of York Mill Dam.
York Mill Dam below
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Thanks for reading and commenting. I enjoy hearing from those who read & make use of my blog. I have made some wonderful friendships through emails from readers. I respond to all comments and emails. I appreciate folks reaching out to let me know when my blog entries are not functioning correctly or if the situation somewhere has changed. Many Blessings to you! Dana 🐝
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for reading and commenting. I enjoy hearing from those who read & make use of my blog. I have made some wonderful friendships through emails from readers. I respond to all comments and emails. I appreciate folks reaching out to let me know when my blog entries are not functioning correctly or if the situation somewhere has changed. Many Blessings to you!
Dana 🐝