Benton MacKaye Trail in NC – Whigg Meadow Road to Pheasant Fields Picnic Area – 6/23/18 – 6 Miles
Today’s original plan to hike southbound from Whigg Meadow
to Beaverdam Bald was overwhelming.
Major concern in my mind was retrieving Carol’s car, which I regretted
leaving at the bald. But what if we
hiked all the way up to it and then the forest road out was blocked by a fallen
tree? After hiking 16 miles to the bald,
we would have to walk another 3 miles out to Tellico River Road. And if the trail was in the same shape as
yesterday’s section, it would be slow going – again. Mike intended to start out with us and stop at Pheasant Fields Picnic Area, then walk to the general store and wait for us to pick him up
(because we would park his van at Whigg Meadow). A complicated scenario no matter how you
slice it.
Mike walked up to the cabin to eat breakfast with us
A good-sized tree had fallen across the path during
the windy, stormy night. Hmm…
In Mike’s van we headed to Whigg Meadow. About a
mile-and-a-half from our destination, in a switchback curve of Whigg Meadow
Road (FR 61), we encountered a woman sitting in a camp chair surrounded by a piles of camping supplies. She was
part of the Georgia contingent of BMT volunteer trail maintainers. The group had camped the previous night at
Whigg Meadow and were now shuttling folks between points to perform trail
maintenance today. Once everyone was in
place, a driver would return for her and the gear and they would set up for a
big cookout at Pheasant Fields Picnic Area where the BMT crosses Tellico River
Road (Mike’s end point today). The trail entered the woods at this curve, so we
decided to start our hike here to cut off a mile or so.
Hikers ready?
Carol and I started out ahead of Mike down the
gentle descent on an old road bed.
Flagging tape was hung at intervals, but we didn’t really see the need
for much maintenance along this section of the trail, especially not compared to what we’d been
through the previous day.
The walking was easy and my mind was preoccupied with what
lay ahead. We stopped to do foot
maintenance (both having hot spots from yesterday’s perpetually wet feet) and
discussed our options. Carol is an
agreeable hiker and was in it for the long haul, but she was glad to hear my
second thoughts. If we cut today short, there
would be a 9-mile gap in my section and I would have to revisit Beaverdam Bald
someday…but we decided it was the safer option.
We would hike to Tellico River Road at Pheasant Fields with Mike and look
for a ride to retrieve her car from the bald.
Surely some dude with a pickup truck would be willing…
Once that decision was set, the rest of the hike was
pleasant and quick. The air had the same hazy green quality as the previous day and the forest was lush with vegetation but the trail was easy to discern. We wondered again (not for the last time on this trip) about the directing of volunteer maintenance hours to this section rather than the Heart of Darkness...but different skills for different sections and for different folks.
Pipsissewa
What looks to you like green nothing is really a
huge canopy of Dutchman’s pipe vine
At Pheasant Fields we waited for Mike, who was only a few
minutes behind. When he heard that we
were cutting it short, he raised his eyebrows with a look that I knew well (“don’t
quit now”) but I’ve learned to listen to myself and trust
my own instincts. The trails will be there another day. While we could have hiked another 5 miles
without complaint, another 10 was too much, and foremost in my mind was my
feeling of responsibility for Carol’s car.
In Mike’s opinion, we wouldn’t find anyone willing to drive
up the rough road to Beaverdam Bald and we should instead look for a ride to
his van near Whigg Meadow.
Carol and I approached the Georgia trail maintainers group (2 women were
setting up for their picnic) but they couldn’t help. Whigg Meadow was a 45-minute drive away. As we stood at the road intersection
scratching our heads, a pickup truck pulled up and hesitated. Impulsively I walked up to it and the driver
rolled down the window. I asked where he
was headed and he said, “Well, I don’t really know. Where are we now?” He was trying to find his
way back to the Cherahala Skyway. I said
we were looking for a ride to Whigg Meadow, and Mike determined that it was on
the way to where the pickup owner wanted to go. Some good karma!! Mike climbed into the truck and off they
went.
It was just past noon. Carol and I had a couple of hours to
kill, so we started walking to the store.
Mike’s estimate of one mile was less
than reality (not for the first time). How much farther? Again, a pickup truck slowed down to pass us
and I waved them down. How much further
to the store? A mile-and-a-half. Would you give us a ride in the back of your
truck? Sure, hop in. Two old ladies didn’t exactly hop, but we had
a nice ride to the store.
Green Cove, not on the map, not on GPS, no cell service, no
wifi, a pay phone hanging on the wall outside the store. The Lodge at Green Cove boasts 17 tiny
rooms that faced the two-lane blacktop and had rear balconies hanging over the
Tellico River. A few cabins with tiny
yards populated the opposite side of the road.
River Road is a favorite of motorcyclists and the store seemed to be a
must-stop. Carol and I got sodas and Drumstick ice cream cones and sat at a
picnic table outside under the covered porch. Two fellows sitting at the next table, one
saw Carol’s cap “Falkland Islands” and struck up a conversation. He was originally from Denmark, worked in the
merchant marine, and they used to deliver something-or-other to the
Falklands. How did he end up in this
part of Tennessee? He shrugged. “Just
lucky.”
Mike picked us up around 2:00 p.m. and we drove back up to
Beaverdam Bald. There was debris strewn
along the road from yesterday’s storm.
At the top, we all pulled out phones to take advantage of the wifi
signal, but a wind suddenly whipped up and the sky darkened for the daily thunderstorm. Carol wanted to get off the bald before the
rain. The drive down lasted 30 nail-biting
minutes as the storm blew through. At
the bottom, we parked to wait for Mike (he waited out the storm at the bald). When
he reached Carol’s car he had to tap on the window to wake us up. What, us asleep?
Mike needed to gas up, so while he drove to the next town
(40 minutes one way), Carol and I returned to our little cabin in the
woods. The storm had abated but the rain
continued in fits and starts. We hung up
wet clothes (again) and pulled out the coolers.
On the porch, Carol spread out a feast of hummus, crackers, carrots and
ginger beer and we rocked our cares away.
Her car was safe, we were safe, good food and time to enjoy it.
“Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your
own sunshine.” ~Anthony J. D'Angelo
No comments:
Post a Comment