a beautiful truth

It is a beautiful truth that all men contain something of the artist in them. And perhaps it is the case that the greatest artists live and die, the world and themselves alike ignorant what they possess. Who would not mourn that an ample palace, of surpassingly graceful architecture, fill’d with luxuries, and embellish’d with fine pictures and sculpture, should stand cold and still and vacant, and never be known or enjoy’d by its owner? Would such a fact as this cause your sadness? Then be sad. For there is a palace, to which the courts of the most sumptuous kings are but a frivolous patch, and, though it is always waiting for them, not one of its owners ever enters there with any genuine sense of its grandeur and glory.
--Walt Whitman (1819-1892) American poet

abundant flow

For true love is inexhaustible; the more you give, the more you have. And if you go to draw at the true fountainhead, the more water you draw, the more abundant is its flow.
--Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900-1944) French writer and aviator

This small waterfall (less than 10 feet tall) is known as Rocky Fork Falls. It's found along a picturesque and rugged stretch of Rocky Fork, where the waters tumble and rumble over and around large rocks and boulders. A great spot to explore.

Directions: Take the Flag Pond exit off of I-26 (exit #50), at the stop sign turn left onto Upper Higgins Creek Road. Drive ½ mile, till you reach Rt. 23, turn right and travel 2 ¼ mi. through Flag Pond, then turn left on Rocky Fork Road. This particular waterfall is a little ways up the road on the right hand side (easily visible from the road). After ¾ mile from where you turned onto Rocky Fork Road, you will see a gravel pull-off to the left. Park here (out of the way of the gate) to continue exploring the 10,000 acre Rocky Fork on foot.

defining faith

Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God whose ways you may not understand at the time.
--Oswald Chambers (1874-1917) Scottish minister and teacher

A mile long walking trail circles Osceola Island near Bristol, TN.

P.S. Don't forget the bug spray

misty morning

A misty morning does not signify a cloudy day.
--Proverb

The footbridge leading visitors to the walking trails on Osceola Island near the South Holston Dam. Click here for discussion and directions.

A River Runs Through It

In our family, there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing.
--Norman Maclean (1902-1990) author of A River Runs Through It

The tailwaters of the South Holston are a nationally recognized trout fishery and, from what I saw, a very popular place to be early on Saturday mornings. Pictured above is Frank Newcomb, a senior education major at Milligan College. The river is located directly below South Holston Dam which discharges water from the bottom of the lake to generate electricity, resulting in a constant cold temperature all year -- perfect for trout.

Appalachian Blues

Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the Deity to be a source of delight.
--John Ruskin (1819-1900) English Writer

This shot was taken Saturday at 6:45 am from the top of South Holston Dam outside of Bristol, TN. To soften the clouds and still the waters of South Holston Lake, I left the shutter open for 25 seconds.

Directions: From the intersection of routes 394 and 421 south of Bristol, continue 2.9 miles south on 421 (toward Shady Valley). Turn right onto Emmett Road/Holston View Dam Road. Continue for 1.6 miles (bear right at the fork) and you'll see the Osceola Island/Weir Dam recreation area on your left. Continue on Holston Dam View Road for another 2 miles to the top of the dam. Beautiful views!

Bristol Motor Speedway

Bristol Motor Speedway at 6 a.m. on race day awaiting the Sharpie 500 and 160,000 fans. Even with that many seats, it remains one of the top ten hottest tickets in sports.

The spring race, we have a 99-percent renewal rate on tickets, ... For this race, it's 99.6 percent, which proves that 0.4 percent of the people don't renew their tickets to Bristol. We figure those are the ones that died.
--Jeff Byrd (1949-2010) President and General Manager, Speedway Motorsports, Inc.

invasive beauty

There is nothing that makes its way more directly to the soul than beauty.
--Joseph Addison (1672-1719) English essayist, poet and politician

Waterfall on the campus of Milligan College.

Jennie Moore

While visiting the Rocky Fork area of Unicoi County, I came upon the Jennie Moore Memorial Presbyterian Church. What caught my attention was that it was organized in 1901 and named for a woman -- which I thought was quite progressive for the times. So I wondered, who was this Jennie Moore? What I've found are mentions here and here (click the second link to see a photo of her) (along with a few other brief snippets).

Jennie Moore, as part of her ministry with the Presbyterian Mission Board, was assigned to start a day school in southern Unicoi County. Her assignment was to last three months -- she ended up staying more than thirty years, from 1903-1936. Decades later, she remains a legend in this part of county. While her students were desperately poor, she saw in them leadership potential -- and through her efforts 263 of her students went on to college -- 43 of them followed her lead and became teachers. In addition to teaching, Moore saw to other needs of the community. Her mission served as a school, a church, a medical facility, a library, and a source of food and clothing for families in this remote mountain community facing hard times. It is said that she helped deliver more than 500 babies.

Moore died in Birmingham, Alabama on December 14, 1950 where she had retired to live with her sister. If anyone has any additional information about "Miss Jennie" they'd like to share, please email me or leave a comment below.

tradition

A love for tradition has never weakened a nation, indeed it has strengthened nations in their hour of peril.
--Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British Author and Prime Minister

lil' genius

When Nature has work to be done, she creates a genius to do it.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American Poet, Lecturer and Essayist

all truth is God's truth

I would suggest that loving God with our minds—thinking Christianly—points us to a unity of knowledge, a seamless whole, because all true knowledge flows from the One Creator to His one creation. Thus specific bodies of knowledge relate to each other not just because scholars work together in community, not just because interdisciplinary work broadens our knowledge, but because all truth is God's truth, composing a single universe of knowledge.
--Dr. David Dockery (b.1952) Union University President

A wide-angle view of Seeger Memorial Chapel on the campus of Milligan College. Matriculation was last night - a time when incoming students sign the register and enter into the Milligan family. When the program ended, just after sunset, the administration, faculty, staff and students were led out of the chapel by a bagpiper, down the sidewalks lined with luminaires to a reception hosted by the parent's council. I wish I could have stepped out of the line and photographed the procession -- it's such an uplifting and unique way to start a new school year and to welcome one of our largest incoming classes to campus.

Jack

A baby is God's opinion that life should go on.
--Carl Sandburg (1878-1967) writer

From Volunteers to Buckeyes

The future of the world and the Church passes through the family.
--Pope John Paul II (1920-2005)

My friends Josh and Kaitlyn, with Olivia and two-week old Jack, depart Tennessee tomorrow to begin a new chapter of their lives in Ohio. I think this quote fits them well. Spending time with this family gives me confidence in the future. They're such good people and such wonderful parents -- so kind and generous, gifted and faithful. Their friends will miss them here in Tennessee, but I know they'll be a blessing to the Buckeye State.

Mary Patton

Mary Patton
1751-1836
One of that heroic band who established a civilization in the wilderness. She made the powder used by John Sevier's troops in the battle of King's Mountain.
Erected by her descendants.
1932

Mary McKeehan Patton, born in England in 1751, played a crucial role in the defeat of British loyalists in South Carolina in 1780 -- a battle considered by many to be a key turning point of the Revolutionary War. Her family immigrated to the Colonies in the late 1760s, and it is thought that Mary learned the art of gunpowder manufacturing from her father. She wed Irish immigrant John Patton in 1772 and after the birth of their two children, they moved from Pennsylvania to the Overmountain region of North Carolina (now Tennessee). Moving over the mountains into Cherokee lands meant that they were in direct violation of the crown's order to remain east of the Appalachians. The British Major Patrick Ferguson sought to enforce the order. In response to his threats, the Overmountain men banded together and marched to King's Mountain in South Carolina and routed the British loyalists and killed Major Ferguson. The battle lasted 65 minutes.

Mary's role in the Battle of King's Mountain was to provide 500 pounds of gunpowder to the 850 Overmountain Men from her mill located on what would become known as Powder Branch outside of present-day Elizabethton, TN. Mary was known to be thrifty and entrepreneurial. She would travel as far as South Carolina to sell her powder for a dollar a pound -- she then would buy land with the proceeds. When she died in 1836 at age 85, it's said that she owned 1,700 acres of land. More about Mary here and here. Read my post about the path these Overmountain men took over Yellow Mountain here.

Mary is buried in Patton-Simmons Cemetery (under the large monument above) on Toll Branch Road near Milligan College, TN.

"The victory was of far-reaching importance, and ranks among the decisive battles of the Revolution. It was the first great success of the Americans in the south, the turning-point in the southern campaign, and it brought cheer to the patriots throughout the Union."
--Theodore Roosevelt, The Winning of the West, Vol. 2

Sweetness

I've taken lots of family portraits this year, so I need to start sharing them with you more often. Back in April, I very much enjoyed taking portraits of Kenneth and Kelly's beautiful family. The kids were absolutely adorable and the setting amazing! As you can see, the kids were a lot of fun, so sweet -- and so smiley -- and oh, so silly. This one was taken right before they all giggled and rolled on the ground. We all had a blast.

There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, the other, wings.
--Hodding Carter (1907-1972) Author

Compression/Twisting Falls

Twisting Falls (also known as Compression Falls or Twisted Falls) is found in the Elk Mills area of Carter County near the border with North Carolina. As you can see this waterfall is a popular place to be in the summer. It's listed as 30 feet high, but that seems to be a low estimate. Of course it made me nervous watching the young people climb the rope to the right and then either slide down or jump off the falls. Above the main falls, they were also jumping into another large pool from a high perch above. Obviously all of this is very dangerous and not something I recommend... Back in June '09  a college student was injured there and it took rescuers five hours to bring her safely out. To be honest, I'm surprised (and very thankful) it doesn't happen more often. I doubt these young people consider how perilous a situation it would be for them and their rescuers if they were to injure themselves in such a remote setting. That said, this waterfall is stunning in its beauty -- open to the sun, with the falls large enough to send out a constant spray of mist, perfect on a hot summer day. But getting there is pretty tough. It's not a long hike (about 3/4 mile) but it is the steepest 'trail' I've seen in this area. The first part of the trail leads you through the woods to a clearing where there are overhead power lines. Hang a left, and you begin your descent. It's straight down. No switchbacks. Hiking poles or walking sticks may help. I can't imagine attempting to make it down the trail after a rain -- it was treacherous enough when dry. Do yourself a favor and wear descent hiking shoes -- I saw more than one idget wearing just flip flops. There was a rope halfway down that really helped -- although I'm not sure if it's always there or not. But take your time, watch your footing, and you'll reach the Elk River. At this point, you'll hear the falls from around the corner to your left. A trail will lead you over and around the slippery rocks until you reach the nearby falls. Enjoy the view and be careful! Click here for more information. Before venturing out, please read my warnings, safety tips and disclaimers.

Check out Ben Sink's fantastic video of the falls!

Directions: Take highway 19E to Hampton, TN and then turn north onto route 321/67 toward Mountain City. Drive 9.7 miles and turn right on route 321 which leads to Boone, NC. Drive 7.2 miles till you reach Elk Mills Store (which will be on your right), turn right after the store onto Poga Road. After 0.2 miles the road will split, keep left, cross Jack Campbell Bridge, and then you'll immediately turn right again to continue following Poga Road for 3.6 miles. Then turn right onto Clawson Road and drive 0.5 miles. You then turn right onto Dark Ridge Road and drive another 0.5 miles (it will eventually turn to gravel). You'll see an old barn up on the hill to your left, park on the road next to it (don't park next to the barn, that's private property). The trail head is across the road from the barn and marked with yellow and red paint on a tree.  Map here.

8/14/10 Update: A 28 year old woman was severely injured when she fell 20 to 30 feet from the falls. It took the Carter County Rescue Squad four hours to rescue her and she was listed in critical condition with a broken back, a broken arm, a shattered heal and required eleven staples in the back of her head. (video of rescue here. more here). I certainly hope she will be okay.  Earlier this week a 29 year old man nearly drowned. Incidents of injury and rescue are becoming so frequent the US Forest Service is set to address the problem. If you chose to visit this waterfall, be very careful and don't jeopardize your health, nor imperil the safety of those who would be called on to rescue you. Yes, these falls are beautiful and meant to be enjoyed -- but they should also be respected -- and so should those who work so hard and sacrifice so much to keep us safe.

Buckeye Falls

Buckeye Falls from Chigger Ridge
(taken by Marty Shirley)

My thanks to Jeff Keeling (above, far right) for sharing these photos of Buckeye Falls with us. I think these are the first photos I've posted on this blog that I didn't take. This is one place (among many) that I haven't been to. But my friend Jeff Miller (above, wearing yellow) made it his mission earlier this year to find the elusive Buckeye Falls and he offered these directions for the blog. Jeff found that much of the information on the Internet about Buckeye is either false or incomplete. It took him four tries, but he finally found it. In case you've never heard of Buckeye Falls, it is said to be the highest waterfall east of the Mississippi. The height listed for it varies from source to source: from 475 to 700 feet high! If you visit during dry weather, I'm told you'll mostly see just a large, wet cliff. So this waterfall is best visited in the spring or times of heavy rainfall. The falls are in the beautiful, but remote Clark's Creek area of Unicoi County -- and the hike is quite strenuous -- so this one should be left to more experienced hikers. By the way, it is said that the Sampson Mountain Wilderness (where Buckeye is located) has the greatest concentration of black bears anywhere north of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

[Update 7/2015: Marty Shirley sent in the above pic of Buckeye taken earlier this year from Chigger Ridge. Marty said this particular vantage point is steep and not easily accessible. Very glad to see Buckeye in all its glory! Thanks Marty for sharing!]

Directions to Clark's Creek: Take I-26 to the Erwin/Jonesborough exit #37. At the end of the ramp, turn right and take State Route 81/107 west for 6.5 miles, stay on Rt. 107 by turning left and continue for 5 more miles. Turn left on Clark's Creek Road and drive 4.1 miles into the Cherokee National Forest to the end of the road (it ends in a cul-de-sac). I'll let Jeff take it from here:

General Info: The first half of the trail is wide and frequented by horses. You'll cross water more than 20 times and spend some time walking up the creek itself. The total distance to the falls is about 3.5 miles, and some of it is slow going. Clark's Creek is beautiful all they way; at no point is the creek out of view.

1) Drive to the end of Clark's Creek Road. It's about 4.1 miles from highway 107 to the terminus.
2) Cross the water immediately, so that you're heading upstream on the right side of Clark's Creek. [If the crossings are too easy, Jeff said the hike may not be worth it. If you get wet on the initial crossings, that's a good sign!]
3) Counting this first crossing, there are 7 creek crossings in somewhat rapid succession. Between the 5th and 6th there is a side trail to the right--don't take it.
4) After the 7th crossing you'll be on the right side of the creek and will stay on that side for awhile. The trail begins to climb more, at a steeper rate than the creek.
5) The 8th crossing comes when the creek nearly catches up with the trail again (in terms of elevation). You can either descend about ten feet to the creek and then ascend about 15 feet on the other side or you can go to the right for another 50 paces or so and then cross. Going to the right will for the first time put you on a trail that is inches rather than feet wide, but this doesn't last long. I suggest this right hand jaunt, for if there's enough water you'll see a couple springs coming right out of the moss-covered far bank. They are unique and delightful.
6) When you're up the left bank you've got a relatively long span till you cross again. You'll pass more than one section where trees have fallen from the steep left-hand slopes.
7) The 9th through 12th crossings bring you into the remote area of the trail. There are no longer horse tracks, and at various points the trail is momentarily unclear, only to be seen again after several paces.
8) There's no point in counting past the 11th or 12th crossing; different hikers--even different hikers in the same party--may stay on this side or that side unequally. In addition, the creek sometimes forms little islands and therefore smaller streams which must be crossed. Just stay with the stream, and when there's an island the trail will probably follow it.
9) At what could reasonably be called the 14th crossing, the creek forks. Some websites say call the left-hand option a branch, which I suppose it technically is. The right and left, however, are about the same size. You don't want to go left. If you do, you'll be going straight up the stream and eventually come to a nice 15-foot waterfall. Getting to this waterfall is a struggle. Beyond it about 10-15 minutes is a high and narrow set of cascades. I'm convinced that some online sources wrongly consider these cascades to be Buckeye Falls.
10) Take the right branch, which is Clark's Creek proper. After a short distance (perhaps a couple hundred yards), a small branch enters from the left.
11) Go left. In the words of the local hikers who guided me there, "Go as far as you can go." It's hard to judge the distance because it's slow going. It's about a 30-minute climb, perhaps more. For much of this last leg the stream is the trail; plan to get wet. Use caution, for the higher you get the more uncertain the footing.
12) When you see the falls, there will be no doubt. People say they are often dry, but even if they are dry you'll know you're there.
13) You should favor the right side of the final approach. The falls are twice as high as they at first seem, and you'll see the top half from the right.

Thanks again to Jeff Miller and Jeff Keeling for their generosity. Click here to see a beautiful shot of Buckeye Falls in the winter taken by Marty Silver. More photos and information here and here.

ideals to light the way

The ideals which have lighted me on my way and time after time given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.
--Albert Einstein (1889-1955) physicist

A trail near the Roan Mountain Rhododendron Garden. Click here for my list of things to see and do on the Roan.

rainy day rhodo

The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart.
--Helen Keller (1880-1968)

On another note... Check out the series of photos William Clayton made during his tour of the Capitol dome in Washington. A unique perspective! After clicking, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click next (there are seven posts in his Capitol Dome series.)

out ridin' fences

Throw your heart over the fence and the rest will follow.
--Norman Vincent Peale (1898-1993) American Protestant Clergyman and Writer

The view from the Beauty Spot on Unaka Mountain.

a chance meeting

Strangers are friends you have yet to meet.
--Author Unknown

On my way to the summit of Unaka Mountain, I ran into this group of hikers from Pekin, Illinois. Pekin is just over the Illinois River from Bartonville where my grandparents lived for sixty years and where my mom grew up. We got to talking and realized that the fellow in the Cubs hat worked with my first cousin Rob for a time. Funny to run into strangers in the middle of nowhere on a rainy day and find a connection! They came to east Tennessee for a week to go white water rafting on the Nolichucky and to hike from Carver's Gap on Roan Mountain to Indian Grave Gap on Unaka Mountain. In spite of the rain, I hope they had a great trip. And who knows, maybe we'll meet again someday.

I had a similar experience on Unaka a few months ago when I met a couple of through-hikers, and found out we had a common friend from Ohio between us. It's a small, small world.

the high road

It is a rough road that leads to the heights of greatness.
--Seneca (c. 4 BC – AD 65) Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, dramatist

Don't know about you, but I'm ready for a break from the rain. I think I picked the rainiest week of the summer to have my roof re-shingled. But the good thing is that the rain can make for some pretty scenes if you're willing to venture out. Immediately after the rain seems to be the best time to find beautiful scenes like this.

This is the Unaka Mountain Road - which often is shrouded with clouds and mist. They've recently been working on the twelve mile gravel road some up there, a never-ending job. Parts of it are still pretty rough -- especially the spur off the main road leading to Unaka Mountain Overlook. A high-clearance vehicle is definitely needed for that section. But this rough road does indeed lead to great things. Click here to read my long post describing all there is to see on Unaka Mountain.