I made my first venture down the bluff from my place in Sewanee this weekend. It required an extension ladder to scale the initial bluff. Once I got down there, I realized that this was true wilderness. No trails, no sign of humanity whatsoever... and some very steep rugged hiking. This is not a place for old men (or women). One has to be very sure-footed and in top physical condition to hike down and back up this bluff. Next time, I'll take water!
I followed the Laurel Branch creek down where it joined a second creek. The second creek had a waterfall and an awesome rock overhang 3' high that went behind the falls - a stunning natural feature probably few have seen. Where the creeks joined, they formed another waterfall that fell into a sink and disappeared. There was a huge old growth oak at that spot. I continued down until I reached the flat part of the cove.
I started back up and got to the rock wall and walked left. I was disoriented and followed some deer paths I hadn't seen before. I finally came to the top and saw an unfamiliar road. I checked a sign and found that I had wandered out at Myers Point, near the Stapleton land. I had no idea where I was so I flagged down the next car who was Sarah, a professor at UTC. She drove me to Maggie's house and Maggie drove me home. It was probably less than a mile to my house as the crow flies... but a staggering 4 to 5 miles by road.
That evening, we watched one helluva sunset.
That evening, we watched one helluva sunset.
6 comments:
OMG.... the tree and the overhang were awesome!!! How about a 'rope ladder' permanently placed where you needed a ladder to descend? Better drop 'bread crumbs' next time.
What are you using for a camera, William? I think you owe yourself something like a Canon EOS or Nikon D300 with a couple of nice lenses. The photos are great and maybe it's just the rendering on the intertubes but I think you might get better resolution with one of the boxes I mentioned.
You do get snow up there, yes?
BTW, did you sell your other house?
This was my cheap 2mp phone that took these photos. I also have a cheap camera, a $100 Canon A2400 IS
No, I did not sell my other house. I love that place too.
We do get more snow up here than in Murfreesboro, but this is the South Cumberland. We are less than 15 miles from the Alabama border, deep in Dixie. The temperatures are about 7-12º cooler on avg. Nice in summer.
William:
I am, as you know, retired (in the sense that I don't got no job and nobody will hire me!). I am trying to create an itenerary that will enable me to save on winter heating costs and your two addresses will be plugged into the data base along with all of the other nice folks I know who live in places where their second story windows are never used as entry doors!
Post a Comment