GREENBRIER

May 10, 2006

The next morning we planned out our adventures and explorations for the day, packed up and set out for more enjoyment of the park.

First we drove back up the mountain to Newfound Gap, the summit of the pass over the mountain range.  There we met a nice couple from Houston who were volunteers at the park.  We got to talking to them because they were driving a Prius.  The car was painted with pretty park pictures.  We learned that 3 Prius cars had been donated by Toyota to the Great Smoky National Park and they were used by rangers and volunteers to do their jobs.

Next we moved on to Clingman’s Dome, the highest point on the Appalachian Trail.  We were above the clouds there, but low-lying clouds covered the views of the valleys.  But, we did enjoy a 360-degree view of the surrounding mountains, poking up above the cloud layer.

Driving the pretty road back down the hill, we decided to take our hosts’ suggestion for lunch.  We took the pretty little side road out into the country and found The Wild Plum.  We were seated on the deck, under an umbrella and next to the babbling brook.  Our lunch was served and was delicious.

After lunch we went back into the park to do a hike up to the Ramsey Cascades waterfall.  The drive around the Greenbrier Cove area was lovely and green, with sunlight filtering down through the treetops, babbling brooks, colorful wildflowers, and lots of huge butterflies flitting around.  It almost felt like Alice in Wonderland.

When we got to the trailhead we found that the trail was closed for two days for repairs, so we continued our drive around the cove loop and headed out into the country lanes to the art communities. 

Hidden back in the little canyons are hundreds of artists—potters, weavers, painters, and woodworkers.  We meandered around the green, bucolic countryside, enjoying the scenery and stopping whenever we saw something that seemed interesting to us.

One artist, Jim Gray, had work we especially liked.  We stopped at his gallery to see more of his work.  A comical raccoon, after enjoying his illicit meal of garbage, was stuck in the garbage can.  Every time he tried to get out another darn human popped up to take a photo and he had to duck back down and hide from them.

Don went into the gallery and I was waiting in the car.  We were parked next to another Prius, the first one we had seen since New Mexico. A fellow came out of the gallery and we started chatting about the Prius.  When Don joined us we continued out friendly discussion and Don mentioned how much he liked the artist’s work.  It turns out the fellow we were talking with was Chris Gray, the son of the artist.  He was very friendly and we talked about his upcoming trip to California and our trip.  We told him to be sure to contact us when he comes to California and we hope he will.  After a few more moments Chris ducked back into the shop and came out with a flat cardboard box and gave it to us as a gift.

Eventually we all decided we needed to go about our business, although we were enjoying our conversation immensely, so Don and I drove away, back to our country ramble.  We were so surprised when we opened the box to find a beautiful coffee table book of Jim Gray’s art.

After that lovely experience in a day of lovely experiences we continued along our country ramble.  I enjoyed the scenery, of course, but I also love the names of the roads—Gnatty Branch, Booger Bole, Smoky View, Little Caney, Wiley Oakley, Long Hollow, Huskey Grove.  More green, rolling hills, oak and maple forests, creeks and waterfalls. 

It was getting late and time to go home, so we programmed Trexie for Logger’s Delight.  Up and down, over and around we drove, depending on our GPS to get us out of the canyons.  And she did.  We drove around a corner and YUCK!!!  There was a hillside full of log cabins on the hill, side by side, just like the San Francisco ticky-tacky.  What a shock.

As we crossed the main highway and headed up the hill the thunder rolled and the clouds opened up and it started to rain.  Well, rain is too tame for the description.  It was coming down in huge torrents.  By the time we got up the hill to our cabin a waterfall was roaring down our steep road and over the deck.  We ran into the cabin and stayed warm and dry while the rain poured down.