Author: Easin' Along

With all that we have going on right now, one would think that the last thing we should do is plan a camping trip. Well, we did it anyway. Helen wanted a few days in the mountains to clear her head for the next week’s frenzy and do some light cleaning in Dora that we had to forgo when we returned from California.  We returned to Happy Holiday, our favorite campground in Cherokee, NC. Spending three nights beside a mountain stream was too tempting to resist.

In the days leading up to our trip, heavy winds had toppled power poles near the campground and touched off wildfires about two miles north of Bryson City, NC. Conditions for wildfires are usually very high in early spring due to dry underbrush in the forests, low rainfall amounts, and March winds. We didn’t let the threat deter us, but we kept our ears to the radio. During an early morning walk around the campground, I spotted light smoke in the distance. I also spotted a large grove of beautiful blue Phlox growing on the other side of the creek and climbing the mountainside.

On the first day, we tended to cleaning chores—Helen mopped floors, I washed windows and made repairs to Dora.  Bear in mind that Dora, our fifth wheel is only 260 square feet, so it doesn’t take all day. We whiled away the morning very leisurely and cleaned in the afternoon.

The next day, in perfect weather, we drove about ten miles to Deep Creek Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to hike along the creek and look for wildflowers. National Park officials squelched our plan. All hiking trails were closed because the fires were not yet contained, and the winds had picked up. A young Park Ranger met us at the head of the trail and suggested that we walk through the campground instead since it was closed to campers and empty.

(Note: By the end of the week, the fires had taken a toll, and over 100 structures had burned to the ground. We send our prayers to those affected.)

However, all was not lost because we soon discovered early spring wildflowers scattered throughout the campsites along Deep Creek in small quantities, but striking, nonetheless. I captured several of them with my camera—some were not in proper focus, but I want to share them anyway. Helen and I think we have most of them named correctly, but feel free to alert us if we miss-named a few.

It is too early for Trillium and Dog Hobble, but they will put on a show in the coming weeks, both here and in the mountains on the Tennessee side of the National Park, where the Dogwoods are already in full bloom. Our spring weather doesn’t last as long as we would like, but the flower display is terrific.

Three days passed quickly, but we accomplished everything we wanted to achieve.  Helen had a (Money) Ball.

We’re Easin’ Along and Springin’ Along. See you next week….surgery is scheduled for April 7.  Keep Helen in your thoughts and prayers.

Readers know that we returned home from California in early March and went into a period of non-stop activity. When the dust finally settled, we had a course of action planned for Helen’s treatments and began pursuing the plan one step at a time. With the plan in place, I felt a need to “re-ground” myself, and the place I always return to for grounding is in the mountains of the Cherokee National Forest, near Tellico Plains, Tennessee. I have posted articles about the area I refer to as “Tranquility Base” several times before, so if some of the following seems repetitious, I apologize…this serene spot is part of my DNA.

On Tuesday of the past week, I skipped my exercise class because the day was gorgeous and too good to waste on inside activity. Tellico Plains is about 65 miles south of Knoxville, and I loaded Freddie with a cooler filled with drinks and a sandwich for the one-hour drive. John Denver accompanied me on the CD player.

The area’s beauty is significantly enhanced because there are no crowds like we find in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. In the last decade or so, the highway to Tellico Plains was improved and widened in hopes to attract visitors and take some of the pressure from the National Park. The road was built, but the crowds remained sparse, and those who cherish the region remain grateful.

The pictures below give an illustration of the light activity.  “Downtown” Tellico Plains is not much more than a tiny village, established in the days before the National Forest as a center for timber processing. Today, there are a few shops, but that’s about all. I love its unique quaintness.

From Tellico Plains, visitors to the National Forest drive along the Tellico River for several miles before reaching Bald River Falls.  This part of the journey is what has inspired me since my first visit on the weekend of my 30^th birthday. I love the drive along this scenic river and stop many times to watch the clear water flow over the smooth river rocks.  I was completely refreshed and closer to the “re-grounding” I sought by the second stop.

Several miles into the drive, I entered an area where the Forest Service conducted a controlled underbrush burn. Although windy conditions prevailed, the Rangers had everything contained.  I drove slowly through a curtain of smoke to the parking area at Bald River Falls. It is too early for wildflowers. Violets were all I could find.

The recent rains added a large water volume to the 100-foot waterfall, and spray from the Bald River sent water droplets in my direction. I didn’t care.  Watching water cascade over Bald River Falls is always a joy, and I lingered long.

I had two more destinations for this day trip.  First, I wanted to visit McNabb Creek Campground, a group camp, where the Appalachian Anglers Society gathers every year for an outing we call Camp II. The campground was deserted, but our group of around fifty men reverting to “boy status” will fill it at the end of April.  I have written a few posts about Camp II containing most of the weekend activities I can remember.

The Tellico Fish Hatchery is the remaining destination on my schedule.  I always visit because a trip to the hatchery brings back memories of the times Helen and I would take our boys there and let them “ooh and ahh” over the thousands of Rainbow Trout swimming in the hatchery runs. Most of the runs were closed off during this visit, but I did get close enough to the run containing huge Golden Rainbow Trout.  The golden color and bright red stripe on these fish are fascinating displays of Mother Nature’s artwork.

The Hatchery is at the end of River Road and about two miles from the North Carolina border. It is also at the end of my journey for this day.  Driving away from the Hatchery, I paused once more at a spot where I spent about three harrowing hours during a windstorm.  Fallen trees trapped me on the River Road in both directions, and a downpour sent river water levels ever higher.  I have a link to the post describing that event here.

Did I mention that there are no crowds in Tellico? Rolling along the river on my way out, I passed a couple quietly fishing from the riverbank in the last mile. They were about the only people I saw all day.  Yep, tranquil indeed…I’m Easin’ Along.

Note: Helen and I are overwhelmed with the love and support from many who have reached out after her diagnosis. We’re sharing some details to stress the importance of regular checkups and testing.  Her doctors conducted a genetic test during Helen’s series of tests and discovered that she carries the Brca-2 gene, which increases the risk for recurring cancer. Helen will have a double mastectomy on April 7 with chemotherapy and targeted treatment for a year. We’re comfortable that, because the tumor is contained at this point, the chance for a full recovery is solid. This week, we had lunch with Dr. Steve Eason, who served as an interim minister at our church for about two years.  Always a delight to be around, Steve confirmed that everything is in God’s hands. We have no doubt.

The past week has been whirlwind-ish.  I’ve hardly seen Helen she has been so busy.  My strongly extroverted wife runs with about four groups of gal-pals (not counting pottery class and pickleball). The outpouring of love and support from them has been both overwhelming and endearing. She has been out to dinner or lunch almost every day since we returned home, and that’s a good thing.

Nevertheless, we’ve tried hard to resume our regular Knoxville routine and activities as much as possible. We attended church services last Sunday, which is a blessing any time of the year.  We love our church as well as the staff and our friends there. Helen returned to her seat in the choir, which she enjoys immensely.

I prodded our neighborhood poker group to get back together for a session in our clubhouse. The fellows I play with are good card players, and we always enjoy each other’s company.  The games are simple, and the stakes are low…I went in with ten dollars and left with precisely the same amount two hours later.  All had a good time!

We resumed our membership in the YMCA to attend much-needed exercise classes three days a week.  The forty-five-minute workout is a great stress-reliever, not to mention what it does for this well-worn body. I was sore after the first class but recovered by the end of the week.

East Tennessee saw the first signs of spring in recent days. Helen’s Hot Pink Camelia put on quite a show for everyone. The blooms are large and in great quantity on the bush.  She had enough for cutting and gave out several thank you gifts to friends and neighbors.

Many of the early flowering trees have sent out buds and enough green shade to make us think that the season is about to burst forward any day.  I “borrowed” the picture below from a friend who has a home in our mountains and gives an illustration of the hint of spring we are getting excited about.

That excitement will have to wait, however.  We have had gorgeous weather for the entire week with clear skies and temperatures in the 70s. Friday was a perfect day weather-wise.  We woke up to six inches of snow on the ground and predictions for the overnight temperature to plunge to 14 degrees on Saturday. I have some pictures that will give readers an idea of what our Saturday morning resembled. There’s nothing ordinary about that!

Now for the big news.  On Friday, Helen and I met with her oncologist, Dr. Feng, a delightful man with a calming demeanor.  Helen met with him previously when she flew home from San Diego for the initial consultation. During this session, Dr. Feng (pron. Fung) summarized a course of treatment for Helen’s breast cancer dictated by one significant finding.  Her CT scan revealed no indication that cancer had spread to any other parts of her body. Her post-surgery chemotherapy could be kept at a very low level of intensity. When Helen learned the scan results, she couldn’t hold back the tears of joy…nor could I.  Dr. Feng held her hand. The cancer was detected early.  Helen’s adherence to annual mammograms had paid off.

Our new normal will include surgery, weekly chemotherapy for three months, and targeted therapy every three weeks in the coming year. The schedule should permit some RV trips closer to home, which we will plan once we have a date for surgery.  Our trip to Maine will have to wait, but we intend to take it at some point. 

Thanks so much to everyone for the thoughtful well-wishes, words of encouragement, and prayers for Helen. The experience has been very heartwarming.

For now, we’re settling into the routine and still Easin’ Along!