Camp II is an outdoor gathering held every year on the first weekend of May. Attendees are members of the Appalachian Anglers Society, a group dedicated to fun, fishing, and fellowship in the great outdoors. I have shared my experiences at Camp II for the previous two years (link here), but each year is special so, please join me for one more trip to one of the most beautiful places on the planet.
I attended my first Camp II on my 30th birthday and observed my 70th the weekend before this year’s gathering. That’s 40 years of a helluva lot of fun. Although we have camped in many different campsites over the years, we now gather in the McNabb Creek Campground near Tellico Plains, within the boundaries of Cherokee National Forest. The reasons for this site are numerous, but the principal reason is that we can reserve the campground in advance. It is an open space with a central fire pit that is perfect for male bonding sessions.
Camp II officially runs Wednesday through Sunday with most attendees arriving on Friday. Because this would be Gracey’s first trip to McNabb Creek, and I wanted to make sure a trailer of her size would fit into the campsite, I drove down the previous Friday to scout the location. Although the campsite is an hour and a half south of my home, the day was glorious, and the drive along the Tellico River is always a delight. The route to the campground was free of low-hanging obstacles, and the gate to the campground seemed wide enough (barely) to permit Gracey through so, I saw no reason to leave her at home. The campground looked ready and eager to welcome us in.
On the following Wednesday morning, I had Gracey hooked up and loaded with a few necessities for the drive south. For the first time in many years, the weather forecasts were in our favor. The forecast called for rain on Saturday night, but the chances were slight. Otherwise, we looked forward to temperatures in the low 70’s with cool nights and warm campfires. Unable to contain my excitement, I arrived before anyone to find the perfect spot for Gracey. By late afternoon, several fellow Anglers moved in and joined me.
Members of the Appalachian Anglers Society are experienced outdoorsmen who go to great lengths to provide shelter and comfort in settings like this. Within a few hours, the first arrivals established an elaborate campsite complete with 60 feet of tarps, four camp stoves, two outdoor ovens, outdoor lighting, and a sound system playing Jimmy Buffet music. As soon as they finished setting up, the guys prepared gumbo that they shared with me. The gumbo was delicious. Let the weekend begin.
Thursday of Camp II usually calls for a light crowd, but the splendid weather attracted a few more campers than in previous years. Four of the Thursday group arrived with approximately 50 fresh rainbow trout that they breaded and deep fried along with some waffle fries. There was more than enough to feed everyone in camp for dinner, and I gratefully accepted an invitation. After two nights in Camp, I had yet to fire up my cooking gear and yet; I had dined royally.
Another early camper and owner of a Moonshine and Whiskey distillery brought samples to promote his line of products. Since alcohol is prohibited in the National Forest, a tasting was not allowed. Nevertheless, unsubstantiated rumors floated through camp that some of the samples were worthy although I’m not certain how that conclusion was reached. Moonshine has been part of the lore of our mountains for generations. I did take a few pictures of the samples for future reference.
By Friday, it was time to branch out. I wanted to see if there were any wildflowers in bloom, so I hopped into Bert (tow vehicle) with camera in hand. I didn’t have to drive very far up the road along North River to encounter several large beds of Wild Iris, my favorite wildflower. The spring rains provided great conditions for wildflowers, and it wasn’t long before I spotted Red Trillium, Spring Beauty, and another favorite, Fire Pink. What a treat!
When I arrived back at McNabb Creek, many campers had arrived and began gathering for the shrimp boil prepared by Bill, his son Wil, and Kirby, Bill’s Dad and Wil’s grandfather. Bill had assembled tables for the occasion complete with holes in the center to accommodate shrimp shells and trash. As one might imagine, the Anglers robustly devoured this incredible concoction of shrimp, corn, and andouille sausage right down to the last potato. The rest of the evening was devoted to casual conversations around several roaring campfires.
On Saturday I drove to several of the campgrounds in the area in search of a campground for Helen (adorable wife) and Gracey on return trips. Saturday is a big day for fishing in the Tellico River, and fishermen were out in numbers. I saw several large strings of fish by late morning in addition to finding three campgrounds that could accommodate Gracey easily.
Camp II fell on Cinco de Mayo this year, so a dinner of Mexican food seemed appropriate for the occasion. Rob, a fellow Angler, and son of a longtime member spent an entire afternoon preparing a scrumptious buffet of soft tacos for the group. Taco fillings included beef tenderloin, chicken breasts, spiced ground beef and ground pork, black beans, rice, shredded cheese and a delicious, cheesy chorizo sauce. I filled one taco and should have stopped there, but I couldn’t resist and had another. Hat’s off to you Rob; this meal was outstanding!
Saturday night brought a couple of rain showers, and Anglers broke up into smaller groups to fit under the tarps available. I invited a few guys to sit under Gracey’s awning to share cigars with me before the Mexican meal prodded into bed for the night. The gentle rain made for great sleeping.
Another Camp II came to an end on Sunday, and our group of about 45 or so began to pull up stakes and move out. Most had departed by the time I hooked up Gracey. Leaving this area is always difficult for me, so I lingered long enough to soak up a little more mountain air before inserting a John Denver CD into Bert’s player and drive away for that spectacular drive along the river. Once again, Camp II was a complete success giving all the chance to spend time with old friends and meet several new ones.
I paused long enough to make a short video of Bald River Falls to share with readers. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did in making it. It was a great weekend for Easin’ Along.
How wonderful that your group covers such a wide age range, Joe. I would think that having more than one generation represented would make for an enjoyable mix. As for the National Forest campgrounds, we’ve stayed at a number of them and loved all but one. It seems like McNabb Creek is a perfect spot for a group like yours! Best wishes to Helen for a happy and blessed Mother’s Day!
Hi Mary, Great to hear from you! The area of the Cherokee National Forest around Tellico Plains, is one of the national Forest’s best kept secrets, but I’m afraid that the word is getting out. Great camping, beautiful fishing streams, and excellent hiking trails. Hope your Mother’s Day is going well. Did Spring arrive in the Catskills? We’re camping in Edisto Beach (SC) State Park this week and it’s a bit hot.