More Mountain Siteseein’

On a count of we were entertainin’ for days I didn’t have a chance to post so I’ve dated this to correspond to the days activities.
Saturday, 10-9-2010
Today's I was gonna’ make it a short day as we were tired from yesterday and we got a late start on the day. We headed for the Nantahala Gorge to watch the rafters & kayakers on the Nantahala River. It being Saturday I figured the river would be pretty busy with folks enjoyin’ the water.
But before venturin’ to the ‘Gorge’, we decided to grab some lunch out in town. We decided on the Everett Street Diner, down the street from the Smoky Mountain Railroad station. We had never eaten here before so it was a first for all of us.
We all ordered different sandwiches, the food was quite good. I told Sandy & Craig that the diner had probably been here 3 or maybe 4 years and I was ashamed to say we’d had never tried it. When the waitress brought our food I casually asked her how long the diner had been open, to confirm my ‘guestimate’. When she said 8 years, I felt even worse, in that in all that time we’d seen this establishment in this tiny hamlet, we had never taken the time to stop and sample their wares. It made me think about how busy our lives are even in retirement, even though I preach about slowin’ down to see the sites & smell the roses. Oh well just have to try harder!
After lunch we ventured off to the ‘Gorge’. I was right in the respect that there were still lots of folks enjoyin’ the frigid waters of the river on both raft & kayak. We watched some kayakers playin’ in the rapids, shootin’ downstream then paddlin’ like mad men to get back upstream. Sometimes the later didn’t work out fer’ them and they were doomed to be down one rapid further. We did get a lot of good shots of the folks enjoyin’ that 50 degree water, Brr…..




After watchin’ all those crazy folks in that frigid water we decided to take a ride up to show Craig & Sandy the dam at Fontana. Sandy has for years worked at the campground at Tionesta Reservoir and I thought she might like to see the dam here that created Fontana Lake. Fontana is the highest dam east of the Rockies at 480 feet with a length of 2365 feet. The lake it forms is 28-36 miles in length depending on water level and which source you use. We have fished it many times over the years and is a series of coves & mountain ridges, where a flatlander like me finds it easy to get lost, cause every turn looks like the last. Both the dam and the lake are a beautiful sight to behold.



Well the day was done and it was time to head home for some dinner and rest, after all tomorrow’s another day. So we hope to see ya’ down the road as we’re;

Dancin’ on the Wind.