Ginger's House

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Summer Vacation Day 49

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Font used: Hand of Sean

We made the hike to Rainbow Falls before the rainy days, so the water level was low. It was still beautiful though!

I had fun on the hike up as I asked other people we saw on the trail if they knew where the elevator was or if they would an Uber to take me the rest of the way up.

When we stopped to rest (which was more often than I want to admit!), I told everyone that passed us that I was personally sitting on every rock I found so that I could tell future hikers which ones were comfortable and OK to rest on. I tried to convince them that it really was for the good of the park. Mostly, they just laughed at me!

This waterfall gets it's name from the multiple rainbows that form on days when the water is full and the sun hits it just right. I've seen photos that other hikers have taken with the rainbows and I am telling you it is BEAUTIFUL!

It was also on this trail that I met my "hiking soulmates"! We walked up on two older ladies who were photographing one of the small cascades in the river along the trail. They declared that they were too tired to go any further, but were going to show their husbands who had declared they would never make the whole hike, that this was the waterfall and that it was much bigger in person. We laughed with them for a few minutes before moving on. They must have followed through with their plan, because we didn't see them again. LOL!

This hike is a little over 5 and a half miles round trip. We were on our way back to the car when we came upon a couple that had stopped along the trail for a rest and snack. They asked us how much further they had to go before reaching the waterfall. We had to give them the heart breaking news that they still had about two miles to go. The poor guy looked at us and said, "You mean we've only come half a mile?"

I felt his pain!

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Summer Vacation Day 48

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Font used: For Girls Only

The last couple of days we were in Gatlinburg there was rain. Lots and lots of rain! There were times when the sun came out and we were able to get out and do things, but we didn't venture too far into the woods because we didn't want to get stuck in the storms when they came through.

One morning, the weather map showed that although it was raining in Tennessee, the North Carolina side of the park still had sunshine. So, we headed to Bryson City and The Road To Nowhere.

I posted pictures on Facebook and my friend Carla was a little confused. She asked, "Does the road really just end?" The answer to that question is.....YES!

Here's the story I was told.....

During World War II, The government decided to build Fontana Dam and it resulted in over 1,000 families being displaced. Many of these people came from families that had never lived anywhere other than the North Carolina Mountains. They received no relocation assistance and the families that refused to sell their land simply had it seized by the government.

The government did promise to build a road around the Smoky Mountain National Park that would give people access to the old cemeteries where their ancestors were buried.

By the end of 1969, 6 miles, one bridge and a tunnel were completed, but no more work was done and the remaining 26 miles of the promised road were never completed. There are families who are still waiting for this road to be completed.

The part of the road that does exist is a beautiful drive that ends right before you get to the tunnel. There are parking places there for the hikers and tourists. Once you walk through the tunnel there are several different hiking trails you can take.

We got there early and had the area to ourselves for most of the day. I walked through the tunnel and realized about halfway through that it's much longer and darker than I expected. Turns out the tunnel is about a quarter of a mile long!

After I posted the pictures on Facebook, someone brought up the possibility of snakes being inside the tunnel and now I don't know if I can ever go through it again! LOL!

Anyway, here are some of the photos I took that day...

Monday, July 11, 2016

Summer vacation day 47

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Font used: FISHfingers

My trip to Gatlinburg was awesome! It's always awesome there! I made some first time hikes to waterfalls I haven't seen before, but the thing that made me the happiest was finally finding the Pearl Harbor Tree!

It's located in Cades Cove and I had some "dummy proof" directions to help me find it. Of course, the blonde is strong with this one so it actually took me more than one attempt to find it. LOL! I had to get the "dummy proof" directions dummied down!

The park rangers don't like to talk about this tree or give out too much information on it's location because they are afraid that someone will find it and damage it cut it down or do something else that is just as stupid to the tree. The really sad part about that, is that they are probably right.

Luckily, the majority of the people go looking for it to simply photograph the tree and touch the trunk as a way of touching and remembering history.

The story that has been handed down through the years about this tree goes....

In 1941, this part of the mountains was still pretty much cut off from the rest of the world with people living off of the land, but on December 7, 1941, Golman Myers was listening to his little battery operated radio and learned of the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was saddened by the loss of lives, the fact that America was bound to enter the war and by the fact that his sons would probably be drafted into that war.

He went into the woods that surrounded his homestead and found a sapling that he dug up and brought home. He planted the sapling in his yard and placed an old bike tire rim around it to help make sure that nothing happened to the young tree that he had just planted. He told his sons, "We will remember this day forever!"

Golman was right. America joined the war. His sons were drafted. We remember.

Golman's sons were both sent overseas to fight. Luckily, they both made it back home. However, Golman died four years after planting the sapling on his property. He was working the farm and had a heart attack.

Today, Golman Myers' house no longer exists. If you search the woods hard enough you may find some signs of the house that once existed. The thing that remains though, is this tree. That tree. The tree. The tiny sapling that was planted as a memorial.

The old tire rim is still there, but the tree has out grown it and that is an amazing thing. A metal sign attached to a chain that can grow with the tree has been added to honor the man who transplanted it and the date on which happened.

I found this tree. I touched this tree. I just may be a better person because of it.