Karen’s Waterfall Adventures-Part 3

Excerpt by Karen T.

Denton Branch Falls small
Kilby Mill Falls – this was another one that took me three tries to find,
that turned out to be easy after all. This is actually a 2 stage falls, and
the trail to the lower stage is easy, the short trail to the upper falls is
not so easy – but it’s not bad.

Lake Trahlyta Falls – these falls are below the lake at Vogel State Park.
The trail starts down from the dam and is a bit steep, and near the viewing
platform not in the best shape, but not too bad.Dames

Tiger Creek Falls – these are 2 falls on the grounds of the Tiger Creek Inn.
Talk to the proprietor and let her know you’d like to see the falls. The
upper falls are small, but pretty and are behind the lower rooms of the Inn.
The lower falls are higher, and down a long, long set of steep board steps
to a small viewing platform. They day I did them it had been raining and the
boards were wet, so I went down VERY carefully in case they were slippery –
there are handrails on both sides.

Unnamed falls Davis Creek-above Dukes Creek Falls – 2 falls – the first of
these falls is LITERALLY above Dukes Creek Falls. The short (maybe 200
yards) downhill trail comes out right on the top of the tallest falls the
feeds into Dukes Creek. There’s a nice flat area to “land” on, so it’s not
dangerous – but you do want to say out of the creek. About 30 feet or so
upstream is a smaller pretty falls. The other falls is further up the same
forest service road. You cross the creek, park immediately and walk through
the well-used camping area and the falls are just around a small curve in
the creek.

Falls on Barnes Creek – these falls are a long, steep drive up a forest
service road in the Cohutta Wilderness, but the falls themselves are in a
small picnic area and are easy to get to. There’s a side trail that goes up
a bit steeply to a viewing platform at the top of the falls.

Warwoman Dell Falls – this is a small, pretty falls at the far end of the
nature trail in Warwoman Dell, outside Clayton. The hike is easy, maybe a
little over 1/4 mile total.

Falls on Wildcat Creek – these 2 falls are right beside the forest service
road and are quite near the road that goes back to the trailhead for Hemlock
Falls. There is also a rock waterslide on the same creek that is very
popular with children.

Minnehaha Falls – this falls is a short hike from the gravel road and had
been a playground for children for generations. They are near Angel Falls &
Panther Falls.

Falls on Crow Creek Road – these are 2 falls, one easily visible from the GA
Power gravel road. The other is a short hike beside the creek and is a nice
area for a picnic. There is a rather elaborate rock built grill here that is
about 5 feet tall – so this is evidently a popular picnic area!

Bad Branch Falls – this tall waterfall is a bit difficult to find. Follow
the directions on Mr Anthony’s site and pay particular attention to the
distances he gives. Once you find it, it’s a short hike up a badly eroded
old road – but worth the effort!
(Panther Falls, Angel Falls, Minnehaha Falls, Bad Branch Falls, Crow Creek
Falls, and Hemlock falls can all be done in one long day of driving/hiking)

Toccoa Falls – this sheer drop falls of 186 feet is on the grounds of Toccoa
Falls College. The trail in is easy. There is a fee to pay to the college.
There is a very sad history to this falls, which I won’t detail here…but
you can look it up.

Falls on Davis Creek (Gilmer County) – this is a different Davis Creek from
the one that forms Dukes Creek. This one is in Gilmer County. The falls are
on private property, but you can get a pretty good – though distant – view
from the road.

Shoals on Soque River – this is not, strictly speaking, a waterfall, but is
a nice cascading shoals right behind “The Mark of the Potter” on Hwy 197
about 10 miles north of Clarkesville. There a nice parking area and a good
view of the shoals from the road.

Tallulah Gorge – there are several falls in this spectacular gorge below the
town of Tallulah Falls. The best way to view them is to take the steps into
and out of the gorge, but be prepared…there are over 1000 steps! There is
a fee into the park.

Becky Branch Falls – these falls are a little over 1/4 mile uphill hike from
Warwoman Dell. Park in the first parking area in the Dell and hike a short
way down the road to the trailhead. The switchbacks out of the Dell are
steep, but not too bad. Cross the road and hike the short, fairly steep
trail to the falls. The trail crosses on a wooden bridge right at the base
of the falls.

Martins Creek Falls – these falls can be reached by hiking past Becky Branch
Falls and then a further 2 miles to the viewing platform at the falls. Or
you can shorten that to 1/2 mile hike by following the directions on Mr
Anthony’s site. Your feet WILL get wet crossing Martins Creek following his
directions.

Keown Falls – the shortest way to these falls is follow Mr Anthony’s
directions. This is a nearly 2 mile hike, and the last part just before the
viewing platform is a little tricky as it is narrow rock steps around a
large outcrop. You can also get to these falls by driving up to the top of
John’s Mountain and hiking down from there…which is a bit longer, but to
me a lot nicer. The falls are a sheer drop and there is actually a hiking
trail that goes under the falls. The falls is very dependent on rainfall and
in dry times there might not be any water flowing over.

Raven Cliff Falls – this is a 2 1/2 mile hike in, all uphill but not too
strenuous. You practically have to be on top of the falls at the top of the
trail to see them as they are in a very narrow slot in the rock. there are
several other unnamed falls along this trail.

Falls near Unicoi Gap – these falls are on the same forest service road that
goes down to Horse Trough Falls and are right along the road, not too far
from Hwy 75. There’s no parking, you just have to find the closest wide spot
and pull over as far as you safely can.

Bean Creek Falls – this small falls is not too far from Unicoi State park,
but is hard to see when the trees are in full leaf. It’s easier to find in
the fall and winter, when it is easily visible from the road. The directions
on Mr Anthony’s site are accurate, except they say the falls are on the
right side of the road…they are not, going up the road the way he
describes, they are on the left side.

Sylvan Mill Falls – this small, pretty falls is on private property but is
easily seen from the road. The road is narrow and there is no parking. Just
park as far to the side as you can and try not to block any traffic that
comes by.

Nancytown Falls – these falls are not on Mr Anthony’s website. They are a
short way down a side trail off the Sourwood Trail in the Lake Russell
Recreation Area near Mount Airy. The easiest way to get to them is to park
in the hikers parking area, hike up the paved road past the group camping
area and where the Sourwood Trail goes to the left, turn right and cross the
creek on the bridge. Hike straight up this road (ignore the road that comes
in from the left) until you cross another creek. There is a pretty little
waterfall here, on the right. Just across the creek the trail goes upstream
to the left. Follow this trail maybe a little under a mile and you will see
a sign to the falls where the main trail turns left to go uphill. This is a
nice trail, but I don’t advise hiking it in warm weather. As much day hiking
as I do, this is the only trail I ever came home from with ticks. There are
several deer grazing areas and when the grass is tall – one year it was over
my head – you WILL get ticks. I only hike this one in the fall and winter,
and early spring before it gets too warm.

Karen T.
http://bellsouthpwp.net/d/d/ddoggone/Homepage/Homepage.htm

We are not in Kansas anymore Haiti- Day 1

 

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Haiti- Day 1
  Well, I got up at 0’dark thirty and headed back to the airport. Wasn’t I just here?! In any case, it is time to go to Haiti!!! I am half excited, half scared and 100% unsure of myself. I have a sneaky suspicion that this time, I may just have bitten off more than I can chew!! Oh well, it is too late to turn back now!
My flights were fairly uneventful and late afternoon found me on a plane packed to the gills with church missionary groups all in matching Tee-shirts. You want to know who, six months later, is still coming to Haiti? Missionary groups!! I have to say, I was pretty impressed, although if the looks I got when I ordered a gin and tonic are any indication, they weren’t so impressed with me. J
   When we finally landed, my anxiety went up a few notches. The original airport is condemned…something about big cracks in it from the earthquake. So we had to depart the plane, get on a bus and travel to a temporary terminal. We got off of the bus and walked into a huge warehouse-like room full of a million people, all talking loudly over one another and sweating in the 98 degree heat. I quickly got through the first wave of immigration, (now I have a cool ‘Haiti’ stamp in my passport!) and immediately was swarmed by men. Some guy grabbed my ticket and carry- on, admonishing me to ‘wait right her’ and took off through the crowds. I stood there in shock and realized that some guy had my luggage info and I had no idea who he was!!! He had a badge of sorts, so I felt like there was a good chance that he was supposed to be there, but I couldn’t have picked him out of a line-up if my life depended on it!!! So I dove into the crowds that were circling the big pile of luggage that was being unloaded. He saw me and came back, saying, “wait here, wait here”. I tried to explain that both my huge bags were black and that he didn’t have a snowballs chance of finding them in all of the other black luggage, but before I had a chance, he was back with my bags. I finally get the idea that this is a tip-driven system and dig through my bags for some money. By the time I get through everything I have gone through three porters and am $10 lighter. J
  As the second porter deposited me in front of the customs woman, she looked at me stonily and pointed at my big giant black bag. “What is that?” she said. “Umm…tools for rehairing bows?” This was the part I had been dreading. All of the news in the US had been talking about the fact that Haiti was charging a tax on all relief supplies being brought into the country and that they were seizing stuff left and right. I had an itemized list with values on it, but who is to say if they will believe me? This was fairly obscure stuff I had here!!
I immediately pulled out a letter that Robert Cain, the fellow luthier, had prepared for us. It explained who we were, what we were doing and where, all in Kreyol, the local language. She read the letter, studied me for a moment and said, “Thank you, enjoy your stay in Haiti”.
!!!!!!! I can’t believe it!!!!
I am so happy to not have to pay the tax. I had the money set aside, but anything that I do not have to pay to the government, I can donate to the St. Trinite Music program, so I am ecstatic. J
My relief and joy quickly disappeared when I exited the building and found myself in front of a chain link fence holding back hundreds of men shouting at me. “Taxi?! Taxi?!” they said. Or, ‘Sister, do you need a hotel?!?! “ The sun is beating down on me and I do not see anyone with a little white sign saying ‘Anna Huthmaker-Bow Queen’ on it. One of the men looked at me and said that if someone was there to meet me, I had to walk a block down the side walk to meet them. Hmmm…..I don’t know about this. That looks as if you are leaving the relative safety of the airport. He saw the reluctance on my face and shrugged, saying that it was the truth and that I didn’t have to believe him if I didn’t want to. Oh well….in for a dime, in for a dollar. Off I went, down the sidewalk.
   Luckily, I soon heard my name being called and looked up to see three volunteers from Appleton University in Wisconsin. Sarah, Sarah and Jordan were huddled in the shade waiting for me and Keith, a band director from Connecticut, and before long we were being bundled into two vehicles and heading out of the airport. Everyone else is in a van and I am in a pickup truck with a strange man that doesn’t speak any English. As he lurches out of the airport into the Haitian traffic, the full effect of where I am hits me. We immediately pull onto a road that is teeming with drivers that are accelerating and braking with all of the energy of Salmon swimming upstream. There are cars everywhere honking and vying for space, most of which seem like it is there personal mission to drive everyone else off the road. I am not kidding when I say that pedestrians are jumping out of the way for their lives and the wild dogs that are everywhere seem to have a canny sense for how to dodge the insane traffic.
The heat is stifling and the smells….well, they are terrible. We drive next to a giant tent city and all I can see are people everywhere, cars everywhere, trash and poverty everywhere. As we drove past devastated buildings I feel my chest constrict. I truly feel like I have entered hell.
    I took a few deep breaths and told myself that I had that length of this drive to be overwhelmed. But that when we got to the church, I had to pull it together. As it was said to Frodo in the Lord of the Rings, “You can’t get anywhere by being shocked and sad”. And I wasn’t going to be that girl…the one that dissolved into tears every time she saw something terrible. That is not what the people of Haiti need, and if I am going to make it here, that is certainly not what I need.
  We drove for about a half hour through tiny, winding streets full of so much smog, noise and trash that I thought I would go crazy. However, we finally pulled up in front of a church behind the van full of my new friends and started to haul our stuff in. As we shoulder our way through the men standing in front of the door, I wonder if it is as dangerous as it feels. I am so unsure about everything at this point that I am pretty sure that my head will explode!!
  But we all make it inside and into our respective rooms with no incident. Everyone is super nice to me, coming up to introduce themselves. I frantically try and remember names and wonder how soon I can actually just go to bed, without being rude. However, a quick invitation to go next door to the hotel for a beer turns into a nice evening getting to know the other volunteers and when I finally do unroll my sleeping pad on the floor of the office that I am sharing with four other women, I breath easier. This won’t be so bad…….
Bonswa,
Anna

We’re Gonna Dance Upon This Earth!
www.traildames.com

Good-byes- Anna in Ecuador Day 10

 

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Ecuador- Day 10
   Well, my final day has come and the exhaustion has finally hit me! I feel like I have been hit by a truck….but in a good way. J I have to pack up quickly this morning because I will not be coming back here before my flight this evening. Yesterday, Lizbeth and the family left to go to the beach, so the house is quiet as I throw everything into suitcases. I lug my bags the two blocks to the main road to catch a cab to the school.
  Njål had an early appointment at the church so the ride to school was quiet. They have a famous instrument from the 16th century that they have invited him to see. The Vihuela is actually a relic of the church, having belonged to Saint Mariana, the first patron saint of Quito, so it is a huge honor that they are letting him see it.
When I get to class, everyone is puttering along, working quietly. I lay my head on the work table and tell myself that I just have to stay awake for 12 more hours, then I can sleep on the plane. We didn’t leave the restaurant until after 2 am and when I got home I was too wired too sleep so that five hour plane ride this evening is looking great! J
  Before lunch, Njål came back and told me about seeing the Vihuela. It turns out that the priests were very, very nervous about letting him near it, despite the credentials he has. I am hoping that this first meeting will make them more comfortable so that he can study it more in the future.
  We went to lunch with Amelia and Phillipe, but it was a quiet affair, with all of us a little subdued. Amelia and Phillipe are the two musicians whose bows I rehaired for the concert last night. They are both great, great musicians and they are tired from the concert as well. They also were the two others that had a Tango lesson with me a few nights ago. They are so much fun! They are young and terribly, completely in love and all week long, Njål and I would look at them and then look at each other, shaking our heads and smiling. They have been a blast to hang out with and I will really miss them!
The afternoon sped by and before I knew it, class was done, good-bye hugs all around. Njål and I decided to go to dinner before heading to the airport and ended up sharing a pizza in friendly silence. I will miss him most of all…..he has been such a great friend. He has been patient and let me be me, even when my ‘me’ wasn’t all that great. J Ecuador truly wouldn’t have been the same without him.
  We finished our pizza and wine, took a cab to the airport, hugged good-bye and I got on a plane. As the engines revved to life, I found myself swirling one more time……happiness, gratitude, joy and pride. Really, who could ask for better souvenirs. J
  Once I get home, I have 22 hours to prepare for my next adventure, Haiti. All I know is if it is a tiny fraction as great as Ecuador has been, it will be wonderful.
Buenas Noches,
Anna

We’re Gonna Dance Upon This Earth!
www.traildames.com

Pisco Sours and Tears- Anna in Ecuador- Day 9

Ecuador Day 9
    Well, inspiration or not, today I am not having the best day. In fact, I am having a really hard day and spend most of it just trying to smile and teach. I don’t know what is wrong with me, but maybe it is going around. The students seem edgy and Njål and I snap at each other before going off to our separate corners.P7220329
    As the day goes on, though, we all seem to settle down a bit. Most of the students have gone back to working on their violins today, while I am working with the two girls who are only doing bows. Both of them joined the class late, and neither of them had done anything with the violin class the week before, so I was happy to work with them. They both have come a long way and I am hoping that they keep rehairing bows after I leave.
We went to lunch with a couple of the students but I couldn’t eat much. I haven’t had much appetite here at all and today it is just gone. But the company was nice and I was reminded again how quickly my time here is coming to a close. Before that happens, though, tonight is going to be the highlight of my entire stay.
Tonight is the big concert and the FOSJE Orchestra is playing Tchaikovsky’s 5thSymphony. I am really, really looking forward to this. Not only do I adore the Tchaik, but I get to see some of our students perform. Tonight, for the first time ever, I made the connection between what I do with bow work and the actual performance, itself. You would think that I would have figured this out long ago….especially seeing as how I rehair my own bow!! But this week, I rehaired two of the musicians bows. They were in such terrible shape, and these people were playing at such a high level that I wanted to do their bows myself. When I saw them up there playing on them, I felt like I had made a true contribution to the performance and it felt really special.
    And, of course, I get to see Maestro Aizaga conduct. That, I am really excited about.! The concert started with the trombone choir. I am assuming that no one told them that we had plans to take their studio space because they played beautifully, as if they hadn’t a care in the world! J And then came the Tchaikovsky. As the opening theme flowed out of the orchestra, tears started pouring down my cheeks. Call it inspiration, call it beauty, call it what you will……I was just overcome. It felt like everything was swirling together….how lucky I was to be here, how wonderful Quito is, how proud I am of my students, how grateful I was for new friends, how amazing this program is, how alive I am feeling…..and the tears just kept coming until the applause began. It is a performance that I will never forget.
Afterwards, Njål and I were invited to go out with Patricio and a bunch of other people for a late dinner. We ended up at a fabulous Peruvian restaurant and before I knew it, I was ensconced in a huge, long booth between Njål and Belen. There must have been 25 of us all lined up at this table and as the Pisco Sours started coming, the talk and laughter got louder and louder. I switched back and forth between talking cello with Belen and chatting with Njål . When he said, “So….what did the Volturi do next?” I started laughing so hard that I couldn’t breathe. And interrupting from time to time to answer Patricio’s questions, or Belens observations, I finished filling Njål in on the final stories of the Twilight Saga. It was the perfect end to the week. J
   Tomorrow is one more day of teaching, but I leave in the evening, so this feels like a finale. And what a finale it is…..
Buenas Noches,
Anna

We’re Gonna Dance Upon This Earth!
www.traildames.com

Bow Class Fashion! Anna in Ecuador Day 8

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Ecuador Day 8
    This morning, in the cab going to the school, I remarked to Njål that I thing there is something very special about this place. I should be completely exhausted…..I have been running like crazy and getting by on 3-5 hours of sleep a night. There is no way that I should be feeling so alive! “It must be being so close to the equator,” I said. “No” he said with a smile. “It is inspiration” And I knew immediately that he was right. There was something magic happening here in Quito and I can feel it in my heart.
    The students are doing great, today! We have moved on to faceplates and all of the students are rehairing really well. Njål asks me if he can teach violin repair the following day, and even though I really hate to lose a day of instruction, I say yes. In all seriousness, he had a ton more to teach them and time is running out fast. Plus, I do have two student that are only doing bows, so I will continue to work with them.

The best part of class at this point is that we all know each other well, and are really comfortable with each other. Juliana comes to class in white pants…never a good idea when two of the guys are still sanding ebony fingerboards all over the place!! J So she fashions an apron out of a cello case and a big black trash bag. When she completes the look with a face mask, I can’t help but laugh. Yep, she really has turned out to be one of my favorite people here!

   Lunch was spent with Patricio Aizaga, (the director of FOSJE), his wife and some staff members. The plan is to discuss the future of the workshop in regards to FOSJE.. When Njål and I went to meet him, he was still rehearsing the orchestra, so I got a chance to see him at work. He is truly the most extraordinary conductor I have ever seen. Passion literally radiates out of him and you can feel that making music is a true partnership between him and the musicians. He was so captivating that I wanted to grab a cello or bass and jump in. I have never been that inspired by a conductor!!
Lunch ended up being wonderful, but we never did discuss the future of LSF and FOSJE. Instead, Patricio and I swapped stories about Indiana University, Gustavo Dudomel and different musicians we knew. The others may have been bored, but it was one of the most wonderful conversations I have ever had! J Later in the day, Patricio and his wife came to tour the workshop and Njål and I took him on an impromptu tour of the building. We have found the perfect workshop and the fact that it will displace the trombone studio is not of any concern to us at all. J J After assurances all around that there is a future for this project, we said our good-byes.
   Njål had to teach a quick Tango lesson to three of us at the school and then he and I headed to Café Libre for one final night of Tango. Several of the students are going to meet us there, but he and I are hoping to catch the last hour of the lesson that they offer first. We get there, I put on my ridiculous shoes that I bought for Tango, and Njål and I join in the lesson. The idea of Njål taking the lesson is ludicrous, but I am so glad that he did. I was so nervous that I was glad to have him to dance with. At least he won’t be surprised if I step on his toes!
   We dance two dances and I can’t seem to do anything right. I got worse and worse and finally, close to tears, I tell Njål that he needs to go find someone else to dance with. Someone who knows how. But he says no. So we keep dancing. But the teacher chooses that moment to make us all switch partners. I end up with a man who is obviously very unhappy to be paired with such a beginner. He kept barking terse dance instructions to me in Spanish and by the time the song ended, I had to step outside for some air.
 I don’t think I like Tango very much.
  I hid for the rest of the lesson and then joined out friends at the tables they had pulled together. Soon, Kathy showed up and I was so glad to see her! She is a wonderful dancer and I love to watch her. If I could ever dance like that, I would die of happiness!! J And, with her here, Njål can dance with someone that really knows what they are doing, so the evening is looking up. However, I am done dancing for the evening. I take one last turn around the floor with Juan Carlos, but my self esteem can’t take it anymore. I have spent a week stretching myself and being brave, I am done.
As the evening wound down, it came time for the final three songs of the evening. Njål walked over to me and held out his hand. You have got to be kidding me. I shook my head, but he said, “Come on.” With a sigh, I got up. The first few steps were dreadful and I thought I was going to cry right then and there. But Njål , always the teacher, said, “Just close your eyes and trust me.”. And like that, I was floating. I floated and spun and stepped and followed and before I knew it, the song was over. I looked at him with big eyes and couldn’t believe it. I just Tango-ed! The next two songs went by without me noticing…..I just closed my eyes and trusted him and Tango-ed. I probably looked ridiculous to an on looker, but I felt alive and confident and beautiful.
I think I love Tango.
Buenas Noches,
Anna

We’re Gonna Dance Upon This Earth!
www.traildames.com