Wednesday, October 28, 2015

GoSmokies VIII - The Wiley Frontier

During our bi-annual GoSmokies Events we try to provide some variety and hikes to accommodate hikers of varying degree. Today, in the spirit of the Roamin’ Man of the Mountains we would do some serious eating, some easy hiking, and some more advanced hiking and above all laugh until it hurt! And finally we hoped to find the Roamin’ Man Wiley Oakleys second home up Painter Branch.



Just in case Roamin’ Jedi Mike Maples got lost, he was provided with a shirt to identify him in case he was found. He was also given a note that said, “If found please return me to Twin Creeks Pavilion.”



As is customary, we began with an easy stroll around the Bud Ogle Nature Trail.



Mike Maples began by showing us a single grave near the Ogle Place that most people are unaware of. I forgot my dowsing rods today so was unable to dowse the grave. I will let Mike Maples share his sources and tell more about the grave is he so desires to comment.



We enjoyed a lot of fall splendor today in the Roaring Fork section of the National Park. There were a lot of folks who called Cherokee Orchard home and we were able to visit several of those old home places today.



And of course, it wouldn’t be a hike with Mike Maples without some tall tales. Maples shared a story about a fish he once caught in LeConte Creek near the home place we had just visited.



I think I heard Wiley yodeling in the distance after that story!
After Maples whopper of a story, folks was gettin’ hungry so we started back for the cars.



Back at the Pavilion the real stars of this event were preparing and fixing up a spread for us hungry hikers.



Of course, they got no help from that guy in the middle. He is Sir Richard of the Dark Side who shows up in hopes of defeating Jedi Mike Maples in a battle of wits. The Force was strong today and Sir Richard would turn tail and run away in defeat.
Thanks Bonnie for grilling up some good ol’ burgers and dogs! I do not know who stresses out worse in the preparation of this event – Eleanor or Bonnie; but without them this would simply be a hike and not the event that it is. So if you did not give them a big hug and a thank you then you best git on it!

While lunch was a grillin’ we took a moment for the customary Group photo. I also took a moment to ask, “who are all these people and why do they keep following me!”



After which, I was sedated and we were able to proceed with the Group photo.



Now these two guys look like TROUBLE with a capital “T.”



Nearby, that Richard Owen guy was plotting his strategy to overthrow the “Mike’s” and was attempting to bring Marlene over to the Dark Side.



I happen to catch this suspicious woman taking an exuberant amount of photographs which I suspect she was giving to some high ranking Park Officials who might be keeping tabs of the “Mike’s” activities.



Maples, as usual, was showing off his dinner etiquette as he passed through the lunch line.



Everyone enjoyed lunch and fellowship as we regained energy for the afternoons hike.



Mike Maples lead a group from the Pavilion and met up with myself and a second group that started out from the pull off at the Grassy Branch trail head.



Folks rebelled against me leading the group, so a new leader was chosen.



He had us off trail in seconds and just that fast we were at our first home site.



Our new leader had some tough decisions to make but had us heading for our second home site in no time. Maples group caught up to us at the second home site. The Jedi tried to act unimpressed at the young Padawan and proceeded past the home site with his group.



But the groups managed to reunite and proceeded to the Obie Husky Place.



There are lots of things to find at this home place including both chimney remains of this two room log house.



A small group of us went to check out the nearby spring house and that’s when Maples made his move.



Was it a test or some Evil plot? We may never know, but the small group went wandering up the path in search of the missing Jedi.



Actually, Mike M had made the suggestion that we go up to one more home site so when we lost him at the spring, we assumed that he had gone forward. Thus, we went up to the next home place which does not have much left of the chimney but Marlene managed to find something nearby.



In the meantime, I questioned one of the locals to inquire if he had seen Mike Maples.



We proceeded up to one more home place where I found some items and leaned them up against this tree.



We decided that Maples was no where to be found and proceeded back down the trail.



Despite his efforts at eluding us, we caught up to him at the creek near the Obie Husky place.



He was running away in an effort to not show Marlene some car parts near the creek. But NOBODY escapes from Marlene and he was forced to reveal the car parts.



We actually uncovered several more parts sticking out of the leaves close by.



Now it was time for the off trail trek to begin as the smaller group of five headed over the ridge for a Wiley adventure.



We dropped down to a creek where I had pulled several stove parts out and leaned up against a tree about a year ago. The stove parts pictured above where ironically found again a week later by Mike Maples. Maples had also found the home site on the ridge above the creek which belonged to Harrison Ownby.



However, we found some additional items at the home place. Pictured above, Mike Maples finds a bed frame on the ground. He also found the end of a hoe. I found a bottle and a small kettle to add to the home place collection.



It was now time to head for the end of Painter Branch which in the pre-Park days was known as Panther Branch. On a well known map by Lucinda Oakley Ogle, the Harrison Ownby place is shown along with a well known inhabitant of the Smokies. And who to better know that Wiley Oakley himself made his second home at the end of Painter Branch. While nothing remains at his first home farther up the road, we had hoped to find some remains of his second home today.



We found a small clearing and a large rock pile at the home place.



I went up the creek a little farther to explore but found nothing. Although, there was a larger clearing where the home might have been. It was hard to know for sure if the large rock pile was indeed the chimney or remains of another structure. In either case, we were standing on land one occupied by the well known Roamin’ Man of the Smokies, Wiley Oakley.
Now it was time to celebrate so bottoms up Terry, nice find!



It did not appear old enough to be Wiley’s so we figured it washed down from some time in the past when Maples was sittin’ above on the ridge pounding down a few.
As we headed out we did come across what looked to be the remains of Wiley’s barn.



Obvious from the cuts that this was not just a pile of wood scraps.



This was the find of the day and all five of us were elated to be standing on the soil where the famous Roamin’ man once stood.
Tammi found an interesting item in the creek which we still have not positively identified.



She continued to find stuff on the way back. Come on Maples where are those Jedi points?



We had no idea going in what we would be up against; however, the terrain was not too bad other than a couple climbs up the ridge.



Me and Maples were pretty impressed with his first off trail hike and had to get our picture taken with Frank. Sorry Frank, I think Maples forgot his Jedi points today.



I had pretty much had my fill of Maples and his forgetting the Jedi points, so I asked Terry to escort him promptly out of the Park. Later Jedi!



I had been more impressed with Tammi and her skill at finding hidden treasures. After the hike she took me and Frank to a hidden treasure right behind one of the Twin Creeks buildings.



Of course, I had to climb up for a closer look!



Thanks Tammi for this after hike treat! Thanks to Jack Lail and Knox News who have been supporting this event from the beginning. I know you wanted to do that last hike Jack and Maples will be severely flogged for losing you guys! And I want to give one more BIG thanks to Eleanor and Bonnie who really do all the work while we get to play in the dirt! Love you both!
Lastly, a word of thanks to my good friend and hiking buddy Mike Maples who I incessantly tease (all in good fun of course), but is a big reason why I joined this group. Say what you want about GoSmokies, but I have found more good friends on this site than I possibly could have elsewhere. There are those who want to keep everything a big secret and frown upon what we share. I have seen other sites where people are grilled beyond belief for asking a simple question. All of these places are vanishing as nature reclaims them. We are trying to document some of them before they are gone. We hope others will visit and share their findings as well. Hiking off trail is a risk, and should not be taken lightly. That is part of why we do these hikes and part of why we share. It is not my intent to glorify or have anyone go off trail unprepared. We spend a lot of time preparing for these hikes and anyone going off trail should do the same. And take it from one who knows: If your gut tells you to go back – then go back. Thanks everyone for your support and hope to see you at future events.