GoSmokies in Cosby

Originally Posted on GoSmokies November 11, 2013

This was our 4th GoSmokies event and since we have our latest adventure coming up this Sunday, I want to finish posting all the blogs from the past events. This will be the first one that we have had since two years ago. We stopped because their appeared to be a lack of interest in continuing the tradition. Thus, the turnout this Sunday could determine the future of this event. We have done 10 and I have only missed one of them (#9.) I can truly say that I have enjoyed them all and look forward to seeing folks this Sunday. Anyway, without further ado, here is the blog from GoSmokies #4. For whatever reason, I did an album of pictures rather than embodying them in the blog. Thus, they are at the end.

GoSmokies in Cosby

As I stood in the Cosby hiker parking lot with 21 fellow GoSmokies members, I had a plan. I had the map which I posted in an earlier blog, a map from Ella Costner’s book, a couple of her famous poems, and some notes for the hike. I read Costner’s “Ode to the Smokies” with its blessing and warm overtones of the beautiful mountains she so enjoyed in her youth. I stated that this hike was different from previous GoSmokies hikes in the sense that there were some unknowns. Most of the home sites on the first park of the hike were ones I had not previously visited and we would therefore be exploring together. I said that this was a big area and with so many folks we should find items many have missed before. Mike Maples with his vast knowledge of the area lead the way to some cars and places that he had previously been to. In the end we would not make it to the end of Crying creek. Why? Because we found so much that we ran out of time to go any farther. As we walked out to Cosby park road, even the Jedi looked over at me and said that we had found things he had not seen before. And the contributors were many. Jedi points were awarded and smiles grew large as we found chimney remains and old cars including the large frame of an old Buick touring sedan.

We started up Gabes Mountain trail with one stop for a home site along Rock Creek. The “ON” trail experience ended at Messer Gap as we stopped at the “Jennifer” grave before starting down the old road to Crying Creek. We would find no large chimneys today as we stopped at a couple home sites in Bearneck Cove. But, the numerous car remains would more than make up for the lack of tall chimneys as we soon came to the Buick remains.

It was such a great day with old and new friends off the beaten path. We found more home places and cars as we continued our most wonderful adventure. I think that I will just let the pictures tell the story so be sure to click the link below.

Considering the postponement of the original October hike, the turn out was very good. Hopefully we can do another one this winter. This is a great bunch of people who are always out hiking the mountains. If you have never been off trail then these are golden opportunities to gain experience and learn from some very knowledable people. In fact, a great percentage of the people on this hike carry a lot of knowledge in their torch. Dave Ledbetter is a really great guy and has the privilege of a Father who has an enormous amount of knowledge about the Smokies. Aside from all that knowledge he is a really great guy too and I love every minute that I get to hike with the Ledbetter clan. I wouldn’t want to tangle with Marlene Denton in a dark alley, but she is the kind of lady who would give you the shirt off her back if you were in trouble. At the very least, she would give you G.W.’s (her husband) shirt LOL. So, the next time you hear about a GoSmokies hike consider it an opportunity to hike, laugh and learn from a group of great people. And some very fine people responsible for organizing the event could not be present this time. A big thank you to Eleanor, Frank and Bonnie for all the behind the scenes work on these event. We love you and missed you, but know you’ll be with us next time.