Hungry Mother SP

“Next weekend I will be traveling to Hungry Mother for my step fathers memorial service. I am driving up on Friday morning so I should arrive around 12..I should have free time in the afternoon and early evening. Then Saturday after the service I should have some brief time from 3-6. I am only giving you those times so that you will know what time I will have available.

SO....any suggestions for trails in the area that I need to check out?

Thanks for any suggestions!

CG”

“....you can hike around Grayson Highlands...i'll meet you there at 3pm sharp!”

“Hey stratusloop...how are the water levels in that area? Last time I was there the lakes and ponds were very low.”

“MDS....not sure....I haven't been up there in quite while actually....so can't speak for it....maybe the Frig could give a report since he its his backyard pratically.....I can tell ya how the water levels at Cape Hatteras were.....smokin!!!”

“That is on my to do list but I don't think I can make it this trip. Any other ideas?”

“(WARNING..I CAN'T SPELL..so bare with me)

I left on Friday around 9 am heading for Hungry Mother SP in Marion Va. The purpose of the trip was to bury my step dad's ashes and hold a memorial service in his honor.

As I followed behind in the caravan I listened to James Pattersons book (on tape) Sam's Letter to Jennifer. The drive along 26 approaching Sam's Gap, near the TN line, was EXTREMELY foogy and the pace was slow but it only added to the excitment of the adventure.

All my senses seemed to be heightened on this journey. I'm not sure if it was due to the anticipation of the services or just getting away and being in the wood a bit.

When we descending down the mountain towards Erwin the sun struggled to break through the thick fog. There was a lone willow tree to the on the side of the road that appeard to be illuminated in gold by the sun, the fog appeard to be dancing along the mountaisideside..attached to the the trees by an invisible thread. Soon we passed over the Noluchky (sp?) River...(I love to say that name! I wonder what it stands for in the Indian language)

We continued North through Johnson City, Bristol. I was enthralled in the farm lands and countryside! The fall colors dotted the mountains.

Soon it was lunch time and we took the first exit into Abingdon and tooled down Hwy 11. I wasn't sure where my mom was taking us..she was in the lead...but I hoped it was somewhere tasty..I was STARVING! We finally pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant with a bright yellow awning draped out front and the words Allison's across the front in a fancy script. It must be good, I thought, the parking lot was packed and we had to struggle to find a place. It appeared to be an old drive in and the previous drivin spots had been covered with a green tarp for now inside dining. As we walked to the front door the cool fall breeze hit me in the face; Ahhhh fall, there is nothing like that smell! Except for the smell of the freshly cooked BBQ that greeted us as we entered the dining room.

After lunch mom decided to lead us Hwy 11 which paralles I81. The scenorey was wonderful but added a bit of extra time to the trip. I was anxious to arrive at the park and was hoping to get a walk in before we had to start running erronds and finishing up loose ends.

Before I knew it we were pulling into the park entrace and my heart was racing like a kid with anticipation of a theme park! The earthen damn that greeted us was as green as a shamrock picked fresh in Ireland. The fall colors surrounded the lake. We stopped at the visitor center to check in but as I stepped out of the car I found myself sobbing.

We were here, Syd's home of Marion VA and in the park he cherished. The place he spent many endless summers and that I had heard wonderful stories of.

TO BE CONTINUED”

“WELL??!!!”

“You want part II..no one seemed interested in Part I! I really haven't had a chance to write "the rest of the story". I'll have to work on that!”

“Well lets get to it Pauletta Harvey.
If you are gonna take the time to type it, I will read it. What else am I gonna do... work? LOL!”

“Thank you so much Mr. Green Jeans...I guess I should get to typing...I would hate for you to work! However it may be Monday before I have time to do it...remember I who I work for????”

“Oh ya... well what ever. If you can ok, and if you don't get the chance I will just have to assume all went well.”

“It did...here is the short version...cabin was awesome..had fireplace and tile floors..I slept on the top bunk the first night..stopped drinking early in case of emergency..didn't want to have to bail out of the top!

The service was very nice the cemetary overlooked all of Marion. What a great place to rest :-)

The memorial was in the ampatheater. I could write lots about that but I'll cry. I have to admitt I had never given an eulogy before but I nailed this one! I don't want to have to do it again though.

Saturday I took a stroll with my brother and nieces around the lake and Saturday night...OMG what a party!!!!

We didn't go to bed till 2am and I was up at 7 cleaning up the yard before the Park Rangers made the rounds!

Trip back Sunday was uneventful...except I almost missed my exit from I81 to 26.

Pretty boring account huh?”

“I'm glad. Thanks for sharing. Loosing someone is always hard, I find comfort in the fact that I was fortunate enough to have them as a part of my life, and to have been a part of theirs. When I go nothing would make me happier than for all my loved ones to have a huge party, and celebrate our relationships in a place that is near to me. That would be incredibly cool.

Well done.”

“Thanks MG...btw you have mail”

“good job”