On our first trip to stay in a log cabin we ended up in the Great Smoky Mountains. We got a cabin from Rock Creek Cabins in Bryson City. It was a one bathroom and one bedroom with a large loft that had a couple of beds and a desk where I could work with my computer. There was an outdoor jacuzzi which was really nice and a very comfortable covered front porch. We enjoyed our stay there and went back for another stay in the same cabin later the that year.
We had hoped the spot would be a little more isolated as we wanted the “real” mountain experience, but truthfully it worked out perfect for us. We stayed, I believe, about 4 weeks and the cabin became our command center. We did our planning there and it was our base of operations. It was also our spot for relaxation and recovery. The jacuzzi really helped with the physical recovery from the many hikes we went on during this trip.
We were just a few minutes from the town and we spent time there walking around and looking in the stores. The town of Bryson City is small. I looked up the population and found it to be around 1400 people; quite the opposite of what we were use to in Miami. We found the atmosphere very relaxed and laid-back. Most of the stores didn’t open real early or stay open real late. It is a tourist town, but had everything we needed to have an enjoyable stay.
On the third weekend my daughter and her family came for a visit. We wanted to do some things that would be fun for a five-year old, and of course, us. We were thinking maybe a ride on the Great Smoky Mountains Railroad which loops through the mountains or maybe do an easy hike. However, it was a rainy day so we ended up in a nearby town at an arcade spot. My granddaughter had a great time and we did too.
Valerie, a friend from Miami, was also in our area that week. She, her son and mother were staying in a cabin around the bend from us. That Saturday evening we decided to have a fire in the fire pit. Fire pits are pretty common around here. Some are the commercial type that you get in a home improvement store, but many more are homemade. Layout a circle, stack some blocks, bricks or stones to create a wall and bingo you have one. They are an awesome way to enjoy the cool evenings with family and friends.
I was a little concerned that we would not be able to do the fire that night because of the rainy day, but all worked out well. We had a little trouble getting the fire started but we persevered and were successful. Everyone helped with suggestions and manual labor and it was great. The two kids used the stuff laying around the opening along with their imaginations to create an “animal trap” and they had fun doing so. By the time it was dark, we had a good flame going and then we made “smores.” There was a lot of talk and laughter; just a perfect kind of night.
The opening where the pit was located overlooked a mountain range. It was beautiful as the evening set in, even though the clouds did not allow for a “brilliant and colorful” sunset. While I know there were people not that far away, there was such a sense of being away from everyone. As it got darker, we were the world. There was no sense of us and them, there was just a sense of being. Two families with each having three generations, sharing and enjoying the time and space together. This was the way to spend a Saturday night.
The mountains were working their magic on me!