Monday August 23, 2010

Road Trip – Day 1

Driving to West Virginia

Wednesday, August 18

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Last Wednesday was the day we began a trip that was planned for last summer – before Cerwin fell and tore his rotator cuff – so the trip was postponed until this year.

Cerwin wanted to show me the area where he hunts near Dunmore, West Virginia, and this time we had reason to make Greensboro, North Carolina, our most southern destination.

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We had a late breakfast at the restaurant where the guys usually stop.

We left the house about 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, after spending Monday and Tuesday getting odds and ends finished – he in the TFC shop and me in the office – plus mailing the September issues of the Highway News and TFC Prayer Calendar.

The restaurant changed hands (and name) since last fall, but I got a feeling for the place they tell me about.

I love stopping at small restaurants because it gives me a feeling for the area. Everyone nodded or said good morning when we arrived, even several who arrived after us, looked our way and nodded a greeting. We were obviously the only ones who weren’t regulars.

It was a rainy day, so we missed seeing some of the mountain tops, but it made the day feel relaxing – or maybe it felt relaxing because I didn’t have to meet any deadlines.

We planned to stop to enjoy at least one place of interest on the way to the hunting lodge, and Smoke Hole Caverns seemed like a good choice, because rain does not affect caves.

Our guide told us that Smoke Hole Caverns got its name from when the Seneca Indians used the entrance of the cave for smoking their meat. Because smoke always seemed to be coming from this spot, it was called Smoke Hole Caverns.

The caverns were also used as a hiding place by soldiers during the American Civil War.

The cavern was utilized during prohibition by moonshiners. This is an original still. It is estimated that as many as twenty stills operated at one time.

Moonshine means it was made by the light of the moon. One X (moonshine) on a jug means it has been run through the still one time. Two X’s (Tangles) mean the drink is stronger – having been run through the still a second time. And you guessed it, White Lightnin’ has been run through the still a third time.

It has been a long time since we saw a cavern.

We saw a number of bats – some sleeping and several flying.

Hidden river

There was a constant dripping of cold water from the ceiling, so every once in a while a drip of water hit me on the head.

I am fascinated by stalacites and stalagmites. We learned a trick to remember which is which. Stalacites come from the top down – and hang tight. Stalagmites build from the bottom up – and might reach the top.