More fun in the Tennessee Outdoors

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John's Journal

Day Sixteen

Mileage- nuttin'

Today we expected to have rain. Not so, keemo-sabi. It did look like particularly nasty weather, but then cleared up into some beautiful patchy blue skies. Once again, I made some of the finest coffee around. The organic beans that I brought are good. Strong, too.

We were supposed to go horseback riding today at some place that Brad found called Tally-Ho Stables. They were expecting us at 9am, I think, and it was around 10 before we all were awake and alive. So, Brad called Bob at the stables to see if he was still up for going out. He was good and ready.

We drive the long winding road through the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area that twists back and forth for about 20 miles, or so. Make a few turns and end up at the place, or so we thought. We arrived at the house, not the stables and were greeted by a couple of dogs. One beautiful Husky (I think, but not sure, sorry Bob) tied up and the other, blind in 1 eye, can't see out of the other too well and limping badly. No one answers the door and I start to think this makes sense. Since we are late, it would figure that they went ahead and took off. Once again, not so keemo-sabi.

We drive down the road a bit and see the stable with the horses tied uo waiting for us. We meet Bob, the proprietor, Debbie (or is it Debby?) And Vicky. You really have to meet Bob in person to appreciate him. Bob likes what he is doing. Not that the others don't, just that REALLY likes this. He was a VP at industrial plant (he's an industrial engineer) nearby and now runs these stables. He has some other businesses in town, too. He took us on an unforgettable ride through some of the most beautiful country around. And he had Almond Joy candy bars, to boot.

Really, this half-day ride ($50/person, snacks included) was fabulous. We were all in a row walking for the nearly 5-hour trip (I think that time was right, you kinda lost track of time out there) and went through hundreds of trees, down along a gorge, crossing several streams (or creeks)and out to the most spectacular view ot the area. This view looked out upon a ba-jillian trees (that's a lot!) down into a creek-bed and over to a great rock formation looming above. Just exquisite. All the while Bob is giving us all an earful about the land, its history, a bit of his own history and just great banter.

I was in the front half of the group so I didn't hear much of what the rest of the group was talking about, but Bob was really the one running the show. We had the best time ever. We did get a touch of rain toward the end, but it couldn't have been a better ride.

Back at the house, I started a fire (another beauty, I might add), and Brad started dinner. After dinner we played a rousing game of Balderdash. Ever played it? It is really great. We had some real doosies. Then we retired to the fireplace to tell ghost stories.

Well, actually what came out were bad blind date stories (are there any other kind?). I won, as usual. No, I am not gonna tell it here, it would take too much space to tell it right. Maybe in the book edition.

I got pretty well packed up and ready to go. I have 2 nights to spend on the road to Washington, DC and will just see where I end up. Once, again, as I get ready to go, I can't wait. There has been some great bonding with these friends and I will miss them, but I will see them again when I go to Indy next week.

Now, about that beauty sleep. . .