Friday, May 17, 2024
The weather forecast for our stay in Abingdon wasn’t good, but it kept changing. It’s a tradition to gather around the coffee pot and sweet rolls in the morning. I asked Jeff about the hike to “The Devil’s Bathtub”. He said it was an hour drive, a two-mile hike out and two-miles back with 6 stream crossings. “There have been 100 rescues since 2018!” Scott County advises not to hike if the water is above your knees. Amanda had warned us yesterday that “people die in there.” The rain was supposed to hold off until 2:00. With some hesitation and discussion, we decided to go along with 8 others.
We rode with Martin and Karen and had some nice discussions along the way, which made the hour drive go quickly. It looked like rain as I got a couple of pictures at the trailhead. This was a serious mining and logging area years ago, so probably not a good trout stream, although it sure is pretty. We soon came to the first ford, which was up to our knees, but the water was clear. Jeff said it was an inch or two higher than when he hiked it Wednesday. Being the good leader he is, he wanted to test it before taking a group. That made me feel better. Our group was pretty hardy, and everyone helped at the crossings.
It was a very pretty hike to a very cool destination. The main pool is reported to be 10-12′ deep. We paused there to take pictures and have lunch before heading back. A couple of people slid down on crossings, but after a few crossings, no one seemed to mind getting wet. Small gravel is always safer than big, slippery rocks to step on, but despite my warnings, people seem to want to step on the big rocks. Fortunately there were no injuries and everyone was happy to have gone. Lee felt we should have merit badges for having accomplished it in less than ideal conditions.
We got out of our wet clothes, showered and managed a little nap. At 5:30 we met Randy and Xan for dinner at “The Tavern”. Somehow the Tavern seems to always be good with good service. Our waiter coached wrestling, and Randy encouraged him to get with UVA’s wrestling coach, Steve Garland.
We went to the small venue of the Barter Theater to watch a two-person play, “Grandma Gatewood Took a Walk”, by Catherine Bush. “I said I’d do it, and I’ve done it.” One fine spring day, Emma Gatewood, a 67-year-old mother and grandmother, told her children she was “going for a walk.” She failed to mention that her walk would make her the first woman to solo hike the newly formed Appalachian Trail. “Grandma Gatewood Took A Walk” is a wildly theatrical adventure following Emma and all who played a part in her incredible journey.
It is an incredible true story and one of the best plays I have seen. It plays until June 9th and worth the drive just to see this play. Mary Lucy Bivins does a marvelous job as Grandma and John Hardy is great, playing about 6 different people. Grandma not only hiked the AT once, but became the first person to hike it three times! She hiked the Oregon Trail in 1959 and worked on a section that would become the Buckeye Trail. She was inducted into the Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame in 2012. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandma_Gatewood).
It was 10:00 by the time we got to bed, and I was asleep at 10:01.