Annual Fall Camping Trip 2002

October 31 - November 3

On a beautiful fall morning, 12 adventurous souls departed Atlanta for Fontana Dam and Reservoir.  All parties met at the marina dock by 12:00, purchased fishing license and ferry pass, loaded gear on the ferry and departed for our campsite across the lake.  After a ferry ride of about 40 minutes, we landed on shore and proceeded by land to campsite "Proctor", less than a mile up Hazel Creek in the Smoky Mountains National Park.

The camp grounds were deserted except for one other small party of campers from North Carolina.  Camp site Proctor is quite large and the other campers were located out of sight.

The campers on this trip were the old timers Rick Johnson, Bruce Gordon, John Arnold, Hunter Short, Mike Mingus and John Mullinax.  Two "young timers", Beau Johnson and his friend Jonathon also campers and canoers past, put all the old timers to shame when it came to dedicated hard at it fishing.  They brought a new comer, AJ, who did his fair share of fishing as well.  Mike Mingus brought a new comer, Steve Powell and x-Marine, who fit right in.  Another new comer was Mark, a friend and old high school buddy of Rick, Bruce and Bubba.  Conspicuously missing from the group this year was Leroy Moon and his abundant supply of "Lighter", slivers of heart pine used to start camp fires.
Check the campers in the picture below.

Bubba Thomas had previously anointed himself as camp cook and brought all the food provisions except for the first night.  The first night was "each on his own" and most of the campers grilled steaks.  Some managed a few hours of fishing but nothing was brought back to camp but tales of the ones that got away.  During the stay, the young guys managed to hook and release a few of the elusive trout.   The old guys seemed more inclined to hook tree limbs, slip on the rocks and return to camp early to pursue the milder endeavors of drinking, eating and attempts to convert Bruce Gordon to the other side of the political spectrum.  Bruce must do something right though as he was the only camper to discover love notes from his wife tucked here and there among his gear.

The days passed lazily, filled with mostly fishing and some hikes to old abandoned cemeteries.   John Arnold and Hunter Short hiked up to "Bone Valley" camp site about 7 miles above our site on Hazel Creek.  Chef Thomas turned out some glorious meals.  He supplied hot breakfast, lunch and dinner which kept him continuously beside the cook fire and was just perfect to his liking. 

Plenty of beer and other spirits prompted some lively discussions around the campfire.  The second day's weather was slightly overcast but cleared with a cold front that night.   All woke on the third day to a chilly 31 degrees and a clear sunny day that warmed up into the 60's.  Beau Johnson caught two nice trout and grilled them that evening.  A brief light drizzle broke out during the night but not enough to make striking camp the next morning a wet affair.