On the Outer Banks of Hustle and Bustle

Not long ago I took a trip to the Smokey Mountains in hopes of a new adventure. I spent a few days in and around the main street that runs past the city shops, restaurants and attractions. As I walked the sidewalks I kept wondering what else there was here besides hustle and bustle. I wanted to see the wilderness that so tightly wrapped this beautiful area.

 I started very early one morning and decided to drive to outer banks of the main city street to see where it would take me. As I drove I started seeing that the city and county had taken measures for the “out of Towner’s. If you know your way around its not a problem, but this tourist location had its limits for directional signs. I mean, you had signs up to a point, but then there were no more signs, and they essentially disappeared.

 I tried using maps on the Internet, but they are only for main roads, and the satellite views could be years old. The only way to do this was the old fashioned way, get out and actually explore the surrounding areas.  While you could drive around and sort of mark your spots with a GPS or visual landmarks, the area was expansive, so I quickly made a plan to go in steps. I drove to the edge of town and started following the creeks that lined the highways. This took me to a visitor center called Sugarland Visitor Center.

As I was driving along these beautiful scenic highways, snowflakes started falling, and being a photographer, this made me very excited. I made it to the visitor center but it was not open, so I just followed the highway along the creeks if it turned I turned. I finally ended up at a dead end where there were road maintenance equipment, and a building that must have been the highway departments local city maintenance crew office. I parked in a designated spot, then I saw a sign for a small walking trail. By this time the snow was really falling.

I got out and started walking and it became very beautiful and as I walked farther away from the roads it became breathtaking. The sounds of the creek flowing by with snow covered banks. I realized that I was standing in a different world on the outer banks of the hustle and bustle of the city. It was amazingly quiet except for the water rushing past.

I was only a mile from the city hustle and I was completely alone, there were no people. I brushed the snow off a rock and sat for a few minutes to take it all in. I was amazed at how the city had kept this area so pristine and how it appeared untouched by humans. I know people had been here, because it was on a known walking trail.

Spectacular Views!

I captured some of the most awesome creek views around, and it was free! Only a half an hour of driving and walking combined, I was treated to a very special environment. I was a happy guy and knew that this area was calling my name.

  

These waters looked good enough drink and bottle up, but I was very cautious, because I didn't know where these waters started and what they ran through.  

Some views were scattered with fallen trees across the creeks and rock patterns that were awesome.  Most of the trails went directly into the water, which allowed oneself to walk directly from the highway right into the creek.  

The next time you go driving around taking photos think about where you are and how you got there, never go too far alone and never stay too long.  Environments can change, weather patterns can be unpredictable, and if you don't know the area you may not know who else is out there.  Exploring is how this great country was populated.  Explorers would ride out on horseback and see what the next few miles offered.  They planned their communities around creeks like this and knew that there were animals that made their homes here too.

So get out and explore the miles away from you on the outer banks of the hustle and bustle.