Friday October 5th 2007, Me and my roommates Kavya and Maneesha leave for office early in the morning at 6:45am and get our work wrapped up by 2:30pm and start off back to home to head towards the airport to catch our flight to Charollette. We are all too much excited to see the fall colors shown up on Smoky Mountains, Tn. We get stuck up in slow traffic and reach airport by 4:15am; Parking the vehicle we somehow rush to terminal only to see the flight been postponed for almost 2 hrs. I check with the official who gives us another set of tickets and ask us to go to US airways and catch the flight which is at 6:15pm. (Every time I take a trip on Nortwest airways I have faced this ). We three leave to the other terminal go to starbucks to sip a cup of coffee as we had lots of time. Din’t even realize when it was 5:55pm and we started rushing towards the gate for boarding. Security check was carried out and by the time me and kavya were out of the same the final boarding call was been done. We hurried to the gate when the official said “ You should have been in the filght by now, anyways I would get you people in. She checks the details on the system and as soon as she sees we have got tickets given from North west and had not really got ticket from Us airways brings us back to the security counter. We tought she may board us to another flight ; Maneesha is searching us when she calls a personnel and asks us to take us back to Northwest in the rude possible tone. She as well said they need to get additional security check which they have not been thru. Not knowing what to be said we just hurry back to Northwest airlines wherein no officials are present. Kansas city, no big town, not many flights all have left. Somehow I find a old offical who tries to find the next possible flight and says there isn’t one until 2 days.
Poooof i strated requesting him to check with other airlines as we were on time and wasn’t really our fault. Later a lady official comes in and atlast gives me a option to fly with “USAirways” again Saturday early morning at 7am. I ask her to check whether we have anything before that as we had plans to reach thr atleast by 6am. She said no. I yelled a bit at her and collected the tickets and left from there. None of us were in the mood to go home. We checked with Kavya’s friend what was planned for first half of the day and whether we would miss rafting. When they informed us that until 2 its just sight seeing and Rafting was at 2pm we were a bit happy. We came back home and I sat there online for almost until 1:30am browsing, getting maps so that I could find the fastest of all to drive from Charolette to Rafting place within 3 hrs of time. Was frustrated a lot. Two days trip and half day is blown up.
Saturday October 6th , I wake up early morning at 4:15 and wake the other gals up. We all got ready had some milk and bread and started off to the airport. The only plan in my mind was to drive from charolette to Tn in 100+ m/hr to realy make up for time. With the same in mind I started off my car and jumped a red signal. I myself realized and said loudly I need to do this there not here. We are just fine and could reach airport on time. Luckily this time they did a lot of additional security checks apart from what they do regularly saying we have been selected for digital screening. The official misplaced everything I had packed with so much care. We boraded the flight and should say we landed on time. ( I guess the additional check was simply done :P) We rushed to rental car to get the vehicle; a “Red full size SS “ . I started driving and really drove to make it on time. We reached there just 10mins after kavya’s friends had come in. Was nice to know that we had not missed anything. We went on for White water rafting. This being first time for me was very excited. Really wasn’t as adventurous as I had thought but was overall a nice experience. Our guide as well made us do a bit of surfing and other stuffs and said we were thousands of time better than the batch he took before us he he he. At one place he said the water was 16feet deep and we could go for a swim. Does anything stop me; he said and I jumped. I had a life jacket so no possibilities of drowning. The water was very cold but was nice experience. We came back from rafting when I figured out the camping was cancelled and we are going to stay in hotel. I was completely disappointed. For the whole day just rafting. I had as well had a nice drive but then too. We just started taking pics at nearby location, went to downtown had some food, icecream (hmmm yummy), came back. We started discussing about Sunday’s trekking plan when figured out nothing was as such decided. We could pick any trials of 5 miles. Me and Maneesha both reacted just 5 miles.
None of them were ready for more than 5 and everyone wanted to get up only by 8am. Somehow made them agree for 7am, when Hari suggested to search Rainbow falls trial from the map and handed over the map to me. Hari was Kavya’s friend who was staying in Charolette and had organized most of the stuffs for the trip. We headed towards our room, I searched the trial, setup the alarm and just went to take a nap so that I would be all set for next day’s adventure.
Sunday October 8th, I am packed
between Maneesha nad Kavya and my alarm starts ringing. With half mind I got up. We all got ready by 7am just to know only one other gal is ready. All other have just got out of bed. We three come down making our room as well available to them and started taking early morning pics. What other best work is there to do. We had the so called continental complimentary breakfast and started towards the visitor center to get the trekking path details. The trial we chose was 6.7miles one way so completely around 14miles. The climate was real good and we headed towards the base location from where we could start off our journey up smoky mountains.
Group of 10, 6 gals and 4 guys. Two of them carried bags with water, chocolates and energy drinks. I carried my small bag in which had two apples just in case. We haven’t even started our trial when the gals started off walking slow. Me and maneesha started palying antakshri and started off clicking snaps at good locations. After an hour once we started seeing fall colors we started observing stuffs, finding locations for pics and were having our best time. Others just followed in there own pace. We saw a couple of small falls, around 3 log bridge and finally came near the rainbow falls. Other than myself, Maneesha and Chethan no one was enthu enough to go near the falls. All of them sat there to have a look at it from distance. I just started climbing and when I reached the falls it was just amazing to stand beneath the freezing water falling from top of the hill. Maneesha and Chethan as well climbed and we took pics of each other. Atlast when we came down the others started commenting saying do you want pics on top of the falls as well when I said yes we would be going there. They tought I was kidding until Chethan specified the trial is going to lead us there. We were so slow that in 4 hrs we had just made 2.6 miles of climb. We three once again headed off on the trial when reluctantly others followed. After few minutes they verified with a stranger that we were left with still around 4 miles of climb when they started insisting we shall go back. I had seen fall colors but not that good until now. But we could make out the mountain had good colors on the top. I was a bit disappointed as well as the colors weren’t as good as it was supposed to be as it had not rained properly this year. I just wanted to have the trek completed had just got into the mood and being amidst nature was so pleasant after such long time. I have had so many trips in US but nothing this pleasant amidst nature. All cities in US are same is a dialogue I keep on repeating other than Newyork which is hatke;).
I asked Maneesha and Chethan when get to know even they are willing to climb. I start convincing Kavya but they would’t agree. So finally I ask them to leave for the sunset view and we would catch up with them after we finish hiking. I check for the keys for our car, in which we three had come and tought in mind Kavya goes with them Chethan coming with us should be fine for them to go in the other vehicle. She was not agreeing and was saying what if we don’t get a good view, what if we miss out sunset point. As I had already made up my mid just replied back saying, if there is a trial it should have a view point so whatever is there we would see and come back. If we miss the other one as well should be fine but we would try to make up for the same on time. She had ran out of batteries and asked me to pass on the car keys so that she could pick the spare ones. I tried to give her the key has there were two in the bunch but as it was put in a plastic ring was not able to. Finally asked Chethan to give his camera to her, wherein we dint realize he had a set of batteris which we could have passed across. We just thought Maneeshas camera should be enough. Rest started descending when we three start with our climb with full josh.
We three started our journey towards the paradise( that’s what came into my mind again and again when I went thru it) but we three really really did not know in another 8 hrs what all things are we going to go thru and could never have imagined this would be the most memorable, adventorous and I bet one in million people as well would not have experienced. I could put on all my asset on a bet saying people who have hiked smoky mountains numerous amount of time as well would not have known smoky rainbow trial as we know today or would have had the experience we had. Interval he he he..;)….
Three of us started climbing the mountain; its beauty kept on increasing. We asked a couple of people on how much more time it may take when they said may be around 3 more hours to reach the top when I used to say what if I climb real fast ; they would giggle and say may be less than that. They also said there is a point called cliff top on top of the mountain where we get a 360 degree view of smoky mountains. I was damn happy and damn enthu; wanted to climb and see asap. We took a detour thinking we could make it fast. The detour we took went into such bushy areas amidst the trees and we could see a path ( most probably of rain water). Chethen said after couple of minutes that it may be of animal may be a bear. Ya couple of people did say us that bears are there and we need to be cautious. All the three of us just turned back and started descending to find the trial. The bag hung around was really not allowing to move fast. Chethan removed the bag and started throwing it. I was in front of all and was climbing down with full speed a bit towards the right. At last when I found the trial started screaming I found I found. The other two joined and we decided not to take any detours going forward. We had lost around may be 20 minutes in the process. We started off on the trial once again. The path was getting more beautiful as we climbed. Tell me a color and I would have seen it there. The fallen leaves made me feel as if someone as just laid it down there just for me. Was just repeating a line “ is this a way to paradise”. Nature with its best colors. Was a treat to the eyes. Chethan had a tough time as his boots where leather ones and it had got wet and shrunk yesterday after white water rafting. Maneesha was getting a bit of back pain when he searched a stick for her and asked her to use it. Without taking much breaks or wasting time we were climbing. 4 miles to the top from where our friends left. We tought we had ran out of water when Chethan digged in the bag and found one last bottle of Gatorade. Life saving
We used to drink just few drops now and then so that we would not run out of water. We were taking pics when we realized that the battery was half gone. I was missing my camera a lot; had just sent it back to India. Wish I had it or got a new one. Had thought would buy one during the thanks giving time. Now was repenting. One of the climbers said there are cabins on top of the mountain and we tought we could get the batteries charged there and then descend. Fat hopes of life. But then too we limited the number of pics so that we would have enough left to take pics on top of the hill.
We started climbing much faster. Atlast we reached the top of the hill. There was a water pump, a swing just in front of it, cabins and a small shop. I just ran and sat on the swing, we all drank water ( it was freezingly cold), went to shop and bought lots choclates. That was the only eatable which was available. Me and Chethan explored the map which had all the trials been pinned hung inside the shop while Maneesha rested on the furniture laid across. Was no power to charge batteries. After couple of minutes left to Cliff top which I was eager to see. It did not take much time when we reached the same. Wow it was breath taking. We were completely surrounded by mountains and I guess we were on one of the highest peak. They were colorful due to fall and the colors used to change as per the directions of sun rays. In a minute it would be colorful and next minute it would be dark green. It was 5:20 in the evening and we were just screaming, laughing, jumping with excitement. I cannot even now define the feelings I was going thru, which I go thru when I remember it. We took lots n lots of pics of the mountain, of ourselves;) more than hundred but it was so tempting. The battery went poof when maneesha said may be after some mins I may be able to capture one pic. Fat hopes but what to do. I was repenting that we could have given the batteries to kavya and could have got chethan’s camera, was missing my own. The clouds would cover the sun for some time which would give a different view and when sun appears it would color the mountain in its own way. We decided to spend some time over there. After all we had climbed so much for the same right. At 6:15 atlast we decided to start back as it was going to get late. We filled in the water. Chethan tought of buying flash light but unluckily the shop was closed. We filled in the bottles all of them put inside the bag and started descending. Chethan got a stick for himself and got one for me too.
We were so happy may be we were running with joy. We felt we were completely filled up with energy. It was 6.7 miles of descend and we were thinking we would do it asap may be by 9 or 9:30. We tought we would go back, call the rest and check whether they are headed towards charolette, then go to some good Indian restaurant have nice food and then start off back. So very optimistic. We three were really making a good team.The first three miles we climbed down realfast; may be an hour or couple of minutes more. When the sun started setting. We did not have any flash lights, nothing to protect ourselves, I did not have my mobile had left in the car ( when needed I wouldn’t have it ; sick of me), Maneesha’s wasn’t working as it had got wet during rafting yesterday. Chethan’s had a last stick of charge left in his battery. We recollected one of the climbers saying sun is going to set at 7:15 go back soon. None of us had watch and we were not able to make out the time. Sun was looking real beautiful, the orange rays was making the mountain still more beautiful when we continued our descend without a break. Around half an hour may be it became dark. Me and Maneesha remembered the moon the previous day. I had commented that it looks like Id ka chand on the Pakistani flag. We realized we would’nt even have moon rays to light our path. The trial was amidst the forest in a thick canopy of wild trees without flash light, match sticks or any other means of light.Rest to be continued in the next part…;)
Poooof i strated requesting him to check with other airlines as we were on time and wasn’t really our fault. Later a lady official comes in and atlast gives me a option to fly with “USAirways” again Saturday early morning at 7am. I ask her to check whether we have anything before that as we had plans to reach thr atleast by 6am. She said no. I yelled a bit at her and collected the tickets and left from there. None of us were in the mood to go home. We checked with Kavya’s friend what was planned for first half of the day and whether we would miss rafting. When they informed us that until 2 its just sight seeing and Rafting was at 2pm we were a bit happy. We came back home and I sat there online for almost until 1:30am browsing, getting maps so that I could find the fastest of all to drive from Charolette to Rafting place within 3 hrs of time. Was frustrated a lot. Two days trip and half day is blown up.
Saturday October 6th , I wake up early morning at 4:15 and wake the other gals up. We all got ready had some milk and bread and started off to the airport. The only plan in my mind was to drive from charolette to Tn in 100+ m/hr to realy make up for time. With the same in mind I started off my car and jumped a red signal. I myself realized and said loudly I need to do this there not here. We are just fine and could reach airport on time. Luckily this time they did a lot of additional security checks apart from what they do regularly saying we have been selected for digital screening. The official misplaced everything I had packed with so much care. We boraded the flight and should say we landed on time. ( I guess the additional check was simply done :P) We rushed to rental car to get the vehicle; a “Red full size SS “ . I started driving and really drove to make it on time. We reached there just 10mins after kavya’s friends had come in. Was nice to know that we had not missed anything. We went on for White water rafting. This being first time for me was very excited. Really wasn’t as adventurous as I had thought but was overall a nice experience. Our guide as well made us do a bit of surfing and other stuffs and said we were thousands of time better than the batch he took before us he he he. At one place he said the water was 16feet deep and we could go for a swim. Does anything stop me; he said and I jumped. I had a life jacket so no possibilities of drowning. The water was very cold but was nice experience. We came back from rafting when I figured out the camping was cancelled and we are going to stay in hotel. I was completely disappointed. For the whole day just rafting. I had as well had a nice drive but then too. We just started taking pics at nearby location, went to downtown had some food, icecream (hmmm yummy), came back. We started discussing about Sunday’s trekking plan when figured out nothing was as such decided. We could pick any trials of 5 miles. Me and Maneesha both reacted just 5 miles.
None of them were ready for more than 5 and everyone wanted to get up only by 8am. Somehow made them agree for 7am, when Hari suggested to search Rainbow falls trial from the map and handed over the map to me. Hari was Kavya’s friend who was staying in Charolette and had organized most of the stuffs for the trip. We headed towards our room, I searched the trial, setup the alarm and just went to take a nap so that I would be all set for next day’s adventure.
Sunday October 8th, I am packed
between Maneesha nad Kavya and my alarm starts ringing. With half mind I got up. We all got ready by 7am just to know only one other gal is ready. All other have just got out of bed. We three come down making our room as well available to them and started taking early morning pics. What other best work is there to do. We had the so called continental complimentary breakfast and started towards the visitor center to get the trekking path details. The trial we chose was 6.7miles one way so completely around 14miles. The climate was real good and we headed towards the base location from where we could start off our journey up smoky mountains.
Group of 10, 6 gals and 4 guys. Two of them carried bags with water, chocolates and energy drinks. I carried my small bag in which had two apples just in case. We haven’t even started our trial when the gals started off walking slow. Me and maneesha started palying antakshri and started off clicking snaps at good locations. After an hour once we started seeing fall colors we started observing stuffs, finding locations for pics and were having our best time. Others just followed in there own pace. We saw a couple of small falls, around 3 log bridge and finally came near the rainbow falls. Other than myself, Maneesha and Chethan no one was enthu enough to go near the falls. All of them sat there to have a look at it from distance. I just started climbing and when I reached the falls it was just amazing to stand beneath the freezing water falling from top of the hill. Maneesha and Chethan as well climbed and we took pics of each other. Atlast when we came down the others started commenting saying do you want pics on top of the falls as well when I said yes we would be going there. They tought I was kidding until Chethan specified the trial is going to lead us there. We were so slow that in 4 hrs we had just made 2.6 miles of climb. We three once again headed off on the trial when reluctantly others followed. After few minutes they verified with a stranger that we were left with still around 4 miles of climb when they started insisting we shall go back. I had seen fall colors but not that good until now. But we could make out the mountain had good colors on the top. I was a bit disappointed as well as the colors weren’t as good as it was supposed to be as it had not rained properly this year. I just wanted to have the trek completed had just got into the mood and being amidst nature was so pleasant after such long time. I have had so many trips in US but nothing this pleasant amidst nature. All cities in US are same is a dialogue I keep on repeating other than Newyork which is hatke;).
I asked Maneesha and Chethan when get to know even they are willing to climb. I start convincing Kavya but they would’t agree. So finally I ask them to leave for the sunset view and we would catch up with them after we finish hiking. I check for the keys for our car, in which we three had come and tought in mind Kavya goes with them Chethan coming with us should be fine for them to go in the other vehicle. She was not agreeing and was saying what if we don’t get a good view, what if we miss out sunset point. As I had already made up my mid just replied back saying, if there is a trial it should have a view point so whatever is there we would see and come back. If we miss the other one as well should be fine but we would try to make up for the same on time. She had ran out of batteries and asked me to pass on the car keys so that she could pick the spare ones. I tried to give her the key has there were two in the bunch but as it was put in a plastic ring was not able to. Finally asked Chethan to give his camera to her, wherein we dint realize he had a set of batteris which we could have passed across. We just thought Maneeshas camera should be enough. Rest started descending when we three start with our climb with full josh.
We three started our journey towards the paradise( that’s what came into my mind again and again when I went thru it) but we three really really did not know in another 8 hrs what all things are we going to go thru and could never have imagined this would be the most memorable, adventorous and I bet one in million people as well would not have experienced. I could put on all my asset on a bet saying people who have hiked smoky mountains numerous amount of time as well would not have known smoky rainbow trial as we know today or would have had the experience we had. Interval he he he..;)….
Three of us started climbing the mountain; its beauty kept on increasing. We asked a couple of people on how much more time it may take when they said may be around 3 more hours to reach the top when I used to say what if I climb real fast ; they would giggle and say may be less than that. They also said there is a point called cliff top on top of the mountain where we get a 360 degree view of smoky mountains. I was damn happy and damn enthu; wanted to climb and see asap. We took a detour thinking we could make it fast. The detour we took went into such bushy areas amidst the trees and we could see a path ( most probably of rain water). Chethen said after couple of minutes that it may be of animal may be a bear. Ya couple of people did say us that bears are there and we need to be cautious. All the three of us just turned back and started descending to find the trial. The bag hung around was really not allowing to move fast. Chethan removed the bag and started throwing it. I was in front of all and was climbing down with full speed a bit towards the right. At last when I found the trial started screaming I found I found. The other two joined and we decided not to take any detours going forward. We had lost around may be 20 minutes in the process. We started off on the trial once again. The path was getting more beautiful as we climbed. Tell me a color and I would have seen it there. The fallen leaves made me feel as if someone as just laid it down there just for me. Was just repeating a line “ is this a way to paradise”. Nature with its best colors. Was a treat to the eyes. Chethan had a tough time as his boots where leather ones and it had got wet and shrunk yesterday after white water rafting. Maneesha was getting a bit of back pain when he searched a stick for her and asked her to use it. Without taking much breaks or wasting time we were climbing. 4 miles to the top from where our friends left. We tought we had ran out of water when Chethan digged in the bag and found one last bottle of Gatorade. Life saving
We used to drink just few drops now and then so that we would not run out of water. We were taking pics when we realized that the battery was half gone. I was missing my camera a lot; had just sent it back to India. Wish I had it or got a new one. Had thought would buy one during the thanks giving time. Now was repenting. One of the climbers said there are cabins on top of the mountain and we tought we could get the batteries charged there and then descend. Fat hopes of life. But then too we limited the number of pics so that we would have enough left to take pics on top of the hill.
We started climbing much faster. Atlast we reached the top of the hill. There was a water pump, a swing just in front of it, cabins and a small shop. I just ran and sat on the swing, we all drank water ( it was freezingly cold), went to shop and bought lots choclates. That was the only eatable which was available. Me and Chethan explored the map which had all the trials been pinned hung inside the shop while Maneesha rested on the furniture laid across. Was no power to charge batteries. After couple of minutes left to Cliff top which I was eager to see. It did not take much time when we reached the same. Wow it was breath taking. We were completely surrounded by mountains and I guess we were on one of the highest peak. They were colorful due to fall and the colors used to change as per the directions of sun rays. In a minute it would be colorful and next minute it would be dark green. It was 5:20 in the evening and we were just screaming, laughing, jumping with excitement. I cannot even now define the feelings I was going thru, which I go thru when I remember it. We took lots n lots of pics of the mountain, of ourselves;) more than hundred but it was so tempting. The battery went poof when maneesha said may be after some mins I may be able to capture one pic. Fat hopes but what to do. I was repenting that we could have given the batteries to kavya and could have got chethan’s camera, was missing my own. The clouds would cover the sun for some time which would give a different view and when sun appears it would color the mountain in its own way. We decided to spend some time over there. After all we had climbed so much for the same right. At 6:15 atlast we decided to start back as it was going to get late. We filled in the water. Chethan tought of buying flash light but unluckily the shop was closed. We filled in the bottles all of them put inside the bag and started descending. Chethan got a stick for himself and got one for me too.
We were so happy may be we were running with joy. We felt we were completely filled up with energy. It was 6.7 miles of descend and we were thinking we would do it asap may be by 9 or 9:30. We tought we would go back, call the rest and check whether they are headed towards charolette, then go to some good Indian restaurant have nice food and then start off back. So very optimistic. We three were really making a good team.The first three miles we climbed down realfast; may be an hour or couple of minutes more. When the sun started setting. We did not have any flash lights, nothing to protect ourselves, I did not have my mobile had left in the car ( when needed I wouldn’t have it ; sick of me), Maneesha’s wasn’t working as it had got wet during rafting yesterday. Chethan’s had a last stick of charge left in his battery. We recollected one of the climbers saying sun is going to set at 7:15 go back soon. None of us had watch and we were not able to make out the time. Sun was looking real beautiful, the orange rays was making the mountain still more beautiful when we continued our descend without a break. Around half an hour may be it became dark. Me and Maneesha remembered the moon the previous day. I had commented that it looks like Id ka chand on the Pakistani flag. We realized we would’nt even have moon rays to light our path. The trial was amidst the forest in a thick canopy of wild trees without flash light, match sticks or any other means of light.Rest to be continued in the next part…;)
well, it seems like an adventurous trip...:). is this smokey mountain?
ReplyDeleteyup.... you are right....it was smoky mountain...
ReplyDelete