We have been planning this trip all year!
It started off being up at the balds, but I found out I was not the only one with that plan. Amanda had discovered the place we stayed, Lotterdale Cove, during her research of the area. Rho has left the fold to attend college! They dropped her off Thursday!
It was originally Katy, Amanda, and our families. We invited Gina and Sarah. Gina declined, so we squeezed Sarah in our site instead of trying to get another spot-though even the night before the eclipse there were still spots open! Matt could not go because of a new project starting up at work, so he missed the totality. It turned out to be good in a way because he was so sick over the weekend that they had to cancel a gig. He's still so sick that he made me stop talking about the cheese we brought home from Sweetwater.
I didn't take any photos until Sunday even though I got there Friday. That is because Friday was the most stressful day I have had in 7 months. I needed the whole day Saturday to recover.
Saturday we went to Tellico Plains for a while, where it was something close to 135 degrees.
It was so hot, I kept buying drinks anywhere we went, we came home with an entire bag of bottles to drop at the recycle center.
The bathhouse was up a steep hill from the campsites, so all that drinking was also paying off via massive muscle gain. I kept getting Charley horses in my calves and having to walk them off in the middle of the night. Then drink even more because I was pretty sure they are from dehydration. It was an athletic weekend.
Sunday, we went swimming
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| These never happen. 12 years, I have known these women. FIRST photo together. I wish Sarah had bothered to get dressed. |
Katy's hand
I took the girls across the lake to a rope swing. I thought they would try it a few times and be done. Not hardly.
It was a solid hour until their arms could no longer hold them on.
Ace went more times than Inde, but her mama doesn't allow pics of her face online, so I had to pare down.
The big kids slogged over to have a go.
Then Katy showed up in a tiny inflatable boat with an extra paddle.
Then Katy showed up in a tiny inflatable boat with an extra paddle.
We went to a nearby cemetery for sunset pics.
This is from the Morgantown Cemetery.
This is from the Morgantown Cemetery.
The next day was ECLIPSE DAY
My child for sure.
I taught the kids to float on their back first thing, around age 2 or 3. My theory was, if they got over their heads or got tired while swimming around, they could always float until their energy returned or they were rescued.
Plus, I love to float! Chan does too.
Eclipesy things started happening. Shadows! The crescent! We ran around looking at everything on land, then got out in the lake before totality.
hahahahaha!
My single attempt, though the corona was not that pronounced. My camera has issues with light and I didn't want to spend more than that 10 seconds messing with it.
Everyone screamed, we cried, we looked at the planets that are up in the day, we spun around and around to see the lit horizon, and we stared at the sun. It was so beautiful, there's just no describing it. The temps dropped 20 degrees, it was so, so lovely. Everything a dusky blue.
Then, that sliver of sun popped out and BAM-the world was lit again.
We celebrated with moon pies and sun chips because...that's what we do.
That night we watched the sunset from camp, which was a novel idea. hahaha
Tuesday morning, we packed up, stopped for breakfast and cheese and hit the road.
We were home by 1, it was HOT HOT HOT.
Ben made a friend just before we left camp:
