The June night was clear with a bright starry sky above. We sat around a little campfire that was not for the heat but for the effect. We always thought a campout was incomplete without a fire to gaze into. It had been a daunting, sometimes frustrating task to get the assembled family together; for every date I suggested someone objected. Eventually we found a time we could agree on, and here we were sitting around a campfire as happy as could be. Some even wanted to sing songs and they did. Now and then the sound of something scampering about outside our circle aroused the attention of someone who ventured out to investigate. Each time it happened the same report came back. It was only a skunk or two scouring the campground for scraps of food that some camper may have dropped. Before long the little fire ebbed, yawns traveled around the circle and it was off to our tents and to bed.

Our camp was in Cades Cove, a part of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Cades Cove is an area of not quite flat land, surrounded by mountain ridges. The cove was once a community of farms having a loop road around the perimeter of the farms with houses located at appropriate intervals along the road. The houses are well maintained and the farmlands are tilled as if they were still real farms.

Family members frequently left the camp to explore some of the many features of the park. One day the whole group, on a scenic drive, located a short loop trail designated as a nature trail and decided that a short loop would be just right. From a small parking lot the trail rose into the woods above and disappeared around a bend. The whole gang took to the trail in single file to view the wonders of nature the trail might offer. The usual trailside woodland sights were abundant but not outstanding for one used to such trails. Bye-and-bye a cracking sound came from our left, and looking up the hill about thirty yards we all saw a big black bear. He was busy ripping apart a decaying stump of a long ago felled tree. We all stopped to watch him do his work, but the bear took no notice of us. By the time we left, the stump was demolished and the bear was busily slurping up the grubs he had uncovered. We hesitated in the parking lot at the end of our short hike to reorient ourselves. Presently one of the kids yelled out and pointed towards Dorothy who noticed a sniffing sound behind her. She turned to see a big black bear close behind her. I don’t think she wet her pants, but I think she came close to it. The bear, seeing no ready food, moved on. Once Dorothy’s nerves settled we continued our motor tour and returned to camp where Dick took over the task of rustling up a good supper for the whole gang. Dick is a take-charge guy who loves to cook and keep everything organized. We were all grateful for that.

The next morning we decided to hike up to one of the many waterfalls. We left after breakfast without Dorothy who preferred to remain in camp. Was it the hike or the bears? As with nearly all falls hikes its all uphill one way and all downhill the other, but a beautiful sight to behold in the middle of the trip. A mountain stream stretching uneasily in its bed and seeking a resting place, suddenly finds itself being torn apart, accelerating wildly over rocks and falling into a pool of turbulent water, but finding no peace here moves on still searching for a place to rest.

Meanwhile, back at the camp Dorothy sat peacefully in her resting place reading her book. Unnoticed by her, a bear came out of the woods and sauntered toward our campsite, no doubt attracted by a large metal food cooler sitting atop the camp table. He wasted no time in attacking the cooler. The noise of the bear’s teeth biting at the corner of the cooler alerted Dorothy that she was no longer alone. Just a glance started her hightailing it for the restrooms and locking the door behind her. The bear bit and pawed at the cooler until he finally became frustrated at his lack of progress, gave up and departed leaving not only his tooth marks but also a tooth imbedded in the cooler. Dorothy didn’t reveal how long she occupied the restroom but the bear was long gone before she ventured out. I don’t believe she enjoyed the book any more that day, but she did inform a couple of passersby who were looking for bears that there really were bears around. The hikers returned at about the same time that the park ranger arrived on his rounds. The ranger inquired of who was responsible for the cooler and upon finding out it was Dick gave him a royal chewing out, reminding him that all food was to be stored inside the car. Fortunately the food was left intact and we ate supper again that day.

The next day I made a wrong movement dislocating a vertebra in my lower back. I was out of commission but Susanna took pity on me and helped me into a car and headed off to find a chiropractor in Maryville. I don’t know what happened in camp that day but they were still doing what tourist campers do. By the next day I was still laid up and we made a second trip to the doctor. I was still sore but at least I could get up and walk a little. When we returned my sister Margaret and niece Jana were in camp to visit the gang. They had come from Oak Ridge to see us. I guess I was sorry company for them but we were glad to see one another and had a nice visit.

After we broke camp the next day and loaded our gear into our cars, nobody was in a hurry to leave. There was a lot of hugging and maybe a tear or two shed before we finally said our farewells. We’d had a great time, not because of what we had seen or done, but because of the rare pleasure of being together again.

FOOTNOTE: 

Present: David, Katyna, Andre, Ursula, Stephen, Catherine, Shawn. Susanna, Dick, Rachel, Emily, my guest Dorothy, and Don

I challenge all who were there to write their version of the reunion. It will be interesting.