Carolina Hemlocks

Daddy: Do you want to go swim in a river?

Pyper: Is it a fake river?

Daddy: It's a real river.

Pyper: Is it yucky?

Daddy: No, it's nice clean mountain water.

Pyper: Okay.

I went downstairs and Andy was already making breakfast. Andy excitedly says, "I have an idea!" 

Not long after breakfast, our camping gear and cooler are packed as we head to the Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery for some last minute provisions, mainly bakery items and beer.  

We head North. This is one of the first times we drive in that direction without making Asheville our destination. We do top off on gas, pick up some dry ice and fire wood, and have lunch with Gramma, before locking into our destination.  

Pyper documenting the car ride.

Our little car Buddah.

We are headed to the Toe River.  Andy has fond memories of camping and inner tubing down this river as a kid, and for some reason he woke up with the idea of going in his head. We mistakenly stop at a private campground called Toe River Campground, before arriving at the Forest Service recreation area called Carolina Hemlocks, which is the one he remembers.

"Oh my gosh, I'm gonna love this, this is gonna be cool!" Pyper exclaimed as we approached the office at campground. You know it's going to be good when your two year says that. We check in, find a suitable campsite, rent inner tubes, then hit the river. It's after 4 o'clock, but there's lots of light left in the day.  

Pyper and I ready to hit the river.

The stretch of river that runs next to the campground is full of Pyper sized rapids. When she first gets into the water, all she wants to do is hang on the hand holds on the outside of the inner tube as it floats downstream. Luckily she has her wetsuit on and the chill of the water doesn't affect her.  She lays back on Andy's tummy as they hit the fast water and there is nothing but smiles on both their faces. As long as you get out before the end of the recreation area, there is a foot trail back to the put-in site. We do the run three times before we call it a day, as I can no longer feel my feet. This not so primitive campground has hot showers too.

After warming up we head back to camp and let the night wind down, which takes awhile for Pyper.  

Build it, Light it, Grill it, Eat it.  This is Andy's "Upside Down Fire." You stack starting with the big stuff, and end with the kindling, and the fire feeds itself.

Early in the morning we feast on scones, break camp and venture onward.  

Morning filled with scones, dry ice experiments, a hammock fatality, and daddy love. 

Paying tribute to the river spirits with rhododendron flowers.  

Tsuga caroliniana (Carolina hemlock) is a species of Tsuga, native to the Appalachian Mountains in southwest Virginia, western North Carolina, extreme northeast Georgia, northwest South Carolina, and eastern Tennessee. Its habitat is on on rocky mountain slopes at elevations of 2,300–3,900 ft. The optimal growing condition is a partly shady area with moist but well-drained soil in a cool climate.  It is related to the Eastern Hemlock, which both look very similar to Western Hemlock of the Pacific Northwest.