That Sign Was There For A Reason!

Using Google Maps to get to Blue Bear Mountain Camp between Todd, NC & Boone, NC & we were told to turn on Brookshire Road because NC 194 had a section closed. First thing we see is the soccer facility for App State University & a sign that says “No Long Vehicles or Combo Vehicles.” So did we turn into the parking lot to see if we could continue or find another way? Reader, we did not do either of those things.

Brookshire Road is immediately twisting & turning. Next, it turns to gravel, but was a good surface so we continued forward without checking to see if this was a good idea. Another half mile or so and this was where it felt like it was about to hit the fan. Brookshire Road stops being a winding road & you start downhill. Reader, the road begins to narrow & there are no driveways in any more to turn into to turn around. Now the road surface begins to get a little crappy with some holes with water. The trees and the undergrowth are beginning to feel a little claustrophobic & about here is where the profanity in the Subaru Outback began to reach a crescendo. We are in the South & my Brooklyn born/Long Island raised wife & I have the talk, where I remind her I’m the one who has to speak if a problem pops up.

Finally, the road flattens & there is a creek next to us. Two parked vehicles next to the creek, I guess belonged to fisherman. Our penultimate obstacle was a right turn on to a wooden single lane bridge with no guard rails followed by a steep but paved climb to a stop sign. The roads met at wicked angle & there was no way to safely turn right towards our destination. The left we made was no picnic either. We were still on that steep hill & the cars coming from our right wouldn’t see us until the last second. With one final expletive, I floored our 6 cylinder Subaru Outback & we were safely made on to NC 194. Drove a mile in the wrong direction & turned around in the parking lot of Goober Peas County Store.

I’m not sure, but I’m beginning to think that sign was there for a reason. And Reader, NC 194 was not closed anywhere either. $*#@%

 

Pretty country! Way up there you were...
Great story...
I've been misled by Google too...
At night, construction detour,
crossing the rez...gravel roads...good and lost!

Confess to getting the feeling like the locals might not take a shine to my driving up on their ...shine!

Say? Do I hear banjo music?
Nope, lol, a different song, different movie...

Ah, here we go...

 

I play that Cash/Ives version in my History class. Kids love it. Most know Cash and I make the listen carefully to Ives & finally someone realizes he narrates the Rudolph special.

 

Thats pretty neat.
My son and his army buddies are into old Johnny Cash these days.


I remember singing the Goober Peas marching song as a young boy scout on hikes some 50+ years ago.

 

Great review! If you’re looking for something in western NC, the daughter of someone I used to fly with bought Mountain Stream Campground which is NW of Marion, NC. A lot of the sites have private decks on a fast moving stream. It’s rated 5-stars on Allstays.

 

I know where that one is located. I’ve done the Assault on Mt Mitchell bike ride & that is the spot where the ride is all uphill here from there. It is beautiful in there along NC 80. Thanks, we’ll keep that in mind since that is closer to where we live.

 

I had a similar experience years ago --- we were going to Custer State park in South Dakota and had been on the road for several hours -- 6 at least since this was near our destination, and our previous night stop was in Iowa. This "tired" state is what I am blaming my stupidity on. I was listening to the GPS and it told me to turn; I doubted it momentarily and then turned anyway. I figured it knew the maps better than I, so why should I doubt it?

Immedaitely, it didn't feel right. Did I turn around? Hellno!!!! It was a gravel road but wide enough to be reasonable to have 2 cars pass. Then it got narrow, then I realized there was no driveways, then it started to get steep. This is where I realized I was hosed. I couldn't u-turn, and I was "in too far" to back up.

What does any redblooded American do at this point? Push on!!! The GPS can't possibly be wrong!

FINALLY, the flat spot on the side of the mountain got wider. Just wide enough that I thought I could make a 3 point turn with the camper. Fortuantely the Subaru has a tight turning radius, and I am very good at backing. I was very lucky. Very lucky and I was able to back down the mountain, get back on the main road, and pretend that nothing happened.

Lessons:

1. GPS can be wrong, and are not a substitute for common sense.
2. Knowing how to back up is a critical skill, while I am very good at it -- I make a point to tell this story to people who say "I never back up..."
3. Having an agreement that either person in the car can say "Stop -- I've got a bad feeling about this" is important.

My penance for this excursion was very light. Unlike the time the GPS didn't warn me of a low overpass and I got 2 new airconditioners -- shaved them right off.