Raccoon Branch continued

 


Monday May 22 2023


Today we visited Millie’s sister Betty and her husband Paul, who live just outside the village of Konorock. I had previously offered to repair two of the burners on their kitchen stove. I had ordered the parts online and had them shipped to their home. I replaced the temperature control rheostats on the two malfunctioning burners, checked the burner elements for shorts and correct resistance and called the job done. Old electricians are like Marines, once an electrician, always an electrician!

The Pedigo home



As a bonus today I also got to troubleshoot and repair the water heater in the travel trailer. I guess I’m just one of those people who are happiest when I’m doing something.

Hiking trails at Raccoon Branch


Back at the campground in the Jefferson National Forest this afternoon Millie and I hiked the Dickey Knob trail. We hiked 1.5 miles all uphill on switch backs around connected mountains, each taking us higher. At 1.5 miles, according to the pedometer on Millie’s shoe we had reached the last connecting ridge between two peaks. The top of the last mountain lay before us, maybe another ¼ to ½ mile up the trail. The elevation in the campground is 2658 feet and the peak of Dickey Knob is 3649 feet so over the course of 1.5 miles hiked we rose in elevation just shy of 1000 feet.



While both of us were still in good shape and capable of continuing, we decided to leave the crest for another day. We had had enough and now had to walk down the mountain. Unfortunately, I forgot to take my phone so did not take any photos. The mountains are pristine wilderness with only the single file trail as an indication of man’s presence. Much of the way was lined with mountain Laurel, Rhododendron and huckleberry bushes. It’s in the middle of a National wilderness area so there is no noise other than provided by nature. It may not be to everyone’s liking, but to us these are America’s last great places. 



Tonight’s movie was Crazy Heart with Jeff Bridges and Maggie Gyllenhall. It is the story of an alcoholic country singer at the end of his career and his on again off again relationship with a woman and her young son. Although attracted to him, she has been hurt too many times already. This storyline drags on through the entire movie right up to the happy ending, but not the one you would guess. Millie gave it a 6.5, my grade was much lower at a 4.



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