May 11, 2010
We left for Mount Rogers today to stay for four months as Camp Hosts at Fox Creek Horse Camp in Troutdale, Virginia. It is a cool spring day, sunny, dry and windy. The anticipation is high, the dogs feel it. They have “known” for days and have been like glue to us as we loaded all the things we need to camp with for the summer into the trailers. Montanna has been concerned “is she going?” Amarillo has been worried and Abilene does not know for sure where she stands with me. Even the pups Drover and BOO have been excited and curious feeding off the other dogs feelings. But not understanding any of it.
The drive up to the mountains was interesting. I noticed the full green leaves on the trees here at home and everything so green with blooms everywhere. As the mountains came into view up on HWY 89 outside of Mount Airy the “mystery of the mountains shrouded in the fog and mist “excited my imagination. The tops of the mountains were hid from my view and the fog swirled round them and me and the moisture all most took my breath. The smell of the rain and mist on the leaves and that unmistakable woods smell were like nothing I can describe. If you have ever experienced it you know why I can’t describe it. Unmistakable and yet not describable. But definitely a smell that will be in the heaven I get to go to! It has to be the smell that was here in the Beginning.
As I drove along climbing the mountains to the Eastern Continental divide at 2300 feet my thoughts wandered to what we would find when we arrived at Fox Creek in Fairwood Valley. How had things faired through the winter with 40 inches of snow and all the cold weather? As we passed through Low Gap the air was definitely chilly…I suppose there would be lots more of that.
We turned on to HWY 58 and headed toward the New River. I could hardly wait to see the river! I remember the first time I laid eyes on it. It felt like “home” to me like I belonged there. I love that old river! As we crossed it it looked like there had been lots of ice on it during the winter, I will have to ask Junior Cox about that. He lives near by and is a good friend. He rides a mule called Sarsaparilla. She is a good mule, pretty too, but only his mule! He has a dog too named Polly. Zona is his wife and Rebecca his daughter. He is all ways telling me “I just love these old mountains!” I feel the same way too!
Well as we travel up” The Crooked Road” towards Fox Creek the trees are not so green and leafy. I wonder about the folk that live along “The Crooked Road” how they did all winter are they planning gardens, what do they do to make a living, do they know how lucky they are to live here?
Nothing much seems to have changed except the seasons and then through Independence, VA and on to Troutdale and before I know it there it is like an old friend waiting for me and then the “Magical Turn” to the left into a true” Wonder Land” on HWY 603 and 8 miles of the prettiest scenery anywhere on God’s Green Earth. The road is winding and climbs up a little valley that at the highest point is 3400 feet. With mountains on either side that climb to 5200 feet or there about. How aptly named is the little valley “Fairwood” It is a fair place, the magic and beauty of this place is awesome. The stream Fox Creek runs and rushes and foams and falls and slides along the winding road first on the left then the right and back on the left again. It is unspoiled with rocks and moss and wildflowers blooming. Birds signing, trout, deer and bear the occasional grouse all abound here in the meadows along this valley road. One can still see old home places and barns and lots of Apple trees that produce an abundant crop in the fall.
As we near the top of the valley we come to Fox Creek Horse Camp our destination and home for the next four months. This will be our staging point for all of our summer adventures. The dogs know where they are and can feel the excitement. It is quite cool and breezy with the sun shinning; the sky is a dark blue with the promise of a rain shower and thus begins our summer in the mountains!
