The Randomness of Today

Today we decided to drive to the North Georgia Outlet Mall to visit the Restoration Hardware Furniture outlet to see if we could pick up a bargain, but still very nifty, medicine cabinet for our guest bathroom. We thought we would take about an 8 mile detour through the mountains to the source of the Appalachian trail- Springer Mountain. We set off with our trusty map in hand which is a blow up of the North Georgia Mountains only (ie the detail I see on the map is all there is I am guessing- an erroneous assumption it turns out). So we head out on this little two lane paved Aska road and turn off after a beautiful drive through some creek-filled farm land, mountain passes dotted with trees and see our turn off to Springer mountain, a decent looking gravel road. It really was fairly decent, no huge ruts anywhere and as we traveled the 6 miles up the mountain toward our destination we were treated to some gorgeous views. So we arrive at this kind of parking lot (the kind you find in remote mountain locations) and see a lone car parked in it. I do not have a good feeling. In fact, I am wondering if it might have been a good idea to wear my t-shirt that reads "hike faster, I hear banjo music". (Deliverance for those of you too young to get that). Anyway we check out the sign and see that it is really about a one mile hike to the beginning of the Appalachian Trail from this lot and hmmm we drive a little closer to this old 70's Ford LTD and see that although its tags were current a year ago, all of the windows had been broken out of it. Ok that settles it for both of us, we skip the short hike and decide to drive the rest of the road (which appeared on the map as a straight up and over the mountain) down to a two lane paved highway that will take us to the Outlet mall about 25 miles away. Ahhhh the beauty of the Blueridge Wildlife management district is that they are somewhat more advanced than our newly purchased map, ie, they had more numbered gravel roads than they did the one or two named roads that displayed on the map. So we came to a fork in the road (not on the map) and had to choose which gravel road to take.... well you got it we chose wrong.... so about 15 minutes later, I remember that Wood has a compass in his truck and I figure out what direction on the non existent map road we are traveling in and hopefully where we will reach a semblance of civilization. Speaking of which, up until we took the wrong turn we had seen no one.... then we passed a random truck with hunter types (think banjo music- at least I heard a little strumming) and then out of no where up pops this man in the road asking if we had cell phone coverage. He looked a little fragile to be out there all by himself but neither Wood nor I felt too comfortable staying for a chat so just answered honestly that we did not have cell phone coverage and took off. Ok so then we pass a couple of other folks in trucks ( of course) and then we pass a couple of army trucks with army dudes that are out camping?!?! what is that about??? Ok so next random event on this totally out in the wilderness area we come across a Georgia Federally run Fishery. Ok you have to understand there is nothing around.... nothing. I do notice that we have been following a pretty little creek for awhile and there are some small power poles..... but here it is out in the middle of nowhere- a pretty big US Fish and Wildlife service run fishery..... Ok keep driving for awhile.... still don't see any houses or anything.... an occasional camping spot or two, but then out of nowhere pops a beauty salon ... the kind run out of a home..... but who is going here???? ya gonna trek across the hills for a cut and a perm or what????? so random..... 20 minutes later still no houses visible and hills with trees thick on both sides of us, is your pretty little white Baptist church.... kind of reminded me of the book Christy. It was well maintained so someone had to go there and worship and some one had to be living somewhere around in the hills that we couldn't see. Ok so more gravel roads to choose from and finally we get to a two lane paved little country road that actually has a road sign labeling it and lo and behold it is actually on our map! We have made a big U and are about 5 miles away from where we started a couple of hours before. Off to the outlet mall which is about as opposite an experience as you can imagine. Restoration Hardware does not have what we want, we scurry to get some lunch and get back to our cabin for a 3 pm appointment and what do we do again but get lost this time in the Rich Mountain Wilderness Area.... again our not so trusty map does not distinguish between a road that is paved and a road that is not. We saw some gorgeous homes fronting creeks in the middle of nowhere along this 20 mile or so stretch of gravel roads totally lost in the Chattahoochee National forest.... but gee how do they ever give anyone directions on how to get to their house???? We came across so many roads that weren't on the map and the roads supposedly on the map were gone, that it wasn't funny. Keep in mind there is no cell phone coverage, so luckily before we had made this last venture into the assumed easy way home we had called and delayed our meeting, and we did finally arrive back to paved roads with real signs (ie ones on the map) before it started thundering, lightening and raining and in time for our meeting. What a totally random day!!!