Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 37

Visitors at High Hampton Inn get away from it all on refreshing Jewel Lake.

clock, ice, a mini-fridge-magically
appearing at a moment's notice. As
dusk falls and the temperature drops,
even in summer, the requirement
that men wear jackets to dinner
doesn't seem like such a bad idea.
And with dishes like chicken piccata, New York strip with bleu cheese
crust, and shrimp and grits, the buffet is anything but primitive.
The next morning, I stroll past
fern glades and glorious flame azaleas, through tunnels of arching umbrella magnolias, on my way to the
peak of the 4,618-foot Chimney Top
Mountain. A half-mile from the top,
I spot a single rhododendron blossom resting lightly on the ground,
then above me, the mother plant,
and the impressive, panoramic view
I've been hearing about.
Before checkout on the last day
at High Hampton, my massage therapist Janet gently places smooth hot
stones in the middle of my back,
legs and neck, melting the muscle
soreness of the long hike. Afterward,

I relax in a Chinese-red rocker, feel
the breeze, and watch kids play in
Jewel Lake beyond a massive shade
tree, savoring my new home-awayfrom-home, one that I don't want
to leave.

Rafting on the
Hiwassee River,
Reliance, Tennessee
Renting an inflatable raft at Webb
Brothers Float Service and General
Store-the latter part opened in
1936 on the banks of the Hiwassee
River, the brainchild of two brothers who couldn't find work during
the Depression-I take a seat on the
tour truck headed for the put-in below the Appalachia Powerhouse.
Jostling along in the lumbering
vehicle, we climb up, up, up a steep
mountain road, finally stopping at
a rock-studded point on the pristine
Class II and III rapids. The Cherokee
National Forest rises up around the
bowl of the river as trees lean into
the brown-green water. Gentler than

the Ocoee River, the 1996 Olympic
whitewater venue, I've heard the Hiwassee is ideal for beginners.
Paddling past the occasional small
island, anglers intent on their catch,
and dogs splashing in the cool water
near the pebbled banks, I head downstream in what will turn out to be an
adventure both mild and intense. At
one point along the 5-mile trip, the
raft gets stuck on the lip of a fairly
steep drop-off and pivots around so
that I can no longer see where I'm going. This turns out to be a blessing in
disguise; I don't have time to panic
when the vessel loosens and lands
safely a few yards below.
Most of the bed-and-breakfasts
near the Hiwassee have closed, but
The Chattanoogan, a luxury hotel
in nearby Chattanooga, is only an
hour away. Room views of Lookout
Mountain and the trendy Southside
district, a relaxing rooftop day spa,
and upscale Southern cuisine make
this a great place to unwind after a
day on the water. And if you haven't
July/August 2017 37



Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017

July/August 2017 - Cover
Table of Contents
Letters / Worth a Click
Contributors
From the Editor
Mill Creek Stories
Creature Feature
The Good Walk
Mountain Report
Country Roads
Eclipse!
Saluting the Blue Ridge Parkway: A Photo Essay
Mountain High Life: Explorations for Summer
‘Swiss’ Towns in the Mountains
The Strange Post-Biltmore Life of Cornelia Vanderbilt
The Almost-Happened Lost States of the Mountains
Farm-to-Table in Upcountry South Carolina
Festivals & Events
Singing in the Garden
Guest Column
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Intro
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - July/August 2017 - Cover
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Cover2
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 3
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Table of Contents
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 5
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Letters / Worth a Click
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Contributors
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - From the Editor
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 9
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Mill Creek Stories
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 11
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Creature Feature
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 13
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - The Good Walk
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 15
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Mountain Report
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 17
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Country Roads
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 19
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 20
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 21
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Eclipse!
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 23
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 24
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 25
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 26
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 27
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Saluting the Blue Ridge Parkway: A Photo Essay
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 29
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 30
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 31
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 32
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 33
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 34
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Mountain High Life: Explorations for Summer
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 36
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 37
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 38
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 39
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 40
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 41
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - ‘Swiss’ Towns in the Mountains
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 43
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 44
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 45
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 46
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 47
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - The Strange Post-Biltmore Life of Cornelia Vanderbilt
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 49
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 50
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 51
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 52
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 53
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - The Almost-Happened Lost States of the Mountains
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 55
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 56
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Farm-to-Table in Upcountry South Carolina
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 58
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 59
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 60
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 61
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Festivals & Events
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 63
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Singing in the Garden
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - 65
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Guest Column
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Cover3
Blue Ridge Country - July/August 2017 - Cover4
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