Peace on Earth
10/12/10
ENC 1101
Peace on Earth This place known so well to me never fails to uplift my spirits after the annual visit my family and I take over summer. The crisp wind and the scent of nature seem to cast a spell on campers, relaxing and relieving them of stress. Tellico Plains, Tennessee might very well be my peace on Earth. I love escaping from the malicious grasp of modern day technology and taking a leap into the wild, with a breath of fresh air to clear my head. It is absolutely rejuvenating to come to this town and live with no connections to the World for a week. Two hours up the narrow, winding, gravel path spiraling the mountain, we veer to the right at Big Oak Campsite. The popping of the tire treads on the gravel sends warm waves through my body; I know we have arrived. Immediately I venture to the freshwater stream crafted from the melting ice off the higher altitude mountains. Due to how inviting it looks, I hop across the slippery stones to the infamous “Old Faithful” rock, which is just a good trout fishing spot. Standing here I scan my surroundings, which blow my mind. The lush forest filled with oak, pine, maple, and evergreen trees is so dominant over me; and I know it, but I am ok with it. The stream is relatively narrow, only spanning about 20 ft in width. Rocks of all sizes poke out the surface of the water and electric green moss grows thick on each one. They serve as my stepping stones back to the bank. The Coleman camper we pull behind the car is old and smells musty every year, but it doesn’t phase me at all. We wench the pop top up and pull out the beds, make them up and sweep the linoleum floor before we go any further in setting up camp, the last touch to the camper being a floor mat just inside the door. By this time, the sun is setting and the fireflies are flourishing. Everywhere you look you see a spark of yellow-green light on the move. It’s almost impossible to refrain from getting up to attempt to catch one, so I get up
ENC 1101
Peace on Earth This place known so well to me never fails to uplift my spirits after the annual visit my family and I take over summer. The crisp wind and the scent of nature seem to cast a spell on campers, relaxing and relieving them of stress. Tellico Plains, Tennessee might very well be my peace on Earth. I love escaping from the malicious grasp of modern day technology and taking a leap into the wild, with a breath of fresh air to clear my head. It is absolutely rejuvenating to come to this town and live with no connections to the World for a week. Two hours up the narrow, winding, gravel path spiraling the mountain, we veer to the right at Big Oak Campsite. The popping of the tire treads on the gravel sends warm waves through my body; I know we have arrived. Immediately I venture to the freshwater stream crafted from the melting ice off the higher altitude mountains. Due to how inviting it looks, I hop across the slippery stones to the infamous “Old Faithful” rock, which is just a good trout fishing spot. Standing here I scan my surroundings, which blow my mind. The lush forest filled with oak, pine, maple, and evergreen trees is so dominant over me; and I know it, but I am ok with it. The stream is relatively narrow, only spanning about 20 ft in width. Rocks of all sizes poke out the surface of the water and electric green moss grows thick on each one. They serve as my stepping stones back to the bank. The Coleman camper we pull behind the car is old and smells musty every year, but it doesn’t phase me at all. We wench the pop top up and pull out the beds, make them up and sweep the linoleum floor before we go any further in setting up camp, the last touch to the camper being a floor mat just inside the door. By this time, the sun is setting and the fireflies are flourishing. Everywhere you look you see a spark of yellow-green light on the move. It’s almost impossible to refrain from getting up to attempt to catch one, so I get up