Grotto Falls

Hiking My Dreams at Grotto Falls
By Barbie Perkins, Freelance Writer

After leaving the corporate world of America, I’ve decided to make lif This first trickle of water gives the false impression that the falls are near. e an adventure, and to be a bit more spontaneous. I’ve grown tired of planning and coordinating events, schedules, along with corporate administrative business, and answering to others.

So, off my husband and I go after our arrival at Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Today is our first day of new adventures. While driving through the mountains, we come across a sign that reads Grotto Falls just ahead. I tap Phil on the shoulders.

“Let’s stop and take a hike. Phil looks at my feet, still embraced in sandals. “Don’t you think you should change your shoes?” He asked.

Today was the first day of no rules for me. No rules. No plans. No time clock. Nothing!

Reluctantly, I rush to the back seat to get my socks and sneakers, furious that he is still telling me what to do. His controlling nature is about to get the best of me, but I decide to take it in my stride, and if I get too frustrated with him, I’ll do something just to get the best of him. What I would do – was the question of the moment! With digital cameras ready, we stroll up the mountain as a slight rain kisses our faces with raindrops. The higher and deeper we get, the more it rains. At first, we could stand under the trees and not get wet. The more we plunge into the falls, the worse it gets. Now, I’m questioning why I bothered to wear make up and style my hair. What did it matter? No one around here knew me, so primping was a waste of my time. Nevertheless, we take our time, shooting several photographs, continuing our ‘easy’ hike. We take photographs of downed, decaying trees, fungus and moss, along with the thickness of the woods.

What seems to be an endless walk going no where took us at least an hour just to see the falls – that is, the first tease of the falls! Stopping at this first trickle of water, we are revitalized. With this first tease of rushing water, the falls can’t be much further! Now, the rain isn’t just kissing my face, I’m drowning, at least my mascara is, and I look more like a raccoon with blackened eyes than a human. When we started this excursion, rain was only a slight mist, refreshing and cool, now my hair is sopping wet and sticky from hair spray. I must look like a squirrel, but I dare not ask my husband. I wipe the rain pouring down my face. My hands are covered with black mascara. Phil stops to remind me to be careful; he was concerned that I would fall. He knows what a clumsy woman I am walking on hardwood floors, or simply walking. I was determined to show him, and I finally told him if he didn’t hush, I’d make certain he fell, or slipped, or something---! Breathless, but damn determined, I refuse to go back. After all, I enjoy a nice hike, but this was almost torture, not to mention, what would happen IF one of us fell, or managed to get bitten by animals on the prowl! We never saw any wildlife!

A family of hikers, dressed with back packs, sticks and bottles of water in their hands meet us on the narrow, slippery path. I look at the tiny boy drinking from a bottle while riding on his father’s shoulders. I can almost taste the moistness as he gulps the water bottle dry. “Hello,” I say The sunlight barely seeps through the rain clouds and the forest canopy. , wishing they’d offer us a bottle of water. We move closer to the edge, to let them by. The softness of the path moves under my feet. I look down, thinking if I fell, the doorways of Hell would open up and swallow me, and no one would ever find me.

That’s when I realize rules are made for a reason, and some rules should be followed, like the rules of hiking. Be prepared – we were not. Carry equipment – like first aid kits, bottled water, and wear good hiking shoes. Sneakers are comfortable and they certainly beat sandals during a hike, but some rules should be followed! What would happen if Phil or I were bitten by a snake, or if my spaghetti like ankles give out and I should fall? What if I broke a leg? What if??? Some rules, even those made by the Corporate World, should be followed!

Phil nods to the family asking, “How much longer?” The small boy atop his father’s shoulders whimpers, “A long, long, LONG ways!” His father laughs, “You’ve got about three quarters of the way to go yet.”

“Thanks,” I say, sarcasm spilling over. “Appreciate that.”

Phil scrutinizes me as I lean on a tree stump. “You okay?”

Huffing and puffing, wishing I had my inhaler I nod. “OK. Let’s go.”

“Take a break,” he responds, listening to the wheezing in my chest. “You’ve got your inhaler with you. Right?”

My look says it all. Knowing me as he does, I can almost read his mind. I’m certain he’s thinking, ‘You foolish woman. Your inhaler is right there in the car. You should’ve remembered it!’

Furious with him, I think about the edge of the cliff, wishing to move him closer. The sarcasm returns to my voice and I ask, ‘Did you remember your cell phone – just in case?’

He pats his hip, removes the cell phone. ‘No service.’

“Great. Just what will we do if I fall, or you break a leg?”

The endless path to nowhere continues as we plunge our bodies forward.

“I think someone lied to us,” Phil says cynically. There’s nothing ahead.”

“I’m not stopping. If there’s a waterfall here, I intend to find it.”

Phil grows more irritated with me every moment. Perhaps he doesn’t like this stiff, stu Grotto Falls was a welcome sight. bborn, determined woman that I am now. He’s accustomed to me giving up, but I’m determined so I move my exhausted legs with new determination.

I think about the conversation I had with the girls at the office on my last day of work. Phil had called numerous times that day, and I threatened to throw him overboard when we rode the rapids, or push him off a cliff. Now, I had the opportunity to do that and if it happened by the narrow edge of the depths of Hell, who would know I was the guilty party?

“Look over here,” I said, leaning over a bit. Dizzy, I move away, “If someone wanted to get rid of somebody, this would be the perfect place. I bet it goes all the way down to Hell. Who’d know?”

“Eventually it would smell. You trying to tell me something?” He asks, lifting his eyebrows suspiciously at me.

“No, just thinking out loud. Suppose it’s the writer inside me, asking those what if questions.”

“Whatever. Let’s go. Time’s wasting.”

Reluctantly I stretch my legs.

“You wanna go back to the car?” He smirks.

“No. I will not be defeated – not today!”

Another group of hikers meet us. I’m in hopes they found the falls. One of the ladies in this group holds two hands tightly on a wooden stick.

“You’ve got a while still,” she says, inhaling deep. “About two more miles.”

The guy next to her punches her on the shoulder.

“You are kidding, aren’t you?” I ask.

The group laughs and moves on.

Still, Phil and I continue the pursuit. Now, he’s gasping for breath too as we climb deeper, steeper, placing our feet carefully along the slippery mud puddles. The rain is pouring now, as if someone turned a water faucet on high. My hair no longer feels like cotton candy with syrup on it. It is soft, as if the rain has washed all chemicals and mouse away.

What seems to take forever, a stroll all the way to the Heavens feels like it was hours away. My legs ache, but I am determined. I will not be defeated, even if it is the last adventure in my lifetime. I inhale, exhale, stretch my legs, and plunge higher. I hear the sound of water. “It’s just the rain running down the mountain,” I say to Phil. We stop for a moment. He hears the sounds and moves along. The falls are just ahead. Breathtaking! I feel a sense of accomplishment! Glancing at my sneakers, I discover my legs, socks, and sneakers are covered with mud.

“Thank goodness we have a washer and dryer at the cabin,” I said. “My socks and shoes were white this morning.”

I grab Phil’s hand. “Let’s go, I said. “The falls must be just ahead.”

Startled at my determination, Phil anticipated my giving up and turning back. This is the new and improved me. Excited to see the world as a new adventure now, not a place to plan and follow rules. When we reach the falls, I’m suddenly energized, like the non stop Energizer bunny. I grab my camera, zooming in to capture the pure, flowing, sparkling falls. This is heaven. I wipe the splashing water from my eyes, unaware if it is rain, or my tears.

**All Photos by Barbie Perkins