Seven Eleven

It was five Seven Elevens (that's July 11) ago when I found myself sitting on a boulder at the edge of the Toe River feeling down and out and wishing my dear friend SR were there to swim and pass the time with. It was about mid-day and I was at Carolina Hemlocks Campground, where I had been for a day or two with a bunch of Hot Springs ladies for a Ladies Car Camping trip. Everyone else had left, and I was not wanting to go home, so I sat there and stared at the river, wishing for my friend SR. Well, I sat and thought for a good long while and then decided I guessed I better head home. I got to my truck and started driving that way. I hadn't gone a half mile when I saw SR's car parked on the side of the road. It was unmistakably her car, but she was not in it nor anywhere to be found. I sat on the bumper of her car for a long time, waiting for her to return, with no luck. This was very strange. I had not told her that I would be out at the Toe River, so why was her car out there so close to where I had been camping? I walked up the road to see if I could find her to no avail. I finally gave up and started back to the car to wait some more or try to figure out the mystery. I was walking back across a bridge when I heard someone from a distance yell my name, barely audibly, "Dana!" It took me a few moments to find the source of the yell: far below and downstream was Sally, in the river, smiling and waving to me!
I scrambled down the bank and along the rocky bank until I reached her. We laughed and laughed when we told each other our stories.
Here's hers: She had gotten up that morning and had the day off. She decided she wanted to go on a swimming adventure, so she googled swimming holes in WNC, and got a map to some swimming hole somewhere in Yancey County (or God knows where...) She got lost trying to get there and drove around for a long time wishing that I were there to have a fun summer adventure with. All she knew was that I was away with some ladies from Hot Springs. Eventually she got sick of driving around and decided to stop and get in the river she was at (while being lost). It was the Toe, and she was getting in but wishing for her friend. She looked up to see someone walking across the bridge and she thought to herself, "That person walks a lot like Dane." Then she thought to herself, " I think that is Dane!" She hollered up to find out, and it was me indeed.
We laughed and laughed and swam until we were chilly from the cold Yancey County water. We were having so much fun, we decided maybe we ought to go for a drive up to Mount Mitchell. Neither of us had anywhere to be, so we decided to make a day out of it. On the way, we stopped at a tiny little diner to get some french fries and sweet tea. The diner was run by a lady who also sells Avon products out of the place. We didn't buy any of that, but talked to her about Mount Mitchell weather patterns and such, and eventually we headed up the mountain.
The rest is details. (ha ha) We had a fantastic time, and got a kick out of being the highest people east of the Mississippi when we climbed the tower. We figured our thoughts were the closest thoughts to heaven of anyone around at that moment, so we tried to think big. We mosied around the mountain top, particularly enjoying the unique flora of the elevation.
Our day was so fun that we made an oath to go on a friendship pilgrimmage up to Mount Mitchell together every year on Seven Eleven, stopping to swim in the Toe, eat at the Diner, pray on the mountain, and check out the flora.
Today was no exception, and we headed out mid-morning. The weather was a perfect summer day, and the journey was beautiful and fun. Here are some highlights, photodocumentary style:

The diner was closed on Sunday, but it's good to know she's still selling Avon



Flies taking advantage of the Sunday lull to get some mating done on screen window




SR posing on the pool table of the convenience store which is attached to the diner



Yellowroot tead drink looks intriguing other than the rust and dust accumulation on the bottles



Turks cap lilies in full bloom on the parkway



A finger assortment of lichens up on Mount Mitchell




Red elderberries on the mountain



Pink turtleheads in bloom



Red Bee balm and greenheaded coneflower in bloom side by side



Little SR walking through the woods to granny's house...