Casting About

Monday, November 1, 2010

We woke up to mist on the lake just outside our door and Lisa rustling up a fantastic breakfast for us: oj, coffee, fresh fruit, biscuits, eggs, bacon and sausage. Hellooo luxury lodge nestled in the middle of nowhere! 

Jeff donned his Orvis outfit, grabbed his trail mix and headed off with his guide for a half day of ecstasy...fly fishing in a mountain stream with a local guide who knew just where to cast. This outfitter had access to a seldom-fished stream with trout just itching to be caught. He caught in excess of 15 rainbow trout and my angler came back a very happy camper.

Meanwhile, I had my own little unexpected field trip. Today was the photo shoot for the front cover of the Ellijay, Georgia, 2011 telephone directory and that little event happened on the property where we are staying. (Do people still use telephone books?) Ellijay is the closest town in these parts and has a population of a whopping 1,918. Anyway, the girl from the phone company and a photographer showed up just after breakfast and shot some photos on the deck overlooking the aforementioned misty lake. They were about to go "up the mountain" to shoot at the falls on the lodge property and were kind enough to ask if I wanted to go along. I wasn't about to miss the photographing of the front cover of the upcoming local telephone book, so I put on my beloved new hiking shoes and beloved new North Face jacket, grab my Nikon and headed out with them. We were gone all morning. Going "up the mountain" entailed driving a couple of miles up a steeper and windier road than yesterday that eventually became a footpath. So off we hiked up and up, and up some more, across eight cute wooden bridges, deep into the woods...about a mile and a half into the depths of the woods where the coyotes were howling just last night. And it was pretty chilly...I wished for my ear muffs. We got to the falls which weren't very large, but they were incredible because, to me, any waterfall is amazing just popping up out of nowhere and flowing forever. We took lots of pictures and I know that will be the most beautiful telephone book in all of northern Georgia.

The sun lightened up the scene around mid-morning...

After I enjoyed a long hot shower, here came my angler grinning from ear to ear. He had enjoyed his field trip and was ready for a long hot shower as well. We drove to Amicolola Falls which is located in a beautiful park where the Appalachian Trail begins. We thought about hiking THE trail but decided we preferred to finish our trip as scheduled. Holy Cow, who in their right mind hikes from Georgia to Maine anyway?

Back at the lodge, we went fishing at the lake late this afternoon. Yes, WE went fishing. I didn't get to wear cute Orvis waders but Jeff found an extra rod and reel and I did me some spin casting. And you thought I knew nothing about fishing. Ha. I even caught a fish. Squeal. It was on the small side, but hey, it still counts and it made my angler quite proud.

A little late-afternoon fly fishing...

That's MY fish!

 Admire it...

Ooo...ahhh...

Our hosts made us a nice platter of fruit, spinach dip in a bread bowl and apple fritters, plus we had great leftovers from our Italian lunch yesterday. Who needs dinner when you can snack your way through the evening in front of the TV? Next to a cozy fire...by the way.