The First Day of Four For The Georgia Five

The First Day of Four For The Georgia Five

Prefacing this tale, let me say that "the Georgia Five" are five non-athletic ladies in our sixties who just wanted to take a trip to the NC mountains for a pleasant get-away in a nice rental cabin. We should have realized that the trip was not going to go quite as planned when we arrived at our small local airport to pick up the rental van and discovered that it had not yet been delivered to LaGrange from the Atlanta airport. After making several phone calls and twiddling our thumbs for two hours, the vehicle finally arrived and we were on our way. Ten hours later, arriving at the cabin wet and bedraggled, several of us (chief among them: myself!) vowed that if we ever did go down the mountain, our luggage was surely going with us because we were NOT driving back up. Hunger drove us down the next afternoon, sans luggage! Traveling there was just half the story. Maybe I will write more of what we encountered at another time, but for now I offer this.

The First Day of Four for the Georgia Five

"Climb Every Mountain, Ford Every Stream..."
Turn Back! Wake up!
This is not your dream!

Our destination was "Hidden Hollow" cabin
And it lived up to its name
On a dark September, starless night,
It hid in a foggy night of rain.

We talked of angelic visitations as we drove past Moravian Falls,
Sightings there were known, but we saw no angels at all.
Anticipating our arrival at our mountaintop retreat,
We turned off the main road and a winding one did greet.

Directions read "cross a stream" - we looked for a bridge up there,
But all we saw this late night was water, water everywhere.
Water coming down and wandering across the road,
Oh no, were our thoughts, not a good thing did this bode!

Beneath the wheels, mud and rocks were slinging
As we struggled straight up a narrow hill.
Fervent prayers were upward winging
Then we encountered another "thrill".

With tires spinning and engine revving -- the smell of burning rubber filled the air.
Five hearts pounding, our wide eyes staring,
Still...no angels anywhere.
Wondering if we'd make it, with all emotions bare,
"Please God, help us!" was our loud and very earnest prayer.

To make the load a little lighter, four momentarily abandoned the van
And the courageous driver, Mary Frances, heroically took command.
The brave little Dodge, even tho' it had no 4-wheel drive,
Somehow was able to keep the forward momentum alive.

Trekking upward, out of breath, with rising yet fleeting hope,
In unison the four hikers slogged on, encouraging each other,
Saying, "Keep moving up this slope."

As we jumped back in, making Five again,
We rounded the bend and through the fog spied a light.
It shined brightly from a cabin, happily relieving our fright!
Believing we had come to the end of our Carolina dilemma...
Alas, our hopes were dashed to a solitary glimmer
When suddenly that porch light flickered...and went out.

Forging onward with trembling determination,
Ah ha!
Was that "Hidden Hollow" cabin ahead, our longed-for destination?
With a rock wall on the left, a sharp drop-off on the right,
We entered a gravelled lane, no turn-around in sight.

Rolling to a stop, what to our startled eyes should appear
But a vision in white -- Was an angel finally here?
Wearing a cotton gown and casually carrying a gun,
The mountain woman assured us our journey would soon be done.

"Not too many visitors come up here at night," was her reply,
When we told her who we were, where we were headed and why.
Holding the gun in the crook of her arm,
Saying she was just cautious and meant us no harm,
This mountain Annie Oakley, really named Celeste,
Gave directions to "Hidden Hollow" -- saying soon we would find rest.

She said one more turn we needed to take,
So backing around slowly, a hairpin curve, we did make.
Up the hill, tucked in the bend, was "Hidden Hollow" and our journey's end.
Frazzled and weary, we finally arrived...
"Hallelujah! We are here -- the Georgia Five are alive!"

* * * * *
Now that trip up the mountain was just the beginning of the tale
God provided His protection and grace, not letting us fail.
To Brushy Mountain's Hidden Hollow, we and guardian angels came
For certain, He abided with us, and we will never be the same.

Each day for the Five dawned brighter and grander,
For Mary Frances, Patsy, Darlene, Susan and Sandra.
"Blest Be the Tie That Binds Our Hearts In Christian Love"
Praise God, we discover how awesome He is, as we gaze above.

* * * * *

Story ID:	1598
Written by:	Susan Hammett Poole (bio, contact, other stories)
Story type:	Travel
Location:	Moravian Falls, North Carolina USA
Year:	2006
Person:	Sandra, Patsy, Darlene, Mary Frances, and myself