Well for the second year in a row Bonnaroo has been canceled...... When Warren and I first met we talked about how we had both planned on going to Bonnaroo in 2020 but obviously that didn't happen and how we had wanted to go this year so we put in for time off at the beginning of the year we paid our tickets off over 4 months and we planned. Then two weeks before we get covid.... DUN DUN DUUUUNN!!!!!
BUT we would be in the clear, we needed a negative test and we where right at the 14 days for it to be ok. then Ida came.... and it rained, and rained, and rained some more. We got the message the day before it was supposed to start and we where going to leave that it was canceled. We where devastated. Though we didn't let it get us down. I went home and in the span of about 2 hours had a camping trip planned for Tennessee. Mountains and hiking here we come.
We stayed the night in the hotel we had already planned to be at then took some time to check out Chattanooga before heading up to Falls Creek Falls where we were camping. Chattanooga, its a good spot ya'll, had a really good brunch and the waiter gave us a whole list of things to do, which was awesome! We checked out some cute shops, walked around the park that has a bridge that connects the city via walk way over the Tennessee River. Which was super cool; think, old railroad bridge but with a solid bottom, no need to jump from crosstie to crosstie like we are in that movie, Stand By Me. with benches at the peak of the river to watch the water go by or see an amazing sunrise or beautiful sunset.
Suck Creek, ever heard of it? Me neither. This was a locals only spot, if DeAnthony hadn't told us where we where going you never would of thought to pull off at that spot. At the first slight incline of the mountain, you come to a gravelly shoulder with a couple cars pulled in and parked. No signs saying why someone would pull off at that spot but its actually one of the mountain creeks! Took my breath away pretty, with the clear rushing waters over the colorful river rocks, and the calm pools behind the boulders, I wish we could of stayed longer and soaked it all in. It actually reminded me of the spot I used to go to in New York when I worked for Ilan. I went a few times, the first time about 5 of us eh maybe 6... Anyways went to the spot, it was a pull off at the side of the road right before a bridge, so we knew there was water underneath kind of spot. We actually walked down too far before going towards the water. on the wrong side of the parking area to boot.. so we get to the river and realize that it isn't swimmable where we are so Cole and I decided we would walk up the river, in the river! The rest took to the woods to see if we could find a spot quiet enough to swim. Cole much better at this than I. Though by golly I wanted to do it. I struggled but I made it, got thoroughly soaked by then. The place to swim was right up under the bridge where a deep pool had been dug. It had a rope swing and everything. We took turns jumping into the pool, man was it fun. Turns out it took us about 3 minutes to walk back to our cars.... from the opposite direction, oops.
Alas it was time to head to the mountains...... and I do mean mountains. Cell reception 0. Wifi only at the visitor center, views words can't describe. Falls Creek Falls. When we got there we did the standard set up camp, drive around and see all the things the park had, swimming in the creeks and rivers, nature center to a lot of the hikes, boat rentals on the lake. I was pretty impressed.
My favorite moment I think from the whole trip happened that first night. We went to the boat ramp so I could watch the sunset and smoke a little smoke. We sat there for a while it was still probably 2 hours from sunset but just being in nature and getting to let go and not feel the need to be on my phone, to speak to Warren about what was on my mind. Rambling my thoughts out good thoughts not so good thoughts, thoughts that didn't make sense, I just threw them out there. It put my body and mind at ease. Though being with Warren as always been that for me. Warren laid there patiently as I rambled going a long with what I was saying giving his input as he felt he could. It was beautiful. This was not the best part of this moment, it gets better. As my thoughts quieted Warren ever the hungry man he is asked about food. Since we still had a while before sunset, and I knew sunset wasn't going to be spectacular, pretty but not spectacular there's a difference. We drove back to the campsite to make nachos. As I am making them I am trying to hold back my thoughts that we won't make it back to the boat ramp for sunset. Even though I don't think it will be spectacular there is just something about a sunset that feels good.
As the nachos are finishing and I am pulling out the toppings Warren goes well aren't we going to take it back to the boat ramp? ........... My mind just went to pure bliss. This man understood. He knew. I was over joyed, my smile was massive. So we packed up the nachos, bless the cast iron for keeping everything so warm. We sat and enjoyed the sunset as we ate our nachos, and had a beautiful moment together. That is the memory from this weekend that will live with me. Not the cool caverns with their great concert acoustics, not the sound the forest makes as it wakes up at night, not hiking up a mountain creek, or flipping the boat while white water rafting, but dinner by the lake with the love of my life, talking about our hopes, our dreams, our worries, our needs, wants, desires, and whats next in life.
Bonnaroo. While I am still sad I didn't get to see what the hype is all about or dance under the electric sky, two years in a row now. I want to say thank you for allowing this moment, this beautiful weekend to happen. Warren and I have made some decisions for our life with moving forward that I am over the moon about. Maybe next year we will finally be able to make it, I am going to laugh if and when Warren proposes if he does it at Bonnaroo. That would be ironic.
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