Our daughter and son-in-law were visiting from Ohio and we had all gone to spend a day in Gatlinburg. We finished our lunch and were discussing what to do next. Hearing our discussion, our server suggested one particular driving loop in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. To him, the exciting selling point was, “Rocks as big as cars!”
When we got to the stream on this loop, there were the rocks, and yes some were as big as our car. The stream’s character is formed around the rocks. The rocks are all sizes and found everywhere. Rocks form the majority of the streambed and work in tandem with movement to give the stream its clarity of presence. Some rocks actually determine the course of the stream while others, given enough time, give way to the stream’s persistence.
As a wader in the stream, I appreciate the contribution made by the presence of such rock diversity. I also have a developed understanding of the positives and negatives represented in this aspect of the stream’s character.
Wading the stream is a multi-sensory experience—the beautiful scenery, the sounds of wildlife, the singing of the water—it is far too easy to become distracted letting my attention to my footing relax. I’ve become distracted and ended up wet.
Rocks are the main contributor to the stream’s voice. Truth be told, rocks are probably the main reason I visit the stream. The rocks have made the stream beautiful.
