Once when I was wandering in my camper before the shutdown I found a place called Great Valley or Grand Valley, something like that. It is just inside Kentucky and in or near Big South Fork NRA. I think the Sheltowee Trace hiking trail crosses in this area. I found it on a camping app, and always looking for new places, I drove the several miles over forest roads to find one of the strangest sights I have ever seen.
The winding road snakes through what is almost a tunnel in the trees. Suddenly it opens up to a little creek bottom. On both sides of the road are official camping areas. One side is more fully developed than the other, but both pleasantly located. Mind you, this place has the feeling of being right smack dab in the middle of nowhere. I drove in that day to find the side near the creek full, save one camp spot. There were rather nice motor homes and fifth wheel campers in all the other spots. There were bicycles and tricycles and assorted children's toys, balls, jump ropes, all sorts of things. The place looked like kids had been playing when their mommas called them all in for dinner. I parked in the only empty spot -- camping is free, first come first served -- and set up camp. I kept waiting for someone to come out of one of the campers. Nobody! I walked around expecting to see someone. Still not a soul on site. It was absolutely eerie. I half way expected Rod Serling to step in, breaking the forth wall, cigarette in hand and delivering his familiar monologue.
The best explanation I have is that a long weekend was coming (Independence Day) and all the people had set up the previous weekend in order to have a prime spot. They trusted others way more than I can muster. I could have looted several thousands of dollars were I of the right persuasion. I didn't touch anything not mine and left the following morning after a sweet night's sleep beside the mountain stream.
At Chuck Swan I found old graveyards. Since they would never be flooded by the lake, TVA did not relocate the dead. This place had the same vibes as Grand Valley, except different. One of the cemeteries, the Bollinger plot according to the sign, is still well maintained and is decorated each Memorial Day. It was just a few days before Memorial Day and lots of new flowers were already present. I hope my gravel crunching footsteps did not rattle the calm and stillness.
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