Last Tuckasegge Photos

 

Here are the last few Tuckasegee photos for now. This first one is of the campfire where we've eaten many a breakfast and dinner. It's a great place to dry off after dunking and many a poem has been recited, many a story told and many a song sung here. Walker has to keep the woodshed stocked so family can be supplied when they come on the weekends.

 

Here's the path leading to the river where we swim and dunk. It's tradition that you have to dunk (skinny dip dunk) before eating breakfast. The women and kids and teens all seem to do it but most of the men find a way to get out of it.

 

Here's the actual dunking hole. Once you're standing knee-deep and naked in the river, you're wondering why you ever thought this was a good idea. It's only five seconds of brain-numbing exhilaration, and then your skin sends urgent messages of, "send blood, send blood" and quickly you're warm as toast. Really. Almost as soon as you surface, you feel warm, alive and twenty years younger. I remember Pa Pa Pete saying that in Sweden it was common for them to go in the sauna then roll in the snow. I'll be glad to give you the opportunity to say you did it if you're ever so inclined.

 

This is another photo on the front porch of the clubhouse. I liked the way the morning light looked on the table and chairs. This is the overflow area for when the campfire is crowded and it's where we've eaten many a meal.

One Last Tuckasegee Post

 

This is the path we nervously take down to the river for our 'before breakfast dunking'. As we stand naked and knee deep, we always wonder what we were thinking but it does keep one from getting old too soon. I remember Pa Pa Pete saying he used to go in the sauna and then roll in the snow.

 

This is the actual place we dunk. It's freezing for five seconds (you can stand most anything for five seconds) but you feel like Rocky on top of the steps when you come up out of the water. You're warm too. The skin sent a message: "HELP, I'm freezing. Send blood. Quick. Don't pass GO. And suddenly you're warm as toast. Works every time though standing there beforehand you're never quite convinced.

 

Here is the firepit where many a morning we eat breakfast and dry off and many an evening we eat dinner and talk, roast somemores, recite poems, play music, read and try to keep the kids out of the fire.

 

This shot is of a little overflow table on the front porch. I liked the morning lighting on this one. If anyone wants to visit here, this summer is the time. We can only go if a Clarke goes EXCEPT this summer while Walker is the warden. Hurry and we'll take you.