On the Road Again

I feel like a gypsy this summer; I’ve not managed to stay in one place for more than four weeks. I’m generally okay with it, but living out of a duffel bag can get a little old, not to mention messy. My current location is Clear Creek Baptist Bible College in beautiful Pineville, Kentucky. The staff from Cedarcrest (the camp where I’ve been working the past month) is taking camp on the road to three Baptist associations in Eastern Kentucky over the next three weeks.


Today was an adventure and a learning experience in patience. I got up early to make the three-hour drive to meet the rest of the staff near Shelbyville. The van (yes, I’m driving my mother’s van...) was loaded and we were ready to pull out when I discovered that the battery was dead. An hour later (after a trip to Auto Zone...), we were on our way to Bell County-another three hours on the road. It’s not that I mind driving long distances (Let’s be real, my school is six hours from home...), just that they give one an awfully long time to be alone with one’s thoughts.

We as a staff have decided that both Mapquest and GPS know absolutely nothing. We wandered around Pineville (a feat in and of itself in a town of barely over 2,000) for a good half hour, trying to find the college. In my humble opinion, it was well worth it. The scenery here is breathtaking. For anyone who doesn’t know, Pineville is in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. While certainly not as grand as the Rockies or the Smokies, the Appalachians are a beauty all their own. Rachel and I geeked out a little while we were lost, listening to some good Elvish music. It seemed appropriate amongst the wooded hills. Made me smile, at least. Ah, Eryn Lasgalen. ^_^

I’m excited about getting to explore this part of the state during our stay. The campus itself is beautiful. There is actually a legit creek that runs all over campus as well as just behind the dorm we’re housed in. Several of the staff and I are planning on getting our feet wet at some point this week. We were told by a student here that this area is known for “egg water.” When we asked him what that was, he explained that the water has a high concentration of sulfur in it, which makes for a lovely rotten-egg smell. If bottled, however, it is drinkable after about twenty-four hours. This may have to be tested at some point...He-he.


Clear Creek


Middlesboro, KY