Fishing Holes and Haunted Bridges
This week I took Nicky and Finn for a drive, because they were driving me INSANE and Finn desperately needed a nap and wouldn't sleep. So we decided to go look for Lake Wilson that a friend suggested we try fishing in. I'd never heard of it, but apparently it was one of the Fayetteville Parks. So I looked it up on google. It seemed pretty straight forward. Not too far behind Drake Field, the old airport.
I plugged it into my iPhone, and we headed off. I checked out the route and saw that it was on a road off 15th street called City Lake rd. Hmmm...I'd never heard of it so I figured I'd just keep an eye out. I passed Morningside drive and thought, hmm that really seems to be where it should have been, and I glanced at the phone and I was clearly past the turn off. Well apparently Morning side drive is only Morningside drive for about half a mile then it becomes City Lake rd. At least according to Google Maps. I never actually saw a sign with City Lake rd on it.
So I'm driving along and suddenly the pavement ends and I think well surely I'm close to the park now right...noooope. I keep cruising along...well bumping along, and I come out in this area that's opened up and there is water in front of me and some cars pulled off the road and what looks like a little dam. So I think well this must be the lake! Nope! Upon checking out my iPhone map I'm not even nearly there. I look around for some bridge...
What? No Bridge? What??? The Dam is the bridge??? Damn! It was the creepiest bridge in the history of time. It had no sides at all and was BARELY wide enough for my van to pass it. I'm just sure there is some mistake. Clearly there will be a large sign that says do not cross! DANGER DANGER DANGER!
Alas, there was no sign. That was indeed the correct path that I was supposed to take. So literally shaking, I inched my car out onto the bridge, being 100% sure that I actually was on the bridge. I noted that, in fact in some places you could actually see the metal struts over the barely patched bits of concrete.
Now let me add to this all by saying I have this intense unexplainable fear of being trapped in something underwater, especially cars...so the only thing that got me to cross this bridge was the fact that Nicky was very, very excited about the prospect of seeing a new fishing hole. Somehow I managed. It was a surprise to myself and everyone who knows me, let me tell you!
I later found out that the bridge is called Tilly Willy bridge and it is apparently haunted. At least that's what the stories say. Something about a family or mother who went off the bridge and she and the kids drowned. I read two different accounts but no one had any news articles that actually backed up this alleged drowning, so who knows. Yeah, glad I didn't know that before I crossed that bridge or Nicky would have been out of luck! It's also scheduled for being replaced! Yay!
So we kept driving and kept driving and kept driving and FINALLY got to a sign that said Lake Wilson and then we kept driving on even worse roads... As in I had to stop my car and inch over the holes in the road and I was a little afraid I would get stuck. But I did managed and there is indeed a lake there!
It's a lovely lake in fact, with a nice easy area for putting in boats and good shores for fishing off of.
We even got in a few quick casts. There were some butterflies cavorting on the bank and they kept tickling him and making him squeal. We did see some pretty big brim under the surface, but we didn't have a decent bait on the hook for them. My little fisherman is getting quite skilled, but you still have to beware of the slinging hook. LOL
They even have a lovely little pavilion with fish cleaning tables. At least I think that's what those standing height tables are for.
One thing they didn't have? ANYONE ELSE! We were completely and totally alone. Not another vehicle. Not another person. There was some large animal in the bushes however. I dunno what that thing was, but it was big enough to rustle the tops of some large bushes. We were leaving when we saw that. LOL
Also, no cellphone coverage! NONE! I was in a complete and total dead zone. So don't go out there and have an emergency, because it's not a good plan. I can't wait to go back. Although I may see if there is another route that doesn't include the terrifying bridge of doom.
I plugged it into my iPhone, and we headed off. I checked out the route and saw that it was on a road off 15th street called City Lake rd. Hmmm...I'd never heard of it so I figured I'd just keep an eye out. I passed Morningside drive and thought, hmm that really seems to be where it should have been, and I glanced at the phone and I was clearly past the turn off. Well apparently Morning side drive is only Morningside drive for about half a mile then it becomes City Lake rd. At least according to Google Maps. I never actually saw a sign with City Lake rd on it.
So I'm driving along and suddenly the pavement ends and I think well surely I'm close to the park now right...noooope. I keep cruising along...well bumping along, and I come out in this area that's opened up and there is water in front of me and some cars pulled off the road and what looks like a little dam. So I think well this must be the lake! Nope! Upon checking out my iPhone map I'm not even nearly there. I look around for some bridge...
What? No Bridge? What??? The Dam is the bridge??? Damn! It was the creepiest bridge in the history of time. It had no sides at all and was BARELY wide enough for my van to pass it. I'm just sure there is some mistake. Clearly there will be a large sign that says do not cross! DANGER DANGER DANGER!
Alas, there was no sign. That was indeed the correct path that I was supposed to take. So literally shaking, I inched my car out onto the bridge, being 100% sure that I actually was on the bridge. I noted that, in fact in some places you could actually see the metal struts over the barely patched bits of concrete.
Now let me add to this all by saying I have this intense unexplainable fear of being trapped in something underwater, especially cars...so the only thing that got me to cross this bridge was the fact that Nicky was very, very excited about the prospect of seeing a new fishing hole. Somehow I managed. It was a surprise to myself and everyone who knows me, let me tell you!
I later found out that the bridge is called Tilly Willy bridge and it is apparently haunted. At least that's what the stories say. Something about a family or mother who went off the bridge and she and the kids drowned. I read two different accounts but no one had any news articles that actually backed up this alleged drowning, so who knows. Yeah, glad I didn't know that before I crossed that bridge or Nicky would have been out of luck! It's also scheduled for being replaced! Yay!
So we kept driving and kept driving and kept driving and FINALLY got to a sign that said Lake Wilson and then we kept driving on even worse roads... As in I had to stop my car and inch over the holes in the road and I was a little afraid I would get stuck. But I did managed and there is indeed a lake there!
It's a lovely lake in fact, with a nice easy area for putting in boats and good shores for fishing off of.
We even got in a few quick casts. There were some butterflies cavorting on the bank and they kept tickling him and making him squeal. We did see some pretty big brim under the surface, but we didn't have a decent bait on the hook for them. My little fisherman is getting quite skilled, but you still have to beware of the slinging hook. LOL
They even have a lovely little pavilion with fish cleaning tables. At least I think that's what those standing height tables are for.One thing they didn't have? ANYONE ELSE! We were completely and totally alone. Not another vehicle. Not another person. There was some large animal in the bushes however. I dunno what that thing was, but it was big enough to rustle the tops of some large bushes. We were leaving when we saw that. LOL
Also, no cellphone coverage! NONE! I was in a complete and total dead zone. So don't go out there and have an emergency, because it's not a good plan. I can't wait to go back. Although I may see if there is another route that doesn't include the terrifying bridge of doom.
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Now I'm not sure about all this ghost hunting though. Maybe one needs something slightly more effective than a sword. Hee hee.