Big Piney River

Big Piney River at Baptist Camp State Park. Left to right: Travis and Jordan Montgomery and Austin Noll 

Photo by:

  
Samantha Day  

Written by 
LeRoy Walls 
CEO 

It was well past midnight and Lester’s ’56 Ford and my ’55 Ford were neck and neck as we raced down the hill into the Big Piney valley. Both Ford’s were flat out, which was slightly over 100 miles per hour downhill. We ran side by side down two-lane US Highway 63 heading into the curve leading to Piney River Bridge.

One of us backed off a little so we didn’t go through the narrow old iron bridge side by side. Being in the passing lane I could feel a little gravel on the outside curve but the tires held and my passengers and I began breathing again after we crossed the bridge and began slowing down. By the grace of God we lived to tell about this trip. Perhaps God had important things planned for me (like writing outhouse stories).

I’m not sure about my passengers - but I’ll never forgive myself for this stupid mocho thing that endangered the lives of my friends, Jack, Terry and Bub.

On the river we joined Lester, Gerald and Delbert for one fine Saturday night of fishing. We built a fire below the low water bridge at Baptist camp. It is named for the youth camp held during the summer a half mile downstream.

The Baptist Camp swimming hole just above the low water bridge, was one of our favorite summer spots. It has a deep hole of water and a bluff 20 feet above the water with a rope swing above that.

For breakfast Gerald and Lester cooked our fresh fish plus the other supplies they had brought. Nothing ever tasted better as we enjoyed a real outdoor sunrise breakfast with the awesome limestone bluffs of Baptist camp as our backdrop.

12/31/1999