THE GREAT WALL OF WATAUGA (Your Story #1). Rene’ B Johnson wrote, “Impressive!! I can identify somewhat. For years, I gathered rocks to build a dry stacked retaining wall. I started out gathering them from around my property for just a small wall but then I got hooked.
My “wasband”, Kenny, and I had a big, old dump truck, so on Sundays we’d go collecting. We’d find seldom traveled, dirt or gravel backroads where rocks were plentiful. He’d drive slow and I’d walk along the sides of the road looking for what I wanted and signaling him when to stop so I could load them. The truck bed was high so it was no small effort to get the larger ones lifted in. Sometimes, Kenny would have to help me. We would collect until the bed of the truck got close to the springs, go home, unload, then go for another run or two.
The rocks had to be carefully unloaded by hand because dumping them would have caused too many of them to break. Later, I would move them to the area where I was working, and since placing them just right on the wall required lifting several to find the best fit, I’m sure I moved many, many tons.
There were a few really heavy rocks that I needed help with, but I was proud to be strong enough to do 95% of it myself. I also shoveled tons of gravel to put behind the rocks to prevent the wall from buckling in freezing temperatures.
This went on for years as the wall grew and circled around the back and side of the house. The finished wall is lovely, an average of 3.5 feet tall and about 100 feet long. I named it The Great Wall of Watauga, after the county I live in.
Editor’s note: The city of Boone is located in Watauga County, North Carolina and is the home of Appalachian State University. Cathy and I lived in Caldwell County, just south of Watauga. We didn’t know Rene’, but have mutual Facebook friends in common.
I’m sure Rene’ has been asked many times, just as I have been, “Why would you spend all the time and energy on such a project?” I would answer that it is good exercise and clears the mind, but also there is the desire to create something strong, permanent, unusual, and beautiful.