Weekend before last, Matt, his two friends named Eric, Abner, Bear, one of the Eric's dogs, and I hiked the Laurel River gorge down to where it meets the French Broad. It is a wonderful day hike of about 7-1/2 miles round trip but all along the river. Near the farthest point on the hike you encounter this wonderful stretch of railroad track and a bridge across the Laurel. It has a wonderful romantic quality that makes you wonder where the tracks disappear to. In all the times I have done this hike, only once did I ever see a train here.