WildrLog

Bryan April 29th, 2007

This weekend, I didn’t go on a hiking trip. That’s right, after hiking every weekend for over 3 months (save Easter), I didn’t plan to go hiking. Instead, I planned to help BUILD a trail.

History
The Cumberland Trail was first envisioned nearly 40 years ago by a number of conservationists who formed the Tennessee Trails Association. TTA worked with the state of Tennessee to pass the Tennessee Trails System Act in 1971 and the work began building in Tennessee’s wildlife management areas, state forests and state parks. Seeing that the project needed a body of its own, TTA formed the Cumberland Trail Conference in 1997. In 1998, the Cumberland Trail became Tennessee’s 53rd state park and its first linear state park.

TODAY
The route begins in southeast Tennessee west of Chattanooga. When
completed it will stretch over 300 miles to Cumberland Gap north of
Knoxville, skirting the eastern edge of the Cumberland Plateau along
the way. 165 miles of the trail are completed and open for hiking. The remaining sections are in various stages of completion (land acquisition, awaiting trail construction, etc.) Check out the Cumberland Trail Conference for maps to the open sections.

The trail is a partnership with the Cumberland Trail Conference, and state of Tennessee’s State Parks, Wildlife Resource Agency, Department of Environment and Conservation, Department of Tourist Developemnt and Department of Transportation. Other partners include private organizations, foundations, and the National Park Service (Cumberland Gap National Historic Park and the Chickamauga and Chattanooga National Military Park). This is definitely one of my generation’s premier public-private partnerships.

FUTURE
The Cumberland Trail is a key section of a still under development western alternative to the Appalachian Trail.

WHAT DID I DO?
Well, first I got to work with some fine trail builders from across our state. Our crew built around 30 steps and gargoyled several sections of trail. We also built a cribbing wall. And on Sunday, I got to map a section of the trail with my GPS (ok, so that DID involve hiking the trail).

Trail: Cumberland Trail
Distance: 1.6 miles
Max Elevation: ~1,250 feet
Total Elevation climb: 396 feet on the return trip
Trail Type: single track dirt
Temperature: 80s, sunny and warm
Time: 1.5 hour moving with 15 minutes of lolly gagging
Significant Features: creeks, cascades, and rock overhang

The short section I hiked has a number of mined areas, which were reforested with pine. Board Camp Creek gushes off to the left as I hike out. The water from the creek tasted wonderful (I filtered it first as always). My decent was made easier by the steps that had been installed (way to go crew!).

The last pictures in the album are of a creek on private property that is obviously polluted with mine runoff.

I have been wanted to learn the craft of trail building for some time now. And learn I did. I asked a lot of questions, but everyone was very patient with me. I’m hoping to go back toward the middle of May to learn more.

Did you ever think while hiking a trail that someone actually had to build this? They had to pick the route, cut the trees, clear the brush, remove the duff, install the steps and cribbing. And its not easy work let me tell you. Our crew consumed plenty of water and Vitamin I.

I challenge each of my hiker readers to work on building or
maintaining a trail somewhere. And when you do, drop a comment on this
post to let me know about it! As a hiker, there is no more rewarding experience than working on a trail, knowing generations from now my grandson may ask those same questions.

Download the Google Earth track
Pictures

Reference links:
Wikipedia
Tennessee State Parks
Cumberland Trail Conference

Friends of the Cumberland Trail

• Cumberland Trail , Hike Log
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Bryan April 28th, 2007

Check out Toxic West Virginia, part 4.

My byline: Elitism

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Bryan April 27th, 2007

Yes, I know this is a wilderness blog, but every now and then, I likes me some culture

I was first introduced to Norah’s music by her performance on the Grammys 4 years ago and I have loved that voice ever since. Norah’s three albums showcase her style that is constantly changing. Influences from jazz, folk, bluegrass, and country alike run like a river through her music. In other words, she’s not stuck in a rut.

I managed to score a single ticket for her show at the Ryman last night. Turns out I was extremely lucky as her fan club had held a presale that darn near sold out the building.

M. Ward opened the show with a short 30 minute set.

After a 30 minute intermission, Norah opened with “Come Away With Me” and a cover of Townes Van Zandt’s “For the Sake of the Song.” In honor of her first appearance at the Ryman with Willie Nelson, she covered “Hands on the Wheel” from Willie’s Red Headed Stranger album. The tiny Schroeder (that’s Schroeder from Peanuts) like grand piano (Norah’s new toy) added a unique sound to “My Dear Country.”

“Cold, Cold Heart”, a cover of the Hank Williams tune for the Come Away with Me album, “Don’t Know Why”, and “Long Way Home”, a Tom Waits cover ended the encore.

Much is made of Norah Jones’ inviting, gentle hush of a voice, but there’s an arresting power in the singer’s pipes that’s just as noteworthy. And as it arced to the high ceilings of the Ryman and washed back, warmed by the venue’s glorious reverb, that limber voice showed that she’s not just one of the MTV generation’s most successful singers, but one of the only timeless ones we’ve been given yet.

The only thing that would have made my experience richer is if I’d told the highly intoxicated couple sitting next to me to shut up and listen before someone else did. The rest of the audience was in tune with the mood for the evening.

And just in case you’ve been in a cave for 4 years, check out Norah’s albums:

• Come Away With Me
• Feels Like Home
• Not Too Late

Read more at the Tennessean and also here.

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Bryan April 22nd, 2007

I finally got back my 4Runner back in operation and decided to venture a little further from home that I have lately. The South Cumberland State Park is one of my favorite places on the planet. SCSP is 11,000 acres of ten different parcels scattered around the southern end of the Cumberland Plateau. I ventured to one of my recently discovered areas, Grundy State Forest Natural Area.

Trail: Grundy Forest Day Loop
Distance: 2.5 miles
Max Elevation: 1896 feet
Total Elevation climb: 305 feet
Trail Type: single track dirt
Temperature: 70s, sunny and warm
Time: 1 hour moving with 1 hour of lolly gagging
Significant Features: creeks, cascades, and a nice sized bluff near one end of the loop

I discovered Grundy Forest about 2 years ago in a brochure at the state park’s visitor’s center. I finally decided to go there about a year ago and I’m glad I did.

Grundy Forest is the northern terminus of the 12 mile Fiery Gizzard trail. The day loop starts (I started by going right) walking through forest mainly for about 3/4 mile. I noticed a small glade to my left.

Today, the trail is more crowded than I’m used to. A group comes by with about 5 dogs. I stopped to let them by so Hannibal, my dog, won’t be fretting and I wouldn’t be rushed.

I make my way down to the creek and I sit and read while Hannibal investigates the creek. We move on along the creek until we reach the intersection with the Fiery Gizzard Trail. I decide to hike over to the confluence of the Big and Little Fiery Gizzard creeks.

As we’re headed back up, the geography changes slightly as we pass the large bluff. Hard to believe we’ve already made it through this loop. My buds and I are planning on backpacking Fiery Gizzard in a few weeks.

Map of Grundy Forest Natural Area

Trail Map of Grundy Forest Natural Area

Pictures

Friends of South Cumberland

Download the Google Earth track

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Bryan April 21st, 2007

The energy conservation group, Kilowatt Ours, is planning a public gathering prior to TVA’s public meeting on its draft strategic plan at the Cool Springs Marriott on Monday, April 23.

Kilowatt Ours, an energy conservation group, has rented its own room
there for a pre-meeting public gathering at 4:30 p.m. that day for a
panel discussion on the topic.

“We want ensure that energy
efficiency is at the top of TVA’s strategy for meeting the growing
demand for energy in the valley,” said Alex Tapi, assistant director of
Kilowatt Ours, a group focused on energy conservation and alternative
energy.

“Right now, it’s not,” he said.

“They’re already
proposing new nuclear sites. The largest, cheapest, cleanest, quickest
source of new energy for the Valley is in our existing homes and
buildings through energy efficiency.”

TVA is our nation’s largest polluter (and my power provider). They could (and should) be taking the leadership role in energy conservation and efficiency in the valley by requiring new construction meet current energy codes and giving incentives to upgrade existing buildings. Instead, they give incentives to builders and a pittance for upgrading existing buildings.

Why the big deal? Efficiency can’t possibly keep up with growth you say? Not so says Synapse Energy Economics in a 2002 study on efficiency potential in Williamson County:

this study
shows that there is clearly enough efficiency potential to make a difference in
the need for new substations and lines. Reducing the electricity demand by 13 to
23 percent by 2010 and 22 to 33 percent by 2020 would allow TVA and MTEMC to
delay or completely avoid some of their new projects in the County.

Furthermore, the efficiency potential in any region is greatest at the time
of highest load growth – when customers are building new homes and businesses,
and filling them with new electric end-uses. Unfortunately, if efficiency
measures are not implemented at this key point in time, then they become more
expensive to capture in the future – they might even become lost
opportunities. Thus, concerns about high load growth driving the need for new
substations and lines in Williamson county also serve as a compelling
justification for pursuing energy efficiency opportunities.

TVA has done nothing. Middle Tennesse Electric has done nothing. Our state government has done nothing.

How does all this relate to the wilderness you ask? According to the National Park Service:

Air pollution is shrinking scenic views, damaging plants, and degrading high elevation streams and soils in the Great Smoky Mountains.
Even human health is at risk. Most pollution originates outside the
park and is created by power plants, industry, and automobiles.

It is my love for the outdoors that draws me into environmental issues. It is my love for the outdoors that will bring me inside the Cool Springs Marriott at 4:30pm. If you care about nature at all, be there.

The Kilowatt Ours meeting will be at 4:30pm at the Cool Springs Marriott. TVA’s meeting begins at 6:00pm. If you’re coming, leave a comment and let’s meet up.

HT: The Tennessean

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Bryan April 21st, 2007

Check out part 3 of Toxic West Virginia.  There’s a long string of bad language in this one.  Consider yourself warned.

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Bryan April 15th, 2007

After the Easter holiday, I continue my exploration of Nashville’s Warner Parks. Today I chose the larger. Percy Warner Park is over 2000 acres of mixed use (mainly wilderness) park off Highway 100 between Belle Meade and Bellevue in Nashville.

Trail: Warner Woods Trail
Distance: 2.5 miles
Max Elevation: 915 feet
Total Elevation climb: 519 feet
Trail Type: single track dirt
Temperature: 40s, cloudy and really cold for April
Time: 1 hour moving with 30 minutes of lolly gagging
Significant Features: just forest, some views of Nashville through the leafless trees

Despite the really cold weather we had, I had a real “hoot”. The Warner Woods trail is really that… woods. I wandered through oak and maple stands and lots of Mayapple and Honeysuckle. The highlight was this owl I got to see. He just sat there until I got too close. I’ve had the opportunity to see them in the park before along with a copious amount of deer.

Directions to the Nature Center

Pictures

Download the Google Earth track

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Bryan April 14th, 2007

That’s right, I said it. Now you can view a collection of hikes in
Google Earth by turning on the Trimble Outdoors Trips layer under Featured Content.

The content is a little inadequate in middle Tennessee, but there are numerous documented hikes over in the Smokies. And, you can submit your own hikes for inclusion along with GPS tracks and waypoints, photos, video, and more. So come on middle Tennessee hikers, let’s fill up their hard drives with GPS tracks for local hikes!! If we all kick in, we’ll have a wonderful database of hikes around the country and that is what web 2.0 is all about baby.

HT: lifehacker.com via besthikes.com

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Bryan April 13th, 2007

Check out part 2 of Toxic West Virginia describing the "reconfiguration" of the mountains in West Virginia after the mountaintop has been removed.

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Bryan April 9th, 2007

Move over Bear Grylls, check out this story.

One of two hikers who became lost in the dense jungle of French Guiana and survived for seven weeks on beetles, frogs and tarantulas has returned home to France, frail and with a thick beard, "tired but happy."

"We ate palm seeds, we drank water because we always had a river next to us, where we washed," he said. "We also trapped insects and beetles. We ate frogs and tarantulas."

My hat’s off to them.

HT: Fox News

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