More Random Walks In The Smokies

It's winter in Tennessee....which means cool temps (40's-30's at night for now) for most of east TN and rain often though it was spitting snow up in the Townsend area yesterday. Today as I sit in downtown Chattanooga with coffee watching it rain outside on the cold street I'm saying to myself, "I've hiked in much worse conditions yet those hikes on dry days in the 60's are much more seductive". So I think I'll hike on Signal Mtn. another day.
Now random hikes.
"The Mysterious One" and I had a wonderful hike a few weeks ago starting at Meigs Creek Trailhead from the sinks up to Lumber Ridge and out at Tremont. We met some cool folks out of Knoxville (Phd Candidates) at the intersection and we all rested, shared some about jobs, educations, trails, and our mutual love for the wild life before continuing along our daily paths.
I've made several more trips up to Laurel Falls myself and watched the bear families reduce their time out as the daylight grows less and the temps drop. Since my last "random walks" entry I've hiked the Whiteoak Sinks and West Prong trail.
The park continues to absorb lots of traffic in the form of auto-tourism and as my internship w/ the GSMNP ended, seeing this, one of many threats to our wild life, I am further motivated to take action towards preserving what we haven't sold yet. And I'm talking about lands around the state and region where unchecked development continues to pollute our waters w/ silt from erosion and other pollutants, mountains are being destroyed for a limited energy source, coal; the dirtiest form of producing energy, and the apathy demonstrated by so many folks who "just love this park" as they throw a plastic bottle out the window of their car.
Personal responsibility for my well being and that of the wild world which remains, translates into action on my part. Not just complaining to the "next guy". Action for me involves writing short fact based letters to the editor, calling the elected people on the local, state, and federal levels, Often (The numbers are available on this page). These folks work for us. When I hear folks bitch about some new law or tax I'll often ask them did they voice their opposition via letters or phone calls and almost always I hear them say "well no, it doesn't matter". That's just what the career politicians want us to believe. Nothing changes if nothing changes. Peace.