Visit the Stars

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is hosting a star gazing event on Friday, September 7 at one of Haywood County’s clearest views of the sky -Purchase Knob, home to the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Astronomy Club of Asheville will lead an exploration of the night sky at this high elevation site with a 260 degree unobstructed view of the sky. Visitors can expect to see the planets Neptune and Uranus; the wonderful starry glow of our Milky Way Galaxy stretching across Purchase Knob's dark skies; the beautiful spiral disk of the Andromeda Galaxy; the numerous star clusters of late summer and early fall; as well as several binary star systems. The event starts at 7:30 pm with an indoor orientation, which will be held rain or shine. The Learning Center is located at 5,000 feet in elevation so please bring warm layers. The program is limited to 60 people so reservations are required and can be made by calling the park directly at (828) 926-6251. Purchase Knob is located off US 276 near Maggie Valley, North Carolina. It is not recommended to use a GPS or an internet map service to find Purchase Knob, but the park staff can provide reliable directions. -NPS-

This just in...Gatlinburg Loop Closed....at times

Just in... Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials announced plans today to complete road projects on the Gatlinburg Bypass and a section of Newfound Gap Road near the Sugarlands Visitor Center. Work will begin on August 29 and is expected to be completed by September 1. Weather delays, however, could extend the project into the Labor Day weekend. To minimize impact to visitors, all work will be completed at night. The bypass will close each evening at 7 pm and reopen at 7 am the following morning. Newfound Gap Road will not close completely, but will be restricted to one-lane traffic from 7 pm to 7 am. For additional information call 865-436-1207

Natural Tunnel State Park in Virginia

Last week I spent 4 days in a lodge at this state park located in southwest Virginia, while attending a business meeting for an organization to which I belong. The park consist of 850 acres and has a few short trails to hike with no backcountry sites, given its limited size. Though it is a very beautiful area with some picturesque vistas.

The park has a swimming pool complete with a tall spiraling slide, meeting facilities which were very nice but had limited access for some cell phone services, and what I thought was a relatively good wifi connection. I hiked daily on the short trails in order to clear my thoughts and relax and it worked with views and blooms; Passion Flowers I believe, like you see in the pictures. Peace.

Hiking a Section of the AT in Virginia

Dudes! and Dudettes! The 'Mysterious One' and I took a 6 day backpacking excursion along the Appalachian Trail that began on the 20th and ended on the 26th, with about 13 miles on the Virginia Creeper returning us back to Damascus. The forest of middle Appalachia were magnificent, often crowded with Frazier Firs with the ground covered in various ferns. On several days we passed through dense patches of Blue Berries and Black Berries and feasted as we walked. Many flowers were still blooming including some rodo's.

Our walk began with a shuttle from Damascus piloted by "Just Bill" and "D-O-G", the drivers trail name and his furry friend who "Just Bill" says does not like to be referred to as a dog. He also told us that he was given his trail name during a conversation with author John Molloy several years ago.

We were extremely lucky with the weather, as for the first four days we heard thunder and saw rain often on distant mountains, and then it rained. The fifth day was saturated with rain and thunderstorms; sometimes dangerous, with frequent lighting and strong winds on ridge lines. We were careful not to hike along the tops of mountains or open fields during these storms. Met some good folks along the way including the "Handyman" from Wisconsin, and the "Mad-patter", from South Carolina.

The terrain was difficult at times though very doable for the fit hiker, with some great shelters through this section maintained, I believe, by the Mount Rogers Appalachian Trail Club. All of the shelters we stayed in or near had privies. The Grayson Highlands were awesome! See the ponies in the picture? The 'Mysterious One', noticed that we were "probably gonna go over that mountain over there", pointing to what turned out a day later to be correct and was the highpoint in the Grayson's. Not far after the Highland's we came to a shelter, Thomas Knob, with an awesome view behind it looking south. What a deal folks, hiking with a friend. One I hope to continue soon. Peace

Rich Mountain Trail

This trail is one I hike often on afternoons like today when I have at least two hours to get up, and back, to campsite #5, which is about 2.3 mls oneway from the trailhead at Rich Mountain rd. Many of the photos of blooming wildflowers I've shown this year were taking along this route. Today as I neared the halfway point I heard some commotion off to my left and so I found a spot in the shade to stop and listen some more. About 2 minutes after I stopped I saw a bear approaching the trail and I realized I needed to move from where I was standing else it was gonna come out of the woods very close to me. I quietly moved up the trail without losing my fix on the bear and noted the direction of the slight breeze blowing at that time and space. I'd have the breeze in my favor until the bear(s) stepped out on the trail. Note the plural because I had heard what sounded like another animal moving from the same place I had heard the first and as I reviewed the area I spotted a much larger 2nd bear a minute or two later. Well as you can see this large bear; probably a male as it is mating season, did not "step" out of the woods. Rather he was probably alerted by the other ones behavior after it had stepped out onto the trail and had spotted me. As soon as the first bear saw me it quickly walked down the trail before disappearing into the woods and then this large bear lept out of the forest edge and crossed the trail. This second bear is mostly in the air, just about to land when this picture was taken. By the time that happened I had already identified it visually and was paying close attention to it as it waited to cross, crouched behind some brush literally on the edge of the path. I took some photos of this big bear as it waited to cross and could see it through my camera lens when I took it but so far I can't find it in the photos. Camouflage! These beautiful animals are another two reminders for me to consider my lack of power and human vulnerabilities. I am not as a human some supreme being in this world in which I walk, rather as Aldo Leopold suggested just a part of it. Peace

Amongst the Crowds

Dudes and Dudettes! What an awesome afternoon hike I got yesterday! I was able to walk a trail(WProng) close by my residence and found the trailhead parking empty of other vehicles and along the trail I was not having to step over a bunch of horseshit. There are days, like Sunday, when I choose to find another trail to hike because my first choice began with piles of horseshit and this takes away from the appreciation of other things when I am frequently reminded by the sight and smell of this stuff and that I need to watch where I step. Backcountry fees charged for the hiker should be less than half of what the charge for horse usage on these trails even if that means raising the cost for overnight stays involving horses or a daily fee for horses. If not for the threat of the entry of non-native species from the horseshit then charge more for the trail damage these equestrians cause. So, where was I...? Oh, right. Awesome peacefulness on this 4ml hike, lots of blooms still blooming, beautiful songs by the birds to listen to, relatively pleasant temperatures and a nice breeze. In one of these pictures you'll see where an animal has been digging into a rotting log for some grub. Peace

Bird

I volunteer at the GSMNP and have been asked by more than one traveler from afar, "where can I go to see all the birds", as if we have them, the birds, on call somewhere. I've even listened to visitors talk of how disappointed they were at not seeing all "the birds" they had heard about and not being a "birder" myself I can only ask like where they've tried, did they walk out of a parking lot into the woods, and what kind of birds they're looking for?. Mainly to be polite and figure out who I am gonna ask for assistance. Now I say that to say this... damn near each time I go walking in the woods I see or hear birds if I stop and listen. Pretty near every time I am in the woods if I shut down my thinker and open myself to the sounds around me I will hear and see many things close by. I'll admit that is not always easy; shutting up, shutting down, and listening, and initially it requires some effort on my part. This bird was fishing in the West Prong of the Little River on Thursday. Peace