1st Soccer Game || Saturday, April 12, 2008

So, we've found Bailey's sport. Who knew she was a soccer prodigy? It seems I'm sentenced to the life of a soccer dad for the next dozen years or so. She's flat good. She's fast, plays tenacious defense, has excellent ball handling skills, and she's the only one of the team to grasp the concept of "during a throw in, throw the ball towards the goal you're trying to score in."

Burning one for 4-2(0) || Wednesday, April 02, 2008

A few weeks ago we decided to make an impromptu trip to Cades Cove one day after Bailey and I got out of school. The past several times we've gone, we've seen more Ohians than animals, but this time we lucked out. First of all, I've always wanted to see a controlled burn. Periodically in the Cove and other areas in the park forestry people conduct a prescribed burn to both clear brush and perform a role in the life cycle of the forest. For example... cool random factoid... Usually when you see masses of dead trees in the national park, it's usually the result of an exotic species of fungus, bug, etc. that has decimated that trees population (think American chestnut, fir trees, hemlocks). When you see a huge mass of dead pine tree, however, the culprit is usually a totally native tree beetle that feeds on the insides of the pine tree. You can usually tell because if you pick up some of the bark off one of the dead trees, there will like little lines burrowed in on the underside of the bark from where the beetles ate and traveled. Well, it turns out that pine trees require fire in their life cycle to germinate the seeds. SO, the theory goes, pine beetles live in harmony with the pine trees, until the beetle population starts to get too big. Once it starts to get too big, they start to kill a lot of pines (more beetles = need for more food). The pine trees die, fall over, and dry out. Now, instead of being a pine tree, it is dry fuel for an impending fire. With each tree that dies, the possibility of a fire increases. Eventually, there will be a fire, the dead trees will burn, the living trees will burn some, the seeds will germinate and begin to grow, and the beetle population will be burned back into check. Good stuff, this whole balance of nature thing.

The catch is... in millions of years of evolution, the pine trees never had anyone to protect them from fire. Enter the park service. With protection and the prevention/early distinguishing of fires, all the dead pines pile up. And pile up, and pile up. And pine beetles reproduce and kill more trees. And they pile up, etc. Long story short, now they have controlled burns to help simulate the life cycle.

ANYWAY, there was a controlled burn on Sparks lane. The road was closed so we couldn't get too close, but neat none the less.

Also, we saw 77 deer and about a dozen or so wild turkeys.

Halfway around the loop we stopped for a picnic at the Cable Mill. After the picnic, Bailey drove back about the last 3 miles of the loop road (which made Jodie nervous, mainly because I didn't hit the brakes whenever Bailey would steer us off the road. Ahh... the stuff of memories. "Andy... Andy.. ANDYWE'REGOINGTORUNOFFTHEROADANDHITTHAT
TREEOCRAPWEREOFFTHEROADTHERESTHETREE"

Needless to say, Myers enjoyed it. Have some pictures--

Lakeshore Trail || Sunday, March 30, 2008

Total Mileage: 35
Route: Lakeshore Trail to Lost Cove Trail to Twentymile trail

Okay, so... I planned on posting my own assessment of the Thursday/Friday trip last week, but as is my per usual, I have run out of time and motivation. Accordingly, I am just going to repost what Sam posted about the trip so I can have it for posterity’s sake so I can run off and work on lesson plans for this week. So, when you see Andy referred to in the following posting, don’t fret: I’m not going Bob Dole on everyone. I’m just plagiarising Sam. Well, I’m citing the source so I suppose it isn’t plagiarism. It’s just lazyism. 

 By the way... final mileage count... After taking into account trail re-routes since my map was published, as well as a slight alteration in the itinerary (i.e. stopping 4 miles early on Thurs. and adding 4 on to Fri.), the mileage was 22.5 on Thursday and 12.5 on Friday for a grand total of 35 miles. 

 My Weight Problem by Sam Graves

Thanks to my friend Andy, I’ve developed a backpacking weight disorder. I’m a bulemic backpacker. There... I’ve said it. Our recent trip from The Road to Nowhere in Bryson City, along the Lakeshore Trail ending up at 20 mile Ranger Station demonstrated that even at 26.2 pounds, my pack was still overweight. We are new subscribers to the ultralight backpacking movement. Previously, I wouldn’t bat an eye at a pack weight of 45-50 pounds for a normal overnight or even multiday trip. This time around, we did things a little differently. First of all, Andy figured out how to build a camp stove that weighs under an ounce using coke cans. It runs on denatured alcohol, PGA, or HEAT engine treatment. We chose PGA for the bragging rights. Next, instead of lugging a heavy 6-10 ounce water filter, I picked up some Micropur water tablets that turn pretty much any natural water source into drinkable water in half an hour. The list continues from there... as in... don’t pack gloves if your outer layer has pockets, or you plan to bring a spare pair of socks (a must for backcountry hiking) just put your hands in them. Cook your meals in plastic ziplock bags so you don’t have to pack in plates or bowls. Use a lightweight tarp and your treking poles to make a shelter so you don’t have to carry a tent. Some backpackers cut off the handle to their toothbrush to save weight. We didn’t bring one at all. Who needs the weight? Andy managed to get possession of a kitchen scale, so here we are dragging stuff out of our packs, weighing socks, biking arm and leg warmers (you only need the extra coverage your shorts and short sleeved shirts don’t provide, so why pack the extra fabric weight?) Andy had two sets of tent stakes we weighed and of course took the lighter ones. We discovered the fancy Nalgene bottles that everyone who owns a Jeep or SUV probably drinks out of to look trendy weigh almost double that of a one quart Powerade bottle. Who needs the brand name at twice the weight?

The trip was awesome. The altered GSMNP map above shows the route we took. I’ll post the pictures Andy took as soon as he uploads them. We did 22 miles from Road to Nowhere to the Hazel Creek Trail Junction and stopped at campsite 86 on Thursday. The trail followed the various creeks when it wasn’t bordering Fontana Lake. The trail was very well maintained and we passed numerous homesites where houses existed no less than 40 or 50 years ago. This is one of the youngest additions to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park with people that lived in the areas we hiked through up into the mid-1940’s. Andy almost died of a heart attack when a grouse launched off the side of the trail (it sounds like an instant helicopter), and as we descended into the Hazel Creek area, we saw a herd of deer and a flock of wild turkeys. The Hazel Creek Hilton was one such homesite that still had a standing building. For more details about Hazel Creek check this wikipedia article. It had our saving grace when we realized it wasn’t occupied... clean drinking water. They had a water faucet feeding well water from the ground. We hadn’t anticipated the amount of water we would use the first day, so we had already gone through half the Micropur tablets and were discussing how to ration water when we saw the building. It was wonderful. Better yet, it was less than a quarter mile from campsite 86, so we used what water we had for drinking as much as we wanted, and cooked with the rest, filling up on our way out Friday morning. It was a welcome and much needed surprise. There was a group of youth with a couple of leaders from Seymour staying at campsite 86 that night also who had paddled into the site from the lake, but after 22 miles and the little energy it took to cook and eat dinner, we ended up just going to sleep and didn’t socialize. I had slept with a bandana upside down on my face to keep my nose warm and it worked like a blindfold, so I had no idea it was morning until Andy woke me up. Again, saving the weight of packing in glasses and a protective case, I just slept in my contacts. We got up late considering how early we normally start out in the morning, ate a quick breakfast, and hit the trail around 9:30. The 4 miles we intended to get in Day 1 were moderate until we started over one of the many ridges we were to cross. We descended into campsite 90 where we had planned to spend the night, and got a great picture of the nicely built bridge they had there. (coming soon). Coming up out of campsite 90 we connected to the Lost Cove trail. It was 2.7 miles of UP. I capitalize the importance of the incredible elevation gain over such a short distance. The peak of the moutain is where Lost Cove intersects the Appalachian Trail just a few miles before it leaves Tennessee to continue into North Carolina. From there is was just a (somewhat) gradual descent for 5 miles on the Twentymile trail back to where we left Andy’s car at the Twentymile Ranger Station. My bum knee left me a few minutes behind Andy, but I got there, old man cantor and all. 

 The Boot Side Note: My boots (a well researched pair of Montrail Torres) have gained a reputation of giving me a good blister every hike I take with them. This trip was no different despite putting a square of packing tape on the back of my foot and then following up later with mole skin. This time these stupid boots gave me the standard blister with a couple of accomplice blisters, and then decided it didn’t like where the original blister was, so it tore it off. I hiked the remaining 14 miles the next day with my foot in this condition. It wasn’t too bad, but by favoring my right foot with the blister, I put too much strain on my left knee and it started going out when I went downhill. Here’s a pic of my nasty blistery foot if you so dare. I warned you... it’s really gross. Needless to say, these boots are going on Ebay and I’m in the market for a new pair. By the time I made it back to the car, I was hobbling like an old man. If I hadn’t used a treking pole, I would still be coming down off the mountain.

My Weight Problem || Wednesday, March 26, 2008

You know you have a problem when you call Subway and ask how much their subs weigh. For example:

"How much does a 6" chicken terriyaki on honey oat weigh?"

"Well, it’s 370 calories."

"No, I mean how much does it weigh. Like in grams."

"It has 5 grams of fat."

"How about the non-fat parts?"

"Uhhh...."

In case you’ve talked to me in the past 2 months, you know I’m planning on a 40 mileish backpacking trip this weekend as an overnight trip. Sam and I have been planning it since shortly after Christmas. Though we’ve hiked and packed many times together, this is our first trip as subscribers to the ultralight philosophy that you should just leave all the crap at home and get out and hike. For example, my average spring/summer/fall backpack weighs around 35 pounds, and about 45 in the winter. For this trip, I’m down to 19 pounds including food and water. Not counting food and water I’m sitting around 12 pounds (about 2 pounds over my goal of 10 pounds pre-food and water). I’ve been cutting straps off bags, punching holes in ziplock bags to cut weight, and cutting out items left and right. Sam coined the term correctly at lunch today when talking about the plight of ultralight backpacking. We are bulimic backpackers. SO, for posterity’s sake, here’s my gear list for the trip.

Gear List


Category Item Weight (oz)

Bedding Heat pack 2.00

Bedding Sleeping Bag (Summer) 36.00

Bedding Thermarest 31.00

Clothing Gold toe socks 1.00

Clothing Long John Pants synthetic 6.00

Clothing Rain Jacket 24.00

Clothing Sleeveless wicking t 4.00

Clothing Wicking underwear 4.00

Cooking Cookset 8.00

Cooking Fuel (PGA) 8.00

Food Apricots 4.00

Food Beef Jerky 2.00

Food Coffee Filter 2.00

Food Fri. Breakfast 4.00

Food Kashi Bar 5.00

Food Powerade 74.00

Food Powerbar 2.00

Food Powergel 2.00

Food TR. Supper 7.50

Food Trail Mix 10.50

Misc. Camera 11.00

Misc. Flashlight 2.50

Misc. SpotMe 7.00

Pack Advent Pro 35.00

Pack Pack Cover 2.00

Shelter Tent Stakes 4.00

Toiletries 1st Aid Kit 5.50

Toiletries TP and Trowel 3.00



TOTAL:

307 oz (19.19 lbs)

Snow!

Bailey's First Art Show

Work on display at the Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center.

From Artwork at GSM Heritage Center

Headline: School Builds Skills for Life || Friday, February 22, 2008

Finally a practical life skill learned in school. Flash back to 1995. Freshman year. First period English. Mr. Kerr. Sam and I would be among the first to arrive at our English class at good ol' Maryville High. As Mr. Kerr was never there until, well, 5 minutes before the bell, Sam started the challenge of trying to pick the lock to Mr. Kerr's door. 36 broken, credit card-sized pieces of plastic later, we were still locked out. This has been one of the great regrets of my life--never picking the lock to Mr. Kerr's door. That, and not fulfilling our plan of moving one of those concrete curb things that are in parking lots to keep you from pulling too far forward to in front of the same door. It was the proverbial albatross around my neck. Tonight, however, I am vindicated.

Back to the present. We came home tonight, put Myers in bed (light sleeper), only to discover that Bailey, in an attempt to keep Myers out of her room, locked the door and closed it before leaving the house earlier. Good idea in theory, unless you follow the the problem to its logical conclusion of, well, being locked out of the room yourself. As I've not seen the key to the door in question since, well, ever, Jodie busted out the ol' toolkit and I thought back to all those early morning cat-burglar training sessions at MHS. Needless to say, everyone is sleeping soundly in his or her own room tonight.

Singin' in the Rain || Sunday, February 17, 2008

Advice to once or future parents... let this happen some time. It's worth every bit of a set of worn out clothes or even $1.50 in clothes from your favorite neighborhood thrift store (i.e., waste not want not at 5 points on East Broadway). These are even from February of this year. Gotta love East Tennessee weather.

Upward Cheerleading 2008

 Total Mileage: 19.7

Route: Twentymile trail ( 3.1) to Long Hungry Ridge Trail (4.6) [possible side trip to Doe Knob at AT intersection-- 4 miles roundtrip], Gregory Bald trail to the Bald (1.2), stay the night at campsite 13. Day 2: Wolf Ridge trail back to 20mile ranger station ( 6.8).
Sam has already blogged about the outting, so I'm going to steal his assessment...

Happy Trails

This weekend marked a momentous occasion, one rarely seen nor experienced during the tenure of my friendship with Andy "Scat Man" Lombardo.  (By the way, that's his trail name due to his experience identifying various wildlife by their "gifts" on the trails.  Mine is Sole Man.  On a hike a few years ago, both my boot soles fell off completely and I had to hike one soled for 12 miles, and without any soles for another 4 when the left one fell off.)  Anyway...the occasion is... we backpacked this weekend and stuck completely to the itenerary and pre-planned mileage without getting lost, adding 5-10 extra miles, or being flood bound.


We did the following:
Depart Maryville approx. 7am Thursday
Park at Twentymile Ranger Station off 129 past deals gap
Twentymile trail (3.1) to Long Hungry Ridge Trail (4.6), side trip to Doe Knob (4), Gregory Bald trail (1.2), stay at campsite 13, Wolf Ridge trail ( 6.3), twenty mile trail to ranger station (.5). Back in communication by sundown Friday.


It was reasonably chilly Thursday morning, but more so once we got to the ranger station.  We planned accordingly by making the traditional Hardee's carbo load, and me swilling coffee from a Thermos from the moment I left my house until we were locking the car heading up the trail.


The Twenty Mile trail was moderate in grade as it was actually an old railroad bed.  Once we started up the Long Hungry Ridge Trail it started to steepen quite a bit.  From the very beginning and about every 30-50 feet we saw bear droppings, but we never saw any bear.  This has to be the most bear activity I've ever seen in one place.  We saw a wild boar sow and leopard piglet run up from the valley we were walking above.  Believe it or not that is actually the most dangerous animal you can come across while in the Smokies.  The sows are very protective of the piglets.  No issues with this pair though.  We decided to top off our water at a natural spring a half mile from the trail intersection.  I had my Pur water filter all ready to go, but after 14 years of use, it finally died.  I tried to repair the seal between the pump handle and O-ring with some chap stick, but alas we had to use iodine tablets.  As is, I think the water would have been mostly safe, but my intestines are happy we used the tablets.  We hit the Doe Knob intersection and hid our packs so we could do the detour trail to Doe Knob a bit less encumbered.    Definitely a good idea as Doe Knob was a series of very steep ridge caps.  We headed back to the packs we had stashed behind a big downed tree and when I was about 50 yards away, I heard a low grunt or growl.  It was loud enough to make me stop, and then I just heard a faint snort and nothing else.  Being the hardened backcountry man I am... or an idiot.. I pulled out my 3 inch pocket knife and headed toward the packs... ready for action!  Let me mention this knife was a groomsman gift from a wedding I was in and had my initials engraved on it... not a serrated hunting knife.  When I got there, nothing was within sight, so whatever it was moved out before I could get anywhere close.  I could take this time to side-track on a notion I've had for years.. so here it goes.  Somehow on one of the hikes or backpacking trips I have taken with Andy the discussion of hunting came up, and though I've never hunted, I thought the best way to get into the "sport" would be to truely match man to beast on fair ground.  No guns, no bows, up close and personal.  While I lack the teeth and claws or hooves to make it a fair fight, I think a knife would be equitable equipment.  As conversations like these tend to escalate into the extreme, I decided the best way to hunt a deer is to drop out of a tree with a knife and wrestle it to the ground... naked.  For a bear or a wild boar, I'd opt for a loin cloth.  Aren't we all glad I don't hunt.  So, packs back on, we head up toward Gregory's Bald.  As I come into the clearing of the bald I see three deer grazing right in front of me.  I stop and they start to walk toward me a little.  After taking a couple of pictures I walk on up the trail expecting them to dart away.  They just keep grazing so I get about 20 feet away and take a few more pictures.  Andy gets to the clearing about that time and I try to motion to him about the deer, but his glassses are fogged up.  He walked right up to me and stops and I say "Deer." and point left.  He says "Ah. Deer."  This is the shortest conversation we've ever had.  Outstanding scenery from the top of Gregory's Bald.





So, we head down from the Bald toward campsite 13 and setup camp as it was now getting toward dusk... and COLD.  Andy gets the tent setup while I fill up our water supply at a nearby spring.  We get our stuff unpacked for the night and start dinner.  Andy is a backcountry chef genius!  Armed with a food dehydrator, camp stove, and pre-cooking foresight, he created a masterpiece of hot delicious food.  It was a turkey-chili-mac creation accompanied by loaded mashed potatoes.  For an apertif we were treated to hot chocolate with a warming shot of whiskey.  Absolutely outstanding.  Unfortunately there was a fire ban in effect due to the dry weather, so with no fire to hang around we cleaned up and went to bed.  The wind picked up and it got COLD.  To save pack weight, we opted for a 8'x 10' tarp using Andy's hiking poles to hold up the two ends.  I had my zero degree mummy bag and Thermarest pad, and the area we setup the "tent" was very smooth and level.  I think this was the first time my bag was perfect for the weather.  I didn't freeze, I wasn't too hot.  We got up kind of late and due to a slight malfuntion with the stove, had warmish oatmeal.  I had brought a percolator pot to make coffee in, and after we figured out the stove, the coffee boiled just as we finished packing up camp.  Andy had cell phone reception and checked in with Jody his wife.  She asked if we were getting rained on.  Nope.  She said it was heading our way.  No sooner than he hung up, it started sprinkling.  By the time we had the pack covers on and our rain gear, it was raining hard.  So, not one to leave a perfectly good pot of coffee to waste, I proceeded to hike out with mug in one hand and coffee pot in the other.  I did about a mile like this until I finished the pot.  It was a good move.  I will do it again.  I may do this when I go to the mall.  Time will tell.  So to finish up, we did the last 6.8 miles back to the Twenty Mile Ranger Station in about 3 hours.  We were both soaked by the time we got there, so after a quick change of clothes, we headed back.  Awesome trip.  Enjoy the pics.

Oh yeah, the link with the pics shows a campfire and above I commented how there was a ban on campfires.  That wasn't ours. We passed a couple backpacking back out just before getting to campsite 95 (only 1.5 miles in).  We get to the campsite and we see this lovely raging campfire.  No tents.  No one around.  These two idiots just packed up camp and didn't put out their fire... at all.  Andy and I, being the kind nature loving law abiding citizens we are, took out the cooking pot and with a stream nearby, put out their fire.  It's people like these, that make Smokey the Bear necessary...but only bearly.  Ha!  Pun in yo FACE!

Date: 12-27 to 12-28-2007
Hikers: Sam'n'Andy