Calderwood || 7/25/2008

We took a trip with YSOA (www.ysoa.org) this weekend to camp for 2 nights at a primitive campsite (primitive = not maintained, no bear bag cables, etc.). We left the Sycamore Tree Friday around 4:30, got to Calderwood a little after 6, and then hit the water around 6:30. Sam was running on a slightly different time schedule, so he left Knoxville around 4:30 with the plan to catch up to us on the water or at the campsite (more on this later).
One of the coolest things about the start of the trip was the fog on the water. When water is released from Cheoah Dam into the Calderwood impoundment, it's basically really really really cold water. When they release the really cold water in the really hot day, it makes a very thick fog. Within a half mile of the boat dock we couldn't see more than 10 yards ahead. The group broke up into two groups in the fog, with the first group going ahead to start setting up camp before dark. It took our group about 1:10 to get to the site (4 miles), which was located where Parson's Branch empties into the lake. The campsite, while beautifully located practically on top of Parson's Branch, was a bit cramped. There were 14 people in all, and if 6 of us hadn't had hammocks, there wouldn't have been enough room. We even had to move the fire pit to make room for one of the two tents. The second group got to the campsite about an hour after the first group, and we barely had time for everyone to get unloaded and camp set up before dark. In fact, bear bags and everything came well after dark. Also well after dark, around, say, 10 oclock, we start wondering... where's Sam?
So, Aaron and I paddled out into the main channel with out headlamps for the Sam Search Party. While kind of creepy, paddling on Calderwood after dark is definitely and experience I'm glad I've had. The water was still, the sky was dark... all you could see was glossy black water and the charcoal silhouette of the mountains against the grey sky. It was so dark that it was impossible to see the entrance to the cove leading to our campsite from the main channel. Even with 3 lanterns burning, we could neither see nor hear our site. Fortuitously, we'd only been on the water about 10 minutes when we see Sam's headlamp a few hundred yards away. In what we'll call the spirit of adventure, Sam parked two miles upriver from where we started and began paddling from there. The only snag in this plan was the aforementioned Cheoah Dam. The damn Dam where he had to portage the kayak up a shear shale wall and then a half mile below the dam, THEN the half mile back to his stuff, and THEN the half mile with his stuff back to the kayak. Then, once in the water, he was smack in the middle of the Calderwood fog, and then the dark. That being said, I'm pretty glad we were in the channel when we were, otherwise he might have seen the hydroelectic turbines at Calderwood Dam up close and personal. Anyway, he has some wickedly cool pics of Cheoah if you want to check out his blog whenever he posts.
The rest of the night was pretty uneventful, except for the massive rainstorm at 3am. My trusty hammock kept me dry, though, so I have no complaints.
The next day went well, mainly starting with a few hours on the lake to putz around, explore, and play kayak frisbee. During the 3 hours on the lake, I stayed bone dry. Back in the cove, though, at the point where I was getting out of the boat, I tried to take a risky route out of the boat so as to stay completely dry instead of getting the bottom of my shorts wet. The move didn't pay off, as it proved to be the first time I ever flipped my kayak. In 18 inches of water. As I was climbing up the back, I pulled my boat up to empty the water out, and I threw my paddle down on a yellow jackets' nest. Long story short, 7 stings, some benadryl, and a four hour nap later, we cooked out a nice hot dog super where I discovered, for the first time, the joy of sweet relish. I usually try to avoid meat, but when camping deep in the woods and sleeping suspended from a tree, what other way is there to eat besides roasting meat impaled on a stick over an open fire? After hot dogs and smores, it was bedtime. (brief aside... it was also during this time period that Sam had to leave early, so he paddled back to the boat ramp the rest of us started at and hitch hiked back halfway to his car, then ran and walked the other half. Yes, I checked, he's still alive.)
This morning, we got up, broke camp, and hit the water. We had a short church service on the water in the cove before making a break for the main channel. We took a few breaks to explore the Calderwood Cascades and the Tunnel. Unfortunately, water at the tunnel was too high to see the train inside (or, for that matter, to go in), so we just had to look knowing something cool was under the water. This time around the whole group made it back in about 2 hours, we loaded up, and hit the road back to Maryville.

Book Quotes || Summer 2008

One of the luxuries of working in a used book store is the ability to browse a variety of books at my leisure. Here are a few quotes from this summer's readings:

For a real-time book quote update, go here

In preparation for Independence Day, I'm brushing up on some colonial American philosophy...
John Stuart Mill -- On Liberty
The aim, therefore, of patriots, was to set limits to the power which the ruler should be suffered to exercise over the community.

The will of the people, moreover, practically means, the will of th emost numerous or the most active part of the people; the majority, or those who succeed in making themselves accepted as the majority: the people, consequently, may desire to oppress a part of their number; and precautions are as much needed against this, as against any other abuse of power.

Society can and does execute its own mandates: and if it issues wrong mandates instead of right, or any mandates at all in things with which it ought not to meddle, it practises a social tyranny more formidable than many kinds of political oppression, since, though not usually upheld by such extreme penalties, it leaves fewer means of escape, penetrating much more deeply into the details of life, and enslaving the soul itself. Protection, therefore, against the tyranny of the magistrate is not enough; there needs protection also against the tyranny of the prevailing opinion and feeling...


Biophilia Hypothesis -- E.O. Wilson
The brain evolved in a biocentric world, not a machine-regulated world. 32

The Ultimate Get Out More News || July 4, 2008

I found out yesterday that I was selected as one of 30 teachers nationally to take part in the Toyota International Teachers Program in the Galapagos Islands. I applied in April via a series of essays, finding out at the beginning of June that I was a finalist, and then yesterday that I made the cut!
Toyota will be footing the bill to send me to the Galapagos to work on developing cross-curricular lesson plans focusing on environmental sustainability, stewardship, and biodiversity. The trip will take place from November 22-December 6. Toyota will even be reimbursing the school for the substitute I will need to have while I'm gone. Talk about service!

Gregory's Bald || Monday, June 16, 2008

Backstory--mid to late June is prime time for Flame Azaleas to bloom. A more apt description can be given by the 18th century botanist William Bartram...

"The epithet fiery I annex to this most celebrated species of azalea, as being expressive of the appearance of its flowers; which are in general of the color of the finest red-lead, orange, and bright gold, as well as yellow and cream-color This is certainly the most gay and brilliant flowering shrub yet known."

Backstory part II: Jodie has an aunt who has always wanted to go to Gregory's Bald, home to one of the most brilliant displays of flame azaleas, well, anywhere, to see them bloom. It was also one of the things on my life list, and although I made it up there last year in July, they had all already bloomed and wilted.

SO, we got back from Disney around 12:30am Sunday morning, and at Jodie's grandparents house the next day around noon, we set up a trip to the bald for today. Already car-lagged and operating on way too little sleep, we got up this morning at 6 to start making our way up there. Total participants: 7. Total of participants over the age of 12: 3. Myers, 2 years old, Bailey, 7 years old, cousin 1: 7 years old, cousin 2: 11-12ish, me, Jodie, Jodie's Aunt.

The hike to Gregory's Bald starts on the Parson's Branch road, one of the exit routes from Cades Cove. The trip to the bald is essentially 4.5 miles, all of which were uphill. The trip back is the same 4.5 miles except downhill. Do the math: 9 mile trip. Bailey's previous longest hike was a little over 5 miles. We had a pretty bad start, as all the kids were whining within a half mile. We did stop frequently at the beginning, as Jodie's aunt used to be one of the people in charge of the education dept. at Tremont, so it was a lot of fun having a plant identification person on hand. I can now ID pipsisewa, galax, blood root, and that's about it. I am horrible with plants. Scat is way more my thing. One of the early highlights of the trip was finding a real live brood 17 cicada who was docile enough to be put on all the kids heads for picture ops. Bailey is 7 now, and the next time an offspring of this cicada will be seen she will be 24. Scary stuff. Anyway, around mile 2 Jodie's aunt started a game of Disney Trivia, with the rule that she would only ask questions if we were walking down the trail. The kids went from how long to break how long to break to getting up and urging us on when we were taking a break. Brilliant.

On up the trail, miles 3-4.5 were particularly taxing, but we made it to the bald just in time. While pretty beat, the kids still found it in them to explore some, spying azaleas, climbing a weird, short, bonsai-looking oak tree, etc.

The walk with kids in tow basically took from 930am to 2--4.5 miles in 4.5 hours. The way back, being downhill, went more smoothly in terms of time. However, going downhill, especially with Bailey's joint issues, posed a problem, as Bailey fell and twisted her ankle big time with about 3 miles left. On already wobbly footing, she fell hard two more times, but she got up and did an awesome job. We also saw a once in a lifetime event on the way back--a millipede molting. Like snakes shedding skin, invertibrates have to grow new exoskeletons as the grow. "Eagle Eye" Bailey spotted the really bizarre happening and got our attention. It was basically like it had just crawled out of it's skin, but instead of being dark brown it was now bright white. Very cool. It also spelling like cherries. I will give kudos to anyone who can comment and tell me why it smelled like cherries. It's a neat factoid.

Anyway, we make it back to the car and COLLAPSE. Nine miles is usually a warm up when Sam and I go backpacking, but nine mile with Myers on my back and three other kids running around was INSANE. Once in the car, we took Parson's Branch out to The Dragon and went to the Tail of the Dragon Motorcycle resort for bathrooms and food (very good hotdogs... hotdog + drink + really good fries or onion rings for $4.19). On the way home, Jodie and I stayed awake while Myers and Bailey slept. Once home, it was showers, tick checks, and bed. Bailey was dead tired. Her eyes are swollen and blacked, myers is asleep where he passed out while playing in my bed, and Jodie is zonked. I'm very proud of all of them. Jodie in particular was a trooper. She loves outdoorsy stuff, but as she puts it she likes "controlled" amounts of nature. Long haul hikes are not really her thing. Especially after her stint in the hospital a year and a half ago with her lung condition, stuff like this is a big deal. While it kicked her (and everyone else's) butt, she did great. Bailey also rocked, hiking through tears after a particularly hard wipeout in the mud (damn horses). Myers, well, he didn't hit me in the head with his sippy cup too hard. His general temperament was excellent as well. We started hiking from the bald at 3, and were at the cars at 530, so we were on the trail a total of 8 hours. He was in the backpack carrier for 7 of them and he didn't go insane, so props to him. The rest of our crew did an excellent job as well--good trip.

The best part is that although it whipped all our heineys, I already brought up the next trip and they didn't stone me. For those of you wishing to make future plans, the next trip will be a family oriented trip to Abrams Falls... 2.5 miles to the falls, swimming and lunch below the falls, and 2.5 miles back to the car. This is tentatively being planned for between July 3-6, but I'll keep everyone posted on a final time table. This trip will be MUCH easier,and well suited for beginners or those who haven't been out in a while or who haven't taken kids out before. It's a classic trip.

On a personal reflection level, this was my third trip to Gregory's Bald (the first using this route), and while I don't think I'll make it back the 100+ times Bert Garner did in his lifetime, I don't think it'll be my last time there. The view of the mountains and the cove are phenomenal. As this is the first time I've been there in clear weather, I had never really appreciated the view. If you live in the Knox/Blount/Sevier area, this is a place you need to make it to at least once in your life.

Pictures will be posted as they are uploaded. Basically, I'm way too tired to walk to the kitchen where the camera is to get it to upload photos.

Team Rodent || Sunday, June 15, 2008

We are freshly back from a week spent with Team Rodent in very sunny and toasty Florida. I'll repost this blog in earnest after I've had time to decompress and filter through pictures, which will be posted in due time. I'm mainly posting this now because I'm getting ready to post something that happened today, and I still want Disney to be in chronological order.

I Little River || Wednesday, June 04, 2008

Regrettfully, I have no pictures. Bailey and I put in kayaks at Coulter's Bridge on Little River today. This was her first time in the kayak on the river, and it went swimmingly. Again, a little nervous about separation, so we tied together again, but we floated down about a half mile just kind of putzing around and practicing paddling, and then paddling back up, floating down, paddling up, etc. We stopped at one of the little reed patches to get out and explore, find shells, throw rocks, and splash around. All in all, she did great and was asking for rapids by the time we were done. As there weren't really any rapids here, we paddled upriver of the bridge where there are some MAYBE class .5 rapids for us to come down. My favorite part: this is in Maryville, 10 minutes from my house, it took 1.5 hours on the river, its FREE, and we were making memories. I mean--HOW DOES THIS COMPARE TO WATCHING TV? Going to wal-mart? Mowing the lawn? Please--I beg you--get out this summer. If not on the water, find a trail, explore some woods, go fishing, walk the greenway. Let me know if you need help with ideas. After I get back from Disney World, Jodie and I will be posting some family-friendly outdoor activities in the next few months. (Stepping down from my soap box)

Anyway, have a good night :)

Smokies Game, Sometime in Summer of 2008

Butterflies Eat Poo. Really. || Sunday, June 01, 2008

Possibly the most groundbreaking phenomenon to come out of last week's canoe trip was not necessarily the revelation that butterflies eat poo (ask any of my 7th graders with a pulse during descriptive writing week... it started a lively discussion in some classes), but the decision to move forward with the advertising campaign. More details later--keep an eye on Sam's blog for more details.

As to the actual trip, we headed out Saturday morning at 830ish, after someone left their food in West Knoxville and had to go back and get it--though I'm glad he did... the potato salad and baked beans were kickin'. We left Maryville around 830 and got to Cable Cove boat ramp on Fontana Lake around 1030 or so. The paddle went pretty smoothly, especially once we made it off the main channel and into the cove where Hazel Creek empties into the lake. The water was a little choppy due to the wind and boats with motors, which, combined with the fact that I crammed the canoe with a crapload of gear (i.e., propane powered George Foreman grill) and you have the makings of a slightly nerve-wracked andy. Put it like this... I was on my knees in a whitewater stance for most of the way across the flatwater lake. A little wobbly. Off the main channel, though, it was pretty easy going. Once we made it to the point where the trail to the campsite meets the lake, we decided to cheat and try to paddle up Hazel Creek some so we wouldn't have to portage as far. For kayaks, this is a pretty good idea. For loaded canoes, not so good. We ended up having to walk the canoes through low water and rapids a little ways, and then had to port them up a steep and overgrown bank. Somehow I managed not to get poison ivy betwixt my toes. After porting we set up camp and had lunch. The original plan was to paddle in and start our 16.5 mile hike around, o, 11 or so. In reality, around 150 we started getting ready. Now, for the mathematically inclined, the average human hiking pace on level ground is 2/2.5 miles per hour. 16.5 divided by 2 = 8+ hours of hiking; 2 oclock + 8 hours = 10 oclock = dark. Needless to say, I wasn't too terribly enthused about the idea at this point.

Starting off on the trail, we explored the Calhoun house for a few minutes and then headed up the Hazel Creek trail. Within about a 10 minute walk we started to come upon stone foundations and a few small out buildings. Historically, the Hazel Creek area was one of the largest settlements in the National Park. It was also the last to be purchased by the park. This area wasn't Parkidized until after WWII--Fontana Lake was created for the sake of Fontana Dam (2nd tallest Dam in the US... It's the one Harrison Ford jumped off of in The Fugitive) to create electricity for ALCOA to make aluminum for planes for the war. Anyway, within about 10 minutes was came upon a small outbuilding with a group of bats in it... very cool. Behind that, we caught a glimpse of a large brick wall. Upon investigation, we made our way back to what was once a large dry kiln for drying lumber. Today, it is basically four long and tall brick walls with a partial roof and a ton of artifacts and NPS junk. Very cool stuff. Check out the pics to see what I'm talking about. I think it offers a very fine commentary on the juxtaposition of nature and industry. I'm always interested with the motif of something that was once intensely important, that people spent months and years planning and designing a building and it served as the livelihood of mulitple familes, and now it's just a very large pile of bricks. It's like Marla Singer's prom dress.

We spent about 30 minutes exploring, and then we headed off at a good clip with the expectation of finishing the hike before, say, midnight. We passed a water level measurement station (the thing in the pics that looks like something from Lost) that housed possibly the Park's largest spider. At the end of the trail, there was a NPS bunkhouse for park workers to stay in while training or doing trail mantenance. This trail, by the way, is extremely well maintained. I could have driven my Subaru along the entire trail.

On the way back, we took a side trip to the Bone Valley trail. At the end of the trail was a well preserved cabin. In the 40s, the site adjacent to the cabin house a very large hunting cabin/tourist preserve. At this point we were making really good time and were on pace to make it back to camp by 9 or so. In the end, was hiked the last 4.5 miles in 63 minutes and got back to camp at 8.

We grilled out turkey burgers and bratwurst, baked beans, potato salad, etc. Good eats.

After bedding down, we woke up to a massive thunderstorm the next morning. IN a break in the rain, we decided instead of porting boats all the way to the water, we'd put them in the creek right at the campsite. Again, great idea for kayaks, not for a heavy canoe. We ended up walking the canoe most of the way. It also led to the first backcountry injury I ever had to go to a doctor for. While walking the canoe I busted my foot on a rock and bloodied up a toe real good (I'm still heavily medicating for it) and it's gruesome. Oozy, puss-y, painful. I went to have x-rays last night and got a script for antibiotics to prevent the whole gangrene/toe amputation thing. We paddled across during a break in the rain, loaded up, and took the Dragon home.

Seriously, a blog posting can do no justice to this trip. Campsite 86 is a great place and relatively accessible and received relatively little traffic. I'm hopefully going back later this month to take my dad fishing and Bailey camping (assuming I'm not having a toe amputation :).

Map of the trip

Good ol' 'merican ingenuity || Thurs., May 29, 2008

In a project worthy of Sam...

Okay, so, I drive a Subaru Legacy (think pre-Outback station wagon circa 1994)... one of the cool things about it is that it is wider at the wheel base than at the top by quite a bit so as to help with stability. The problem is, the top of my car is more narrow than the widest part of my canoe. And, for the summer, there are going to be times when I will want to put the canoe and both kayaks on top of the car... BUT, I don't want to spend $500+ on a fancy roof rack (Jodie gives me grief for constantly having roof rack envy and checking out other people's "racks")... So... I'm currently halfway through mounting a newer, wider rack... made out of 2x4s and parachute cord a la some fancy Boy Scout lashings.

Pilgrimage to Mecca || Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Alright, so, this spring I applied for a program through the Toyota International Teachers Program that would basically be a two week trip to the Galapagos Islands from November 22-December 6. While I haven't gotten it, I did get an email today saying that out of over 900 applicants I've made it to the last round!

Now, for the full import of this to sink in, first remember that the closest I've been to "out of country" was either Iowa or New Mexico. Second, consider the surroundings... these are THE Galapagos Islands, one of the most biologically diverse areas on the ENTIRE planet. Thirdly, this is the land of Darwin. This trip would be the equivalent of a Chaucerian trip to Canterbury, a pilgrimage to Mecca, vacation to Graceland... this is where Darwin's raw data on finch evolution comes from... I could see the offspring of the finches that inspired one of the most groundbreaking scientific principles of our time... you get the picture...

So, my request of you--please pray to your deity of choice on my behalf!

I should know something by the end of July... cross fingers, please. If they cramp between now and then, cross toes and then switch back to fingers.