Twentymile Cascades || 9-28-08

Bailey stayed the night with her g-ma last night, so we took the opportunity to go on a short jaunt across the Dragon to the Twentymile section of the park. If you've ever talked to me about hiking, you'll probably know that the Twentymile area, although fairly small, is one of my favorite sections of the park. Though there are thousands of motorcycles zooming by within a half mile at any given time on the Dragon, the trails back here get next to no use. There are places during the summer, with the grass overgrown, where the actual footpath is about half a foot wide and shrouded by chest high grasses. It's very easy to convince yourself that you're really off exploring the wilderness. This wasn't exactly our destination on this particular day, however. This time we were going to Twentymile Cascades, a neat little cascade that is a mere 20 minute walk from the ranger station. Myers even walked the first hundred yards or so. Overall, nice, quick hike. It took an hour to drive there, an hour to hike there and back, and an hour to get back home. What better way to spend three hours of a Sunday afternoon. I mean, what else would I be doing? Lesson plans???

Countdown Galapagos (9-25-08)

Strange how the smallest things can make a difference. I've already been packing, reading, researching, et cetera, but nothing has made the trip seem as real yet as receiving my official Toyota International Teachers' Program Luggage Tag in the mail today. Of course, it helps that I also received my flight information... I'll be leaving McGhee Tyson at 9:41 AM on Saturday, November 22 bound for Miami by way of Charlotte. Orientation will be in Miami the evening of the 22nd, with a day in the Everglades on the 23rd. We'll leave the US for Quito, Ecuador on the 24th (ETA: 7:40pm) and will leave Quito for San Cristobal Island the next morning to tour the Charles Darwin Interpretation Center.

Last Friday Art Walk 8-29-08

Tonight was Bailey's Art Show to benefit Save Our Hemlocks. In all, she raked in a little over $300 for the eradication of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgids. Photos will be on sale until the end of October at Southland Books. For more info and press info, check out SouthlandBooks.org and click on September Artist of the Month.

Little River || 8/3/2008

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 :)