Friends of the South Cumberland to Speak
Our program this month will feature speakers from the Friends of the South Cumberland. The South Cumberland Recreation Area consists of several gorges or "gulfs." This is an area that we are all familiar with through day hikes and backpacks in such areas as the Fiery Gizzard, Stone Door, and Hobbs Cabin. The program in March 2004 was informative and had some surprises regarding ownership of the rim and encroachments that are taking place. They will provide an update on current attempts at acquisitions and other attempts to preserve this beautiful area for future enjoyment.
- Tom Burley
Sierra Chapter Retreat
Join fellow Sierrans for a celebration of fall and the return of cool weather! Enjoy canoeing, hiking, fishing, owl calling, and campfire. Speakers on Longleaf Pine Restoration (Red Cockaded Woodpecker), TVA Land Stewardship and Sierra’s “Cool Cities” program.
When: Friday, Nov 3 at 4:00 PM to Sunday, Nov 5 at noon
Where: Bear Creek Education center, Hodges, AL (in northwest Alabama)
Cost: $85/person includes bunk house, food, meeting lodge, canoes, ropes course and all activities
Mail registration to:
Alabama Sierra Club Retreat
c/o Bruce Martin
150 Paige Place
New Hope, AL 35760
Email: bruce@barbmartin.com
Make check payable to Alabama Sierra Club. Bring a sleeping bag, pillow, and towels. Map, itinerary, and additional information will be sent after we receive your registration.
For more information, call Bruce Martin at 256-725-2168.
Huntsville Sustainability Expo
On Sunday afternoon, October 22, Flying Monkey Arts will present an afternoon of lectures and demonstrations on the topics of environmental and economic sustainability. Speakers from a variety of businesses and backgrounds will introduce you to their specialties on sustainability and discuss ways to incorporate these practices into your daily life. All of the presenters are local or regional organizations and individuals.
Brief Schedule of Events
1:00 - Creating a More Sustainable Alabama. Presented by Grow Alabama, a home delivery service providing Alabama-grown organic vegetables and meats.
2:00 – Permaculture: Solutions for a Low- Energy Future. Presented by The Ecovillage Training Center
3:00 - State of the Union Address: Create Green Business, Get Collective, Buy Land. Presented by Thomas Hupp.
4:00 - The Benefits of Biking to Work. Presented by Alabike - James Spagnola speaker.
4:45 - Edible Landscaping: City Gardening for Food, Flowers, and Fun. Presented by Reese Danley-Kilgo.
An onsite restaurant, Tina's Cantina, will be serving locally grown food throughout the day.
Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for students.
The Flying Monkey Arts Center is in the back of the old Lowe Mill building on Seminole Dr., south of Governor’s Dr.
There is more information about the organizations involved on the calendar at http://www.flyingmonkeyarts.org/
- the Editor
Tuesday Night Hikes Moved to Downtown
Now that the evenings have grown short, the Tuesday night hikes have moved downtown. We now meet in the Land Trust parking lot at 907 Franklin St. for a brisk walk around downtown.
- the Editor
Executive Committee Members Needed
If you are interested in serving on the 2006 Executive Committee (Excom) for the North Alabama group, please contact Liz Poleretzky, the current Chair, or one of the other current Excom members – see phone list on the Outings page. This is a good opportunity for those that have been in the club and enjoyed its benefits/outings through the years to give back to the group and for new members who would like to get more involved. - Liz, 461-5819 or hiker@knology.com
Whatever Happened to the Lyme Vaccine?
In 1998, the US Food and Drug Administration gave market approval for LYMErix, the first vaccine for Lyme disease. It works by spurring the body’s immune system to produce an antibody against the Lyme bacteria. “It is a transmission-blocking antibody, so the bacteria never get into the body,” says Markus M. Simon, Ph.D., an immunologist at the Max Planck Institute in Freiburg, Germany, who worked on the vaccine.
Preapproval testing on more than 500 people showed that it was safe and effective, but shortly after LYMErix’s release, advocacy groups raised fears that the vaccine could spur serious autoimmune reactions in which the body attacks its own proteins as well as the Lyme bacteria. However, an investigation by the FDA and the CDC into 900 reports of possible adverse events from the vaccine found no evidence linking it to autoimmune symptoms. Even so, consumer backlash and lawsuits against the vaccine led GlaxoSmithKline to pull it from the market in February of 2002.
“People claimed it did harm, but the science never showed that,” says Lyme disease expert Henry Feder Jr., M.D.. Still, he questions whether, for most people, the three to four initial shots plus the yearly booster the vaccine required was worth the protection it offered. “Lyme disease is very treatable. Do we really need a vaccine?”
Vienna, Austria-based Baxter Vaccines thinks so. The company is currently developing a new Lyme disease vaccine designed to circumvent the suspicions that hounded LYMErix. Nearly identical to that vaccine, the new one is slightly altered to remove a protein that some claimed might spark an autoimmune reaction. It’s too early to tell if this vaccine will gain FDA approval, but public approval could prove even more important.---from Backpacker, June, 2006, by veteran health and science journalist Christie Aschwanden, who wrote the World Health Organization’s World Heath Report 2006.
- Submitted by Sam Denham
Seeking Information about Everest Base Camp
Kerry Greenwell of Huntsville wants to talk with anyone from Huntsville who has hiked to the Mt. Everest base camp. If you've done it or know of anyone who has, please call Kerry Greenwell at 961-2158(w) or email james.k.greenwell@boeing.com .
- Sam Denham
ARA River Revival
The Alabama Rivers Alliance will be holding "River Revival" October 22nd from 1:00PM to 6:00PM at King's Bend on the banks of the Locust Fork River. Tickets are $20 in advance, $60 for a car full - and they can be purchased at Deep South Fly Shop, Alabama Outdoors or at http://www.alabamarivers.org . For additional info call Jennifer Rupe at 205-322-6395 ext. 104.
2006 ExCom Members
Chair Liz Poleretzky 461-5819
Vice-Chair and Treasurer
Sam Denham 539-1033
Conservation chairs
Brenda Cummings 881-7447
Doug Horacek 772-6788
Fund Raising Judy Jones 852-6179
and Freddie DiPlacido 533-0651
Membership Dave Kostowny 325-2296
Newsletter Jack Drost 880-2644
Outings Lee Hollingsworth 461-3060
Publicity Sandy Kiplinger 256/498-1023
Programs Tom Burley 883-4267
Prgm Logistics Coordinator
Doug Horacek 772-6788
Secretary Judy Burley 883-4267
Tuesday Hikes Liz Poleretzky 461-5819
Web Page Steven Baty 489-0990
General Meeting
Thursday Oct 19, 6:30pm. Downtown Library auditorium The Friends of the South Cumberland will talk about development in the area.
Hike Ratings
General Note: Most Saturday outings take all day and last into early evening. Please allow for this in your schedule
Easy-Less than 5 miles, no serious elevation changes, no trail obstacles.
Moderate-5 to 10 miles, some elevation changes or rough trail (rock hopping), or trail obstacles such as creek crossings.
Strenuous- Over 10 miles, substantial elevation change (1000 ft or more), trail may be rocky, obstructed or nonexistent.
Exploratory- event the leader has not experienced before, may fit any class.
Saturday, Oct 14 - Monte Sano Dayhike. Moderate. We will hike about 5 miles. Meet at 9:00am at the Hiker’s parking lot. Bring water, lunch and $2 State Park fee. Call Helga Sowa for information 534-5656.
Sunday, Oct 15 - Wade Mountain Wildflower Hike. Easy. Meet at the Wade Mountain Trail Head on Spragins Hollow Road at 1:00pm. Bring water, bug spray and sturdy hiking boots. We will be looking for ladies tresses. Call Doug Horacek 772-6788 for more information.
Tuesday, Oct 17, 6:00pm - Downtown Evening Hike. Easy. Meet at the Land Trust parking lot at 907 Franklin St. Leader: Liz Poleretzky, 461-5819.
Saturday, Oct 21 - Heart healthy walk on Monte Sano. Moderate. Get ready for the holiday feasts by joining me for an 8 to 9 mile, moderate to strenuous walk around Monte Sano State Park. We will begin walk on the South Plateau trail and end with a cardiac push as we ascend McKay's Hollow. Meet at the Hiker's Parking lot at 8:20am. Bring hiking shoes, water, snacks, lunch and a few dollars for the park's entrance fee. For an extra cardio workout, arrive late. Sandy
Kiplinger, sandykip@juno.com
Sunday, Oct 22 - Honeysuckle Jihad. Meet at the Land Trust across from Fagan Spring Apartments at 1:00pm. Bring clippers, gloves, water and insect repellent. Call Doug Horacek for more information at 772-6788.
Tuesday, Oct 24, 6:00pm – Downtown Evening Hike. Easy. Meet at the Land Trust parking lot at 907 Franklin St. Leader: Helga Sowa, 534-5656.
Excom Meeting
Wednesday, Oct 25, 5:30. Liz Poleretsky, 461-5819.
Saturday, Oct 28 - Walls of Jericho hike. Strenuous. Meet at 9:00am at the Alabama hikers parking lot. Directions: east on Hwy 72 toward Scottsboro, turn north on Hwy 79 and go 30 miles to the Alabama Walls hikers parking lot (not the horse riders parking lot, which is a mile before the hikers parking lot). Bring lunch and water. The hike will begin in Tennessee at their new hiking area and we will hike 8 miles to the Walls and return to the Alabama parking lot via the Alabama hiking trail. Info Joette 776-3551. Joint hike with TN Trails Association.
Saturday, Oct 28 - Mt. Cheaha Fall Color Hike, Pinhoti Trail. Moderate. Hike 8 miles total, from Cheaha trailhead (parking lot) along the ridgeline on the Pinhoti trail to Caney Head. Beautiful panoramic views of the mountains and valleys in their autumn splendor. Then descend on the Chinnabee trail to Turnipseed campsite where we will have left a shuttle vehicle. Bring water, lunch, sturdy boots and/or strong ankles. Meet 9:30 Hampton Cove Publix parking lot, by McDonalds. Lee Hollingsworth, 520-6659 or 461-3060.
Tuesday, Oct 31. Halloween – no hike.
Saturday, Nov 4 - Huntsville Mt/Green Mt hike. Moderate. Start at Blevins Gap and hike south up the old Spacewalk Trail to the overlooks of Big Cove and Jones Valley, then back to Blevins Gap. This loop will all be in the new Forever Wild property that was bought from the Certain family. Finally, we will hike down the new Land Trust trail from the Gap to the bottom of Huntsville Mountain. Six miles, four hours. Bring lunch, water, and binoculars. Meet at 9:00am at the parking lot where Cecil B. Ashburn Drive goes over the gap between Huntsville and Green Mountains (Blevins Gap). Sam Denham 539-1033(h), 961-0436(w).
Tuesday, Nov 7, 6:00pm - Downtown Evening Hike. Easy. Meet at the Land Trust parking lot at 907 Franklin St. Leader: Bruce Martin, 256-725-2168.
Newsletter Labeling
Wednesday, Nov 8, 5:30pm. Down South Condominiums clubhouse. South Mem Parkway. Entrance on right between Big Ten Tires and Schlotzsky’s. Judy Burley, 883-4267.
Fri-Sun, Nov 10-12 - Mammoth Cave
Backpack/Carcamp, Moderate. This is a 14.7 mile self sufficient backpack over two days. We will depart on Friday around 10:00am arriving at Mammoth Cave around 3:00pm. We will carcamp Friday night and begin the backpack on Saturday. First Creek is the gem of backcountry trails with plenty of scenery. The variety of forest growth along with the scenery make this entire section of trail memorable. Time permitting we may do the tour of Mammoth Cave (optional). Group size will be limited to a maximum of ten. For further information contact Tom Burley at 883-4267 or
tdburleyhiker@knology.net
Saturday, Nov 11 - Flat Rock hike. Moderate. Meet at the Monte Sano
Hiker's Parking Lot at 8:00am. Bring lunch, water and sturdy hiking boots. The hike is 8.4 miles. Call Doug Horacek at 772-6788 for more information.
Sunday, Nov 12 - Honeysuckle Jihad. Meet at the Land Trust parking lot across from Fagan Spring Apartments at 1:00pm. Bring clippers, gloves, saws, water and bug repellant. Call Doug Horacek for more info at 772-6788.
Tuesday, Nov 14, 6:00pm - Downtown Evening Hike. Easy. Meet at the Land Trust parking lot at 907 Franklin St. Leader: Virgil DeStefano, 539-0348.
Saturday, Nov 18 – Pinhoti Trail
Construction. Help build the trail that will eventually connect Alabama's Blue Ridge Mountains to the AT in Georgia. Bring loppers, lunch, water, and work gloves. Other tools provided. Free early supper afterwards for everyone who shows up! Meet at Publix in Hampton Cove at 7:00am. Sam Denham 539-1033(h), 961-0436(w).
Sunday, Nov 19 - Galaxy of Lights (Hsv Botanical Gardens). Easy. Public
Walk-Through Nights, November 17-20, 5-8 pm. A fun family atmosphere with Santa, crafts, refreshments and entertainment. Children $3, Adults $6. Meet at 6:00pm in Space and Rocket Center/Marriot Hotel parking lot. Easy mile walk along paved roads viewing Christmas lights. A thermos of your favorite hot beverage is suggested. Rain
date 11/20. For more information, Lee Hollingsworth, 520-6659 or 461-3060.
Tuesday, Nov 21, 6:00pm - Downtown Evening Hike. Easy. Meet at the Land Trust parking lot at 907 Franklin St. Leader: Judy Burley, 883-4267.
Other Area Outings / Events
The following activities not sponsored or administered by the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club has no information about the planning of these activities and makes no representations or warranties about the quality, safety, supervision or management of such activities. They are published only as a reader service.
South Cumberland Recreation Area
Call the South Cumberland’s Park Office for more information. (931) 924-2980.
Friday, Oct 20 - Sport Climbing How-To-Clinic. Are you ready to move from the world of top roping to sport climbing? Meet Ranger Jason at the Foster Falls parking lot for a beginner’s course on this different style of rock climbing. Basic skills of climbing and rope work required. Due to limited equipment, call South Cumberland’s Park Office to reserve your spot. (931) 924-2980. Saturday, Oct 21 - Time To Climb. Meet Angelo at 9:00am out at the Stone Door parking lot. We will then hike out to the Stone Door and spend the day learning some basic rock climbing. Be sure to bring some food and a snack because we may be out there for a while. Saturday, Oct 21 - Collins Gulf Overlook hike. Meet Ranger Gorge at Collins West access parking lot for a short, moderate hike to a beautiful overlook, viewing the Collins Gulf in fall colors. Bring your camera. Saturday, Oct 21 - Color Stroll to Stone Door. Join Geoff at 3:00pm at the Stone Door Ranger station for this easy 2-mile hike. We will hike to the Great Stone Door to see some beautiful overlooks. Be sure to bring a camera. Sunday, Oct 22 - Gizzard Rock Hopping. Tired of the leisurely Sunday Stroll? Then come out with Ranger Jason to Foster Falls for an off-trail hike up the Little Gizzard Creek. This very difficult and technical hike will require a sturdy body and ever-sturdier boots. Remember to bring plenty of water and a light snack. Saturday, Oct 28 - Hike to Sycamore Falls. Meet Ranger Anthony at 7:30am at Grundy Forrest parking lot for a cool morning hike to Sycamore falls. Saturday, Oct 28 - Ravens Point Day Hike. Hike to the scenic Ravens Point overlook with the park naturalist, Ranger Jason. This strenuous 10-mile hike shows the beauty of the Grundy Forest. Wear good hiking shoes; bring water and a lunch for this day long hike. Meet at 8:00am at the Grundy Forest parking lot. Saturday, Oct 28 - Hike to Savage Falls. Meet Ranger George at 2:00pm at Savage Gulf Ranger Station for a moderate 4-mile hike round trip to see wonderful fall colors and a beautiful waterfall.
Nature Wanderers
Saturday, Oct 21- Bike Ride. Easy ride along the Tennessee – Tombigbee Waterway in NE Mississippi. 18 –25 miles along a gravel road. Bring lunch, water and snacks. Please call Doug Felton at 256 830 2271 in advance of date for details.
Saturday, Oct 28. Sipsey Wilderness Hike. Get wild with our friends from Wild South as Ted leads an easy – moderate hike in the Sipsey Wilderness of the Bankhead Forest. Remember to bring lunch, water and snacks. Meet at 9:00 a.m. at the Trading Post in Wren. Call Ted Kuzma 256-974-7771.
Sierra Middle Tennessee Group
Sunday, Oct 15 - Backpacking Cooking Class. Are you interested in learning new cooking techniques and recipes for backpacking? Bring your backpacking stove, fuel, cookpot, skillet, and any utensils you have with you to Longhunter State Park. We will meet at the picnic pavilion next to Couchville Lake from 3-5 p.m. After the cooking class we can take a hike around the lake. No children or pets please. For additional information and to register contact Katherine Pendleton at 615-943-6877 or email Katibug1959@aol.com .
Fri-Sun, Oct 27-29 - Hobb's Cabin Backpack. Meet Friday night at Savage Ranger Station Campsite. Saturday backpack to Hobb's Cabin. Bring a tent in case we aren't able to get the cabin! Approx. 8 miles each way. Rated moderate for distance. If you don't want to camp with us Friday night you may join us Saturday morning. No pets please. Please contact Katherine Pendleton for additional information and to register by October 25 at 615-943-6877 or Katibug1959@aol.com.
Sunday, Nov 5 - Radnor Lake Dayhike. Radnor Lake Hike at 2:30 p.m. We'll do the Lake Trail (1.6 miles easy) and the South Lake Trail (.9 miles moderate). We'll meet by the handicap parking sign in the west parking lot (access only from Granny White Pike). Directions: Take I 65 to Harding Place, exit 78. Travel west on Harding Place (also called Battery Lane) to Granny White Pike. Turn left on Granny White Pike and travel south to Otter Creek Road. Turn left onto Otter Creek Road (across from the Granny White Market). Parking lot is down a bit on your left. Please let Betsy know you're coming at garberb@hotmail.com (write "Sierra Club rsvp" in the subject line) or call 615-370-9454.
Saturday, Nov 11 - Black Mountain Dayhike. Black Mountain near Crossville is part of the Cumberland Trail system. The map is on-line at the Cumberland Trail web-site. More information will be provided in the November newsletter after the leader has scouted the trail. Pre-register with Heloise Shilstat at stillwild@bellsouth.net or 615-631-0169.