On the Pinhoti Trail Construction trip on Feb 17th,
Dr. Tom McGehee collapsed and died of an apparent
heart attack. With Tom were Sam Denham, Rick Riquelmy,
and Lee McPheeters from Huntsville, and eight Alabama
Trails Association volunteers from central Alabama. We
were just a few hundred yards inside the Alabama State
line in Cherokee County near where the Pinhoti will
cross into Georgia to join the Appalachian Trail.
Carroll Wilson, Hank McCann, and Phillip Alexander
immediately began CPR and continued for 30 minutes
trying to revive Tom until rescue squads from both
Cave Spring and Cedartown, Georgia arrived. A Sierra
Club member for at least twelve years and ExCom
political chair for the past three years, Tom died
while doing what he loved: hiking. On January 28th,
Tom had led a Sierra Club hike to his favorite place,
Lickskillet, over the mountain behind his home off Dug
Hill Road. Tom will be missed by all of us.
The Sierra Club and the Alabama Trails Association
will erect a small monument to Tom's memory on the
Pinhoti trail near the spot where Tom died. - Sam
Denham
Our Friend
Tom
We will miss our friend Tom. We will miss seeing him
on hikes and at the symphony. We will miss his "Good
Clean Jokes". We will miss his comments on how You
Should Eat Better and You Too Will Be Hiking When
You're 70+. Most of all, we'll miss his indomitable
will to "do". He has always been an inspiration to
both of us. We would hope to be even half as active as
he was as a senior citizen: loving life, enjoying
people, volunteering his time in various civic
activities.
-- Hank and Sharon Czarnecki
Editor’s Note: I would like to thank all who
contributed articles to this tribute to Dr. Tom
McGehee, the response was overwhelming as he will be
missed by many friends. The articles were not used in
their entirety due to space constraints. - Angie
Divoll
General Meeting
Main Branch, Huntsville
Public Library
Thursday Evening, March 15th @ 6:30 PM
Huntsville Public Library
You are invited to join us for some outstanding
photography on the Wildlife and Landscapes of America
(with panoramic transparencies to be displayed in
light box after slide show). Muril Robertson, an
internationally known photographer, will give a slide
presentation of wildlife and landscapes from the
following locations: Alaska, Oregon, California,
Arizona, Utah, Montana, New England, South Florida,
the Appalachian Mountains, Smoky Mountains and Reel
Foot Lake. Muril’s photograph of the cave at Stephen's
Gap, is on display at Huntsville airport. Muril is a
freelance photographer who enjoys fine art,
commercial, and nature photography. He has some
excellent slides and experiences to share with us.
Doug Horacek - Program Chairman
Green Power
Switch
Currently the only Utility Company in Alabama that has
joined TVA’s Green Power Switch is Huntsville
Utilities. Potential New Green Power Distributors
include Cullman Electric Cooperative, Cullman Power
Board, City of Florence Utilities, Franklin Electric
Cooperative, Muscle Shoals Electric Board, Sheffield
Utilities, and Tuscumbia Utilities.
Huntsville Utilities customers signed up for Green
Power can obtain a yard sign to show their care and
contribution to the environment. For a participant to
obtain a sign call Huntsville Utilities Customer
Service facilities (535-1287 or 535-1334), or contact
Operation Green Team at 427-5048 (Joy McKee, Director
-- jmckee@ci.Huntsville.al.us).
Others Utilities customers contact your Utility
Company urging them to join the Green Power Switch.
The following web sites provide additional information
and links, http://www.tva.gov/greenpowerswitch
Or http://www.tngreen.com/greenpower.
Trash for Cash - We Need Your
Help!
April 14th , come and help clean up the Aldridge Creek
Greenway. Meet at the parking lot near the entrance at
9AM. As part of Keep America Beautiful & the Great
American Clean Up, Operation Green Team is sponsoring
the 1st Annual Trash for Cash in Huntsville. The
Organization that collects the most bags of litter
will win $1000. Contact Angie Divoll
(adivoll@knology.net) or Judy Jones
(jfdomina@juno.com) to volunteer. – Angie Divoll
Great News
Tennessee Nature Conservancy is purchasing 5,000 acres
of formerly Carter Mt property, this area overlooks
Cowan and Winchester, TN.
– Joette Carter
If you are having trouble accessing our webpage please
send a short message to natberry@yahoo.com or call Nat
at 256-461-8107.
Sierra Club Email Newsletter and Updates
Now available by Email in addition to the printed
copy.
All email addresses are confidential and will not be
distributed.
Email Angie Divoll at adivoll@knology.net to be
added.
Outings
================================ Changes
================================
Sunday, March 11th, 8:00 a.m. South Cumberland Hike,
Meet at Hardees on North Parkway at 8 AM. Info. Bruce
Martin, 725-2168.
Sunday, March 18, 2:00 p.m. Hike the Red Lizard Trail.
Meet at Freddie DiPlacido's house(170 Williams and
Broad, Brownsboro) at 2:00PM. The hike is steep and
rocky at some points, but mostly easy. Call Freddie
DiPlacido 533-0651 for details.
========================================================================
HIKE EVERY TUESDAY EVENING??? The Hikes are CANCELED
until further notice. – The Sierra Club is looking for
hike leaders for Tuesday evening. Unless we have
volunteers to lead these hikes they will have to
cancel permanently. If you want to know more about
Tuesday evening hikes or would like to volunteer, call
Judy Jones 256-852-6179 or jfdomina@juno.com
Sunday, March 11th, 8:00 a.m. South Cumberland Hike,
Meet at Hardees on North Parkway at 8 AM. Info. Bruce
Martin, 725-2168.
Thursday, March 15th, 6:30 p.m., General Meeting,
Huntsville Public Library.
Saturday, March 17th 9:30 am Carter Mt. Canyon Hike.
9-10 miles very strenuous bring lunch & water, Hiking
boots suggested, meet Winn/Dixie on Winchester
Highway. For info. Joette 776-3551
Saturday, Mar 17th, Pinhoti Trail Construction. Call
Sam Denham for meeting time and place. 961-0436(w),
539-1033(h).
Sunday, March 18, 2:00 p.m. Hike the Red Lizard Trail.
Meet at Freddie DiPlacido's house(170 Williams and
Broad, Brownsboro) at 2:00PM. The hike is steep and
rocky at some points, but mostly easy. Call Freddie
DiPlacido 533-0651 for details.
Sunday, March 18, 2:00 p.m. Wildflower and Trout Lily
walk along Fagan Creek, Bring water, lasts 2 to 3
hours rated easy and enlightening. Meet at Franklin
Building Doug Horacek 461-6392.
Thursday, March 22nd, 5:30 p.m. Outings Meeting, 6:00
p.m. ExCom Meeting. For info call Nick Garbarino (256)
851-8733.
Saturday, March 24, 7:30 a.m.. Prairie Grove, Stroll
looking for rare wildflowers on the Prairie, an easy
walk, bring water. Lunch at Rigatoni's in Florence
after the hike. Meet at Franklin Building. Doug
Horacek 461-6392.
Saturday, March 24, Little River Canyon Rock Hop.
Higher water this year; expect to get feet wet once!
Bring water and lunch, rated strenuous. Meet at
Hardee's North Parkway 8:30 am. Sam Denham
961-0436(w), 539-1033(h).
Saturday, March 31, 2:00 p.m. Hike Madkin Mt., Eat
German. We'll climb the powerline clearing on Redstone
Arsenal's Madkin Mt. We'll then take the trail to rock
quarry #1; hike cross-country to rock quarry #2 and to
the watercress spring. We’ll finish at the
Soldatenstube German Restaurant. Hopefully lots of
stunning wildflowers, maybe some fossils, deer and
snails, definitely great German food! Rated moderate
but powerline ascent is strenuous. Group size limited.
Contact Sharon Czarnecki for more info. at 890-0091 or
sczarnec@knology.net. Contact Sharon early for
restaurant reservations (I have booked dinner for 10 -
first come, first served).
Saturday & Sunday, March 31 - April 1 - Sipsey
Wilderness "Outrageous Foods" Backpack - 8:00 a.m.
Hardees South Parkway or Wren at 9:30 AM. We'll travel
to Hidden Falls and the Valentine Pool for an EASY
7-mile backpack. Dinner will be potluck with the theme
"something you'd never expect to see or eat on a
backwoods trip." An award for the most outrageous food
will be presented. Be creative. Bruce Martin
725-2168.
Sunday, April 1, Wildflower Society Rainbow Mountain,
see the spectacular views, balanced rock, the
wildflower glade and woodland wildflowers, bring
sturdy hiking boots, water and insect spray, an area
teaming with life we will meet at the Franklin
Building at 2:00 P.M., should be a wonderful
afternoon. Doug Horacek 461-6392.
Friday, April 6th. Supper and Moonlight Hike. Meet at
David Gibson's BBQ#2, corner of Bob Wallace and Jordan
Lane between 5:30 and 6:30. We'll eat BBQ, then go on
a hike on Monte Sano. Sam Denham 961-0436(w),
539-1033(h).
Friday, April 6, Evening Land Trust Nocturnal
Awareness Walk on Wade Mt., Hopefully an evening of
nocturnal sounds of the wilderness and experience the
open wilderness at night at the top of wade mountain
(rated moderate because of ascending the trail at
night). Meet at the Franklin Building at 8:00 P.M.
Doug Horacek 461-6392
Sunday, April 8, 1:30 p.m. Aldridge Creek Greenway
Hike. For those of you who have not seen the new
addition to the Greenway, please join us to explore
the area. Bring water, no hiking boots required. Rated
easy. Meet at the Greenway Parking Lot For info call
Angie Divoll, 883-7781 or Judy Jones, 852-6179.
Saturday, April 14th Operation Green Team City wide
Clean-up Competition., 9:00 a.m. Meet at the Aldridge
Creek Park. Wear gloves and bring clippers for briar
removal. Trash bags provided. For info. Angie Divoll,
883-7781 or Judy Jones, 852-6179.
Sunday, April 15, 1:00 p.m. Shake Rag Hollow – Come on
a leisurely Sunday ride to Paint Rock Valley to
Sewanee with a stroll on a wild flower path. Steep
descent and ascent, so wear sturdy hiking boots. Bring
water and lunch. If time permits we will walk to Apple
Valley along a nature path in Sewanee followed by
dinner at a local restaurant. Meet at N. Pkwy Hardees.
Info Anne Yates 534-8006.
OTHER OUTINGS!!!
Friends of the Locust Fork River and the Cahaba Group
of the Sierra Club
Saturday, April 7th, Canoe a beautiful section of the
Locust Fork that has been nominated for Forever Wild.
Join Friends of the Locust Fork for an all day trip on
this easy section with abundant wildflowers. We
usually see Ospreys on this section in the spring.
Canoe rental available. bring lunch, water and life
jackets (life jackets provided if renting (rental
price is 22 per person, tandem canoe). Meet 9am BP
station in Locust Fork on Highway 79. (Contact Hank or
Sharon Czarnecki if interested in convoying from
Madison. 890-0091 or sczarnec@knology.net) Must call
Vicky Wilson 647- 6961 to sign up.
Ask your hike leader about the "Outings Program" to
Join or Renew your Sierra Club membership during an
outing at a reduced rate. New members receive a "Take
A Hike T-shirt
