Backpacker Book Club

For as long as I can remember we've been having campfire discussion about great books.  If you look in the right tab section of this blog you'll see a link to the backpacker book club listing, where we talk about great books that we're just read.  If you've been out with us feel free to add to this list via the blog.

My latest nomination is from a friend, cast in the High Sierra in Kings Canyon, a fascinating book about being a backcountry ranger in a true wilderness setting.  It's titled "The Last Season", by Eric Blehm.  The tag line is this:  Randy Morgenson was legendary for finding people missing in the High Sierra...then one day he went missing himself.

I love this book for myriad reasons, mostly as it fired me up to get back out into the HIGH SIERRAS!

Do Bad Things Happen in Threes?

I'm a big bike rider, I've been doing it for a long time, and glad of it.  My son and I got new mountain bikes this summer and we've been riding a lot on the local trails.  He's the newbie, but good already, the acorn not falling far from the tree.  We're looking forward to our rides this fall.

A few weeks ago we rode the mountain bike trails at Legend Park in Clayton.  The ride was great until my big endo riding home on the road! Ouch, my first crash in 14 years.  I guess I'm not used to those new hydraulic brakes after all.  

A couple of days later I crashed while warming up for a trail ride.  Two crashes in 14 years!  

After my road bike crash the next day I'm thinking bad things do happen in threes.  Just call me superstitious.  Now I just have to watch out for black cats.  :-)

Yesterday I got an email from David Huff with a link to an interesting article in the Charlotte Observer, Death of an American Giant, a story accounting for the loss of hemlocks in NC and seen at this link.  

Unfortunately you have to go only as far as Linville Gorge to see this sad drama playing out in the wilderness.  The majority of hemlocks in the gorge are dying, many are already dead, and change to the character of the gorge is underway.   One of the short term impacts is many more fallen trees across the trail, and these are large trees, so hiking in the gorge is more difficult and challenging.

Lake Myra County Park

I attended an interesting planning meeting last night for a the new Lake Myra Park being considered for development between Knightdale and Wendell.

Once constructed this park appears to have the potential to help protect the Marks Creek watershed south of U.S. 64 plus provide more opportunities for lots of outdoor fun and outdoor  education.  

Also of note, Wake County has bought several non-contiguous parcels of open space land in this area, with the hopes of connecting it in the future by more purchases and right-of-way agreements.  This is really exciting stuff, especially for those of us who live in the eastern part of the county.

For more information see this link.