WildrLog

WildrMan Bryan July 26th, 2008

June was a busy travel month for me. As I blogged then, I got to see the space shuttle launch and hang with friends in Central FL before Microsoft TechEd for Developers in Orlando. In mid June, I went to Chicago for a semi-vacation because I’d never been there before. I also attended eBay Live, a conference for eBay sellers. I stayed near Michigan Avenue and got to sample a bit of urban living. I enjoyed the convenience of having lots to do within walking distance: Sears Tower, Lake Michigan, Art Institute of Chicago. I didn’t have enough time really. A highlight for me was hearing Seth Godin speak live and challenging us live out our passion and let everything else flow from there.

For Independence Day, a friend invited me to watch the Nashville Fireworks from the roof of his place which turned out to be quite impressive and a wonderful view of the festivities. I suppose I’m becoming a bit of an enigma, enjoying the rugged backcountry, peaceful and quiet country living, and finer urban living (I still hate the burbs).

And I’m preparing the house to do more of what I intended, entertaining small groups of friends.

Look for more detail on these activities forthcoming in a new blog, dedicated to more personal pursuits, coming soon.

I’m rambling, but all of that to say, I haven’t exactly spent a lot of time in the backcountry lately. But I’m needing a fix. Any suggestions about where to go in Middle Tennessee?

• Blog , Personal
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WildrMan Bryan July 25th, 2008

In a surprise defense in federal court in Asheville, TVA admits it blankets Middle Tennessee with air pollution from its inadequately abated smoke stacks in Alabama and Kentucky. The landmark case was filed in federal court to seek relief from TVA pollution wafting across the Great Smoky Mountains into western North Carolina.

Read more about the pollution lawsuit at the Tennessean.

• Environment , Great Smoky Mountains National Park
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WildrMan Bryan July 4th, 2008

I’m flying this one instead

That’s right. Today, Independence Day, I took down the American flag known as the Stars and Stripes or Old Glory and instead I’m flying the Gadsden flag. Yes, I still love my country. You see the Gadsden flag is one of the first flags of our nation, having been designed by Colonel Christoper Gadsden and presented to Commodore Esek Hopkins, commander-in-chief of the newly formed Navy, in 1775. It is certain this flag flew above this nation’s Navy before the one crafted by Betsy Ross.

It is also the spirit of that slogan, “Don’t Tread on Me,” that drew me to it. In 1775, this nation was fighting for freedom from a tyrannical, overtaxing government. The overtaxing, wealth-redistributing, tyrannical, anti-Christian, welfare state that the United States has become has much in common with King George. The line spoken by my friend recently rings true with me: I love my country. I hate my government.

Barrack Obama and the Democratic Party won’t change this. John McCain and the Republican Party won’t change this. Nobody will change this until the people change their hearts and stop demanding favor and benefit at the expense of their brothers and sisters here and around the world. And then they must stand up and demand that their leaders return this nation to one that promotes life, liberty, and the pursuit of happeness instead of death, tyranny, and the pursuit of mediocrity.

So, to all current and future leaders and office holders, I say to you: Don’t Tread on Me.

Gadsden Flag website
Gadsden Flag wiki

Tags: freedom, Gadsden flag

• Current Affairs , Personal , Television
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WildrMan Bryan June 23rd, 2008

I thought WildrLog readers would enjoy this clip of Les Stroud (Surviorman) describing his best story ever: being chased by a male moose during the rut. Enjoy!

Tags: les stroud, surviorman

• Nature , Survival , Television
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WildrMan Bryan June 14th, 2008

I just happened to be catching up on my blog reading and ran across this post on 10 Essentials for Happy Hiking from Tom Mangan at Two Heel Drive.  Whether you’re an experienced hiker or a newbie, you’re sure to pick up something from the article.

What did I pick up? Nylon hiking pants.  I always wear jeans or cotton cargo pants or shorts hiking.  I’m gonna have to get a pair Tom.

Tags: Hiking, how to

• Gear , how to
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WildrMan Bryan June 13th, 2008

Here are some ideas:

• Tennessee State Parks
• Tennessee State Natural Areas
• Big South Fork National Recreation Area
• Great Smoky Mountains National Park

It’s such a brilliant place.

Tags: adventure, discovery channel, exploration

• Nature
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WildrMan Bryan June 8th, 2008

Face to face with real death one does not think of the things that torment the bad people in the tracts, and fill the good people with bliss. I might have speculated on my chances of going to Heaven; but candidly I did not care. I could not have wept if I tried. I had no wish to review the evils of my past. But the past did seem to have been a bit wasted. The road to Hell may be paved with good intentions: the road to Heaven is paved with lost opportunities.
-Apsley Cherry-Garrard, The Worst Journey in the World

Cherry-Garrard was part of the British expedition to study Antarctica in 1911-1913. He writes this in his memoir of the ordeal of being stuck in a hurricane-force blizzard in Antarctica in the middle of winter. Their tent had been blown away and thought they would never return.

Tags: adventure, death, exploration

• Books
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WildrMan Bryan June 2nd, 2008

• Thanks to Randy at Ethos for mentioning WildrLog in his Love at First Site series.
• And to T.L. at Crosspolitics for picking up on the post I did on Global Warming a few weeks ago.

And I want to note an extremely eloquent post by Meg at Megaphone on Christians and the Environment.  Well said Meg!

Tags: notable, shoutouts

• Blog , Environment
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WildrMan Bryan June 1st, 2008

Yesterday as I was in line at airport security, my friend Eric in Florida called to tell me a shuttle launch was scheduled for 5:01 EDT, about the time I would be arriving at his house in Melbourne. He suggested I go to Cocoa Beach and try to catch it. I was absolutely giddy because I’d never seen one in person.

It all started on April 12, 1981 in Ms. Stanfill’s second grade class. I was seven years old. She stopped class and allowed us to watch the first space shuttle launch, the Columbia, on a little 13″ black and white TV she had brought from home. Wow, the thunder and roar! I was in awe!

In 1983, my parents took me to visit my aunt in Titusville. Of course, I had to visit Disney World, but the main reason I wanted to be there? Kennedy Space Center. My aunt’s (now previous) husband Rick worked there. I even still have the old shuttle mission manual he gave me.

On January 26, 1986, I was at home from school due to snow. I still have the video tape of footage from that day. It was the day 7 astronauts “slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God.”

I dreamed of working for NASA and even flying the shuttle and going into space. And as media interest waned in the space program, mine did as well. But it never left me the same. It steered me to science, engineering, technology and computers. And maybe it even planted in me the seeds of exploration and adventure.

Everything had to go perfect for me to get to the beach in time. The plane had to arrive on time. Baggage had to be there on time. Rental car process had to go smoothly. It did.

Traffic was absolutely atrocious on the Beeline and I thought I wouldn’t make it. I passed the last chance to park before getting on the causeway with 3 minutes left. Traffic creeped up the causeway. I knew I was done for. And at 5:00PM EDT, traffic stopped above the Indian River with me at the causeway pinnacle. I’m not sure I could have had a much better vantage point if I’d parked. I looked out the window and saw the launch pad light up. And suddenly I remembered why I studied so hard and why I went to engineering school. And I remembered just how easily and how far I’ve let myself stray from my dreams.

About a minute later, the thundering sound reached me. For just a brief moment, I was a seven year old little boy again.

Pictures

Tags: adventure, space shuttle

• Personal
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WildrMan Bryan May 30th, 2008

Let’s face it, if you’re in Tennessee and waiting for a spring or early summer day where the forecast doesn’t mention rain or showers to go hiking, well, you probably won’t do much hiking. Tennessee weather is so unpredictable. Someone once told me that weathermen are right often enough that you can’t ignore them, but wrong often enough you can’t depend on them.

My advice: pick a day and go prepared. Here’s what I suggest:

• Communication. I make sure my companions know there’s a possibility of rain. There’s only one thing worse than hiking unprepared and being soaked to the bone: hiking with others who are unprepared and soaked to the bone (and probably complaining loudly).
• Proper Footwear. Hiking in soggy tennis shoes is about as close to miserable as I want to get. And hiking in the rain I will inevitably have to wade through at least one 1″-2″ puddle on the trail. That’s why I wear waterproof hiking boots for longer, rougher treks. For most shallow puddles, I just walk right through. For shorter, lighter hiking, I just wear water sandals like Teva, Chaco, or Keen. My feet will be wet, but at least they will drain quickly.
• Rain gear. I always carry my rain jacket and pants in my day pack, sunny and clear or not. But you don’t have to spend that much money. For a short walk, a cheap $2 poncho or a trash bag will suffice. They don’t breathe very well though, so you might end up soaked with sweat instead of rain.
• Hat. I wear a nice wide brimmed hat will help shed the rain when I don’t have the hood up on my jacket or poncho. I got a Tilly hat as a Christmas gift and it is perfect for keeping the head dry.
• Change of clothes and a towel. Once I come off the trail, I change into dry clothes as quickly as possible. A drive home while soaked is not an enjoyable experience.

I avoid severe thunderstorms, lightning, hail, tornadoes, high winds or other such severe weather. But I’ve found that hiking in a light rain shower can be downright enjoyable. I saw quite a few frogs out and about on my last drizzly hike.

What are YOUR suggestions for hiking in the rain? What did I miss?

Tags: Hiking, how to, rain

• Gear , how to
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