A Climb to the top of Mt. LeConte

I know this entry is a little late but I have been trying to find time to write it since I made the climb back on June 8th and 9th of this year. At present this adventure ranks as one of the best if not the best that I have had. I have done several hikes in the Smokey Mountains from the Chimney Tops to Spruce Falls but this by far was the most challenging and most gratifying of them all.

Rainbow Falls Trail

Mt. LeConte is the third highest mountain in the Smokey Mountain Range, but if you measure from its base to summit it is the highest mountain in the eastern United States at 5301 feet(1). On this hike we chose to go up via the Rainbow Falls trial and after spending the night in the back country shelter we would head back down the Bullhead trail. This worked out perfectly as the two together forms a loop trail and we could end up back at the car.

When we started out on the Rainbow Falls trail the sun was out and the temperature was perfect. The trail is steep the average elevation gain for the Rainbow trail is 579 feet per mile(1). A lot of people were out on the trial but it did not feel overly crowed at this point because it was fairly wide. For the most part a creek ran alongside the trail all the way up to the falls. Rainbow Falls is one of the tallest in the park but the volume of water is not too strong. It is a misty falls that creates almost a silk effect as the water rolls off.

Rainbow Falls

Once past the falls the trail remains fairly steep, but becomes narrower and the brush starts to close in. In some spots one can even feel a little claustrophobic as the brush really closes in around you. This is also where people start to thin out and you feel more secluded. During our ascent from here we only ran into one other person before we reached the LeConte Inn. By this time my knee was on fire and I could already since how sore I was going to be in the morning.

We made our way to the back country shelter that is really nothing more than a wood lean two where they have and upper and lower row wood platforms to lay your sleeping bag on. It is pretty amazing how the scenery changes as you go up. At the top of Mt. LeConte it is very much old forest with beautiful fir trees and spruces. We were able to get some pictures at one of the few clearings and then it started to rain. Just made it to the shelter before it really started coming down, and it didn't stop all night.

Cliff Top View

The next morning it was still raining fortunately it slowed up enough that it was possible to get our picture at the summit of the mountain before packing up and heading out. After filling up with water at the lodge we heading back down the mountain via the Bullhead Trail. This was the first time on a trail in the Smokey Mountain National Park that I didn’t see a single sole. It was Greg and I the whole way down.

Mt. LeConte Summit

There was a continuous rain for half of the decent. It rained so much that at some points the trail seemed like a small creek with water coming up over my boots. Like the last trail it was pretty steep with an average elevation gain of 555 feet per mile(1) which is still hard even though you are going down. One of the highlights on this trail is the long, almost tunnel like, run of rhododendron along the path. Another is two huge rock overhangs that would provide a nice shelter if some nasty weather rolled in. We were also lucking enough to see a small deer on the trail that let us get so close we could almost touch it before it ran off.

The scenery on this hike is amazing and the accomplishment of the challenge gratifying. Though this hike was a difficult one it has been one of my best adventures. I would do it again in a heartbeat and recommend it to anyone. I do have to say you will need to be in fairly good shape due to the length and elevation of the trip.

(1) Hiking in the Smokies

A Wintery Expedition to Turkey Run State Park

Saturday March 2^nd was a cloudy cold day, but earlier in the week I had already made up my mind that I was taking Liam to Turkey Run State Park. I have been suffering from cabin fever and felt Liam needed to get away from the television and his video games. I had not been to this park other than to canoe through it back in college. My good friend Greg decided to join us as well.

So I loaded my camera along with Liam into the Jeep, picked up Greg and head out. It still had not warmed up with the temperature hanging around 33 degrees when we pulled into the park around 12:30. We suited up crossed the suspension bridge then headed east on trail three. After passing the Ice Box and taking a few pictures of Liam inside some rock structures we came to the ladders. Liam was really excited the whole week about the prospect of climbing up them and they did not disappoint. When you get to the ladders it is basically a dead end of rock and the only way out without back tracking is to climb up the ladders and walk the rock ledges. Plus today we had a little waterfall as a backdrop to this feature that just added to the scenery.

After the ladders the terrain opened up and became wooden for a while but before long we were once again surrounded by rock walls. We followed a small brook that had become part of the trail and it led us to the Punch Bowl. The Punch Bowl is a little canyon that comes to a dead end with a small waterfall that collects in a little pool. We got a nice group picture here before heading on downstream.

The trail followed the brook on downstream with rock walls to either side. The trail actually became part of the rock wall, but due to ice on the ledges we stuck pretty much to the brook. At one point the brook had cut a thin deep trench that had fast moving water running through it and we had to do the old shuffle with legs and hands out on the rock walls to get through. Once through there were a couple small waterfalls and then the landscape opened up to a wide, high canyon. At this point in the hike it started to snow and you got one of those rare picture perfect nature scenes that will be remembered for time to come.

In the end this was one of those perfect days where everything fell into place. The weather never got too cold other than our hands chilled a few times, the snow made for an exceptionally scenic view, and Liam had a good time not stuck in front of a TV screen. I would highly recommend this park to anybody, but it is fairly rugged with a lot of stairs and climbing that may make it difficult for those who cannot get around too well. The scenery and features of this park make it absolutely breathtaking with it being one of the best hikes in Indiana.

Tippecanoe Battlefield

On Friday November 16, 2012 I took a little jaunt up north to the Tippecanoe Battlefield.  I have been trying to get there for some time and finally just took a day off and did it.  It was a nice blue crisp day and even though most of the leaves have fallen from their trees it was still a very scenic out.  I started in the Tippecanoe Battlefield Museum that has a pretty nice collection of information on the battle along with the history of the field itself.  They also house a very extensive collection of old fire arms.

From there I went and walked the actual battleground itself before snapping a few pictures.  There is a large monument along with some headstones of participants who died.  The field itself is not very big, like most of its time.  It is only the size of a couple football fields put together, but will definitely give you a greater sense of the battle.

From the battlefield you can hike out to Prophet’s rock, which is the outcropping where the Prophet rallied his warriors the night before the battle.  While it is not a far hike to Prophet’s Rock once you get to the main trail it is very poorly marked.  There is not a sign that actually points you in the direction of Prophet’s Rock, just to Prophet’s Rock Parking.  You will want to follow that sign.

After my time at the battlefield I went into Lafayette and had lunch at the Lafayette Brewing Company.  The Oatmeal Stout is fantastic as was the Tippecanoe Ale.  I highly recommend swinging through there if you are in the area.

At the end of this blog I have some links listed, also for those who are interested a short history of the battle is below.

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The battle of Tippecanoe was precursor to the War of 1812 and was fought over land rights between the United States and Indian Territories.  Two Indian brothers Tecumseh and Tenskwatawa (known as the Prophet) were forming a large Indian Collation to fight the westward expansion of the United States.  This concerned William Henry Harrison who at the time was the Governor of the new Indiana Territory.  Tecumseh was upset with the recently signed Treaty of Fort Wayne that gave up large parts of land to the United States in the northwestern part of the Indiana Territory.  

Harrison and Tecumseh held some talks over the disputed territory but eventually they broke down.  At their last meeting Tecumseh actually told Harrison that he was going to go recruiting and to do nothing in the disputed lands until he got back.  Of course Harrison saw this as an advantage and decided to launch his campaign in Tecumseh absence.  With a force of around 1,100 men Harrison left Vincennes in late September, 1811 and moved north.

Harrison and his army arrived at the Indiana encampment known as Prophet’s Town were the Tippecanoe and Wabash rivers met on November 6, 1811.  A delegation from Prophet’s Town came out to great Harrison and to arrange a meeting the next morning.  The army set up camp at what is now called Burnett Creek and put guards and fires along the perimeter.  The Prophet decided to attack the American before sunrise and gave a rousing speech in a rock outcropping now known as Prophet’s Rock.  He told the Indian warriors that with his magic the American’s bullets would pass right through them and not cause any harm.

Just before sunrise on November 7, 1811 the Indians started their attack.  The American force was able to repel the attack, and as the Indian Braves realized that the Prophet’s magic didn’t work.  The Indians became demoralized and started to retreat at day break.  A final charge by the Americans broke what was left of the attack and then spent the rest of the day consolidating and reorganizing.  On November 8, 1811 Harrison’s mounted troops rode into an empty Prophet’s Town where they found evidence of British involvement.  They proceeded to burn the town to the ground and then set back off to Vincennes.

The Prophet lost more than just the battle he lost a lot of respect for poor planning and his failed magic.  Tecumseh was not able to keep the coalition together after the loss but joined forces with the British in the War of 1812 with what warriors he had left.  Harrison’s mission was received well in Washington which further bolstered his political capital heading into the War of 1812. 

Most of the information I used for came from; To Compel with Armed Force: A Staff Ride handbook for the Battle of Tippecanoe and I have the link provided below.  

LINKS:

• Battlefield & Museum
• PDF - Staff Ride Handbook for the Battle of Tippecanoe  
• Lafayette Brewing Co.

Pedal for Peace

Saturday October 2nd I am participating in a charity event called Pedal for Peace. It is an interfaith coalition with the mission to support organizations throughout the world that are committed to peace through education, especially for girls and women. You can find out more about the charity at http://www.pedalforpeace.org.

The event is a six hour team bike relay at the Major Taylor Velodrome and I am part of the “Archindy” team. Each team needs to be able to raise $1,000 in order to participate in the event and currently we are at $695. If anyone is interested and willing to make a donation for our team you can do it online HERE. Please be sure to use our team name Archindy so it can get appropriated correctly.

Thank you in advance for any help with donations I believe it is going to a worthy cause. I will also try and get some pictures and post an update after the event.

Website: http://www.pedalforpeace.org
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PedalforPeace
Twitter: http://twitter.com/pedalforpeace

Linguine for Breakfast…Don’t Laugh

Now if you ask me what I wanted for breakfast and I said linguine, you would probably laugh. Just a few weeks ago I would have laughed too, but don’t chuckle just yet because there is a linguine breakfast to die for.

I have been drawn to watching the Food Network as of late and whether it is because my father used to watch it all the time or that there is just nothing else on I am not entirely sure. One night Mary Ellen and I were watching the show The Best Thing I Ever Ate and the topic of this episode was breakfast. The basic jest of the show is that they interview all the different chefs and hosts of the network on what was the best food they ever ate in a particular category. I forget which chef and what restaurant they had it at but the dish was this linguine and egg concoction that looked out of this world.

Since this was a restaurant and not one of their shows Food Network didn’t have the recipe listed on their website. Mary and I were able to write down the key ingredients though and I experimented from there to come up with something that was as good as it looked. Below is the recipe I came up with and I do have to brag just a little because it was my first try as well.

This is a very flavorful dish with the egg and garlic going perfectly with the linguine. It is very filling on its own and I would suggest serving with seasonal fruit for a side.

INGREDIENTS:

• ½ Ibs Linguine
• 6 Eggs
• 1 T Milk or Cream
• 2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Large Garlic Cloves Minced or Pressed
• ½ Cup Chopped Spinach
• ¼ Cup Parmesan Cheese
• 1 tsp Basil
• ½ tsp Salt
• ¼ tsp Black Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Cook Linguine per instructions rinse & drain.
• In a bowl beat eggs with milk or cream.
• In large skillet heat the extra virgin olive oil and add the garlic. Cook garlic until tender.
• Once garlic is tender add the eggs, chopped spinach, Parmesan, spices and linguine. Cook until eggs are done and then serve immediately.

This makes about four adult size servings and you could even experiment with other ingredients such as; Italian sausage, red pepper, onion, etc.

Proud of my Dawgs

This past Monday April 5, 2010 the Butler Bulldogs played in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final for the first time in school history, and even though they came up a couple of points short all I can say is WOW! If a few of those early buckets would had just fallen in we might have had a different outcome, but none the less those boys played their hearts out. I think Butler showed that they deserved to be there staying close to Duke the whole game with a chance to win it at the end. The team defense that Butler played all tournament long is a true testament to how the game is suppose to be played and it was fun to watch.

Being a small school it is extremely hard to make it to the Sweet Sixteen let alone the Final Four. The Bulldogs left everything on the court so I could not be more proud of my Alma mater. I really would like to thank them for this incredible ride it was nice to be able to focus on something uplifting for a change pace.

It was great to see Butler getting national attention and maybe next year more people from around town will show up to the games. Hopefully Gordon Hayward and Brad Stevens will both stay put for at least another year and make a go of it next season. So here is to you Butler way to go!

Evan Bayh & the Washing of His Hands

On February 20th Evan Bayh sent in an Op-Ed letter to the New York Times on why he was leaving the Senate (http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/21/opinion/21bayh.html) and it appears mainly due to partisan politics. In the letter he gives many reasons and examples as to why Congress is failing the American People; “strident partisanship, unyielding ideology, a corrosive system of campaign financing, etc.” and he goes on to state that “any improvement must begin by changing the personal chemistry among senators.” I’ll give him kudos for coming out and stating the obvious however if you yourself are frustrated with the process how do you think the American people feel?

In effect Bayh is washing his hands of the problem and instead of fighting and working to change the culture of the Senate and politics in general he is leaving. I know for myself I have been waiting for the day where someone would get in there, stir things up, and really push for change. Someone who would say to hell with party politics and do what is good for the country. In his letter he states exactly what is wrong with Congress today and puts forth some good begging steps to fix it so I feel it would serve him better to stay and fight for what he believes.

Right now we have the extreme edges of the parties trying to dictate to each other how things need to be instead of coming to a middle ground and doing something meaningful. I was hoping Obama would be the person to change this trend but I feel he has been sucked into party politics instead of working for true compromise. Obama is not totally at fault for this as Republicans stall everything that he tries to put in motion and congressional Democrats are not much better within their own party. Right now Bayh has a great opportunity to really try and do something to change this from the inside, and I think that is what is most frustrating to me, just another wasted opportunity.

It really is becoming a never ending cycle of candidates who only care for their own political futures and not what is truly good for the people. The only way I see this ever changing is having everyday citizens start running for office, but in order to do this we need changes in campaign financing and term limits. Trying to get these changes in campaign finance and terms limits seems to be a daunting task for people whose only mission in life is to get reelected.