Eat-Float-Eat on Elk June 19, 2010

Here are a few pictures of the Elk River Float. Here are links to Freddie diPlacido's, and Tony Jones' pictures.  IF you have any you want to share, epecially if they are on a linked site send them to me.

Great unique trip, and cooooooool from begining to end.

Bob Akeys commented, "I had a very enjoyable kayak trip with the TTA on the Elk River. Today started with a heavy downpour, thunder and lighting. We waited about an hour before putting in the water. We enjoyed low laying fog on the river for much of the trip. This kept the heat off of us, though it was hard to see ahead. My first experience in a kayak went well. I found it easy to control and it would go over very shallow water."
Mother Theresa commented, "An awesome trip with the TTA river float down the Elk. The day began with a downpour and lightning encouraging wonderful under the bridge fellowship before we ever began. Then, a beautiful fog covered water ride with the mist cooling us as we floated, It was far from my first float down this river but with the low laying fog, it was like an entirely different river. The group was wonderful and the day awesome!"

July 3 is the next trip down the Elk and She is planning another good one. That is the end folks...

Short Springs Natural Area June 5,2010

The Highland Rim Chapter of the Tennessee Trails Association chose not to have the usual 5th Saturday work day in May but to work on National Trails Day June 5,2010. On that day, fifteen people met at 9:00 AM in the parking lot and were given instructions for work by task leader Wally Bigbee. Ellen and Ruth Anderson volunteered and repainted the white trail markers on the Machine Falls Trail. Pat Bigbee and Fran Wallas went to the wild flower bottom and cut and poisoned alien and invasive plants like privet and multiflora roses. Ron and Linda Ingals volunteered to help them.

Forrest Evans, who is the superintendant for Middle Tennessee Naturals Areas including Short Springs, brought a small work truck into which we loaded heavy gear. Forrest then led the workers to the Machine Falls Trail crossing of Machine Creek to lay stepping-stones for a way across the creek. . This group of workers included Wally Bigbee, Nora Henn, Stuart Coulter and son Bryan. Cindy Watson, Dick Mc Clure, Jim and Marietta Poteet. The group dug out gravel in the creek bed to make 4 pits about 6 inches deep and 18 inches around. They then mixed and poured concrete to make bases and then laid stones on top the pads.

After placing the stones the group returned to the parking lot and loaded six 2”x 10” planks and several 24” pieces of decorator timber. They went back up Machine Falls Trail and at a place that the truck could go no further they unloaded the wood sections and carried them to a boggy low place in the trail. Forrest then departed with many heartfelt thanks. The team nailed pairs of planks to cross-timber pieces and laid two sets at length to cross the bog and one set as a bridge over a small creek. Every one went back to the lot and left.

As Pat and Fran had not returned Wally took a chain saw and walked to a treetop lying on the Machine Falls Trail. After a while Pat and Fran came and pulled cut pieces of the trail until all were cleared.

It was a good day’s work and a lot got done. Thanks to every one with special thanks to Forrest Evans.

Reported by Wally Bigbee.