Smoky Mountains Around Town / July 2014 by Smoky Mountains Around Town

Smoky Mountains

Around Town

What To See And Where To Be In The Smokies! www.SmokyMountainsAroundTown.com

July 2014

lley Routes & o r T g r u b in l t Ga ack page Schedule on b

Pet Bears Not a Good Idea

By Kathryn Sherrard

America’s

Favorite Aerial Tramway

Best Way To See

The Smokies

Alpine Slide

and Other Activities

Bears, Birds & More

Mini Golf

“I'd love to hold a bear cub.” “I want to play with a bear cub.” “Oh, they are so cute; I'd love to cuddle one and have it for a pet!” These are thoughts expressed by viewers of photos such as the one below, which was taken by one of the curators at Appalachian Bear Rescue. In case you are thinking the same thing, let's consider some important facts:

The Shops at Ober

Ice Skating

FREE

Restaurant, Lounge & Eateries

A Mountain Of Year Round Family Fun! www.obergatlinburg.com 1001 Parkway • Gatlinburg, TN 37738 • (865) 436-5423 (See our feature article on Page 7)

1. Bear cubs are born with 20 sharp claws. A bear's claws are not retractable, like those of a cat. They are always extended and can inﬂict serious injury. Just ask our curators who, when feeding a very young cub from a bottle, had to wear welders' gloves of heavy leather to avoid being scratched. Even that protection was not always enough, and they had “battle scars” until the cub was able to feed itself by lapping the formula out of a bowl. 2. Although they are toothless when born, cubs get their sharp baby teeth very soon. 3. While they do not inﬂict pain out of meanness, they will behave toward a human caretaker as they would behave toward their mother, and a mother bear has a much tougher hide than a human! 4. Most importantly, bears are wild animals, and even though bear cubs are appealing, they are not meant to become pets. They are not domesticated, nor should they be.

At its core, Discover Life in America is a science and science education organization. However, no matter how solemn a duty this may appear to be, we are undergirded by the fascination and committment of discovering previously unknown lifeforms in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and encouraging the same outside of its borders.

A scientist, in general, by definition, is one who is a worker in a field of science (such as biology, geology, engineering, agriculture, meteorology, hydrology, chemistry, etc.). But, in a living natural resources type of program, specifically ... who are these science-oriented folks?

(Except Thursday, July 3rd, 9am - 2pm)

Call for reservations at (800) 381-7670 2134 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863 www.titanicpigeonforge.com

You can visit our website: www.appalachianbearrescue.com

Science And Research Smokey Bear

THE SCIENTISTS To get the most out of the ATBI program, we must have a unique group of people called scientists.

July 1st - August 9th Tuesday - Saturday • Noon - 6pm

When you go to the park, you will likely see a bear. It is wonderful to see them in the wild, and we never tire of the experience. But please enjoy the sight from a distance and we'll keep our bears and ourselves safe.

Appalachian Bear Rescue is a nonproﬁt organization based in Townsend, TN. Since 1996 it has cared for injured and/or orphaned bear cubs from the National Park, the State of

The information in the Science and Research Section of the web site is targeted to support the scientific side of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory. It is also meant to encourage you to catch our vision of the research neccessary for defining and documenting the Park's magnificent biodiversity. This knowledge can only be made available, understood, and managed through the active stewardship of you and I, its citizen-owners.

Come meet our Titanic Captain who went to the RMS Titanic wreckage site & hear what he has to say about this experience.

Tennessee and several neighboring states. It is the only licensed bear rehabilitation facility in the Southeast. In 2014 we have 4 cubs in our care. They are numbers 197, 198, 199 and 200. The cubs are referred to by their ABR number, but are also given nicknames for the beneﬁt of people who don't remember numbers as easily as names. Cub 197 is Sugar Bear, Cub 198 is Sweet Pea Bear, Cub 199 is Bucky Bear (the only male in the group) and Cub 200 is Bucky's sister, Cee Cee Bear (so named because in Roman Numerals, the number 200 is expressed as CC.) These cubs will be released back into the wild later this year. You can see photos of the cubs on our Facebook page: facebook.com/appalachianbearrescue.org.

In the realm of the ATBI, a scientist is an expert in a specific field of biology called taxonomy or systematics. Through many years of study, the taxonomist has come to know intimately, a specific group of organisms: be it, to name just a few, tree root bacteria, land snails, flower flies, fungi, ferns, wildflowers, snakes, rodents ... These men and women are the ones you call upon to identify newly-discovered life forms, and to verify the presence of many others. The Taxonomy Scientist may be found peering through a microscope, counting the number of sections that make up the antennae of an insect, or the number of lateral line scales on the side of a minnow: all leading to the identification of a specimen captured during an ATBI collection. These are also the experts that can inform the Park managers of a drop in the numbers of species (decrease in diversity), indicating possible habitat perturbation, a pollution problem, or a threat from invasive foriegn species. Discover Life in America joins the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in saluting the work of these unsung purveyors of a fascinating knowledgebase, and expert assistants to Park Managers accountable for an amazingly complex inventory of living natural resources.

Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires The most recognizable bear in the woods actually works for the U.S. Forest Service. Smoky Bear, (there's no "the" in his official name) has warned us about the dangers of wildfires since 1944, when the Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention Campaign was launched. It is the longest running public service campaign in U.S. history. The "real" Smokey Bear was a cub found in a tree in the midst of a wildfire in New Mexico's Capitan Mountains in 1950. Badly burned on his paws and hind legs, the cub was rescued and treated. As his condition improved, the New Mexico state game warden presented the cub to the Forest Service with the understanding that he would be dedicated to a publicity program of fire prevention and conservation. He lived out his days at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., as the living symbol of Smokey Bear.

Crafts & Gifts Hand-Crafted in the Smoky Mountains We specialize in handmade soy candles, soaps, and fragrant air fresheners

(865) 325-8142 www.morethanacandle.com Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community Located at the Covered Bridge in the Glades

849 Glades Road, Gatlinburg

Smoky Mountain

POTTERY

Biblical Times Theatre

Wholesale & Retail Our pottery is represented at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville

865-436-4575

www.smokymountainpottery.com In Gatlinburg over 30 years ! Located in the Arts & Crafts Community

849 Glades Road, Suite A1A, Gatlinburg

Smoky Mountains Around Town is Worldwide on the Internet www.smokymountainsaroundtown.com

Page 2 Around Town Elk - Willfully approaching within 50 yards (150 feet), or any distance that disturbs or displaces elk, is illegal in the park. Violation of this federal regulation can result in ﬁnes and arrest. Do not enter ﬁelds to view elk—remain by the roadside and use binoculars, telephoto lens, or a spotting scope to view the animals.

Non-native Invasive Plants

species. Birds and other wildlife spread its proliﬁc seeds (up to 1 million per plant). Multiﬂora rose is native to China and Japan.

from these areas usually thrive in the Great Smoky Mountains.

In fact, botanists have identiﬁed over 380 species of exotic plants in the park. Some were brought in by early settlers; others were transported by wind, water, or animals from infested areas. Still others came in on ﬁll dirt used in construction projects or were accidentally transported in by park visitors.

Garlic mustard is an extremely invasive non-native plant that can reseed proliﬁcally and displace large areas of low-growing native plants. A primary goal of the National Park Service is to preserve native plants and animals in the Great Smoky Mountains. Unfortunately, hundreds of non-native or “exotic” plants have been introduced by human activities. Exotics often out-compete natives and can displace them from the park. Exotic plants are species that have been introduced to an ecosystem by human activities. Usually exotics come from other countries or continents, but they may also come from other regions of the United States. Because exotics grow in new environments that may lack natural controls (diseases, predators, parasites, climate, etc.) they often have an advantage over native species and can easily out-compete them for habitat. This threatens the survival of native plants and animals and may cause irrevocable changes to an ecosystem. Exotic plants also take an economic toll. Nationwide, it is estimated that exotics cost the United States over $50 billion per year in reduced crop yields, livestock range loss, and lawn, garden, and golf course maintenance expenses. Exotic Plants in the National Park Several factors make Great Smoky Mountains National Park especially vulnerable to invasions by exotic species. The park’s climate is relatively mild with abundant rainfall. Mountains, with their varying elevations and aspects, offer diverse habitats suitable for a wide variety of plants, both native and exotic. Climate and habitats in the Smokies also closely resemble those in parts of eastern Europe and central Asia. Consequently, plants introduced

Judy Jones Pottery A Gatlinburg Pottery Gallery • Lead Free • Wheel Thrown • Microwave & Dishwasher Safe

(865) 430-3472 www.judyjonespottery.com

"Browse and watch potter at work" In The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community 530 Buckhorn Road, Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Crafts & Gifts Hand-Crafted in the Smoky Mountains We specialize in handmade soy candles, soaps, and fragrant air fresheners

(865) 325-8142 Located at the Covered Bridge in the Glades Gatlinburg's Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community

While the majority of the park’s exotic plants do not significantly alter the landscape or spread rapidly, 35 species are aggressive and do pose serious threats to the park’s natural ecosystems. These aggressive exotics include kudzu, mimosa, multiflora rose, bush honeysuckle, Japanese grass, Japanese spirea, and garlic mustard. Some are capable of growing and spreading rapidly and can completely dominate natural landscapes. Certain exotics also have the potential to cross-pollinate with similar native plants, thereby threatening the genetic integrity of the natives. Controlling Aggressive Exotics The park’s exotic plant control crew works to contain 60 species of invasive exotics at over 600 sites in the Smokies. The following section describes those species of greatest concern to Park Service exotic plant management staff. Kudzu is a fast-growing Asian vine that covers some seven million acres of land (an area larger than Vermont) in the southeastern United States. Prior to 1953 the plant was widely grown as livestock forage and as a means of controlling erosion. Park crews have largely contained the spread of kudzu in the Smokies, though they continue to monitor 116 sites and treat them as needed. Japanese Grass is pervasive in disturbed lowlands. It can rapidly replace native ground cover in moist, fertile areas such as Cades Cove and Sugarlands. Presently there is no efficient means of controlling Japanese grass over a large area and the plant will continue to gain ground until new treatments are developed. Privet is native to Europe, Asia, and North Africa, but has been planted widely in this region as a hedge. Birds and other wildlife spread the seeds far and wide. Once sprouted, privet can form dense thickets which displace native plants. Park crews spend up to 550 work hours each year removing privet thickets. Multiflora Rose was introduced over 40 years ago for wildlife cover, living farm fences, windbreaks, and roadside crash fences. It spreads rapidly and can form thickets which displace native

Japanese Honeysuckle is a woody vine introduced for erosion control, wildlife cover, and as an ornamental. In the Smokies it is capable of out-competing native ground cover and overtopping shrubs and small trees. Its persistent green leaves photosynthesize in winter, increasing its ability to dominate native plants. Mimosa is a medium-sized tree that is a continual problem along some roadsides and streams in the Smokies. It seeds prolifically and resprouts quickly when cut. Mimosa seeds may remain viable for 50 years or more. The tree is native to Asia and was introduced to this country in 1745. Park crews have spent up to 600 work hours per year controlling mimosa. Garlic Mustard is a ground layer plant that can tolerate shade, making it especially threatening to the park’s densely forested environment. When introduced to disturbed areas or streamsides it can completely dominate the ground layer within ten years. It can also move from disturbed roadsides or trailsides to undisturbed forest. Garlic mustard is native to Europe. It can be controlled with prescribed fire as well as herbicides, cutting, and hand pulling. Oriental Bittersweet is a serious threat to native plant communities due to its high reproductive rate and rapid growth. As a climbing vine it damages or kills native plants by girdling and shading. It can also hybridize with American bittersweet, leading to the native’s loss of genetic integrity. Oriental bittersweet is native to Japan, Korea, and China. Musk Thistle is an herbaceous plant that can quickly invade disturbed areas such as roadsides, landscape scars, and flood plains. One plant can produce over 100,000 seeds. This native of Europe poses a threat to the park’s grassy balds and is a common contaminant in fill dirt. Landscaping With Native Plants Using native plants in gardens and landscaped areas preserves biological diversity and promotes our natural heritage. Natives are also better adapted to regional conditions and may require less watering, pesticides, fertilizer, and other maintenance. In addition, native plants provide food and shelter for a wide array of wildlife, including butterflies and migrating song birds. Most are readily available from native plant nurseries in Tennessee and North Carolina. Do not dig plants from the wild.

Preserving Biodiversity The National Park Service began because people—explorers, artists, politicians, and everyday citizens—recognized something valuable in the vast wildlands of undeveloped America. Today, we recognize the value of not only our lands, but the biodiversity that thrives upon them, as well. Biological diversity (or biodiversity) includes all the living organisms on earth, and in our parks we are finding plants and animals that have disappeared in other parts of the world due to development, habitat fragmentation, climate change, invasive species, and other threats. National parks and other protected places are samples of the world's natural variety, often the last bastion of the earth's wild wealth. They are vital to our future well-being. The values of biodiversity in parks are legion: the value of nature for its own sake, a source of wonder and enjoyment; the value of learning about the workings of nature in places largely free of human influence, for comparison with landscapes dominated by humans; the survival value of multitudes of wild species that flourish as natural systems helping regulate climate, air quality, and cycles of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, mineral elements, and water—all fundamental to life on Earth. There is economic value in these same plants and animals. They are potential sources of food, medicine, and industrial products. Parks protect the species and their communities that underlie these values—serving if necessary as reservoirs of seed stock for restoring species lost elsewhere. To preserve biodiversity in parks for future generations we must discover the breadth of life forms that exist. In the past decade, numerous parks have teamed up with professional scientists, university students, school groups, volunteers and park partners for the purpose of biodiversity discovery. These efforts have identified species new to science, located species that have not been seen in parks in hundreds of years and documented species

that are able to survive in extreme conditions. Working to Preserve Biodiversity- The National Park Service also is working to preserve biodiversity more broadly by restoring ecosystems, controlling invasive species, practicing integrated pest management and through other conservation measures. Preserving biodiversity-from the dung beetle to the grizzly bear allows us to ensure genetic diversity, understand how the pieces of an intact ecosystem ﬁt together, and detect long-term changes in our environment. In preserving biodiversity we also ensure that our future citizens, artists, and explorers of science experience our lands as the founders of the parks did long ago.

Coming Soon!

Alibis

Gatlinburg’s newest casual restaurant Featuring home cooked meals, signature salads, hot steam subs and TV’s everywhere for the sport enthusiast! Opening Soon 2014.

Check This Paper for Grand Opening

805 E. Parkway, Gatlinburg

Great Food & Entertainment 4th of July Party! Starts at 5 pm

Dog Boarding Dog Day Care Dog Grooming

Neesee on the keyboard singing all your favorites

Live Music Featuring BAMM ! BAMM ! ! M

BAM

“OK, I’m ready for dinner”

(865) 430-1551 Accepting Private Party Reservations

Some tourist don't stay in a place this nice!

www.barksandrecgatlinburg.com Open Daily 3 pm

Follow Me To The Tree Appetizers • Salads • Soups • Entrees Italian Dishes • Daily Specials • Desserts Full Bar Service • Free Parking • In House Catering Pet Friendly Sports Porch

WWW.CRYSTELLECREEK.COM 1654 East Parkway (Next To Dollar General)

We are located on highway 321, 5.5 miles from trafc light #3 in Gatlinburg Vet Records Required For All Services

(865) 325-8245 Reservations Are Highly Encouraged

2159 East Parkway,Gatlinburg,TN 37738 Open all year round

Around Town Page 3

Young Scientists & Volunteers Needed to Help in Park we search for this slimy creature. Closed-toed shoes that can get wet are recommended. Registration is not required. Program dates: July 17,10:00am-11:30am. Meeting location is in front of Sugarlands Visitor Center. Ages 3-18 recommended. Contact Emily Guss at 865-436-1713 for more information. Student Volunteer Days

Ranger Emily Guss leads a group of “Special Scientists” in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. NPS Photo Great Smoky Mountains National Park is offering special programs for youth to participate in science & service activities this summer. Salamander Scientists Did you know that Great Smoky Mountains National Park is known as the “Salamander Capital of the World”? Join a park ranger to explore the damp, dark world of the park's most popular amphibian. Be prepared to get a little wet and even a little dirty as

Middle and high school students, recent graduates, and their families can spend time in the field with a park ranger conducting scientific projects such as salamander monitoring, tree identification and mapping, and water quality assessments. These hands-on projects provide participants with a specialized field experience that will help park researchers perform important studies. This experience also provides young people an opportunity to get involved in science and in their national park in a fun and interesting way.

Gatlinburg’s Largest Collection of Antiques If you are looking for antiques in the Smokies then you owe it to yourself to stop by our antique shop in Gatlinburg for the best selection of antiques, collectibles and antique furniture in the area.

Tennessee Location: July 7, and August 6. Contact Emily Guss at 865-436-1713 to RSVP and for logistics. North Carolina Location: August 1. Contact Beth Wright at 828497-1907 to RSVP and for logistics/ If middle school, high school, and college students are interested in these kinds of activities or are interested in other opportunities such as science and service projects, job shadowing, volunteering, and summer internships, contact Emily Guss at 865-436-1713.

Look for the horse outside our shop!

(865) 325-1411

Steaks Burgers Seafood and much more

373 Parkway

Where The Locals Go

Howard's Steakhouse has been in Gatlinburg since 1946 offering the traditional Howard’s menu. Seating is also available outside next to a running stream. The bar is a long time locals favorite with a hometown atmosphere.

Gatlinburg, TN 37738

americansideshowantiques.com

Catering Available The Wild Boar Saloon located upstairs offers a lighter fare with tavern style appetizers and specialty bar drinks. Offering a great night life atmosphere with Karaoke.

976 E Parkway, Downtown Gatlinburg

www.HowardsRestaurantGatlinburg.com (865) 436-3600

Healthy Air, Healthy Soil, Healthy Forests

The lysimeter includes a buried ceramic cup and plastic tubes to draw water from the soil. NPS Photo. Many people know that air pollution-from coal-burning factories and gasoline-burning cars-causes acid rain, snow, and fog in the mountains. But what happens to that acidic water after it falls to the ground? How does it impact life on the mountains? Researchers from the University of Missouri and the National Park Service are studying air pollution from the ground level: how acidic water in the soil affects high elevation forests.

To do this, they test water that percolates through the soil. In this “soil water” are dissolved minerals and chemicals from the soil. Each month, technician Megan Cooke treks to 30 different test sites up mountains and along ridges, traversing dozens of miles each time. Her goal is to reach lysimeters-instruments that extract soil water-at high elevations. Lysimeters themselves are made of a ceramic cylinder the size of a water bottle buried in the ground, with a stopper in the top and flexible plastic tubing leading out. Around each is a large study plot, an area in which researchers recorded plant types and exposure to the sun, and took soil samples. The plots are in a habitat subjected to some of the highest levels of acidic deposition: the spruce-fir forest, which tops our mountains above 4000 feet. What’s in the water? The Missouri researchers are measuring a ratio of two very specific elements in the soil water: calcium and aluminum. When acid rain, snow, or dry particles fall, the acids break the chemical bonds that hold both aluminum and calcium in the soil.

Although these elements have opposite effects—calcium helps plants and animals grow, and aluminum can be toxic—flushing both from the soil can be harmful to park ecosystems. When calcium is lost, some species such as dogwoods, snails, and birds that feed on snails don’t have the mineral they need to grow or build shells. When aluminum is released, it changes from a harmless form held in soil to a highly toxic metal that stunts plants’ growth and upsets fish electrolyte levels in nearby streams. Soil what? Scientific results from this ongoing study will help the park understand what air pollution—such as sulfates and nitrates that come from burning coal and gasoline—does to soil, and therefore plants and animals, in the ecosystems the park protects. Next time you’re outside, bend down and take a close look at the soil beneath your feet. You may see many colors and textures: grains of sand, tiny flakes of shiny metal, and fragile root filaments. But remember that it’s what you can’t see - chemicals bound together in that handful that can tell the story of our mountains’ health.

The Best Place To Dance! with dancing on the bar

Best Sports Bar For Good Times & Fun!

HOGG'S UPSTAIRS TAVERNE Gatlinburg Sports Bar Atmosphere By Day Gatlinburg Fun Hot Spot At Night!

Dine In or Take Out

865-325-1210 Come enjoy Gatlinburg's favorite outdoor dining area

Best Burgers In Town!

Best Burgers and Wings in Gatlinburg

Directions: At trafﬁc light #3 in Gatlinburg turn onto 321.

www.hoggsupstairstaverne.com (865) 436-8515

Go 2.7 miles to Glades Road and turn left. We are on the left.

Open 7 Days Per Week from 12 pm until 1 pm

1359 E. Parkway, Suite F, Gatlinburg

745 Parkway, Suite 10 Gatlinburg

Page 4 Around Town

Artist Of The Month Living in the shadow of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, she and her husband meander and hike through this great gift to all of us. Jann can tell you where in the park many of her ideas for paintings originate and where, if you visit at just the right time and if the light bounces off the water at just the right angle, you, too, may experience the same magical moment. In addition to her “loose and juicy” paintings, Jann introduces you to other aspects of her art.

“Colorful, very colorful" ... "Loose and Juicy" ... "Fanciful with just enough realism..." "Almost magical in the feelings that this artwork imparts" ... "Art that just makes me smile." "What a sense of color!” All are ways that people have described the work of A. Jann Peitso. Using vibrant watercolors, she splashes, dashes and generally reminds one of someone at play as her pieces come together and begin to form her interpretations of wonders to be found in the mountains of eastern Tennessee. After many years of traveling and showing her artwork at juried art shows and galleries, Jann and her husband, Gene Peitso, settled into their own “wee, small gallery” in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Jann’s own roots lie deeply in the ruddy soil of Georgia but her heart embraces Tennessee.

Sparky’s Glassblowing Come and watch Gary at work

Glassblowing at its best!

Beautiful, handcrafted blown & sculpted glass

Utilizing the more tightly-controlled abilities of watercolor and smaller brushes, she paints colorful characters known as “Gussie Mae” and “Bootsie” and pens original quotes for each. She reminisces with you, through her work, of those places you hold close to your heart, your home state and college town. Then honoring the quilters of the past and present, Jann paints their patterns on large canvasses or on various watercolor papers. Jann offers much of her artwork as originals and reproductions. She has been fortunate in having her work licensed as cross stitch patterns, note cards, gift items, calendars and clothing. You will ﬁnd the A. Jann Peitso art gallery in Gatlinburg at 170 Glades Road, in the historic arts and crafts community on the 8 mile loop along with over 100 other artists and craftspersons, restaurants and lodging. Jann or Gene will usually be in the gallery located in the Smoky Mountains Arts & Crafts Village to show you her work and answer questions pertaining to it. Come by for a visit! Our website is www.ajannpeitso.com

Media Day at

Foxﬁre Mountain By Michael Williams Foxﬁre Mountain hosted members of the media for Media Day to celebrate the opening of several new attractions at the popular adventure park. The new attractions are a part of the $1 million expansion of the park making it the largest adventure park in Sevier County. Numerous members of the print and broadcast media were treated to a free day zip lining, ATV rides, ropes obstacles, hiking and barbecue. The expansion includes the construction of eight new zip lines including Goliath, the highest zip line in the south and a 60 foot rock climbing wall, known as the Gorilla. The climbing wall offers challenges to climbers as they navigate around the rocks and ledges and features a 55-foot free fall. The Free Fall is a pure adrenaline rush that allows adventurous souls to test the bounds of gravity. Guests are provided harnesses which are tethered to a cable attached to an automated braking system. Once they muster up the courage the guests take a step off the platform and free fall 55-feet. Their fall is stopped by the automated braking system that allows the rider to free fall before gradually slowing to a stop. For a moment the guests are weightless and at the mercy of gravity.

Smoky Mountains Art’s & Crafts Community

According to Stephanie Postlewaite, general manager at Foxﬁre Mountain, Goliath is a 2,150 foot long zip line that looms 475 feet above the ground. It is the highest in the south and the second highest in the United States. By comparison, the Sunsphere in Knoxville is 266 feet high. The Space Needle in Gatlinburg is 407 feet to the observation deck. Goliath would loom almost 70 feet above the Space Needle. Foxﬁre Mountain is open year round and Goliath is slated to open in mid-June.

849 Glades Road (Covered Bridge Complex)

For more information about Foxﬁre Mountain Adventure Park: www.foxﬁremountain.com • 865-453-1998

(865) 325-8186 www.sparkysglassblowing.com

Creating Unique Hand Crafted Jewelry

Gemstones • Wire Art • Enamels Sterling Silver • 14 Kt Gold Filled • Custom Orders Available

440-478-1841 www.thejewelryspot.net 849 Glades Road, Suite 1B7, Gatlinburg, TN 37738 Located at the Covered Bridge in The Glades

Smoky Mountains Around Town Newspaper

Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair July 18-27 - Gatlinburg Convention Center

The Jewelry Spot

In addition to her gallery, Jann will be exhibiting her artwork at the Gatlinburg Craftsmen's Fair in the downtown Convention Center, July 18-27

One of the Southeast’s most popular events, the 39th annual show features 200 booths from artisans and craftsmen all over the United States. With each participant subject to a jury process, every item they create is insured to be top quality and unique. “We’re partnering with Smoky Mountain Area Ministries to present our new children’s area,” said Tracey Large, fair coordinator. “It’s free and available for children age 2 and up. There will be lots of art projects for them, everything from making necklaces to painting birdhouses. It’s going to be adorable.” Show participants include Larry Burton, an award-winning artist from Townsend; Sandy Hensley, a jewelry designer from Shelbyville, Ky and Charles Adams, a stained glass artist from Troy, Al. Burton uses watercolors on canvas to depict scenes of East Tennessee, including the Smoky Mountains, Cades Cove and Blue Ridge Parkway and a resident artist for the 1982 World’s Fair.

Stewart Gallery Free Parkway Trolley Art of the Smokies

Hensley’s fascination with the spirituality of nature inspires her jewelry. She strives for each piece to be sleek, sophisticated and unique, handcrafting them in gold, silver and semi-precious stones. Pendants, neck rings and bracelets with free form designs embody ancient and modern elements. Adams has created a unique collection of stained glass works including windows, doors, clocks, Tiffany style lamps, kaleidoscopes, sun catchers and what many consider his specialty, stained glass angels. Having participated in the Gatlinburg fair for almost 30 years, he designs inventory for more than three months and still rarely has enough merchandise to meet the demand. There will be free live country and bluegrass music at the event: Dennis Lee and Band and Tim Watson, “The Fiddle Man,” will perform at 12 p.m., 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. each day. Visit fair 10 am to 6 pm daily, Sunday 10 am to 5 pm. Admission for adults $6; children 12 and under are free. Call 865-436-7479 or visit our website, www.craftsmenfair.com

Misty Mountain Soap Co. A Healthier Choice In Skin Care

NPS Photo the Visitors to Gatlinburg have an additional means to explore Parkway via this shuttle route which is free for the summer.

Originals Landscapes Historic Cabins

Oil Paintings Calligraphy

Florals

865.436.4466 www.artist-jmstewart.com Located in Buie’s Landing Shopping Center

1360 E. Parkway, Suite 5, Gatlinburg

The free specially painted open-air shuttles will operate from 10 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily June 13 through August 16. Extra stops have been established along the special route to bring the number to 40 along the Parkway. Approximately 800,000 patrons use Gatlinburg’s Trolleys annually, making it the ﬁfth-largest Mass Transit System in the state. It originated in 1980 with only six Trolleys, but the ﬂeet has grown to 20-plus Trolleys servicing approximately 50 miles of Trolley routes. All Gatlinburg Trolleys are handicap accessible. You can now hop aboard the Gatlinburg Trolleys all day long for just $2 a day with unlimited access to the Red, Blue, Purple, Yellow and Green Trolley routes. The $2 Pass is sold at City Welcome Centers as well as at City Hall and the Mass Transit Center, plus numerous Gatlinburg lodging facilities.

Natural Soaps, Lotions & Bath Products hand crafted in our shops!

(865)

325-8084

www.mistymountainsoup.com Two locations in the Arts & Crafts Community! 601 Glades Road (Morning Mist Village) 849 Glades Road (Covered Bridge Complex)

Around Town Page 5

Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community Come and see artisans at work ! the way and chat with a painter or potter, or let a broom maker show you how it's done.

The Great Smoky Arts and Crafts Community is the largest group of independent artisans in North America with over 100 artisans. Established in 1937 this 8 mile loop weaves through Gatlinburg, Tennessee. These craftsmen and artisans weave, carve, cast, sew, paint and whittle to create a vast variety of collectibles such as jewelry, ceramics, dolls, pottery, quilts, brooms, baskets, candles, leather, silver smithing, wearable fashions, artistic photography, oils and watercolor paintings, stained glass and so much more. The area also has numerous restaurants, cafes, candy shops, soda fountains, tea rooms and lodging.

This a great experience for the entire family or just the two of you. There's plenty of free parking at each shop throughout the trail loop. Ride the "Craft Trolley" if you'd like to see it all without the hassles of driving. A one-fare trip will provide a great way to see everything getting on and off as often as you like. Either way you travel you won't be disappointed, you'll see history in the making and it's the real thing!

You'll discover one-of-a-kind crafts, treasures and artwork, and you can watch the artisans at work. Stop along

Turn at trafﬁc light #3 in downtown Gatlinburg on highway 321 and go three miles. www.gatlinburgcrafts.com.

This sign at Route 321 and Glades Road is a landmark to the Arts & Crafts Community

Uncommon Grounds Lunch Served 11:00 to 3:00 Tuesday thru Sunday

Buy a Mug

Everything

Fill It For Free!

Made

Freshly

All Entrees Served With A Side and Drink

Come Early & Shop At Smoky Mountain Pottery 849 Glades Road, Suite 1B3 (Covered Bridge Complex)

865-776-7995 Arts & Crafts Community

“Enter as Strangers...Leave as Friends”

New Gallery Opens on Glades As a young adult I was fortunate to live in what I call "Wow Factor” regions of this great country. My interest in photography naturally became part of my life. Since then I became a ﬁlm photographer/enthusiast for the most part of my adult life. Now living in Eastern Tennessee I am concentrating on the great Appalachian Mountains, scenery, history and lifestyles of Eastern Tennessee and our friendly neighboring states. As a full time photographer digital photography is keeping me busy. And may I add its great to be back in a "Wow Factor" region of the great USA. Check out my gallery at 600 Glades Road, Suite 8, Gatlinburg. I have beautiful cabin wall art. Also, I do photo restorations and teach photography- “get to know your camera”. You can visit the website at www.kennethwayne.com and call (865) 850-2889.

Johnny, Serena, Dwane & Shari

Kenneth Wayne Gallery

Discover Life in America

(865) 325-1000

A wonderful place to have a dish that is homemade and delicious in a beau ful open kitchen!

www.visitthecabin.com 600 Glades Rd #10, Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Poolside Puzzle Answers on page 8 ACROSS

DOWN

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Crude group? Blacken Put to test Weeder Keep Twin crystal Jet lag aid Mop wielders Type of reseller, for short Main Meager Extortion efforts Milestone Mounts Sea bird Seasickness Patriotic symbol Temple Several periods Speak softly Some juices Mariner’s point Irish mischief maker Nicholas II, for short Heretofore Deep-six More monstrous With a concealed identity Make a speech They may provide relief Barbara of “I Dream of Jeannie” Star in Cygnus Map of land Piggy-backed?

Law man “The Gold Bug” author Seafood delicacy Tie Nervous system problem Chinese dynasty Dispatch boat Take up again Ambulance workers Wood cutters Burns badly Lacking color Sycophant Bit of ﬁlming Unfortunate feeling Immoral lady Dance “Beats me!” Further predicter Dance bit Clavell’s “____Pan” Baking term Grammarian’s concern Unit of frequency, for short King in the Bible Side (with) Home of the lima bean ”____go bragh!” Pouch Modus operandi Not stable Maureen or Nancy Buttonhole Kind of carpet Hide preparer Get ready Kidney-related Follow conc Yankee’s foe, for short Apr. aid Phrase of commitment One of the Kennedys Small bit

Discover Life in America (DLIA) is the nonproﬁt organization coordinating the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The ATBI seeks to identify every species that exists in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

DLIA's ATBI program has discovered over 920 species new to science and over 7,600 species previously not known to inhabit the park! These high resolution scans, pictured above, have been created to showcase some of the beauty and diversity that exists within the park.

Some scientists estimate that up to 100,000 species live in the park, and as of today a little over 17,000 species have been documented.

While black bears and elk are mascots of the Smokies, there is another world to discover if you look more closely.

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www.SmokyMountainsAroundTown.com

Page 6 Around Town

Heaven on Earth

Tales from the Titanic The Permanent, Interactive Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge, TN

Dive to the Titanic A Luxury RV Resort

Outdoor Resorts @ Gatlinburg (Deeded Lot Ownership or Nightly Rentals) Our Ameni es Include: • Olympic Size Pool • Adult Only Pool • Miniature Golf • Gated Community • Basketball-Volleyball • Horseshoe Pits • Two Mountain Streams

• Fishing Lake • Restaurant • Laundry • Game Room • Shufﬂeboard • Playground • Tennis Courts

Miles Real Estate Services LLC For Ownership Call: 502-599-6728 Don Miles Broker

Nightly Rentals Call: 865-436-5861 www.orgtn.org 4229 East Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Keep Dogs On A Leash At All Times In The Park Dogs are allowed in campgrounds, picnic areas, and along roads, but must be kept on a leash at all times. The leash must not exceed 6 feet in length. Dogs are only allowed on two short walking paths—the Gatlinburg Trail and the Oconaluftee River Trail. Pets are not allowed on any other park trails. Pet excrement must be immediately collected by the pet handler and disposed of in a trash receptacle. Pets should not be left unattended in vehicles or Rvs. Heidi Weimer Photo

Appalachian Bear Rescue

After 27 years Titanic remains my obsession. I've dedicated my career to her and the 2,208 passengers and crew aboard its tragic maiden voyage. It started with television shows and became this permanent, interactive Titanic Museum Attraction.

By John Joslyn, Owner In 1987, I embarked on the adventure of a lifetime. Two years earlier, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute had discovered Titanic and now I co-led a 6 million dollar expedition to the site of the sinking.

This $20 million dollar giant 15,000-square-foot, shipshaped museum attraction exhibits one of the largest permanent collections of Titanic artifacts and memorabilia. Inside, guests enter a unique world where they can climb an exact replica of the most famous staircase – Titanic's hand-crafted Grand Staircase.

Our team's mission was to explore the wreckage, retrieve artifacts and ﬁlm the broken remains. Standing on the slippery deck of our salvage ship, it was thrilling to hover more than 2.5 miles above the legendary Titanic. My imagination ran wild anticipating the team's ﬁrst dive the next morning. My expedition dove to the site 33 times in an amazing 20 million dollar submersible. We returned with hundreds of hours of haunting ghost-like images. They formed the framework of “Return to the Titanic…Live!” a two-hour television special I coproduced and the second-highest rated live television documentary ever.

July 2014

How do you pay respect to those who gave their lives – you simply tell their stories.

www.titanicpigeonforge.com • 800-381-7672

Ecosystem Restoration & Management Mycorrhizal fungi extend from roots to provide vital plant nutrients while binding soil aggregates. (R.M. Miller)

species, long-term and large-scale approaches. For example, instead of managing for deer and elk to maximize viewing opportunities, the National Park Service manages for the entire ecosystem, considering not only deer, elk and other herbivore populations, but also vegetation, water flow, and predators and rare species.Ecosystem management also recognizes the influence of natural disturbances such as fire and windstorms, accepting that natural ecosystems are dynamic and change over time. Why do we need to restore ecosystems in National Parks?

What is Ecosystem Restoration? When you visit a park and reﬂect on the trees, rocks, landscapes, and incredible views, you are viewing and appreciating ecosystems. Ecosystems are collections of plants, animals, and micro-organisms interacting among themselves and with their habitat. While most ecosystems are hard to deﬁne and draw rigid boundaries around, scientists characterize them by their rock and soil types, by water features such as streams and ponds, and by the common plant and animal species which make their homes within these areas. What is Ecosystem Management?

Gatlinburg

I want to share as closely as possible with guests what Titanic's actual passengers and crew experienced aboard ship. Visitors can touch ﬁnely carved wooden inlays, grasp the wheel on the captain's bridge, tap out messages on the ship's wireless, feel an iceberg's chill, stroll decks and galleries and listen to stories told by real survivors. I think of it as “Living Theatre” with guests as parts of the experience. Plus it offers a realistic, interactive educations experience for students of all ages.

Ecosystem management brings an integrated perspective to natural resource management. It takes a “big-picture” approach, replacing short term, single species management with multi-

Logging, grazing, mining, and other human activities have left a legacy of non-native vegetation, eroded soils, and altered fire patterns in our national parks. Some former park management techniques, such as fire suppression and elimination of predators, have led to declines in the integrity of the original ecosystems. In addition, invasive species, pollution, and climate change continuously threaten these systems. The goal of ecosystem restoration is not to replace a static picture of the past. Instead, the National Park Service works to remove the barriers to ecosystem recovery. These barriers include biological or chemical contaminants, drained wetlands, channelized rivers, alteration of fire patterns, or lack of species to re-populate areas of parks. Whole-ecosystem approaches to management ensure not only the survival of species and scenic vistas, but also allows these systems to continuously evolve and change.

Events Please Remember: Feeding Bears & Other Wildlife Is Illegal

July 1 to 31 – Smoky Mountain Tunes & Tales – All summer long visitors can meet characters, hear mountain music and learn about life in the Smoky Mountains on the streets of Gatlinburg. Storytellers, musicians and cloggers perform at different locations along the Parkway every evening during this eighth annual event! (GCVBE) (800) 568-4748 July 3 – 4th of July Midnight Parade – This 39th annual showcase salutes the valiant men and women of our military services in the “First July Fourth Parade in the Nation!” Parade starts at the stroke of midnight to begin Independence Day. Floats, balloons, and marching bands pay tribute to our country during this Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Event. (GCVBE) (800) 568-4748 July 4 – River Raft Regatta – Visitors can enjoy a fun, unmanned, ﬂoatable object race for the whole family. Free registration begins at 10 a.m. at bridge beneath chair lift on River Road. Race begins at noon at Christ of the Smokies bridge and ends at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies bridge where prizes will be awarded in several different categories. (GCVBE) (800) 568-4748

The black bear symbolizes the invaluable wilderness qualities of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But bears are dying unnecessarily due to improper disposal of garbage or illegal feeding by visitors. A bear's remarkable sense of smell may lead it to human foods, such as a picnicker's cooler, garbage left in the open, or food scraps thrown on the ground or left in the grill. A bear that has discovered human food or garbage will eventually become day-active and leave the safety of the backcountry. It may panhandle along roadsides and be killed by a car or it may injure a visitor and have to be euthanized. Please do your part to help protect black bears and other wildlife in the Great Smokies. Clean your picnic area, including the grill and ground around the table thoroughly after your meal.

Soil pH and its Eﬀects on Biodiversity

July 4 – 4th of July Fireworks Show – Join the celebration in downtown Gatlinburg to mark our nation’s “Independence Day” with a magnificent fireworks show. The City of Gatlinburg lights up the mountain skyline downtown at 10 p.m. with this grand display. When travelling through the park, numerous varieties of plants Designated a Top 20 event by Southeast Tourism Society. (GCVBE) can be spotted at almost every corner. The vegetation varies by (800) 568-4748 multiple characteristics, including size, shape, leaf type, July 5, 12, 19, 26 – Gatlinburg Farmers Market – Offering local blooming patterns (if it blooms at all!) However, one common choices for healthy mountain living, the Farmers Market is open trait binds them together – a majority of the plants in Great Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon at the Covered Bridge, 849 Glades Smoky Mountain National Park live and prosper in acidic soil. Road, Gatlinburg, in the Smoky Mountains Arts and Crafts What is Acidic Soil? Community. Visit www.gatlinburgfarmersmarket.com for details. To answer this question, we must first understand the concept of July 18 to 27 – Gatlinburg Craftsmen’s Fair – Art, crafts and music pH. pH is a measurement of the relative concentration of lovers will discover over 200 booths featuring some of the nation's hydrogen ions in a solution, which runs from 1 to 14. Solutions finest work. Artisans and craftspeople are on hand to demonstrate with a pH of 7 are neutral, neither acidic nor alkaline. Solutions their skills, answer questions and offer their unique art for sale. Live that rank below 7 on the pH scale are acidic, such as soft drinks Country & Bluegrass entertainment. Open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, and vinegar. Solutions that rank above 7 on the pH scale are Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (865) 436-7479 or visit alkaline, such as toothpaste and bleach. The pH level of fresh, www.craftsmenfair.com for details. ($) moist soil can vary over time and location, but generally soils in July 1-31 – Free Parkway Trolley – The City of Gatlinburg will offer areas of high rainfall have low pH levels, and soils in areas of low free trolley service to patrons along the length of the Parkway for rainfall have high pH levels. The yearly rainfall in Great Smoky nine weeks this Summer. The free specially painted open-air Mountains National Park ranges from 55 inches to 85 inches. shuttles will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily through August This high level of precipitation leeches away nutritional ions 16. Extra stops have been established between traffic lights 1 and 10 from the soil, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. This results in the concentration of hydrogen ions in the along Parkway. (800) 568-4748 soil increasing, which lowers its pH level.

To Advertise Call:

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How Does Acidic Soil Affect Plants? Just as different plants prefer different amounts of rainfall or sunshine, different plants can also have different preferences for soil pH. Acidic soil is not always bad. Indeed, the foliage of Great Smoky National Park thrives in moderately acidic soil. However, if soil drops to a pH level below 4, it becomes inhabitable to most plants. Is Soil pH Changing? Yes. A soil’s pH changes regularly, as it is affected by rainfall patterns, decomposing organic matter, and bacterial activity in the ground. These ﬂuctuations are slight and usually do not affect what types of ﬂora can grow in the soil. However, industrial actions by human have introduced a stronger, more permanent change to soil pH. Air pollution caused by power plant smokestacks and automobile exhaust fall down from the atmosphere as “acid rain,” named as such due to its acidic

Alex Hughes Photo Acid rain can dissolve calcium carbonate, a chemical required by snails for the production of their shells.

properties. Acid rain is the result of these pollutants (mostly sulfate and nitrate) reacting with water to form acids. While regular rain has a pH level between 5 and 6.5, acid rain’s pH can be as low as 1 (the same as battery acid), a dangerous level for even humans to be exposed to. When acid rain falls upon land, it acidifies the soil, lowering its pH. Soils at high elevations within the park are especially prone to acidification, as they receive more rainfall than soils in valleys or other low areas. How is Wildlife in the Park Affected? Many animals within the park rely on specific types of plants as their sole food source. Monarch butterflies, for example, only lay their eggs on milkweed, and only eat milkweed while in their caterpillar phase. Milkweed requires a moderately acidic soil to grow, surviving in soil pH levels from 4.8 to 6.8. As with most other plants, it cannot tolerate pH levels below 4. Overly-acidic soil prevents roots from being able to absorb water and nutrients crucial for survival. Long-term exposure to soil below a plant’s acceptable pH range can result in stunted growth and, in extreme cases, death. Gradually, plant diversity decreases as less hardy trees, ferns, and flowers can no longer bear the acidity in their original niches and must either retreat or perish. A cascade of effects follows, as animals higher up the food chain lose their particular food sources. Acid rain can directly affect animals that rely on soil as well. For instance, acid rain can dissolve calcium carbonate, a chemical required by snails for the production of their shells. In lakes and rivers, acidification has a similar effect on organisms. Acid rain that falls on lakes and rivers or drains from nearby soils lowers the pH of that body of water. Lower pH levels can be toxic to fish and other creatures that are acidsensitive, weakening the food chain for animals that rely on them for sustenance. What Can be Done? In small areas, the addition of lime (a chemical present in limestone) can raise pH and provide a temporary answer to the problem of soil acidification. Unfortunately, such results are only local and cannot be used throughout the entirety of the park. The best defense to safeguard biodiversity is to decrease the amount of acid rain reaching the area to begin with, a demanding but ultimately vital solution.

Around Town Page 7

Ober Gatlinburg Nocturnal House Striped Skunk

Opossum

Mephitis Mephitis

Didelphis Marsupialis

Skunks are omnivorous and feed on mice, insects, grubs, eggs and berries. Their long front claws are used to dig up their insect prey, and cone shaped holes in the ground are evidence of their feeding. Normally docile animals, skunks will use several warning signs such as foot stomping, snorting and shufﬂing backwards. If these warnings are ignored, they will spray their attackers with a burning sulfur smelling jet that can reach up to 10 feet away. Along with Raccoons, Skunks are one of the primary carriers of rabies in the wild.

The “possum” is the only marsupial (pouched mammal) found in North America. Its young are born after only 13 days and are only the size of a bumble bee. The tiny babies crawl into the mother’s pouch where they remain for about 2 months. When they outgrow their mothers pouch, young opossums often ride around on their mother’s back.

Raccoon This masked bandit was selected as the official Tennessee State Wild Mammal in 1972.They eat a variety of foods including fruits, nuts, grains, insects, frogs, crayfish and bird eggs. Raccoons love to dunk their food in water before eating and are often found near water. They have nimble fingers which allow them to locate prey in small crevices. Their hands can easily turn doorknobs, remove garbage can lids and pick up small coins.

Take a Photo Workshop Tour and perfect your photo’s instantly! One on One & Groups Welcome

Bubo Virginianus

Glaucomys Volans

Procyon Lotor

Get To Know Your Camera

Great Horned Owl

Southern Flying Squirrel Flying Squirrels feed on a variety of seeds, nuts, insects and bird eggs. They are strictly nocturnal and spend the day sleeping in tree cavities. They do not truly fly, but use a fold of skin between their front and rear legs to form a “parachute”, which allows them to glide for distances up to 160 feet. Their tail is flat and serves as a rudder to guide their “flight” through tall trees.

Kenneth Wayne Gallery

The Great Horned Owl is the largest owl found in the Smoky Mountains, with a wing span of almost 4 feet. Easily identiﬁed by the large feather tufts or “plumicorns” on the head that resemble cat ears, they are heard more often than they are seen. Their characteristic Hoo Hoohoo call can be heard all through the night. They hunt by using their exceptional senses of hearing and sight, and feed primarily on medium sized mammals. Their sense of smell however is not very good, allowing them to be one of the few animals that regularly feed on skunks. The Great Horned Owl’s range covers all of North America, but habitat loss has reduced its numbers in many areas. Ober Gatlinburg, 1001Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738. Visit our website at www.obergatlinburg.com, (865) 436-5423.

Cabin Wall Art! Photo Restoration Services Retouching & Color Correction

865-850-2889 www.kennethwayne.com New On Line Store

Smoky Mountains Art’s & Crafts Community

600 Glades Road, Suite 8 • Gatlinburg, TN 37738

There and Back Again " Migratory Species across Air, Land, & Water in National Park Service Sites

The National Park Service manages more than 83 million acres, many of which provide vital habitat to migratory wildlife. Examples of such habitat include: • Breeding beaches for sea turtles • Migration corridors for pronghorn and caribou • Spawning areas for salmon • Hibernation, breeding, and foraging sites for bats • Breeding, calving (whales), pupping (seals), and haul out areas for seals and whales • Habitats that support migratory birds and insects Migratory movements take many species across park boundaries where they may encounter different land use practices. Therefore, threats that migratory species face hundreds or thousands of miles from a national park may impact the park's wildlife or ecosystems. Preserving migratory species in our national parks requires Many species including bats, bighorn sheep, humpback collaboration with other federal agencies, private landowners, whales, and pronghorn depend on national parks during their migration. non-government organizations, and even other countries.

Great Food ! Great Service !

865-325-8284

Impacts Affecting Migratory Species Factors that may impact migration

Call-in Orders Welcome!

(At the corner of Highway 321 & Mills Park Rd.)

103 Mills Park Rd., #102, Gatlinburg, TN 37738

Low Price 100 Paracord ft $6.00 50 ft $4.50 25 ft $2.50

Migratory species are especially vulnerable to impacts because they use different habitats at different times of year and also require connecting travel routes. Many of the factors affecting and diminishing migration are familiar:

Logging Impacts

• Habitat loss and fragmentation, which limits the seasonal movements of animals and contributes to genetic loss •Environmental contaminants, such as lead, pesticides, and herbicides

Air Pollution

•Exotic invasive species, which may consume food resources, prey upon, or otherwise impact native wildlife •Climate change

Community Classes Over 100 Colors In Stock At All Times 550 7- Strand Paracord

We will cut to order at .10 per ft. USA Made Paracord All the accessories for bracelets, monkey ﬁsts, dog leashes & all your other favorite paracord projects

724-462-9206 Mention Ad Get 10% Off

www.lowpriceparacord.com Great Smokies Flea Market • Booth H 9, 10, 11 Hours: 8pm to 5pm - Friday, Saturday & Sunday

220 W Dumplin Valley Rd • Kodak, TN 37764

Arrowmont’s Community Classes are an opportunity for the residents of our local community to take advantage of Arrowmont’s quality art instruction and professionally equipped studio facilities. Classes are fun and relaxed, and are a great way to meet new friends in a creative learning environment. Whether you want to enhance your child’s art experiences, start a new hobby for your own enjoyment, or are looking to grow as an already established artist, community classes are certain to light that creative spark! Classes are taught by Arrowmont’s Artists-in-Residence, local and regional artists and offer a wide selection of media for all ages and ability levels.

conﬁrmation. Students are responsible for the cost of all personal materials for the class. Some shared materials will be provided and the cost is included in the class fee following each class description. A limited number of scholarships based on ﬁnancial need are available for adult and children’s classes. Please submit a letter explaining why you or your child should be considered for a scholarship at the time of registration.

www.arrowmont.org. (865) 436-5860

Most classes welcome students at all levels, but a few require previous experience or skills. That information is included in the class description. Those with more experience are welcome to join any class with the understanding that they will participate in class projects and use the materials and equipment being provided within the format of the class. All classes will require special materials, most of which are available in Arrowmont’s Artist Outﬁtters Store. A materials list will be provided to all students with their registration

Arrowmont Workshop

Bicycles can travel on most roads within the park. Due to steep closed to motor vehicle traffic on Wednesday and Saturday and under wear a helmet. We strongly recommend that all riders terrain, narrow road surfaces, and heavy automobile traffic, many mornings until 10:00 a.m. to allow bicyclists and pedestrians to wear helmets, use rear view mirrors, and ride properly fitted and well-maintained bicycles. Please obey all traffic regulations. park roads are not well suited for safe and enjoyable bicycle riding. enjoy the cove. Cades Cove Loop Road is an exception. The 11-mile one way road, is a popular bicycling area. It provides bicyclists with excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing and touring 19th century homesites. During summer and fall, bicycles may be rented at the Cades Cove Campground Store (located near Cades Cove Campground). For information call (865) 448-9034.

Other areas suitable for bicyclists include the roads in the Greenbrier and Tremont areas in Tennessee, and the Cataloochee Valley and Lakeview Drive in North Carolina. Cyclists may also traverse unﬁnished portions of the Foothills Parkway in Tennessee. Download a park map to locate these areas.

There are no mountain biking trails in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Gatlinburg Trail, the Oconaluftee River Trail, and the lower Deep Creek Trail are the only park trails on which bicycles are allowed. Bicycles are prohibited on all other park trails.

Safety is always a major concern where cars and bicycles must Mountain biking trails are open on national forest and recreation From early May until late September each year, the loop road is share the road. The State of Tennessee requires that children age 16 lands outside Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Page 8 Around Town

Explore the AQUARIUM OCEAN REALM - Check Out These Unique Species! In an attempt to ward off predators, schooling fish swim in groups or schools as a way to look bigger than just one fish. In the wild, schools of fish may contain billions of fish and stretch for many miles. The disadvantage of the schooling behavior is that the fish are easily caught in nets.

FLOUNDER Flounder begin their life looking normal, then one eye migrates through a slit in the head and settles next to the other eye. Depending on their eye orientation ﬂounder can be right or left handed.

About 30,000 species of living ﬁshes exist. They represent 50% of all vertebrate species, outnumbering all mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians combined!

The Smoke Will Rise Again!

Dine-In Carry Out Catering Ranked #1 BBQ in Sevier County! 865-773-7807

Y’all come out and enjoy our peaceful setting away from the chaos of the parkway! 2933 Pittman Center Road Sevierville, Tenessee

BioBlitz:

Fish are the most diverse of the vertebrates, coming in every shape, size and color imaginable. In the Ocean Realm you will be introduced to a few common ﬁsh and a few not so common species!

WEEDY SCORPIONFISH This ﬁsh is a master of camouﬂage and its frilly appendages help it to blend in with its surroundings. Their dorsal spines are venomous and can be painful if stepped on.

SPOTTED GARDEN EEL These eels live in colonies of thousands of individuals. They rarely leave their burrows so they rely on the ocean currents to bring plankton to them for feeding.

RIPLEY'S AQUARIUM of the SMOKIES, 88 River Rd, Gatlinburg, 865 430-8808, ripleysaquariumofthesmokies.com

segments, but just two, the cephalothorax (head and midsection fused together) and the abdomen joined together by a small, cylindrical area called a pedicel. Most spiders use silk to catch food, for shelter, or to protect their eggs.

Spiders Spiders are perhaps our best predatory allies in the business of insect population control.

Though the Park boasts of well over 500 species of spiders represented by their own families, worldwide their numbers swell to approximately 40,000, and are grouped into over 100 families.

Thus far 527 species have been discovered in the Smokies. 42 of these have been discovered as new to science and 256 new to the Park since DLIA has been spearheading the ATBI.

Only two spiders, in the park, are considered particularly dangerous to humans: the black widow (Latrodectus mactans) and the brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa). Although these two are currently not in our database, park ofﬁcials recognize them as being present.

More 8-Legged Facts: Spiders are air-breathing, eight-legged Arthropods with chelicerae modiﬁed into fangs to inject venom. Unlike its insect relatives, spiders do not possess 3 body

The Fungus Among Us This event generates energy and enthusiasm among scientists and lay people. It is rare for biologists from many disciplines to have the opportunity to get together, share their passions with each other and the public, and work toward a single common goal. This event is designed to capitalize on that and to encourage interaction with scientists at the "base camp." The "base camp" is the hub of the BioBlitz. It is a centralized tent equipped with microscopes, computers, and other tools of the trade. This is where identiﬁcations take place, species are recorded, discoveries are made and the tally of species is recorded.

A Big Event Saturday July 12, 2014

What is a BioBlitz?

Watch Glass Artist J. Hills

Generate Data: Discover Life in America (DLIA), scientists from the Illinois Natural History Survey and Great Smoky Mountains National Park are host to a unique program called the BioBlitz. Designed as part contest, part festival, part educational event, part scientific endeavor, the BioBlitz brings together scientists from across the region in a race against time to see how many species they can count in a 24-hour biological survey of the fungal diversity in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The public is invited to observe the scientists' activities, to interact with them, and to participate in other activities that are presented by DLIA and a host of invited nature-oriented organizations. Why Do It? Public Awareness: BioBlitzs are designed to increase the public's awareness of the variety of life in their immediate neighborhood and the services these various species provide to improve the quality of their lives. We usually hear the word "biodiversity" in regard to rainforests with their vast number of species. Yet the diversity of life in our own backyards is phenomenal. We take for granted clean water, fertile soil, and air to breathe. Yet these are all the result of working ecosystems filled with species that perform these tasks. From our morning shower to our late night snack, we are supported by biodiversity every minute of the day. What better way to address the topic than to invite people to share in the 24-hours of discovery and to experience the vast array of species that we can find in their neighborhood park in just one cycle of the day? Excite kids about science: BioBlitz is an excellent tool for exciting children about science.

Ever wonder what it would be like to stay overnight at the highest inn in the Eastern United States? How about doing so with a guided hike up one of Mount Le Conte’s most scenic trails? Join Discover Life in America on our annual Biodiversity Hike to Mt. Le Conte, August 23 and 24, 2014. Discover Life in America (DLIA) works with scientists and volunteers from around the world to coordinate the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) for Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP). The ATBI is one of the world’s most ambitious efforts to document and understand every living species in GSMNP, and it is through events like our annual hike to Mt. Le Conte that we hope to educate anybody interested in the importance of biodiversity to both this great park

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865-332-GROW (4769) The Gatlinburg Farmers Market provides area residents and visitors with Tennessee grown produce, local products, and foods in a friendly social environment. See you there !

•When: Saturday, July 12, 2014 •Time: 9am–9pm; 3 scheduled hunts & a public presentation •Where: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Twin Creeks Science and Education Center •Who: Anyone & everyone, no experience necessary •Cost: Free •Call: Todd P. Witcher, Discover Life in America,865-430-4757

smokyaroundtown@gmail.com

www.SmokyMountainsAroundTown.com Elizabeth Patti, Editor Contributing Writers: Cynthia Reeves Joe Blevins Nancy Gray Peggy Noblitt Michael Williams Chef JD Kathryn Sherrard John Joslyn

Smoky Mountains Around Town is published monthly by Smoky Mountains Around Town. Reproduction of any material prepared by Smoky Mountains Around Town and appearing within this publication is strictly prohibited without express written consent of the publisher. Publisher does not purport to authenticate and is not responsible for claims made by advertisers found within this publication. Smoky Mountains Around Town Newspaper claims no responsibilities or statements made by present or past independent representatives. © 2014 - All rights reserved.

For advertising and contributing articles contact us at:

www.GatlinburgFarmersMarket.com

Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community at the Covered Bridge

849 Glades Road, Gatlinburg

Beetles

Thus far 2,518 species have been discovered in the Smokies. 56 of Beetles are a order of insects these are new to science and k n o w n t o t h e s c i e n t i ﬁ c 1,575 are new to the Park since community as Coleoptera. DLIA has been involved!

and the greater humankind.

865-255-3557

8:30 a.m. to noon

As we gain valuable information about our parks, we can begin to understand the extent to which parks are sustaining the richness of biodiversity.

Smoky Mountains Around Town P.O. Box 368, Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738

John F. Patti, Publisher Associate Publishers: Kim Bell P. J. West Jim Woods Wyatt Bunch Jim England Brook St. Johns Steve Moore

OPEN till Sept 13

The Big Picture

Reserve your spot now while spots are still open! For reservations or more information, e-mail Todd at todd@dlia.org or call (865) 430-4757. Sleeping arrangements will be shared, so bring a friend or get ready to make a new one!

HillsCreek.com

Locally Grown Produce

The BioBlitz is a celebration of the diversity of life in our backyards. But why celebrate it? We hear again and again about the negative impacts we've had on biodiversity such as the loss of species and the destruction of habitats. It seems rare to accentuate and celebrate something positive. The BioBlitz is a chance to highlight the positive impact that parks and open spaces, with all their diversity, have on our everyday lives. Join us as we celebrate biodiversity formally at the BioBlitz.

The trip begins with a guided hike up Alum Cave Bluff Trail with an experienced guide giving the natural history, local human history, biodiversity lessons and much more along the way. We’ll be having a picnic lunch on the way up, an evening sunset program on the ATBI at Clifftops, and a chance to meet some new friends while learning a thing or two. You’ll be provided with handmade note cards from DLIA, and lodging with dinner and breakfast. All this for the price of $275 per person, and you will be supporting both DLIA and the Smokies ATBI program.

865-430-7778

Covered Bridge in the Glades 849 Glades Road # 1C1

Celebrate with us:

Mt. LeConte Hike

Please join us for our annual trek and overnight to Leconte Lodge.

Kaleidoscopes Frogman Jewelry M&D Hills Photography Art Glass

The BioBlitz also generates a list of species found in the park, a ﬁrst step in successful park management. The BioBlitz has the potential to identify species that should be monitored or controlled. It may identify unique aspects of the park that might otherwise not have been known. This information along with recommendations from the scientists is supplied to the park. Imagine the cost of hiring a team of experts to conduct a Fungi survey and make recommendations for park management.

PUZZLE ANSWERS 1

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S 46

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E 31

T 54

O 61

S 66

P 44

A 50

N 51

E 58

A 49

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T 38

C 15

N 64

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Page 9 Around Town

The Search for Sweet Pinesap glimpse during the showiest phase of its life cycle. After a half hour of sniffing and searching on our hands and knees, we weren’t sure we were going to be very lucky. We spotted thick snails chugging through the leaf litter, tiny puckered morel mushrooms, dazzling green spiders, and a rainbow of wildflowers—except, that is, the one wildflower we sought. The whole time we looked, that tantalizing perfume wafted through the air, sometimes fading as we walked out of an invisible range, then rushing in, rich and warm on a breeze down a forest slope.

Sweet pinesap has rose-pink blooms.Photo by Dennis Horn. Used by permission of the University of Tennessee-Knoxville Herbarium. Sweet pinesap, we found out on a recent warm spring day, is elusive. Each of us—the park botanist, vegetation ecologist, and science communicator—dutifully checked the field guide photos before we left to note the stubby flowers this plant sends up through the leaf litter. Although rare and small—just about thumb-height—Sweet pinesap (Monotropsis odorata) is distinctive. For one thing, it blooms a deep pink against the decay of the forest floor. For another, it sends out a rich, sweet smell that lingers in the sun-warmed air like a cloud of perfume. Monitoring Sweet pinesap, which is a Tennessee state threatened species, is part of the park’s mission to preserve and protect its natural resources. We set out with a map and an approximate location of where the flower was found last year. Sure enough, after a couple miles trotting along trillium-speckled hillsides, we smelled it. It was unmistakable and heavy-sweet, like honeysuckle wearing rose perfume. We dropped our bags and started looking. Sweet pinesap is rare because it prefers a very specific type of forest. It needs a certain depth of leaf litter—not so deep that it can’t poke through in the spring, and not so shallow that it is exposed in the last frosts of winter or eroded away in the first downpours. In fact, the sweet pinesap is very particular in its habitat as well as its character: unlike any other flowers in the Smokies, it doesn’t leaf out at all. Instead, it is mycotrophic, eking out a life by being a parasite on an unassuming root-dwelling fungus. This is not a flower that you’d grow in a pot, or pick for a bouquet: rather, this is a wild shoot that, if you’re lucky, you

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724-462-9206 SAVE at USA JERKY The park botanist searches for Sweet pinesap. NPS Photo We never found the flower, but we mapped the range where its sweet smell hung the thickest. Was this a wasted morning? From a tangible results standpoint, yes. From a science standpoint, no. It was valuable in that we gained a close-up look at the trees, fungi, soil, slope, and many creatures—from songbirds to foraging bumble bees—that share the sweet pinesap habitat. And we formed a few new questions, which are, often, of greater value in science than easy answers. Before we return to the site we’ll be able to research the plant: if this flower is perennial (returns year after year) and grew abundantly here last year, where did it go? Why was the smell that our botanist and ecologist knew so well as Sweet pinesap there when the flower was not? Does the plant send out a scent before it emerges from underground, as baking bread does when it tempts us, half-done, from the oven? The Sweet pinesap site will be one for further investigation—and hopefully further discovery—in spring seasons to come.

Invasion of the Exotic Earthworms

Asian Jumping Worms have a wide band around their bodies. NPS Photo.

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Stinging Insects

This is probably the greatest summertime threat to anyone in the backcountry. The offending insects are NOT bees, but predatory and scavenging wasps and hornets that live in colonial nests, each individual capable of stinging you several times. All species have wide swings of abundance from year to year, so be aware of current probabilities. The months of June, July, and August have the highest frequency of insect stings here. Your best protection is to keep up sharp, alert visual scanning of the area you are about to enter. Be especially watchful for nests on the trail’s uphill cut-bank side. Bears often dig these out, which only increases the ‘ill-humor’ of those which remain!

This brings us to important research going on this summer: Anita Juen and Daniela Straube, two scientists from the University of Innsbruck in Austria, are beginning a three year study to analyze what these worms are doing to the park’s food web—in this case, if predators change their diet to eat the invasive earthworms. The researchers received funding from the Austrian Science Fund. They collaborate with scientists at the University of Georgia in Athens and the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography in Savannah.

These “dug” insects will attack without further disturbance from you, sensing your approach through ground vibrations of your pace. Similarly, watch for aerial nests along woods edges, on overhanging limbs near streams, or in sun-lit clearings.

Chiggers & Ticks

This (illegal) riverside campsite is likely home to invasive earthworms, which escape or are released by anglers. Live bait ﬁshing is not allowed in the park. NPS Photo

Both are more prevalent in drier areas at the lower elevations in the Researchers look for the worm along roads, picnic areas, and Park, precautionary measures that may be taken to avoid their bites. parking areas near trailheads, where people and disturbed areas These creatures typically inhabit the drier areas, so be aware when in come together. They collect leaf litter and soil samples from all of these sites. Check your body for ticks throughout the day. the study sites and carefully sift through huge bagfuls with the help of volunteers. Archeologists check the soil, as well, to ensure Use insect repellents, such as "DEET" and be sure to also roll up the the research doesn’t disturb artifacts. The researchers pick out all bottoms of pant legs and long sleeves and spray the inside areas to of the living things in the soil, including predators, leaf-litter keep them from avoiding skin repellent by going under your clothes. feeders (also called detritivores), and root feeders for a full census If you are exposed to chigger-infested areas, take a hot bath to kill of who lives in the soil. and remove chigger larvae.

You may know this worm already, although when the Asian Jumping Worm (Amynthas agrestis) is sold for bait or composting as the Alabama Jumper or Georgia Jumper, there is no mention of the destruction it can bring to forests.

So far, the researchers have found the invasive Jumping Worm at about half their study sites in the Smoky Mountains, which allows them to compare types and numbers of prey species in invaded and non-invaded sites. This will tell them how much of an effect the Jumping Worm has!

Composting ads boast that the worm can eat and process more than its body weight in organic matter (vegetable scraps, leaves, lawn trimmings, etc.) each day. That same tenacious appetite means that when people release their bait (or their bait escapes) and the worms make their way to the forest, they consume massive amounts of leaf litter. If you were a leaf-litter-feeder such as a millipede, ﬂy larvae, or springtail, this would be a big problem because your food source would be gone! It would also be bad if you were a creature that ate these invertebrates. In some areas on the western side of the Smokies, the Jumping Worm population is so high there is almost no leaf litter left. Without this food, native animals are disappearing, and the nutrients from decaying plants aren’t there to build new soil!

In all types of ecosystems—from the soil to the treetops and the seas—we’re ﬁnding more invasive, non-native species, and usually we don’t know how they will play a role in the overall food web. Some studies have found huge impacts. In a study in Spain, researchers discovered that native species of tadpoles can’t sense, and therefore can’t escape from, non-native turtles that people introduced. Over time this means that the introduced turtles could eat their ﬁll of tadpoles, depleting the tadpole population (and therefore the frog population, as well), leading to more swarms of insects and a loss of a food source for native turtles. Will something like this happen in the Smokies with the invasive Jumping Worm? We don’t know—but check back for more information.

Then apply an antiseptic solution to any welts that have appeared to kill trapped chiggers and to prevent infection. Normally, two to three days pass before the itching stops. In areas likely to harbor ticks, wear light-colored clothing so that crawling ticks can easily be seen and tuck pant legs into boots or socks so ticks do not have access to skin. Again, use insect repellents such as "DEET". To reduce the risk of disease transmission, inspect yourself for ticks frequently and properly remove any attached ticks promptly. Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick at the skin surface. If tweezers are not available, use a tissue or paper towel to protect your fingers from possible exposure to the tick's body fluids. With a steady motion, gently pull the tick straight out. Do not twist, jerk or crush the tick's body. After removal, clean area and hands with soap and water.

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At trafﬁc light #3 in Gatlinburg turn onto Rt. 321. Go 2.7 miles and we’re on the left.

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Page 10 Around Town

Outdoor

Adventures

JAYELL RANCH Longest Zip Line In the Smokies

ADVENTURES

The Smokies Most Scenic Zip Line

For Families Ziplines, Horseback Riding & ATV Rides Jayell Ranch is conveniently located only 5 minutes from Pigeon Forge. Over 150 acres of beautiful trails and views!

865-776-1593

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Looking for a fun activity to do with your family? Why not go on a day hike in the Smokies? There are several short nature trails and family friendly trails in the park that are perfect for exploring with children or for those who need an easy hike. The challenge is to keep track and record the mileage from each trail excursion, even if it is the same trail day after day and the park will award you with mileage stickers and pins. The deﬁnition of family is broad. It could be a parent with children, grandparent with

grandchildren, two or more siblings, or any other combination of people who are family members. Family booklets to record mileage are available for $1.00 at the park's four visitor centers. (Sugarlands, Oconaluftee, Clingmans Dome, Cade Cove) When the family has hiked 10 miles, 25 miles, 40 miles, and 50 miles, they can bring their mileage records to one of the park's visitor centers to receive a mileage sticker or pin and be recorded in the "Hike the Smokies-For Families" record book.

Offering the best high-adventure value in the Smokies, Foxﬁre Mountain gives you over 15 scenic and highmountain zip lines and multiple other adventures on a beautiful 150-acre wilderness setting conveniently located only minutes away from Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg or Sevierville.

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4TH OF JULY

Leave No Trace • Abide by all regulations. Regulations are designed to protect the resources of this park for you and for future generations.

Crystelle Creek Restaurant

• Choose not to cook over a fire, it is difficult to avoid getting food in the fire ring. Never burn trash and food scraps. Doing so disseminates the food smell and attracts bears. Residues from food and trash will not burn completely and linger long after you are gone creating problems for other campers.

Dog Days of Summer

• Camp in areas that have already been impacted by use.

• Keep your group small to maintain an atmosphere that is appropriate for the This 4th of July will be a real celebration at the Crystelle Creek Restaurant in backcountry. Large groups tend to attain a level of social interaction and noise that is Gatlinburg for tourist and locals alike. not congruent with backcountry ethics or values. And if you've got a four legged friend bring • Never cut switchbacks. This is a destructive practice that creates erosion and him too. worsens trail conditions. Known for its landmark lighted tree, Crystelle Creek Restaurant & Grill will be • Pack out whatever you pack in. Never leave any food, trash, personal items or featuring live entertainment inside by equipment. Neesee singing all your favorites from 5 • Dispose of human waste properly. • Do not bury any trash, including organic items. Human Waste Disposal • Dig a "cathole" at least six inches deep. • Deposit human waste in the hole, throw in a small handful of leaves or duff and cover the hole. • Keep at least 100 feet away from camp, trails or any water source.

pm till 10 pm. They have a full-service bar and menu in a air conditioned setting. Outside, enjoy entertainment by BAMM from 6 pm to 9 pm at an old-fashioned

• Sanitary pads and tampons must be packed out of the backcountry. • Never deposit any trash including wipes, sanitary pads or tampons in backcountry privies. These items interfere with the composting process which makes the privy smell very bad. Ultimately these items must be dug out of the privy by hand. So do the right thing and pack these items out!

Poisonous plants While Poison sumac has been found in the Park, it is very uncommon and restricted to the higher, boggy areas (a very rare habitat here).

So give Fido a bath, put him on his best going-into-town leash and “ Follow Me To The Tree” to celebrate Independence Day at the most happening place in town! In Gatlinburg turn onto Route 321 at trafﬁc light number 3. Go to 1654 East Parkway and they are on the right next to Dollar General. You can check out their website at www.crystellecreek.com or see display at on page 2.

Gatlinburg River Raft Regatta

• Never go behind a shelter or near a spring, as this creates unhealthful conditions and may results in closures of campsites or shelters.

• For more information on the principles of Leave No Trace, visit www.lnt.org.

cookout and one of the best rock and roll bands in Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg’s popular River Raft Regatta takes place at noon on July 4th, on the Little Pigeon River in Downtown Gatlinburg. This year’s fun-ﬁlled Fourth of July celebration in Gatlinburg will feature the always-competitive River Raft Regatta, the unmanned kind.

Anything ﬂoatable can be entered starting at 10 a.m. at the Christ in the Smokies bridge on River Road and will end at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies. There are two categories: Trash (not hand-made) and Treasure (hand-made) – awards will go to the top 3 in each category. Additionally, the “Judges Choice” award will go to the most creative “raft.” Awards will be given to the oldest and the youngest participant. Registration begins at 10 am and the race will start at 12:00 pm. Trophies will be supplied by the Gatlinburg Recreation Department. This year’s event is sponsored by the City of Gatlinburg Special Events Ofﬁce, the Gatlinburg Recreation Department.

Poison-ivy, however, is common especially in low elevation areas that have been disturbed, like hiking trails, old homesites, alluvial areas, old roads, and in second-growth forests. It is not usually found in old growth forests or at higher elevations of the Park. It can be ground cover, or as vines growing up trees and buildings. It is sometimes confused with Virginia Creeper, but Poison-ivy has three leaves, while Virginia Creeper has ﬁve leaves. The hair on the poison-ivy vine is usually ﬁner and black in color (it can be reddish or even gray).

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Virginia Creeper, often grows up trees, has much coarser hairs, typically brownish in color.

If there is a choice avoid and/or reduce off-trail hiking or work in suspected poison ivy areas. If this is not possible, take extra time to navigate through it, touching leaves as little as possible (here’s another place where a hiking staff comes in handy). If exposed immerse the affected area as soon as possible in stream water for 10-15 minutes. Evidence indicates that cold water is better than warm water for removing leaf oils from your skin.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park staffs are mourning the loss of Deputy Superintendent Patty Wissinger, age 55, who passed away Friday night of cancer. Wissinger was recently selected as the Smokies Deputy Superintendent last August.

“Our park family, not only at the Smokies, but throughout the service, has suffered a tremendous loss,” said Acting Park Superintendent Cindy MacLeod. “Patty was an exceptional leader and dedicated mentor with a passion for sharing parks with youth. She will be greatly missed.” Wissinger began her National Park Service career in 1980 as a seasonal campground ranger on the Blue Ridge Parkway and moved up through the Park Service ranks. Before coming to the Smokies, she was the Superintendent of Chattahoochee River National Recreation

Area. She also served at the Blue Ridge Parkway, Shenandoah National Park, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Wright Brothers National Memorial, Vicksburg National Military Park, and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site.

Wissinger looked forward to serving at the Smokies at the peak of her 33-year career. She shared her delight last August by saying “I feel like the most blessed person in the National Park Service right now. This park is unsurpassed by its natural beauty, diversity of resources, and cultural heritage. In my opinion, it is absolutely the most beautiful place on earth. I am so proud to join the committed cadre of citizens who together will protect this incredibly special place as we also connect it to a new generation of Americans to preserve and enjoy.” She is survived by her husband, Gordon Wi s s i n g e r, t h r e e d a u g h t e r s , t h r e e grandchildren, and ﬁve siblings. A memorial service was held Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at Central United Methodist Church located in Asheville, NC.

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Around Town Page 11

SMSWF Spotlights Tumbleweed Company in Gatlinburg July 18th By Cyndy Montgomery Reeves The 2nd Place Winner in the first SMSWF Band Playoff, a Folk/Rock band from Nashville, TN called Tumbleweed Company is coming back to Gatlinburg Friday, July 18, 2014 to perform at Three Jimmy's A Good Time Eatery. Entertainment begins at 8 PM. No Cover Charge. Members of the band, Tumbleweed Company, are from all different parts of the country and met in Boston MA while attending Berklee College of Music. Established in 2009, Tumbleweed Company released their new EP "Village" in April 2014, produced by Ken Coomer (Wilco, Uncle Tupelo). Influenced by different types of American folk music and their love of rock n' roll, Tumbleweed Company blends vocal harmonies over an array of acoustic and electric instruments to create something uniquely their own. The SMSWF Band Playoff was developed to showcase bands performing their own original music. The mission of The Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival is to promote songwriters and to help their songs to be discovered not only by publishers and producers but, by all of us who simply love the songwriter's songs that the stars perform. The Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival is a platform for songwriters to perform their original songs. “We had so many bands call and ask us the very first year if we allowed bands to perform in the festival that we decided our

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second year to add a SMSWF Band Playoff for bands with original music and songs,” explains Cyndy Montgomery Reeves the Festival Director and Founder. Three Jimmy's A Good Time Eatery will again be the home of the SMSWF Band Playoff during the Aug. 21-24, 2014 Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival. Friday and Saturday bands will be performing from noon to close. Sunday Aug. 24th six bands will perform for three of them to be chosen to return to Three Jimmy's for a paid gig to be scheduled sometime between Sept. 15, 2014 and July 30, 2015. For more information about the Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival visit www.SMSWF.com. The Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival is held during August every year to "Celebrate Our Appalachian Musical Roots". The craft of songwriting from the songwriters themselves will ﬁll venues with ongoing performances for four days throughout Gatlinburg Aug. 21-24th. Opportunities for songwriters include a song writing workshop, song writing contest, stage spots and a band playoff. The Gatlinburg Convention and Visitors Bureau is a sponsor of the SMSWF. This year's line-up of hit songs includes writers who wrote “Whiskey Lullaby” – Brad Paisley, “Don't Think I Don't Think About It” – Darius Rucker, “One More Day” – Diamond Rio, “Everybody Wants To Go To Heaven” – Kenny Chesney, and “Ain't Goin Down Till the Sun Comes Up” – Garth Brooks to name a few. You get to hear the stories behind these songs and many more. Songwriters participating in this year's festival are from as far away as California, Canada, Massachusetts, New York, Key West, and even Sweden.

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A SMSWF Songwriters Showcase is held every 2nd Monday featuring local area songwriters from 6 to 9 PM at Crystelle Creek Restaurant & Grill. Venues with live music in Gatlinburg include Crystelle Creek Restaurant and Grill, The Smoky Mountain Brewery, Ole Smoky Moonshine Holler, Senor Hoggs in the Glades, Hoggs Tavern Downtown, Cabin Café, Three Jimmy's A Good Time Eatery, Sugarlands Distilling Company's Back Porch and Loco Burros.

Tumblewood Company

First Independence Day Parade In The Nation Parkway, turn South onto Parkway at trafﬁc light #3, then traveling the length of the downtown street to trafﬁc light #10 at Ski Mountain Road. Claude encourages parade goers to check out the Parade route early to choose your best spot. “Some 100,000 people will attend the Parade and many of those will start placing their folding chairs along the route as early as 7:00AM on July 3rd,” according to Claude.

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“Last year at the SMSWF Band Playoff there were bands from as far away as Oklahoma, New York and Florida,” Reeves noted. Make plans today to attend the 3rd Annual Smoky Mountains Songwriters Festival Aug. 21-24, 2014.

The festivities continue at Noon on Friday, July 4th with the annual River Raft Regatta, an unmanned floatables race beginning at Christ in the Smokies bridge on River Road and ending at the Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies bridge. Registration begins at 10:00AM at Christ in the Smokies. Prizes will be awarded. Saluting the valiant men and women of our military services, this 39th annual showcase is the “First July Fourth Parade in the Nation!” Parade starts at the stroke of midnight to begin Independence Day. Special Events Highlight the July 4th Celebration including Special Guest appearance by Wounded Warrior and Paralympic Athlete Heath Calhoun. The first Independence Day Parade in the Nation marks its 39th year by honoring Military Veterans and other U.S. Military Heroes. The annual Gatlinburg 4th of July Midnight Parade leads off at 12:00AM (midnight) on Friday, July 4, 2014 to the cheers of close to 100,000 spectators lining the streets of the City for this award winning parade. Retired Army Staff Sargent Heath Calhoun will be the Grand Marshal riding on the Rocky Top Sports World float. Calhoun is a wounded warrior who competed in the 2014 Winter Paralympics in Sochi, Russia. Also featured in the parade will be the 100th Army Military Band and members of the U.S. Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and Coast Guard. Calhoun served as a Squad Leader for the 101st Airborne Division while deployed in Iraq. He was severely injured when a rocket-propelled grenade hit his Humvee in 2003, resulting in the amputation of both his legs above the knees. During rehabilitation and learning to walk on prosthetics, Calhoun learned about the Wounded Warrior Project. Through that program he was introduced to adaptive skiing. Since 2008, Calhoun has represented the U.S in the 2014 Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia and 2010 Games in Vancouver, Canada. “It is an honor to have Heath Calhoun as Grand Marshal on the Rocky Top Sports World float,” says city spokesperson, Marci Claude. “He has represented his country from the battlefield to the ski slopes of Sochi. He is truly an American Hero and an inspiration to all who meet him and hear his story.” The Parade route will extend from traffic light #1A on East

Finally at 10:00PM, visitors will enjoy the spectacular Annual Fireworks Display in the heart of Gatlinburg. The best viewing will be the area around traffic lights number 3 and 5. The 100th Army Band will play prior to the fireworks in a free concert at 6:00PM on the Ripley’s Aquarium Plaza. In addition to the July 4th events, the streets in Gatlinburg are filled with Appalachian music with Smoky Mountain Tunes and Tales every night through August 9. Also, the City offers free Parkway Trolley service, spanning the full length of the Parkway, daily through August 16. Get some rest after the parade, because Gatlinburg offers the River Raft Regatta – an unmanned floatables race, and several free admission concerts along with a spectacular fireworks display on July 4th. Schedule of Events for July Fourth Festivities: July 3rd - At 1 pm there will be an autograph signing with paralympic athlete and military veteran Heath Calhoun , the Parade's Grand Marshal on the Plaza at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies. There will also be an appearance by Osceola, a bald eagle with the American Eagle Foundation. The 100th Army Band will present free Ensemble Concerts beginning at 2:30 pm and ending at 5 pm on the Plaza at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. The July Fourth Parade will begin at Midnight. July 4th - The River Raft Regatta will begin registration at 10 am on July 4th. The unmanned floatable race will start at the bridge at Christ in the Smokies Museum & Gardens at noon and the winners will be the first to reach the bridge at Ripley’s Aquarium. At 9 pm, the 100th Army Band will perform a full band concert on the Plaza at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies. The concert will lead up to the 10 pm Fireworks display, during which the 100th Army Band will play along with the fireworks.

Great Kids In History: The Kids Go on Strike! overcome some incredible odds. In 1898, the United States went to wear with Spain in what became known as the Spanish-American War. There was no television or internet in those days. As a result, the only means for keeping up with the war was the newspaper. The war proved to be very proﬁtable for the newspapers as sales skyrocketed. Most Americans wanted to know what was going on in the war and many who seldom bought newspapers began buying them. Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of the New York World, and William Randolph Hearst, publisher of the New York Journal, saw an opportunity to increase their proﬁts by raising the price of the papers being sold to the Newsies.

By Michael Williams During the 1890s, there were many orphan and homeless children living on the streets of most major cities across the nation. In New York alone more than 10,000 children had no place to call home and many slept on streets. They were ragged and often dirty. Most had no shoes, coats or hats to protect them from the harsh New England winter. They lived by making a few cents a day selling newspapers. These boys were known as “Newsies.” The boys, whose ages ranged from 6 and up, purchased newspapers from the publisher such as the New York World and sold them for a small proﬁt. They were never employees of the paper, but rather, they were contractors. The boys usually earned an average of 30 cents a day. To make this amount of money they worked many long hours running up and down the streets of the big cities shouting “Extra, extra, read all about it!” That amount of money seems very small today. But, in the late 1890s, it was enough to feed a person for a day. Because many of the boys were parentless there was no one to protect their interest and were often mistreated by many who didn't want to be bothered by the young workers. As a result they discovered they would have to look out for each other to survive. Their ability to stick together in difﬁcult times helped them win a contract dispute and

The two publishers raised the price from 50 cents per bundle of 100 papers to 60 cents per bundle. For the most part, the boys never complained because the increased price was offset by the increased sales. The war lasted just four months and the sales of newspapers went back to previous levels. Unfortunately, for the Newsies, both Hearst and Pulitzer refused to lower the cost of the newspapers to the boys. This cut deeply into their proﬁts. Frustrated by their lower pay for the same amount of work, the boys held a meeting and began to devise a plan. Hundreds of Newsies met and came up with a plan to force the publishers to lower the price of their papers so that the boys could make a modest living. After the meeting the Newsies put their well-laid plan into effect. They began to approach their most loyal customers and explained to them how the publishers were charging them more and they were making less money. They asked each customer not to buy a paper from anyone except them. Most customers agreed to do so. In July of 1899, the Newsies went on strike. They refused to distribute the newspapers. The strikers demonstrated across Brooklyn Bridge bringing trafﬁc to a halt for several days. Several rallies drew more than 5,000 Newsies. One charismatic boy, known as Kid Blink, who was 13 or 14-years of age, so named because he was blind in one eye, made several speeches encouraging the boys to stick together.

The two publishers quickly decided they were not about to give in to a bunch of kids. Incredibly, the two publishers sent out men to break up rallies sometimes resorting to violence. But, the Newsies refused to be intimidated. “Me men is noble,” Blink told the crowd of boys. “Friends and feller workers, dis is a time which tries de hearts of men. Dis is a time when we'se got to stick together like glue….we know wot we wants and we'll get it even if we is blind.” Unable to break up the strike, the two publishers sent their men out on the streets to sell the newspapers. Convinced the boys were not needed and could easily be replaced, the adult carriers walked up and down the streets of the city trying to sell papers. But many of the loyal customers remembered the promise they had made to the boys and refused to buy papers. Within days the publishers were frantic. The circulation of the New York World plunged from 360,000 a day to 125,000 a day. Thousands of unsold papers sat bundled up piling up in the company's warehouse. Left with no alternative, Pulitzer and Hearst agreed to meet the boys half way. They refused to lower the price of the newspapers but they did agree to buy back all unsold newspapers. Satisﬁed with the deal, the boys broke up the strike and returned to work. The success of their strike inspired later strikes by other newsboys. In 1914, the newsboys of Butte, Montana went on strike as did the newsboys of Louisville, Kentucky in 1920. The strike of 1899 led to major changes in child welfare and labor laws that improved the quality of life for the newsboys. The Newsies became the subject of a Disney movie entitled “Newsies.” The musical was later adapted to a stage play that debuted at the Paper Mill Playhouse in 2011. Most importantly, the news boys proved that kids can accomplish anything if they unite together and stay true to their objectives. Michael Williams is the author of “Great Kids in History,” a collection of 22 amazing stories of incredible kids that have accomplished amazing things. The book is wonderful reading material for parents and children alike and would make an excellent gift for the great kid in your life. “Great Kids in History” is available in Kindle or in print at Amazon.com.

Page 12 Around Town

Meet The Locals

Around Town

Eve at Three Jimmy’s Restaurant Mark with R&L Carriers Alan & Carol Ann at Biblical Times Dinner Theater

Danny & John at American Sideshow Antiques Chef JD, Don & Max at the Bush Beans Contest Zi Olive and Chef JD are 3rd Place Winners

David at Alewine Pottery

Brook, Brent & Dean at Crystelle Creek Restaurant

Trent, Dana, Sy, Chase & Zippy at Foxﬁre Mountain Adventures

Gordon & Susie at Glades Soda Fountain

Bunny and Glenda at the Gatlinburg Inn

Mikey and Bryan at Three Jimmy’s Restaurant Daryll, Teresa & Colby at Flapjack’s N. Gatlinburg

Bear at Ober Gatlinburg Johnny, Stephanie & Dan at Ober Gatlinburg

Billie, Kerry, Michael & Hannah at Blue Green Mountain Loft

FOOT GEAR Three Locations! Birkenstock • 2530 Parkway,#6, Pigeon Forge • (865) 453-1233

Foot Gear • 131 The Island Dr., Pigeon Forge (The Island) • (865) 366-1205 Foot Gear • 1004 Parkway, #301, Gatlinburg (Calhoun’s Village) • (865) 436-2500

A large selection of quality foot wear at all locations!

Around Town Page 13

Chef JDs Corner Hello my fellow readers and emailers, I have been receiving numerous emails requesting information on local locations for fresh ingredients and fruit dessert recipes. Therefore, let me start with a wonderful recipe. French Apple Cobbler Preheat Oven to 350° Ingredients • 4 cups (4) Fresh Apples, Red & Green • 1/4 cup Raw Sugar • 3 tablespoon Flour • 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon • 1/8 teaspoon Salt • 1/8 cup Honey • 1 tablespoon Water • Butter • Nutmeg Batter for Top • 2 tablespoon Butter, room temperature • 1 Egg • 1/2 cup Raw Sugar • 1/2 cup Flour • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder • 1/8 teaspoon Salt Directions • Peel and slice apples thin, about ¼ of an inch thickness.

Horse Riding

• Add sugar, ﬂour, cinnamon, salt, peach balsamic & water. • Using a spoon, place apples into a 8 x 8 pan, leaving liquid leftover in bowl. • Top with sprinkles of nutmeg and dot with butter. • Mix batter for topping in the liquid leftover from apples, until smooth. • Drop in 9 portions on apples evenly spaced (batter will spread during baking). Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. Now that you have the ingredients, let us go shopping. For your apples and spices you may go to your Supermarket. However, I prefer in supporting my locally grown fruits, vegetables and ingredients harvesters. Fruit and Vegetables: Try your roadside stands and Farmer Market at the Covered Bridge–Saturday 8 to Noon, 849 Glades Rd., Gatlinburg, TN in the Arts & Crafts Community. Spices, Honey, Herbs and other ﬁne ingredients: I go to Cindy at Thistle Dew in the Arts & Crafts Community, across from Wild Plum. Thistle Dew has the freshest spices, dried herbs and honey in our area, which makes a whole lot of difference in baking and cooking. Located at 516 Buckhorn Rd., Gatlinburg • 865.277.9063 In closing, I wish to thank you for the inquiries and if you have any further questions or requests, please do not hesitate in contacting me at any time.

Skiddy’s

Thursday’s

Karaoke Nite

To Go Beer Six • Cases • Kegs

Chef JD • Gifting2012@gmail.com Caution is advised in the backcountry. The park's backcountry is managed as a natural area where the forces of nature determine trail conditions. Please be prepared for swollen streams, bridge washouts, downed trees, and trail erosion-riding is not recommended from early December until May due to the seasonal nature of the trail maintenance program. ranger-led hayrides. Rrate for ranger-led hayride is $14 per person. Carriage and Wagon Rides Carriage or wagon rides are offered at two of the concession horseback riding stables in the park. These rides provide an opportunity to experience a 20-30 minute horse-drawn carriage or wagon ride on a park trail. Please call the stable you are interested in for additional information.

Best beer prices in town!

Home of the “Juicy Lucy Burger” Pet Friendly Outside Deck, Pool Table & Kornhole Games Happy Hour - Monday - Friday - 4 - 7 pm Directions: Take Glades Road to its end.

Turn left and go one mile. On the right.

4133 Birds Creek Road • (865) 325-8384

Carriage Ride Cades Cove, near Townsend, TN (865) 448-9009. Rate is $12.00 per person. Horseback Rides Guided horseback rides are available at four concession horseback riding stables in the park from mid-March through late November. Rides on scenic park trails are offered lasting from 45 minutes to several hours. All rides proceed at a walking pace. Rates are from $30 per hour. Weight limits and age restrictions may apply. Please call the stable you are interested in for additional information.

Wagon Ride Smokemont, near Cherokee, NC (828) 497-2373. Rate is $10.00 per person.

Bringing Your Horse to the Park About 550 miles of the park's hiking trails are open to horses. Horses are restricted to trails specifically designated for horse use. If you wish to ride your own horse in the park, please obtain a copy Cades Cove, near Townsend, TN (865) 448-9009 (also offers of the park's trail map. This map indicates the trails on which you hayrides and carriage rides) may ride horses and explains the park's rules and regulations concerning horse riding in the backcountry. It also provides Smokemont, near Cherokee, NC (828) 497-2373 (also offers information about backcountry camping, and permit requirements. wagon rides) To obtain an official trail map, stop at any park visitor center or call (865) 436-0120. The cost of the map is $1. Smoky Mountain, near Gatlinburg, TN (865) 436-5634. Horses are allowed only on trails specifically designated for horse use. Off-trail or cross-country riding is prohibited. Horse riders Cades Cove Riding Stables offers a 1.5 - 2 hour hayride around the may use designated campsites located on trails open to their use, Cades Cove Loop Road. Passengers sit on a bed of hay in a trailer however some backcountry campsites must be reserved in pulled by a truck and enjoy an open air view of the scenery of Cades advance. Cove. Reservations are generally required and can be made by Five drive-in horse camps provide ready access to backcountry calling (865) 448-9009. Rates are $12 per person. horse trails in the park. Camps are located at Cades Cove (Anthony Ranger-led hayrides are also offered on some evenings on a first- Creek), Big Creek, Cataloochee, Round Bottom, and Towstring. come, first-served basis. See Schedule of Events for scheduled Horse camps are open from April through October. Sugarlands, near Gatlinburg, TN (865) 436-3535. Hayrides

Understanding and Managing Bears polar bear, grizzly bear in the lower 48 states, and Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolus, a subspecies of black bear), all of which are federally threatened. In many cases, national parks provide core habitat that is essential for bear populations.

Bears are a vital part of natural ecosystems of national parks and other wild places. Bears are considered ecosystem engineers, meaning they have the ability to modify their environment. Through their foraging habits, bears spread plant and berry seeds in their droppings and spread marine-derived nitrogen into the forest surrounding salmon streams. Bears are important links in food webs and help maintain populations of deer and other prey species through predation. At one time, bears were widespread across the United States. However, threats such as habitat loss and unregulated hunting greatly reduced the areas where they can be found. Thanks to conservation efforts, brown bears and black bears are making a comeback, although they remain limited by the availability of suitable habitat. The lack of suitable habitat continues to affect the

Park staff engage in bear management to ensure healthy and sustainable bear populations. Bear management activities range from wildlife protection to habitat restoration to conservation research. Decisions about how to manage bears require knowledge about many aspects of bear biology, behavior, and movement in a speciﬁc location. Scientists from the National Park Service and cooperating federal and state agencies and academic institutions collect and analyze data about bears to assist in their conservation and management. Not only are there differences between bear species, there are also differences in behavior and biology between bears of the same species in different places. Bears adapt to their environments and can learn from experience. The behavior and survival strategy of a bear that has never encountered a human will be different from a bear that lives in close proximity to human developments. Using science to understand speciﬁc biological and behavioral needs of bears, managers help ensure that bears will be a part of the national park experience for many generations to come.

Gatlinburg

Covered Bridge

Farmers Market

Location

To enhance the farmers market experience while shopping around for seasonal foods, plant starts and other goodies, we will also feature local Author-Artist Mary Phillips and Musician Barry Bianchi, along with Native American Dancing and the Sevier County Humane Society. Each Saturday through September 13, from 8:30 a.m. to noon, as the season progresses, you'll find an array of fresh produce that may include strawberries, blueberries, apples, okra, tomatoes, etc. Homemade baked goods, honey, jams, jellies, plants, herbs and flowers are also a welcome site under the vendors' canopies. Other vendors who participate sell natural health and wellness products. Artisans will be available to demonstrate a craft or two and musicians are frequently around to perform. Because the market supports only locally grown foods the season starts out with a smaller selection of veggies and fruits. Certain fruits and veggies can only be grown in certain climates and grown at certain times of the year which means you may not always find

what you are looking for. When you buy produce “in season”, you're purchasing the product when it's plentiful. There are beneﬁts to buying locally. In season produce is less expensive than out-ofseason produce. Since it doesn't have to travel far to get to you, you aren't paying extra for gas, labor, transportation, etc., and you're getting better nutrition. In general, there are less pesticides/toxins used in growing local/seasonal produce, since they don't have to travel far or stay fresh for long periods of time. Your dollars are supporting a local food system and the community. Right now we are looking for all sorts of vendors of locally-raised produce, fruits, nuts, berries, honey, and eggs and homemade products. Nancy Gray, President, GFM, says, “It's about sharing the bounty with your neighbor.” The market is a social gathering spot too. Visitors and residents enjoy sharing ideas among themselves and with the vendors about gardening techniques and tips, as well as those mouth-watering recipes too. Call 865-332-4769 and visit us GatlinburgFarmersMarket.com

Value. Everyday.

Gatlinburg’s Grocery Store! Open 24 Hours Till September

For all your grocery needs. DIRECTIONS: turn onto Route 321 at trafﬁc light #3 in Gatlinburg. Go 2.2 miles. We’re on the left.

1219 E. Parkway, Gatlinburg

Venomous Snakes There are only two species of our 24 snakes that are potentially dangerous: the copperhead and the timber rattlesnake. The timber rattlesnake isn’t as common as the copperhead. It is likely to be found at most Park locations, except the north-facing slopes at higher elevations. Any habitat that has numerous sunny outcrops should be treated as having a higher probability for occurrence of rattlesnakes. Copperheads are common, mostly at lower elevations. They can likely be found at every old homesite of any size as well as other low elevation sites –moist or dry. Both species typically sun themselves in the open during cooler temperatures (are more often seen on maintain, warmer trail paths then), and then seek shelter under shrubs, in rock crevices, and/or shaded stream banks during hotter portions of the day. They are most active at night, hunting for prey at this time. Just watch where you step or place your hands, and be especially careful around old homesites, outcrops, and any area likely to have higher rodent populations. When stepping over fallen logs, make sure a snake isn’t using the other side to direct rodents its way where it can strike them! Since snakes are communal, don’t just step backwards automatically when you encounter one. Remember, they hunt at night and get cool as the temperature drops. Therefore, they need to warm themselves in the morning especially, so any sunny clearing is suspect, including mountaintop grassy balds for rattlesnakes. Look ﬁrst!

Lightning If caught in a lightning storm, seek shelter by moving off any ridges or high points quickly. Most lightning strikes are on the upper half of mountain slopes. It may be hard to follow “conventional wisdom” to stay away from trees, but at least stay away from tall trees. Take shelter between smaller trees. Take off any metal frame packs, stash metal walking sticks, and remove zippered jackets. Many people are injured by the ground charge that radiates across the ground from the strike point. Do not stand on large roots from a nearby tree. Fold a sleeping bag, jacket, or other insulating material under your feet; keep your boots together and touching, and crouch down.

Page 14 Around Town

Visit the Arts & Crafts Community and see Artisans At Work! Who You l? l a C a n n Go

Davidson

Taxi Service

Heartwood Galleries

1450 E. Parkway Gatlinburg, TN 37738 (865) 661-6207

www.heartwoodgalleries.com

Arrive Safely!

865-323-9708 24 Hour Service

“Your Art is Where Our Heart Is”

Local • Airport • Bus Station

Largest selection of sculptured wood artifacts in Galinburg

www.gatlinburgtaxi.com

DIRECTIONS: In Gatlinburg turn onto Route 321 at trafﬁc light #3.

Davids

Go 3 miles. We are on the right.