What’s your Barn Score?

The other day as I was enjoying the ride from home to the Post Office, I noticed new surveyor’s stakes in a field around an old wooden barn. Another farm is being turned into a subdivision.

Then I started counting how many wooden barns are left for me to enjoy seeing on my way from home to the Post Office.

The Barn Score was invented.

It is really simple and fun to find your Barn Score. Simply count how many wooden barns you go by between where you live and the nearest traffic light.

If you go by five old wooden barns before you get to the nearest traffic light, your Barn Score would be "5".

Now the rules have not been ratified by the international committee yet, so they are left up to each individual. It is up to the integrity of each individual player to interpret these rules.

    •What qualifies as an old wooden barn?
     •When you say “go by” do they have to be on the road or just visible from the road?
     •What about an old wooden barn that is part metal?
     •If the old wooden barn is half fallen down does that count as a half point?

The nearest traffic light rule keeps you from driving out of the way to avoid the traffic light and pad your score.

For those who live in a barn-deficient area, the scoring is similar but in reverse. How many traffic lights are between your home and the nearest wooden barn?  This of course is a negative Barn Score. If you pass eight traffic lights before you get to the nearest wooden barn, your score is “minus 8”.

Why is it important? Because, they are putting up more traffic lights and they are taking down old wooden barns. It is important to know your Barn Score now. That way you will know the rate of “progress” by how fast your score drops.

Our church has an annual Lord’s Acre Craft Sale every October. The most popular craft items are things made from "old barn wood".  We found our about a small barn that was going to be torn down to make room for a school bus turn-around. 

We jumped at the chance to get another supply of "old barn wood".  The 25 foot tall oak timbers, although sawmill cut, were pegged together!  Our best guess at the age of the barn is between 1870 and 1920 vintage.  If only we had more time, manpower and equipment. But I guess that is why it is easier and cheaper to tear them down.

If this starts you noticing more old wooden barns and appreciating them, then you have won. No matter what your score.

The next time you are leaving home, see if you can discover your Barn Score

 Thanks,

Ken@MountainTips.com

http://www.MountainTips.com

Trail Days 2009 – Damascus VA

Damascus Virginia once again hosted a three day festival of Appalachian Trail experiences.
This is the place to check out the latest in ultra-lite hiking tents and hammocks. All these were displayed along the Appalachian Trail that runs through the park in Damascus.
And there were evening slideshows, thru-hiker talks, music, dancing and sharing AT experiences in general.

Here is Ed Speer of Speer Hammocks discussing hammock camping with some AT hikers. Interested hikers were checking out the many subtle variations of hammock design and accessories.

In addition to hiking equipment vendors, there were hordes of food vendors and craft tents.
Deep fried Oreo cookies anyone?
You need to get your energy boosted for the inter-active parade at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.

I don’t know who started it or when, but there is tradition of water balloons and squirt guns from both paraders and parade watchers.
It has usually been hikers in the parade versus the hikers not in the parade in the water-balloon and squirt gun battles.
But the excitement is contagious and cannot be contained.  Everyone, fire trucks, beauty queens and classic cars got at least sprinkled while parading through town.

The big battle was the hikers. I mean we are talking about massive roof top ambushes and pint-sized assaults from knee level.  I’m glad it was a warm and sunny day on Saturday.

This guy was an experienced Trail Days parader.

Why take a puny squirt gun for a parade all the way through town. You will empty it in the first block. Then you are just a target like everyone else.  Why not take five gallons in a pressurized long-range squirting banjo?

Mark your calendar and your Appalachian Trail maps for the 2010 Trail Days, Damascus VA.

Roan Mountain – Too Many Choices – April 2009

Friends of Roan Mountain host the Spring Naturalists Rally.

Time for decision. There are so many really interesting “classes” to participate in and not enough time to do them all.

Which ones to choose?

What are those Night Sounds? – March 2009

While camping in Virginia on an exceptionally warm weekend , I recorded some “night sounds”.

Here they are.

Now check out this really cool site that has audio clips that identify frog sounds: Leaps.org

I think I recorded Spring Peeper and Upland Chorus frogs. What do you think?

Of course the Leaps identification page has recordings from Tennessee and my recordings were of Piedmont Virginia.  Regional dialects may apply.

In Praise of Trekking Poles – February 2009

I was given a pair of aluminum, adjustable trekking poles last year.  They stayed in the Jeep. Each time I went hiking I would remember them when I was too far along the trail to go back to get them.

This time I remembered them before the hike to top of Roan Mountain in January. Roan Mountain is on the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, elevation 6,285 feet.

There had been snow the week before. There had been hikers and cross-country skiers on the Appalachian Trail too.  The snow had been packed down and partly melted and refrozen. The result was crushed ice.

Testing the conditions at the trail head I discovered that walking uphill on crushed ice was not easy. Each foot plant was unsure. Each push off was uncertain.  It made for some slower than expected going.

This is when I remembered the trekking poles.Trekking poles look similar to ski poles. They have a molded handle with wrist strap at one end and a sharp tip with a basket at the other end. The big difference is that the middle part is adjustable. I found this was really useful.

Compared to the gloves and multiple layers of clothing, the poles hardly weighed anything. These light aluminum poles are feather light. The molded cork grips are a natural fit to my gloved hand.

After some experimenting with the adjustable heights, I was on the trail.  Not exactly swiftly but surely.

Each foot was placed steadily and much more confidently.  The poles provided a sure balance and helped to check for ice hidden under the snow. I never fell. My foot did slip several times, but my stability was saved by the trekking poles. I never hit the ground.

I can now recommend these light, collapsible poles. They pack easily and they hardly weigh anything. They give excellent aid on the uncertain footing. Maybe I’ll move them to the day pack.

I’m still not convinced that they help take weight off of your feet while you are hiking, like the advertisements say, but when you are on a slippery slope they can sure save you from some painful souvenirs.

Christmas in the Mountains – December Acivities

Be sure to check out the Artist’s Studio Tour page.  The dates are December 6 & 7, 2008. This is an opportunity to meet artists and see where they do their thing. It is very interesting to anyone who is creative and appreciates those with creativity.

And check out the Christmas Tree – Field Guide page.

Some more Mountain Tips to help you enjoy the season.

A Great Weekend to be in the Mountainsc

This is a great weekend to spend in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.  It is cooler here. This weekend, June 14 & 15, Saturday and Sunday, is the Toe River Arts Council open studio tour.  http://www.toeriverarts.org  Check it out. I really enjoy meeting the artists and seeing their workshops.  Most of these artsy types also live in very artistic locations. Just getting to their studio is a great adventure. You can pick up your guide map at the Spruce Pine TRAC Gallery and at the Burnsville TRAC Gallery. Plan your tour first. Mark the types of art you would like to see. Then find their location on the map. This will allow you to group studios in geographic areas to save time and gas. My recommendation: start on Saturday morning. Then when you realize at the 5:00 p.m.  closing time and you still haven’t  gotten to all of the glass blowers or galleries, you can still come back on Sunday. There are great scenic roads all over the Toe River area, each trip is visually rewarding. Take your time and enjoy the ride. Also, this Saturday in Blowing Rock, NC is Art in the Park. Downtown Blowing Rock welcomes artists to display and sell their work.  These are very talented craftspeople. This is a juried show by invitation. http://www.blowingrock.com/artinthepark.php This high quality art show is in addition to the wealth of art on sale in the shops and galleries along Main Street. This Saturday would be a good time to get an ice cream cone and just sit in the park and people watch. I hope you take this weekend and make it a great one, in the Mountains. 

The best outdoor bargain in East Tennessee!

Hello,

Spring is upon us here in East Tennessee. What happened to winter?  I blinked and missed it. I wonder it it is too late to harvest ramps?

 This link is to the Friends Of Roan Mountain.

Their Spring Naturalist Rally is May 2 – 3 – 4, Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday.  (No, it is NOT a clothing optional kind of thing.)

Friends of Roan Mountain

It is the best bargain in the outdoors!

Weekend activity fee: - $ 4.00

If you want to include the dinner and program: Socialization of Gray Wolves  – $ 8.75.

Dinner and a show for under $ 13.00 ! That is just the Friday schedule.

Saturday has 22 options in classes and feild trips. The full day including meals – $ 13.75.

The 6,285 ft high Roan Mountain is on the North Carolina – Tennessee border.

From Boone NC -about an hour west on

From Johnson City TN – about an hour east.

From Ashville NC – about an hour and a half north.

I’ll see you there.

Ken

P.S. – Also if you are going to be around the Smoky Mouintains, check out these easy vacation ideas: Smoky Mouintain Field School.

Have a great day in the mountains!

Apple Festival time!

Fall is Apple Festival time.

I spent Saturday (October 6) at the North Wilkesboro (NC) Apple Festival. 

The great folks from the Brushy Mountain Ruritan have been putting on this free festival for over 30 years. Over a hundred thousand people flood into town for this huge festival.

The entire downtown is blocked off for this one day event.

There were great crafts for sale. Many exhibits and demonstrations to enjoy.

I had the honor of manning the Heritage Apple booth for Tom Brown, who was doing another apple festival in Paintsville KY.

As my name tag said: “I’m not Tom Brown”, but I tried to dispense as much  of my limited knowledge as I could.

I met many really nice people.  Many were interested in the antique and heritage apples. The booth was mainly for educational purposes.

It was fun to educate people on the different uses for apples that our ancestors had. And the many different kinds of apples for each use.  Many children have never heard of dried apples or keeping food through the winter.

Once people learn about the hundreds of kinds of apples that were grown and now are not being grown, they realize that part of our culture and history is dying out  when these old apple trees die.

Also at the booth, many people stopped by and asked “Have you ever heard of an _______  apple?” Tom has found thousands of heritage apples and had provided me a list. So if I couldn’t find the apple listed, I would take their name and number and information about the apple and where the tree can be found.

This way, we can “rescue” another heritage apple from extinction.  Pretty cool, huh?

 I hope you make it to an apple festival near you.

 Here is a link to Tom’s Apple Search page.

Take an afternoon to seek out the apple orchards nearest you.  Try different apples. Learn what other kinds of apples are available in you area.  Apples are very regional.   

You may discover a real treasure.

 - Ken

Hawk migration at Mendota VA.

Well, the hawk migration has passed us by.

The Broad-winged hawk count for the weekend was under a hundred for Saturday and Sunday together. Although the total for the count since September 10 th. is over 5,200 Broad-winged Hawks. 

A great way to spend some time in the mountains! 

Plan your calendar a week either side of September 15, 2008.

My friend, Tom Hunter, and I still had a good weekend on a monutain top. 

Tom is a founding member of the Russell Co. (VA) Bird Club and is on the board for the Virginia Society of Ornithology.  He is very good at long range bird identification. Hear his interview below.)

I learned a lot.

You, too, can learn a lot from these nice people:

www.bristolbirdclub.org

Virginia Society of Ornithology

 2007-09-24-Mendota Hawk Migration [5:44m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download