{"id":664,"date":"2017-08-06T23:46:52","date_gmt":"2017-08-06T23:46:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/?p=664"},"modified":"2017-08-07T00:17:50","modified_gmt":"2017-08-07T00:17:50","slug":"rough-fork","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/2017\/08\/06\/rough-fork\/","title":{"rendered":"Rough Fork"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/1AyBjjG853A\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe>\u00a0]\n<p>We weren&#8217;t a tenth of a mile up Rough Fork when we encountered this fine specimen. He was docile but gave us a nice rattle show that didn&#8217;t translate as well to the video.<\/p>\n<p>Laurel and I had some miles to finish. \u00a0Have you been up Rough Fork? \u00a0It is about 1300 feet in a mile and a half or so. \u00a0That is fairly steep.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-665\" src=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070412.jpg\" alt=\"tn_P1070412\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070412.jpg 600w, http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070412-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It was a two snake trip, about par for me. \u00a0This was an ordinary Garter snake just minutes from the Rattler.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-666\" src=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070414.jpg\" alt=\"tn_P1070414\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070414.jpg 600w, http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070414-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>She wonders if it ever ends.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-667\" src=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070418.jpg\" alt=\"tn_P1070418\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070418.jpg 600w, http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070418-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I lied and told her it would.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-668\" src=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070424.jpg\" alt=\"tn_P1070424\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070424.jpg 600w, http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070424-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>There used to be two Grand Poplars, now there is one. \u00a0It is the largest in the park, we are told.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-669\" src=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070426.jpg\" alt=\"tn_P1070426\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070426.jpg 600w, http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070426-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Caldwell Fork was virtually empty. \u00a0So we grabbed the nice creek spot. \u00a0I will have to say that it is probably equivalent to Rabbit Creek on the TN side. \u00a0Laurel quickly proclaimed it one of her favs and definitely best on the NC side.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-670\" src=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070431.jpg\" alt=\"tn_P1070431\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070431.jpg 600w, http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070431-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>It is peaceful with good stream access.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-671\" src=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070434.jpg\" alt=\"tn_P1070434\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070434.jpg 600w, http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070434-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Two weekends in a row of perfect weekend weather is unparalleled. \u00a0Last weekend found us in the Red River gorge and this one placed us by a cool creek on a crisp August evening that required a fire. \u00a0When is it that cool in August two weekends in a row?<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-672\" src=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070440.jpg\" alt=\"tn_P1070440\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070440.jpg 600w, http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070440-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And a near full moon to bark at the coon? \u00a0Huh? \u00a0What? \u00a0How about it. \u00a0Great outdoor Karma.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-673\" src=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070447.jpg\" alt=\"tn_P1070447\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070447.jpg 600w, http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/tn_P1070447-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Life is good in the &#8220;uncrowded&#8221; backcountry of the Smokies. \u00a0On a beautiful weekend, we had a campsite almost to ourselves. \u00a0(One other group from G-burg came in after struggling over Rough Fork)<\/p>\n<p>One thing I will note is that Caldwell Fork is absolutely ruined from horse traffic. \u00a0So ask yourself this question, if the NPS in their infinite wisdom, can close a campsite because it is overused, why would they not close a trail for the same reason to horses? \u00a0If you have been to Cataloochee then you see that horses have rutted, mudded and eroded every inch of the place and still bridges are out all over Caldwell Fork.<\/p>\n<p>You can walk on a path and step from manure pile to manure pile with little ground in between. \u00a0Why wouldn&#8217;t the NPS close it to horse traffic? \u00a0Money, clear and simple. \u00a0The Catalochee and Cades Cove horse consessions but thousands back into the NPS in form of concession fees. \u00a0So they dictate policy there. \u00a0Just like national policy in Washington. \u00a0The reason we don&#8217;t have a healthcare bill is because folks like Lamar Alexander are breaking their necks to find a way to avoid single payer or Medicaid for all. \u00a0He wants to protect the Blue Cross Blue Shields of the world from losing relevance and billions of tax dollars. \u00a0That is who he is protecting. \u00a0It sure as hell isn&#8217;t you and me.<\/p>\n<p>And we all know that Lamar was the main reason we have a backcountry fee. \u00a0Remember, we offered to give them a software reservation system for free. \u00a0But the NPS had no interest in that because it wouldn&#8217;t allow them to get kickbacks from Recreation.gov and all the other vested concessionaires. \u00a0Follow the money folks. \u00a0That is where all evil lay. \u00a0Just as it was said in Watergate, the money trail will lead to the sin.<\/p>\n<p>And there is plenty of sin to be uncovered in Washington, I assure you.<\/p>\n<p>I will leave you with a quote that is extremely\u00a0relevant today.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The demagogue is one who preaches doctrines he knows to be untrue to men he knows to be idiots<\/em>.<\/strong>\u2015H. L. Menken<\/p>\n<p>When we first met with Dale Ditmanson prior to our lawsuit, he assured everyone he was going to do so many things. \u00a0What he did was bought time to prepare themselves for implementation of this\u00a0backcountry tax. \u00a0A bureaucrat is good at doing that. \u00a0Lying has now become institutionalized in the past six months. \u00a0I implore you to get your news from outside sources because your local media and others have agendas of which most are unaware. \u00a0There is a reason WBIR never covered any controversy in the Smokies during the fee fight. \u00a0We now know it has to do with Blackberry Farm advertising revenue.<\/p>\n<p>Stay sharp folks, its going to get worse. \u00a0The Secretary of the Interior threatened an Alaska Senator if she didn&#8217;t vote for the White House healthcare bill by saying he would lock up public lands in Alaska. \u00a0 These mafioso tactics are now accepted.<\/p>\n<p>Quit accepting this. The world needs some strong men and women today. \u00a0Do something folks, take your freedoms back. Other countries have great healthcare, a self employed guy like me shouldn&#8217;t have to pay almost $500 a month for lousy health insurance. Yet the White House answer is to rollback protections for nursing home residents. \u00a0Aka, your parents, grandparents and consumers of healthcare. \u00a0He doesn&#8217;t want you to be able to sue healthcare providers if they sexually assault your parents in a nursing home. <a href=\"http:\/\/thehill.com\/regulation\/healthcare\/345411-fight-over-right-to-sue-nursing-homes-heats-up\">http:\/\/thehill.com\/regulation\/healthcare\/345411-fight-over-right-to-sue-nursing-homes-heats-up<\/a>\u00a0 If we can spend a billion every six months in Iraq and Afghanistan, we can insure and protect our own folks. But Trump and Lamar want to protect the theiving corporations. \u00a0And selling their lie is a news network that really pushes Fake News, on a daily basis.<\/p>\n<p>Now lets enjoy some music. \u00a0I like this new Killers Song. \u00a0Very relevant.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/w3xcybdis1k\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe>&#8221; ]\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u00a0] We weren&#8217;t a tenth of a mile up Rough Fork when we encountered this fine specimen. He was docile but gave us a nice rattle show that didn&#8217;t translate as well to the video. Laurel and I had some &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/2017\/08\/06\/rough-fork\/\">Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/664"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=664"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/664\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":678,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/664\/revisions\/678"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=664"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=664"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/southernhighlanders.com\/new\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=664"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}