Driving Through The Thick Of It
After seeing several warnings along the highway regarding high winds in the area, I began to suspect that maybe we were witnessing a major dust storm. However, as we approached Laramie, it became clear that what we were actually seeing was thick smoke pouring out of the Medicine Bow Mountains just east of town. This was confirmed as we got to the outskirts of town when we could smell the smoke, a result of the Mullen Fire, now listed as being 78,000 acres in size.
Due to extreme winds that day, thick smoke was blowing directly eastward, which meant it followed along the I-80 corridor from Laramie to well-past Cheyenne. As a result, we drove through smoke for more than 75 miles. We later learned that the wind-driven fire forced authorities to issue evacuation orders for both residents and recreationists in the mountains.
Although driving in the smoke for that long was pretty bad, the favorable winds throughout most of the day resulted in almost 4 more miles per gallon to our gas mileage!
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Blue Ridge Parkway Begins Repairs in Roanoke Area
On May 22, 2020, NPS officials announced heavy rain created multiple road hazards in the Roanoke, Virginia, area of the Parkway that required a road closure from milepost 112.4 to milepost 135.9, from U.S. Route 24 to Adney Gap. The section from Milepost 112.4 to 115.5, at the Explore Park entrance, opened earlier this summer and remains open.
The largest hazard is a full road failure roughly one hundred and fifty feet (150') in length near milepost 128. This complex road failure will require a closure of at least 12 to 18 months. Visitors are reminded that, due to the hazardous nature of this slope failure, the section of parkway from U.S. 220 (milepost 121.4) to Adney Gap (milepost 135.9) is closed to all uses including motor vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians.
Updates to the road status will be made when available on the park website at www.nps.gov/blri, via press release and on social media at www.facebook.com/blueridgenps
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
How Wolves Change Rivers
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Lend a Hand on National Public Lands Day
This year, the COVID-19 pandemic has upended many aspects of daily life in this country, and our public lands are no exception. Due to social distancing requirements remaining in place for the foreseeable future, many public lands sites will be unable to host large, in-person NPLD events. With this in mind, NEEF has announced that they will be expanding the available options for volunteers during this year’s NPLD on September 26, 2020.
Virtual and In-Person Events for NPLD 2020 The theme for NPLD 2020 is "More Ways to Connect to Nature." In addition to the standard NPLD programming, this year's celebration will include virtual events designed to connect the public to iconic parks, national forests, marine estuaries, and other public lands sites. These online events will serve as an alternative for NPLD site managers who are uncomfortable with or are not allowed to host in-person events due to local regulations.
This does not mean there won't be any in-person events. Public land sites that wish to host in-person events—in accordance with local rules and regulations regarding COVID-19—will still be able to register their event on the NEEF website.
Please click here to check out the official National Public Lands Day event map, which makes it easy to find all of the events that will be available later this month.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Donate $5 and Receive Walk the Distance App A.T. Download
For September only, you can unlock the A.T. on the Walk the Distance app when you donate $5 or more to the ATC! Your donation helps us on our mission to protect, manage, and advocate for the Trail.
Walk the Distance uses your daily steps tracked through your iPhone and converts them to miles hiked on the Trail. You can track where you would currently be on a northbound A.T. hike, and you can see other users completing the same route. Checkpoints along the virtual footpath highlight trivia on iconic views, shelters, ATC projects, and more, providing fun facts and Trail history on your virtual journey! Visit appalachiantrail.org/walkseptember to donate and get your code today!
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Tennessee Serves on National Public Lands Day
For more information on hikes and events around the state, please click here.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
Update on Plane Crash and Trail Closures in Shenandoah National Park
The following trails and parking areas remain closed in order to keep the site of the plane crash secure and minimize disturbance while the area is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration. These areas will remain closed until the investigation is complete and the wreckage is removed from the scene which will likely be early next week.
* The Buck Hollow Trail (including the parking areas on Highway 211 and the Meadow Spring parking area on Skyline Drive at mile 33.5)
* The Buck Ridge Trail
Although the Hazel Mountain Trail and the Meadow Spring Trail (which leads to the Appalachian Trail and the summit of Mary’s Rock) are not closed, there will be no access to these trails from the Meadow Spring parking area.
The Virginia State Police, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are assisting with the incident.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park
MATIÈRE À RÉFLEXION : D'économie et de société !
Salut à tous,
Du site le Quotidien : Le Petit Robert donne de l’économie la définition suivante : « La somme des activités de production et de distribution des biens et services ».
D’économie et d’économies !
¨ Aujourd’hui, on n’en a que pour l’économie de marché. Mais c’est faire peu de cas du fait que l’humanité a satisfait à ses besoins durant bien longtemps avant que le capitalisme ne voie le jour. Encore aujourd’hui, le deux tiers de l’humanité doit répondre à ses besoins à l’extérieur de cette économie de marché.
Lorsqu’il est question du concept d’économie « sociale », c’est en référence à une approche différente pour produire et distribuer des biens et services. Il existe bien des définitions de l’économie sociale (É.S.). Pour ma part, ce concept se résume à « des activités de production de biens et services dans le but d’améliorer la situation des personnes et des communautés ».
D’aucuns rétorqueront que c’est là le but de toute forme d’économie. Eh bien non. Pour citer Rudolf Hickel, un économiste allemand réputé pour ses travaux en économie politique : « Notre économie est organisée autour du bien-être du capital plutôt que du bien-être des individus ».
L’É.S. est le plus souvent considérée comme marginale et négligeable. Un ami me disait que pendant toutes ses études en administration aux HEC, il n’en a entendu parler qu’une seule fois par un professeur et c’était pour préciser que ça n’avait rien de sérieux. Pourtant, 10 % de l’économie mondiale est générée sous forme d’É.S. – c’est le même chiffre au Québec –, principalement par des coopératives.
De morale et de satisfaction !
Les tenants de la société de consommation et de croissance accompagnaient leurs promesses économiques de promesses de bonheur et de justice sociale. Ceux qui en ont profité le plus sont le petit nombre. Dans un article récent, la journaliste Shayla Love explique : « En 1965, les PDG gagnaient 20 fois plus que les travailleurs ordinaires, mais en 2013, ils gagnaient 296 fois ce montant. De 1973 à 2013, les salaires horaires n’ont augmenté que de 9 %, mais la productivité a augmenté de 74 %. Malgré la crise économique, les marchés boursiers se sont redressés et le monde est sur le point d’avoir son premier trillionaire. »
De chaos et d’attracteurs !
Nous nous approchons de limites globales, mais ce n’est pas une fatalité. L’avenir n’existe pas. Il n’est pas écrit. Son livre ne contient que des pages blanches. Il existe des artisans du changement et de l’innovation sociale de même que des idées fortes qui risquent bien de nous aider à mieux traverser cette période de transition dans laquelle nous sommes entrés¨... ( Voir l'article au complet )
Pégé
Windows 7 / Windows 10 / Ubuntu 18.04 LTS / Linux Mint 19
Syrphe pyrastre
Plane Crash Results in Fatality in Shenandoah National Park
The Buck Hollow Trail (including the parking areas on Highway 211 and the Meadow Springs parking area on Skyline Drive at mile 33.5) and the Buck Ridge Trail are closed until further notice while an investigation takes place and the wreckage is removed from the scene.
The Virginia State Police, the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are assisting with the incident. No further information is available at this time.
Jeff
HikingintheSmokys.com
RockyMountainHikingTrails.com
HikinginGlacier.com
TetonHikingTrails.com
Ramble On: A History of Hiking
Exploring Glacier National Park
Exploring Grand Teton National Park