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Tag Archive for: tennessee

The Fiery Gizzard Trail: Certa Mors.

Health and fitness, Nashville to Nepal, Writing
Last weekend, upon the suggestions of trek member Luis, we brazenly decided to tackle the Fiery Gizzard Trail, known as one of the Top 25 hikes in the nation. The full trail is around 12.5 miles long and is rated "strenuous," which in Latin, means "certa mors," which then translated back into English, means "certain death." Not knowing this, I just assumed it actually meant "strenuous," which is kind of a nebulous word and not to be taken too seriously.
November 17, 2017
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5 Comments
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Critter Chronicles: Exposing the Seedy Underbelly of Tennessee’s Wildlife. Vol. 2 — White-tailed Deer

Critters
Quite simply, the white-tailed deer is the face of Tennessee wildlife. The poster child, the golden boy, the leading man, and all those other clichés. If you had to pick one species to represent all that is majestic, exciting, and beautiful about wildlife in our state, you would choose the white-tailed deer. And oh, how mistaken you would be. For more than 80 years, this species has pulled one of the great con games of modern times on humans, making us out to be chumps. It’s a scam of monumental proportions, making famous scandals like Watergate and, um, (hang on, quick Google search…) The One-Piece Swimsuit Affair of 1907 seem like schoolboy hijinks.
November 16, 2016
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2 Comments
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Critter Chronicles: Exposing the Seedy Underbelly of Tennessee’s Wildlife. Vol. 1— The ‘Possum

Critters
(Author’s note: This shocking new series reveals the raw, unedited, back-alley stories behind the seemingly harmonious wildlife of southern Cheatham County, Tennessee.) Ahh, the lowly ‘possum. This animal is feared, hunted, eaten,…
November 11, 2016
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3 Comments
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Why nature matters

Observations, Writing
It happens as we cruise through our 21st-century life, and it’s nobody’s fault in particular. It happens while we spend eight hours a day in our brick office buildings, five days a week, most of a year;as we're driving our air-conditioned…
August 16, 2015
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15 Comments
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My Top 9 Ironclad Tips for Tough Mudder Virgins

Health and fitness, Lists
I became aware of the Tough Mudder a few years ago after discovering Crossfit and completing a couple of Warrior Dashes.  In case you’ve never heard of the Tough Mudder, it’s a 10- to 12-mile mud and obstacle run, infamous for being…
June 25, 2014
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34 Comments
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That first step is a doozy

Observations, Writing
Well, you can't say it hasn't been an interesting week. Tuesday morning, March 26, I was awakened not by my alarm clock, but by three mini-ninjas creeping into our quite-dark bedroom and pile-driving me to the strains of "Happy Birthday."…
March 30, 2013
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6 Comments
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Larger than life

Writing
(Author's note:  This story appeared in the Feb. 2012 issue of the Tennessee Cooperator.) What Thomas “Bigfoot” Spencer lacked in historical staying power, he made up for in legendary adventure It was probably the winter of…
February 3, 2013
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0 Comments
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Crockett’s death: What do YOU think?

Observations
I admit it. I’m “eat up” with David Crockett. Since researching the five or so years that Crockett lived in the Belvidere area of Franklin County, Tenn., for a July, 2011, Cooperator story, I have become fascinated…
October 9, 2012
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2 Comments
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