Nashville Outdoors

The 2011 GBBC will take place Friday, February 18, through Monday, February 21. Please join fellow Tennesseans in this fun and meaningful event! The Great Backyard Bird Count is an annual four-day event that engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of where the birds are across the continent. Anyone can participate, from beginning bird watchers to experts. It takes as little as 15 minutes on one day, or you can count for as long as you like each day of the event. It’s free, fun, and easy—and it helps the birds. Check out the 2010 results from Tennessee.

The Pondering Cyclist, Zachary Ford, has decided to ride nearly 3,500 miles from Texas to Oregon and back down the west coast of California to Mexico to bring attention to Ride for Reading and the need for books in the hands of children from low-income areas. Zachary's start date for this ride is the first week of June. Take a moment to check out his blog and wish him well. "First off I want to explore the Western United States by bike. I have always loved the west, New Mexico, California, Oregon and Washington; I love the broad expansiveness of it all. The history and stories that surrounds it; heck, the phrase is head West young man, NOT East! My second objective, but one that is still a main priority, is to spread the news of the need for reading and promote Ride for Reading in cities and towns along my route. I want to help the organization grow because the more people that are aware of it the better for the children because they are the reason Ride for Reading exists— to get books in the hands of children whose parents cannot afford them." Good luck Zachary! We'll be watching from Tennessee.

On Friday, September 4th, 2009, The Southeastern Climbers Coalition closed on a 25.59 acre tract of cliffline above the town of Steele, Alabama. With help from climbers, local climbing businesses, vendors and The Access Fund, over $60k was raised to purchase this area. The crag has been off limits to climbers for over twenty years after a dispute with a private landowner. The 25 acre tract is now climber owned and managed and will be preserved for future generations to enjoy.