37 minute read
Outdoors
Supported by the mountains
Pandemic multiplies demand, complicates operations for outdoor businesses
BY HOLLY KAYS STAFF WRITER
As the Coronavirus Pandemic continues, people worldwide are rediscovering the outdoors in a big way — leading to record visitation at public lands in Western North Carolina and offering a marked boost to outdoor-oriented businesses and communities even as the nationwide economy continues to suffer. However, even this successful sector has met its share of challenges related to labor market shortages, supply chain disruptions and the sheer challenge of making up for revenue lost during full-on closures this spring.
“The communities that do have recreation are much better off than those that don’t have recreation,” said Noah Wilson, program director for the Growing Outdoors Partnership of outdoors businesses in Western North Carolina. “If we didn’t have these mountains and we didn’t have the recreation opportunities we have here, we would all be hurting so much more. It’s one of those things where it’s all about how you view it. You may not be having the best year ever, but are you having a year where you’re going to make it?” Mask-wearing customers go for a zip line adventure at Nantahala Outdoor Center. NOC photo
SELLING THE SHELVES BARE
When the pandemic first began — causing drastic reductions in sales and ultimately a 45day closure in the middle of the typically lucrative Appalachian Trail thru-hiker season — Outdoor 76 co-owners Rob Gasbarro and Cory McCall weren’t quite sure what the answer to that question would be. In a March 19 interview while the store was still open, Gasbarro pondered how much things had changed in the past week and wondered how much worse they might get in the weeks to come. In a May 2 email to The Smoky Mountain News, McCall said that the situation was “on a completely different level” from anything the business had experienced before, adding that, “regardless of how stable our businesses has been over the last 10 years, it is impossible to operate without cash.”
After the store reopened May 15, the situation turned around quickly.
“We have been extremely busy this summer,” said McCall. “Traffic picked up considerably in June and has continued to trend even heavier for the last two months.”
Sales between June and October have come in slightly higher than the same period in 2019, though overall year-to-date revenues are down over last year. That’s held true despite the fact that supply chain issues and difficulty funding large inventory purchases following the underwhelming thru-hiker season have made it hard to keep the shelves stocked to normal levels.
“All of our hard goods — kayaks, canoes, tents, sleeping bags — have been very hard to keep in stock,” said McCall. “Outdoor recreation was viewed as one of the safest alternatives for dealing with COVID and still allowing a sense of normalcy. We have already seen that the supply chain will affect product availability this fall into late spring of 2021.”
Nantahala Outdoor Center’s outfitter shop has had similar issues, said NOC President William Irving.
“Nobody has boats, PFDs, paddles,” he said. “They are really hard to get your hands on, just like the bikes as well of course.”
Bike sales have gone through the roof this year, said Motion Makers Bicycle Shop owner Kent Cranford. Sales for the June to October period outpaced any previous year, and yearto-date sales are “way up from ever before.” The staff is larger than it’s ever been.
That’s all true despite rampant inventory shortages.
“We have worked hard to not run out of bikes and repair parts,” said Cranford. “We get new bikes every week but there are still customer backorders for specific models that have been waiting for months. Our suppliers tell us it will be another six to nine months before we start to see normal supply again.”
Inventory shortage is an industry-wide issue for outdoor retailers, something that Wilson said shows the importance of local supply chains. While Western North Carolina retailers are still having a hard time with inventory, he said, overall the area does have more access to recreation equipment due to the fact that ever-increasing numbers of brands are located here.
“I think we’re going to see a lot of entrepreneurs coming out of this moment in time as people are laid off from their jobs, staying at home, tinkering and seeing needs that they need met,” he said.
THE PRICE OF SAFETY
When it comes to outdoor experiences — rafting, fishing, guided trips — the demand is definitely there, but the challenge is figuring out how to provide those services safely while still turning a profit.
“We certainly had more demand than what we could accommodate just because of the reduction of guides that we had and the reduction of people in each vehicle that we had reduced capacity to,” said Irving.
To prevent spread of the virus, NOC was operating its shuttles at 50 percent capacity, which obviously reduced the rate with which they could transport guests to and from the river. Labor issues compounded the problem. NOC had around 650 employees this year, about 10 percent fewer than normal. Most of the vacancies were for bus driver and food and beverage positions.
“Those are roles that are always hard to fill, but this year was extremely hard to fill,” he said. “Once the unemployment benefits started to dwindle, we did see more applicants coming through.”
At that point, however, the season was already starting to wind down.
Outdoor 76 also reported difficulties with hiring.
“The number of employees we currently have is significantly less than pre-COVID,” said McCall. “We had some employees change jobs or relocate, but hiring back workforce since then has been a challenge. We are currently looking to fill three to four positions.”
At NOC, public health precautions also added to the staffing issues.
“I’d say at any time we had anywhere from 15 to 20 staff that were out every week, just by the precautions that F
Accelerator program seeks early-stage outdoor companies
The Waypoint Accelerator program — the first of its kind in the Eastern United States — is looking for applicants to join its second cohort.
The program is open to eight ventures per year and will begin online Dec. 3. It includes 15 learning and mentorship sessions, access to an outdoor industry network and connections to capital providers as well as industry peers.
The application window is open through Sunday, Nov. 8, with a live info session and Q&A slated for 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23. Full program details and an online application are available at www.mountainbizworks.org/waypoint.
The Waypoint Accelerator is a program of Mountain Bizworks, a U.S. Treasury certified nonprofit community development financial institution.
we were taking from having a symptom and saying, ‘Don’t come into work until you’ve had a test or quarantined,’” said Irving.
While it was certainly a challenge to deal with constant short-staffing, the precautions appear to have worked. While “very few” staff members did contract COVID-19, NOC had zero outbreaks of the disease on its campus, defined as a situation where one person gets the virus and then passes it along to someone else.
For outfitter businesses that were able to find a way to offer their customers safe transportation, business has been good, said Wilson, with the overarching idea of offering facilitated access to the outdoors emerging as a golden post-pandemic opportunity for outdoor businesses.
“There’s this moment in time right now in which we have millions of new users or recently returned users who haven’t gone camping since they were 8, and now they’re in their 30s or 40s,” said Wilson. “We have an opportunity as an industry to welcome them back with open arms, to help them have a really great experience that anchors them.”
EMPHASIS ON SUSTAINABILITY
The unprecedented volume of gear and goods outdoor retailers have sold this year could have big implications for the industry as a whole. If all the people who bought hiking boots or tents or bikes or kayaks for the first time this year continue to use them when the pandemic ends, then the industry is poised for a period of explosive growth.
“People have got to realize, as they do right now, how important the outdoors are for every part of their lives,” said Wilson. “Their physical and mental health, their ability to socialize with others, for just a sense of wellbeing.”
More outdoor recreaters means more customers for the outdoor recreation industry, which means more economic growth in Western North Carolina. But the supply chain for that industry isn’t limited to makers of tents and packs and boats — the land itself is a vital, irreplaceable component of that chain. From the widely reported trash and crowding issues at Max Patch to the traffic jams and overflowing trailhead lots in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the region is also experiencing the downside of heightened interest in outdoor exploration.
“There’s a lot of folks who still need to be brought into the outdoors, so we do not want to put up barriers to access. That is a mistake,” said Wilson. “But we also have to ensure that we educate effectively and consistently about how to recreate responsibly.”
To that end, North Carolina has launched a partnership with Leave No Trace, a nonprofit that promotes principles for sustainable use of the outdoors. Meanwhile, Recreate Responsibly — an organization borne out of the pandemic that promotes responsible use of public lands — has formed a North Carolina coalition that includes a variety of nonprofits, businesses and government organizations all committed to ensuring safe and sustainable enjoyment of the outdoors.
One of those member organizations is the
Heightened demand for bicycles nationwide has translated into booming business — and struggles with inventory — at Motion Makers Bicycle Shop’s Asheville, Sylva and Cherokee
stores. Motion Makers photo
Jackson County Tourism Development Authority, which has seen unprecedented increases in room tax collections this year — collections on August stays posted a whopping 71.8 percent increase over the same month last year. The TDA is currently working with several different partners to develop Leave No Trace signage at trailheads and waterfalls, expecting to deploy about 30 such signs countywide in the near future.
“We don’t want more and more people here for the sake of more and more people,” said TDA Director Nick Breedlove. “We want to balance economic development with quality of the visitor’s visit and quality of life for those who live here. There’s so many destinations that are overrun, and we don’t want that, so sustainability has been huge for us.”
Sustainability concerns, supply chain interruptions and the uncertainty inherent in the ongoing pandemic continue to pose challenges to the outdoor industry, but nevertheless it remains one of the best-performing economic sectors in the changed world of 2020.
“Anytime you outperform your expectations,” said Irving, “you consider that a win.”
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The N.C Tobacco Trust Fund has awarded $1.5 million in grants this year, and one of the 15 applications granted came from the Swain County Soil and Water Conservation District.
The grant will provide $130,000 to plan and build a multipurpose building for agricultural and equestrian events and workshops. The building aims to benefit local farmers and the surrounding agricultural community.
Overall, the grants placed a high priority on projects to stimulate the agricultural economy and that help farmers execute innovative ideas. Projects served by the grant assist with innovative on-farm projects, increase leadership skills and offer operational strategies that will help farmers increase farm income.
The N.C. General Assembly created the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission in 2000 to lessen the financial impact to farmers and tobacco-related businesses caused by the sharp decline of tobacco in the agricultural economy. The commission’s original funding was established through tobacco industry annual payments as a result of the Master Settlement Agreement. Its current funding comes from a set appropriation of funds. www.tobaccotrustfund.org
Fruit and veggie conference to go virtual
The Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable Conference, typically held each year in Savannah, Georgia, will be offered virtually this year Jan. 5-7. The event is the largest educational conference and trade show in the Southeast that unites growers, vendors and suppliers from across the specialty crop industry. It is coordinated and sponsored by the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association and the South Carolina Peach Council. The online event will feature networking opportunities, an interactive trade show platform and extensive education programming.
For more information, visit www.seregionalconference.org, or call 877.994.3842.
Fall wildfire season is underway in North Carolina, and the N.C. Forest Service together with the U.S. Forest Service is urging visitors and North Carolinians alike to be careful with campfires and debris burnings.
North Carolina’s fall wildfire season typically lasts from midOctober to mid-December, and debris burning is the leading cause of wildfires in North Carolina.
“As leaves begin to fall and vegetation starts to dry out, it’s important for all North Carolinians to use extreme caution when burning debris of any kind,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “As wildfires continue to rage in Western states and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a challenge, let’s remember that we’re not powerless. Our best defense against wildfires starts at home. Following simple prevention tips and taking action around your home can reduce the risk that a wildfire affects you, your loved ones, your neighbors and your communities.”
Anyone considering burning debris or lighting a campfire should first be aware of proper safety protocol, and residents are encouraged to contact the N.C. Forest Service before starting a debris fire.
Find more information about fire safety at www.ncforestservice.gov and www.smokeybear.com.
Input sought on proposed Smokies mountain bike system
A virtual meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, will give people the chance to weigh in on a recently released environmental assessment examining the possibility of creating a mountain bike system in the Wears Valley area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with the period for written comments remaining open through Nov. 15.
The proposed trail would be the first designated mountain bike trail in the park, which contains more than 800 miles of trail. However, fewer than 8 of those miles — Gatlinburg Trail, Oconaluftee River Trail and lower Deep creek Trail — allow bikes. The proposed mountain bike trail system would be located along an unfinished section of the Foothills Parkway corridor in the Wears Valley area of Sevier County, Tennessee.
In July, the National Park Service asked for public feedback on preliminary alternatives to develop a mountain bike trial system. After reviewing the comments, park managers completed the EA and will give an overview of it during the Oct. 29 meeting, to be held via Zoom. After the 30minute presentation, park staff will be available for an additional 90 minutes to answer questions from the public.
Participants can join the meeting using the link https://zoom.us/j/93025295219, which will allow them to view slides, presenters and submit questions. A listen-only call-in mode is also available by calling 312.626.6799 and entering the passcode 93025295219#.
Public comment on the EA is being accepted through Nov. 15, and the preferred method to deliver it is online at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/wearsvalleyb iketrails. That link also contains access to documents related to the project, including the proposed EA. Comments are also accepted via the mail addressed to Wears Valley Mountain Bike Trail System EA, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 107 Park Headquarters Rd., Gatlinburg, TN 37738.
The Smokies Service Days program will return with a slate of Saturday service opportunities in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, starting with a Saturday, Oct. 24 session to be held 9:30 a.m. to noon at Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee.
Other scheduled service days are: n Oct. 31: “The Deep Creep” Litter Cleanup, 10 a.m. to noon at Deep Creek Picnic Area near Bryson City. All ages. n Nov. 7: Historic Landscape Management in Daisy Town, 9 a.m. to noon at Elkmont in Tennessee. Ages 15 and up. n Nov. 14: Vegetation Management at Historic Voorheis Estate, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Twin Creeks Science Center in Tennessee. Ages 12 and up. n Nov. 21: Campground Cleanup, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Smokemont Campground near Cherokee. Ages 10 and up.
Volunteer projects last between two and four hours. Tasks are available appropriate to a wide range of abilities, with some age restrictions. Tools and safety gear, including gloves and high visibility safety vests, will be provided by park staff, but participants should wear closed-toed shoes and bring their own food and water. Due to COVID-19 safety measures, the number of volunteers for each project is limited.
Sign up with Project Coordinator Madison Ficca by emailing madison_ficca@partner.nps.gov ahead of the scheduled event date with “SSD Registration” in the subject line.
Volunteers wrap up a pre-pandemic gardening project at Oconaluftee Visitor Center near
Cherokee. NPS photo
Noland and CatherinBrian K. e r P enob
FEATURED LISTINGS
Volunteer to build volunteers. This year, OMC is building structures, community outdoors recruiting volunteers, collecting equipment and lining up courses with the goal of having equip-
Outdoor Mission Community, formerly known ment cleaned and catalogued, ready to be rentas Outdoor Mission Camp, is seeking volunteers ed by the springtime. Individuals and groups to aid in trip planning, leadership, skills certifi- wishing to venture into the backcountry can cations and more, with a pair of training trips contact OMC for help with trip planning, leadernow on the calendar. ship, equipment to borrow, classes or certifican Saturday, Nov. 7, OMC will take a contin- tion in certain skills. A host of volunteers are gency of volunteers to the Fontana Lakeshore available to help you get outside. Cleanup, which aims to pick up 100,000 pounds of trash. Boats, bags, gloves and trash dumpsters are provided by the Tennessee Valley Authority Great Smoky Mountains National Park Superintendent Cassius Cash and students with OMC’s La Adventura camp pose for a photo following a 2016 hike. and Fontana Dam Marina, Holly Kays photo with OMC providing lunch. n Saturday, Jan. 9, volunteers will have the chance to participate in a 16-hour Wilderness First Aid class offered through the Nantahala Outdoor Center and SOLO Wilderness Medicine. The class includes eight hours of online work and eight hours of in-person teaching with lots of scenarios and Sign up for training events online at hands-on learning. The class will be available www.outdoormissioncommunity.org or contact to OMC partner organizations as well as OMC Jamie Shackleford at 336.583.9932.
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Ghostly decorations wanted for Halloween hike
The Highlands Biological Foundation needs your help to create a Ghostly Garden for families to walk through on the selfguided hike through the Highlands Botanical Garden that will celebrate Halloween this year.
The foundation hopes to showcase handmade decorations on the walk and is offering free “spooky” kits for families to make their own ominous owl, spider web, The Bascom Halloween puppet and more.
Western Carolina University Professor Emeritus Maurice Phipps has released a new book aimed at people who are working or training to work as outdoor instructors.
Outdoor Instruction: Teaching and Learning Concepts for Outdoor Instructors, is available in ebook and print formats. Phipps co-authored the book with his daughters Stephanie and Chelsea Phipps.
“The skill of teaching is different to the skill of an outdoor activity, although both sets of skills can complement each other,” said Phipps. “The art of teaching can be learned through observation and experience but is best anchored in the science of teaching.”
Originally from Great Britain, Phipps
To participate, pick up a kit and drop off creations to the nature center by Wednesday, Oct. 28. Then, if you dare, wander through the Ghostly Garden anytime from Friday, Oct. 30, through Sunday, Nov. 1, to see the decorations. Costumes are encouraged.
The Halloween puppet kit is graciously provided by The Bascom’s Take and Make program. To request a kit or for more information, contact Paige Engelbrektsson at
Join the BikeWalk summit
The ninth annual N.C. BikeWalk Transportation Summit will be held online Nov. 5-6.
The summit aims to foster collaboration between North Carolina’s various champions of safer walking and biking experiences. This year’s event will focus on inclusive transportation and feature voices from transportation users who are often forgotten in transportation planning.
Experts from across the state and beyond will be on hand to share their knowledge and experience on topics including how to build equity into transportation, multimodal integration and the importance of bringing the right voices to the table to be sure that the transportation projects are meeting the needs of those with the fewest choices for mobility.
The $50 registration fee — $15 for students — includes a year’s membership with BikeWalkNC. Register at www.bikewalknc.org/nc-bicycle-summit.
WCU professor releases outdoor instruction book
828.526.2623. has been a competitive paddler, wilderness educator and college professor. He has been a faculty member at Western Carolina University since 1992 and is currently a professor emeritus there. In addition to publishing papers in multiple scientific journals, he is the co-author of two additional books — Canoeing in Australia and The Group Book: Effective Skills for Cooperative Groups.
His most recent title is available from a variety of online retailers and can also be purchased directly at www.booklocker.com. Book contents and a sample chapter can be viewed there as well.
COMMUNITY EVENTS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
• Live Forgiven Church will host a grocery giveaway from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8 at 45 Crown Ridge Road Sylva. The event will be held curbside with safety precautions in place. It is open to anyone with shelf stable items, produce and eggs available to donate. Email FoodMinistry@LiveForgiven.Life for more information. • The Town of Waynesville will conduct its bi-annual Cemetery Clean-up beginning Nov. 9. Cemetery Staff will begin tagging items to be removed on Oct. 12, items not removed by Nov. 9, will be removed by Town Staff and stored for 60 days. For additional assistance, call 828.456.3706. • Macon County Public Health is currently conducting drive-thru flu vaccination clinics every Wednesday in October from 2 to 5 p.m. at 1830 Lakeside drive. No appointment is necessary to receive the vaccination. • Dogwood Health Trust will hold its first annual meeting, virtually, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28. The Annual Meeting is open to the public and will cover updates about Dogwood’s work over the past year. To learn more, visit www.dht.org. • Papertown Winter Market will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Bethel Christian Academy in Canton. Admission is free. Vendors are welcome, the cost is $40 for a table and chair at the Market. Contact Jessica Jones at 828.734.9733 for further details.
BUSINESS & EDUCATION
• Western Carolina University will host Open House on Saturday, Oct. 24, with a new outdoor format to meet safety protocols related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Students are asked to select an arrival time when they register online. Arrival times start at 8:30 a.m. and repeat every hour until 12:30 p.m. Register at openhouse.wcu.edu or by calling the Office of Undergraduate Admissions at 828.227.7317. • Western Carolina University’s Office of Professional Growth & Enrichment will be offering an online High Impact Leadership Certificate from Monday – Friday, Nov. 9-13, with live instruction, activities and interaction. The program will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day with breaks throughout. Register at pdp.wcu.edu or call 828.227.7397.
A&E • The Blue Ridge Heritage Craft & Quilt Exhibit will be held through Oct. 31 at the Haywood County Arts Council on Main Street in Waynesville. www.haywoodarts.org. • Frog Level Brewing (Waynesville) will host Arnold Hill n All phone numbers area code 828 unless otherwise noted. n To have your item listed email to calendar@smokymountainnews.com
(rock/Americana) Friday, Oct. 23 and Mojomatic Saturday, Oct. 24. All shows begin at 6:30 p.m. Free and open to the public.www.froglevelbrewing.com. • Lazy Hiker Brewing (Sylva) will host iliveinoblivion Oct. 24, The Dirty Dead Halloween Party Oct. 31 and The Pony Express Nov. 7. All shows begin at 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. www.lazyhikerbrewing.com. • The Maggie Valley Festival Grounds will host a drivein concert series with Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires (rock/Americana) Nov. 5 and Keller Williams & Friends (jam/acoustic) Nov. 13. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Hosted by The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds, tickets are available at www.thegreyeagle.com. • The Smoky Mountain Event Center (Waynesville) will host a drive-in concert series with Goose (jam/rock) Oct. 17, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong (jam/rock) Oct. 24 and The Marcus King Trio (rock/jam) Oct. 27. All shows begin at 6:45 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Hosted by the Asheville Music Hall, tickets are available at www.ashevillemusichall.com. • The Ghost Town in the Sky parking lot (Maggie Valley) will host a drive-in concert series with St. Paul & The Broken Bones (soul/rock) on Thursday, Oct. 29. All shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Gates open at 6 p.m. Hosted by The Grey Eagle and Worthwhile Sounds, tickets are available at www.thegreyeagle.com. • The Haywood County Arts Council will host a sun spirit faces in clay art class with Jan Kolenda from 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 21. There will also be a Cherokee artist demonstration with Tara McCoy from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 23. www.haywoodarts.org. • The annual Swain County “Trick or Treat” event will be held this year as a drive-thru from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, at the East and West elementary schools. Volunteers are needed and should call 828.508.2795. • The Fall for Waynesville street festival will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, on Main Street. Social distancing and safety protocols will be followed. Presented by the Downtown Waynesville Association. www.downtownwaynesville.com. • There will be Spooky Storytelling with “master storyteller” Tim Hall around the fire pit in front of the Storytelling Center of the Southern Appalachians at 140 Fry Street in downtown Bryson City. The storytelling will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in October, weather permitting.
FOOD & DRINK
• There will be a free wine tasting from 2 to 5 p.m every Saturday at The Wine Bar & Cellar in Sylva. 828.631.3075. • Bosu’s Wine Shop in Waynesville is offering lunch on Saturdays, “Lunch with us” from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring fresh seasonal menu with outdoor seating, weather permitting. 828.452.0120 or www.waynesvillewine.com. Visit www.smokymountainnews.com and click on Calendar for: n Complete listings of local music scene •Bryson City Wine Market offers a new flight line-up of wines to enjoy from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every Friday and Saturday. The Wine Market also offers market plates for two including a wide array of delectable finger foods. n Regional festivals n Art gallery events and openings n Complete listings of recreational offerings at health and fitness centers Come by any day for a glass of wine and a Taste of the n Civic and social club gatherings Market Plate. https://bcwmarket.com sibility of creating a mountain bike system in the Wears Valley area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with the period for written comments remaining open
Outdoors through Nov. 15. Participants can join the meeting using the link https://zoom.us/j/93025295219. A listenonly call-in mode is also available by calling 312.626.6799 and entering the passcode • Every Friday in October, 3-to-5-year-olds and their 93025295219#. parents are invited to participate in the Knee High https://parkplanning.nps.gov/WearsValleyBikeTrails. Naturalist outdoor education program from 10 to 11 • The Southeast Regional Fruit and Vegetable a.m. at the Mountain Retreat and Learning Center in Conference, typically held each year in Savannah, Highlands. The program is free, but attendance is limit- Georgia, will be offered virtually this year Jan. 5-7. For ed to 10 people each session, so registration is required more information, visit www.seregionalconference.org, at 828.526.2623. or call 877.994.3842. • Friends of the WNC Nature Center will host four • Outdoor Mission Community, formerly known as evening events in October and November that will fea- Outdoor Mission Camp, is seeking volunteers to aid in ture opportunities to learn about red wolves, gray trip planning, leadership, skills certifications and more, wolves and coyotes. Wolf Howl programs 6 to 8 p.m. with a pair of training trips now on the calendar. Sign Nov. 6 will be geared toward adults, and kid-friendly up for training events online at www.outdoormissionJunior Wolf Howl programs for families will be held 6 to community.org or contact Jamie Shackleford at 8 p.m. Oct. 30. Purchase tickets at 336.583.9932. www.wildwnc.org/events. • A display of 50 powerful paintings showcasing the • MountainTrue will hold its annual gathering in a vir- most remote and wild corners of the Canadian Arctic is tual format this year, slated for 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, on display through Jan. 3 at the N.C. Arboretum in Oct. 21, via Zoom. Attendance is free, but membership Asheville. Entrance to the exhibit is free with the is required. Sign up and get the Zoom link at arboretum’s standard $16 parking fee. Face coverings www.mountaintrue.org/annual-gathering-2020. Raffle are required for visitors age 5 and older. tickets are $10 apiece or three for $20. • The ninth annual N.C. BikeWalk Transportation Summit will be held online Nov. 5-6. The $50 registration fee — $15 for students — includes a year’s membership with BikeWalkNC. Register at www.bikewalknc.org/nc-bicycle-summit. • The Highlands Biological Foundation needs help to create a Ghostly Garden for families to walk through on the self-guided hike through the Highlands Botanical Garden that will celebrate Halloween this year. To participate, pick up a kit and drop off creations to the nature center by Wednesday, Oct. 28. Call 828.526.2623. • Haywood County Recreation and Parks is offering an 8 week course on fly tying with instructors Tommy Thomas and Ray Sugg. Class will begin on Oct. 26 for 8 consecutive Mondays from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Folkmoot Center located at 112 Virginia Ave, Waynesville. To register contact the Recreation Department at 828.452.6789. • A virtual meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, will give people the chance to weigh in on a recently released environmental assessment examining the pos-
HIKING CLUBS
• The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 5mile hike, elevation change 600 ft., from Jones Gap on the NC Bartram Trail to a spur trail up White Rock Mountain on Saturday, Oct. 24. The club will meet at 145 Main St., #1 Nails in Highlands at 9 a.m.. Call Leader Robin Lurie, 954.632.7270, for reservations. Visitors are welcome. • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 6mile hike, elevation change 600 ft., to Camp Branch off Wayah Road on Saturday, Oct. 24. The club will meet at Westgate Plaza at 8:30 a.m.. Call leader Katharine Brown, 421.4178, for reservations. Visitors and dogs on a leash are welcome. • The Nantahala Hiking Club will take a moderate 4.5 mile hike, elevation change 600 ft., from Deep Creek to Indian Creek in Smoky Mountains National Park on Saturday, Oct. 31. The club will meet in the Bi-Lo parking lot at 9 a.m.. Call leader Gail Lehman, 524.5298, for reservations. Visitors are welcome.
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REVOLUTIONS
ACROSS
1 Mad crowd 4 Ritchie Valens hit of 1959 11 Artificial waterway 16 Jacuzzi joint 19 LAX screeners 20 Mining stuff 21 "Ad -- per aspera" 22 Formal duds for a dude 23 Some Sufi ascetics 26 Server's goal 27 Actress Garr 28 Was ahead 29 Julio's gold 30 "Much obliged" 32 Air-cooling vanes 36 Means of telling time 38 -- good clip 39 Writer Capote, to pals 41 Steed feed 42 Firestone products 50 Lots and lots 54 Gotten up 55 Technique: Abbr. 56 Feel ill 57 Gloomy 59 -- mater 60 Wolf down 62 They succeeded audiotapes 65 "Yipes!" 67 Big lug 68 Ward (off) 69 Alley hisser 70 Ax-wielding lumberjack 72 Dust devils' cousins 75 Old overlords 77 Lupino of "Jennifer" 78 "Arrow" network 80 Quarterback Dawson 81 Big printer brand 83 Carnival classics 86 Coll. email ender 87 Faint trace 90 Tax 91 "Kidnapped" author's inits. 92 Choose 94 Paradisiacal 96 Talk back to 97 Planets, e.g. 100 Fill-in worker 103 Tyke 104 Pampering, for short 105 Record player parts 110 Kids hold their horses on them 116 Tile design 117 German city 118 It fills la Seine 119 Et -- (and others) 120 "Devious Maids" actress Ortiz 121 What 10 of this puzzle's answers do 127 Beer barrel 128 See 116-Down 129 What's often decorated for Christmas 130 "-- your call" 131 Sooner than, in odes 132 One-of- -- (unique) 133 Bleepers of bad words 134 Tofu source
DOWN
1 Letters of the weekday 2 Actor Milo 3 Scottish tyke 4 Wee, like Abner 5 Meyers of the screen 6 -- Jovi 7 Point of view 8 In a self-effacing way 9 Engendered 10 Ireland's -- Lingus 11 Nile capital 12 Professional org. 13 -- degree 14 Soul queen Franklin 15 Beat against, as waves 16 Get up 17 NHL game souvenirs 18 Lines of symmetry 24 Celery piece 25 Loudness knob abbr. 31 Actor Aziz -- 33 Like flimsy excuses 34 Expiated 35 Little dollop 36 Shorten 37 Wallops in the ring 40 Create a new digital image of 42 Small battery type 43 E-address 44 Sci-fi travel facilitators 45 Inedible kind of orange 46 Suffix with 116-Across 47 Answer to "Are you?" 48 Teases mercilessly 49 Give a thrill 51 Conductor Arturo 52 Film award 53 Jays' places 57 "Girl Code" channel 58 Dramatist Clifford 61 In -- (agitated) 63 Bar none 64 Examined before robbing 66 "-- a jealous mistress" 67 "1984" novelist George 70 LP players of old 71 Plant swelling 73 Earthy hue, to Brits 74 Explorer Hernando 76 Seeded 79 1940s pres. 82 Hopi abode 84 Speakers' platforms 85 Ending for Siam 86 Zeta follower 88 You, in German 89 Many laptops 93 British island in Polynesia 95 Film providing a factual report, for short 97 Tax-filing pro 98 Rd. relatives 99 Piece of mail: Abbr. 101 Riddle 102 Highest peak in N.Z. 105 Copier stuff 106 Application 107 Martin Van -- 108 Bridges of film 109 Rhea relative 111 Moms' sisters, say 112 Cyst, e.g. 113 -- Island (old immigration point) 114 Give a false story 115 Spacek of "The River" 116 With 128-Across, earn wages 118 Falco of TV 122 DiFranco of song 123 The Rams' gridiron gp. 124 -- -Magnon 125 Ending for cash 126 Abode: Abbr.
ANSWERS ON PAGE 34
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