Car Accident Victim on Forest Service Road waits for 22 hours for help to come

Joe "Clooney" Rodriguez, a recent move-in to Monroe County TN escaped serious injury in what could have been a deadly single-vehicle car crash on USFS Wildcat Creek road just 10 miles from Tellico Plains on July 22, 2024. 

The good news was that he was not hurt and his cell phone still had service, 'Thumbs-up' for Boost Mobile--although he did not call 911. Joe said he spent the rainy overnight ordeal sleeping underneath the car. 

A USFS service employee happened to drive by and did report the accident to the Tellico ranger station, but they did not do any follow-up or offer assistance...this should serve as a warning to others: if possible, travel in a group or caravan and have plenty of supplies while on rural forest service roads. Use your head and plan ahead or you could easily become "bear food."

There are a few full-time dwellers and some vacation homes near the Cherokee National Forest, and most of the locals know their neighbors: "strangers and outsiders" are quickly recognized. 

No tow truck service companies were willing to come out to the remote crash site except Shep's garage from Tellico Plains: they came out and did the salvage op/recovery. If not for the big tree, he would have fallen down a deep ravine and the outcome of the crash would have been entirely different. There are similar accidents yearly, see statistics of U.S Forest Service road accidents on Accidentdatacenter.com

Running on the Forest Trails--Endurance Event July 20, and 21st

 

East Coast Adventures is sponsoring an endurance mountain event on some of the most beautiful trails of the Southern Cherokee National Forest.

It is a challenging mountain trail run event. To sign up and other information see the East Coast Adventures Website https://ultrarunning.com/calendar/event/the-cherokee If you are more of a hiker than a runner check out http://www.cherokeehikingclub.org/

Car Rally Race may soon to be 10 Times Bigger, if allowed to continue

Derek Wooley KD5UBL, one of the chief collaborators in the recent Car Rally Race in Polk County TN is giddy with joy as he announces what he hopes will take place in 2 to 3 years in our Cherokee National Forest.

    After its Deadliest Year, Rally Race Presses On

Road and Track magazine reports: "It's a sport on the fringes. Advertising dollars don't rain in for a sport that doesn't lend itself to television or even in person-viewing. 

The previous 19 months have hit the rally world hard: 3 deaths during rallies and two other drivers, including one of the sport's biggest, passing away in crashes away from the course."

USFS District Ranger Supervisors are not evaluating any other requests for future rally race events. 

John Muir and other great naturalists that came before us would cringe at the thought of turning our Great Wilderness into a pit of Zombie Hell.

Sparks Fly at USFS Meeting: Racetrack Event through the Forest Considered an "Environmental Crime"

Even though greedy corporate interests have managed to sway or influence forest service supervisors in other parts of the country, the proposed car rally race on June 15-16 in a Wildlife Management Area at the Starr Mountain Wilderness is in direct violation of "The Wilderness Act."  

A Local resident asks "Why do you want to destroy our Natural Wilderness?" ...Another local resident says a friend was sentenced to almost 2 years in prison for accidentally damaging a tree in the forest: 2 days of car rally racing would have a much more severe impact on the environment.

Hiwassee Ocoee District Ranger Supervisor Philip Earhart has decided to authorize all portions of National Forest Service Roads (NFSRs) 23, 44, 55, 67, 99, 103, 220, 221, 302, and 1333 on National Forest System Lands on the Ocoee Ranger District, Cherokee National Forest, Polk and Monroe Counties, Tennessee for rally car racing events on June 15-16, 2024.

One of the first of many comments at a recent rally forum community meeting described how a man had been convicted to a year and a half in federal prison because he crossed the creek in his truck and accidentally damaged a tree at Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park... "You know what it cost that man? non-dui, non-drug, he just damaged a tree with his Toyota truck-he served 1-
1/2 years in prison because it's federal land."...Two days of car rally races in the forest would have a much more severe impact on the forest environment.

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