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| List: Carolina-Leps Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2024 06:39:04 -0400 From: Doug Allen (via carolinaleps Mailing List) <carolinaleps...> Subject: Hi Jeff from Doug Allen |
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--0000000000003485650625af5088 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT My apologies for inconsistent sampling of the two Tryon Peak surveys. It's been a combination of advancing age, inflexible scheduling, and more recently the extensive damage from hurricane Helene to both the sample areas and my home. At home, we had my 66 'ham radio tower collapse on the roof, plus a dozen big trees down in our yard. Despite limited energy reserves, I have done more physical work this past month than anytime in recent years, and am close to removing all the heavy, damaged 10' tower sections, the many damaged antennas, and the many guy wires and antenna wires from the roof which fortunately suffered mostly minor damage with no leaks. Repairs and new shingles are supposed to begin soon. I'm less than half way toward getting some of the fallen tree limbs to the side of the road for free county pickup, with the main job of removing very large fallen and leaning trees costing over $10,000 whenever the tree company is available. Many others here in upstate SC and western NC have far more urgent needs. My weekly infusion schedule in NC makes for an inflexible and and less than optimal time for butterfly field tripping. In addition, the NC DOT ruined the butterfly habitat of the lower NC1199 route which has had almost no nectar plants since, and was still impassable with downed trees recently. The age thing is what it is. I have a limited amount of energy and have missed doing the unscheduled field trips I made in previous years based on my schedule, the weather, and my energy levels. And that explains why I, regretfully, must discontinue the two surveys. I'm 84 now and very fortunate to still be able to do so many things, but scheduling a specific day and time for an arduous hike no longer works for me. I do hope to occasionally survey the two NC routes next year, Jeff, thank you for your encouragement and all your great efforts and wonderful results in nature education and documentation. Doug Allen --0000000000003485650625af5088 Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <div dir=3D"ltr"><div>=C2=A0 My apologies for inconsistent sampling of the = two Tryon Peak surveys. It's been a combination of advancing age, infle= xible scheduling, and more recently the extensive damage from hurricane Hel= ene to both the sample areas and my home. At home, we had my 66 'ham ra= dio tower collapse on the roof, plus a dozen big trees down in our yard. De= spite limited energy reserves, I have done more physical work this past mon= th than anytime in recent years, and am close to removing=C2=A0 all the hea= vy, damaged 10' tower sections, the many damaged antennas, and the many= guy wires and antenna wires from the roof which fortunately suffered mostl= y minor damage with no leaks. Repairs and new shingles are supposed to begi= n soon.=C2=A0 I'm less than half way toward getting some of the fallen = tree limbs to the side of the road for free county pickup, with the main jo= b of removing very large fallen and leaning trees costing over $10,000 when= ever the tree company is available. Many others here in upstate SC and west= ern NC have far more urgent needs. <br></div><div><br></div><div>=C2=A0=C2= =A0 My weekly infusion schedule in NC makes for an inflexible and and less = than optimal time for butterfly field tripping.=C2=A0 In addition, the NC D= OT ruined the butterfly habitat of the lower NC1199 route which has had alm= ost no nectar plants since, and was still impassable with downed trees rece= ntly.=C2=A0 <br></div><div><br></div><div>=C2=A0The age thing is what it is= . I have a limited amount of energy and have missed doing the unscheduled f= ield trips I made in previous years based on my schedule, the weather, and = my energy levels.=C2=A0 And that explains why I, regretfully, must disconti= nue the two surveys. I'm 84 now and very fortunate to still be able to = do so many things, but scheduling a specific day and time for an arduous hi= ke no longer works for me. I do hope to occasionally survey the two NC rout= es next year,<br></div><div><br></div><div>Jeff, thank you for your encoura= gement and all your great efforts and wonderful results in nature education= and documentation.</div><div><br></div><div>Doug Allen<br></div></div> --0000000000003485650625af5088-- |
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