Gadsden Grotto’s Second Trip to TAG Work Weekend

Friday August 8th, Sadie, Mark and I went with Jim Loftin on a 2nd trip to TAG work weekend. We arrived that afternoon, Daniel a member of the DCG was waiting at the end of the driveway for some one to unlock the gate. We decided to go check to see if the if the gate was locked, ( some times gates look Like they’re locked) so Jim got out and checked. We went through the gate, parked and set up camp at one of the clearing areas that looked flat. After awhile, Daniel drove up, she saw that we never came back so she figured the gate must have been unlocked. We introduced ourselves, Sadie being close to her age found someone to hang out with. She had a cool little dog with her named Baby Girl she got her to do several neat tricks smart little dog. Sadie and I built a little fire ring while the others gathered rocks for it, and picked up sticks and logs to get the campfire going. More friends of Daniel came up who was also a DCG volunteer. Sadie went them to the field to stargaze. Sadie said that she saw 9—10 shooting stars while sitting there. The sky was really clear, you could see the Milky way, and the wind was really breezy . We had to get up early the next morning to clean up , so we got into our tents and crashed out. I slept like a baby, the breeze felt good blowing into our tent. When we awoke the next morning, we went to Pat’s Diner to eat a good wholesome B’fast before we had to start cleaning on the new site. We lucked out because this was the weekend that the Big Yard Sale was happening which stretches across lookout mountain and runs into Ohio. We got back to the work site, the DCG members and “The Pup” with the Sewanee Grotto was already working. On this 2nd clean-up trip, The yellow Jackets were really bad. Nests everywhere, Mark got flagging tape to let everyone know where they nests were so we could pour gasoline into them when it got dark. There were several yellow jacket traps spread throughout the site but there were too many colonies to catch all of them. Mud Puppy was stung while he was weed eating. We’re all working together on getting everything cleared off and everythings starting to look fantastic. Sadie worked hard picking up debris. We helped Maureen measure the shower area for the block layers, and used the sling blade to hack down the tall briars and small debris. Mark and Jim were picking up the logs the the tree-cutters cut down, and placing limbs in the fire. Just like the yellow jackets, We were “ Busy little bees ourselves.” and had our on little colony. At the end of the day before we left to go back home, we went to the field and helped Jim Willbanks and among many others sliding electrical wire through conduits have power. The water is already running, the roads are much smoother. Need I say any more? Much was done since the last time we did work Weekend. There is No such thing of a word called “procrastination” at . TAG on the Mountain. We’re hoping to do another volunteer Work Weekend soon. The camp sites are in the making, and DCG needs all the help they can to make this successful in the near future. Thanks to the DCG for keeping up the good ole “TAG TRADITION” and with the help from others, the Birmingham Grotto, and the Gadsden grotto, So far Jim, Mark & I, and sadie has not been stung by the yellow jackets. yet. I’m not going to count my chickens before they hatch
Tag is here to stay!!!”
27 Annual Tag Fall Cave in here we come!!!
Written By: Kelly A Keener