The Competitive Edge

• 12 Hours of Tsali, May 17. Teams of up four riders, or solo riders, will make laps on the trails of Tsali in this endurance mountain bike race from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. goneriding.com or call 352.873.9279.

Outings

• Birding Field Trip, May 17. The Highlands Plateau Audubon Society will have a birding field trip to the Lonesome Valley development in Cashiers. Meet at the public parking area next to the Highlands Town Hall at 7:30 a.m. if you want to car pool to Cashiers. For those in Cashiers, meet at Lonesome Valley at 8 a.m. Call Edwin Pool at 828.526.2775 or Romney Bathurst at 828.526.1939.

• Girls at Play Women’s Weekend, May 17-18. Nantahala Outdoor Center holds a two-day program of hiking, yoga, lake paddling and more for women.noc.com.

• Ancient Landscapes Drift Trip, May 20. Canoe a short section of the Little Tennessee River near Franklin, through what were the Middle Towns of the Cherokee while learning about the Cherokee that once occupied the land. $75 per person and includes equipment, lunch and shuttle service. Organzied by Highlands Biological Station. 828.526.2602 or email ahinkle@email.wcu.edu.

Outdoor Education

• Fly-Fishing Talk, May 8. Guides Rod and Matt Champion will discuss fishing the Holston and Watauga rivers, both listed in Trout Unlimited's top 100 trout streams. Hosted by The Plateau Fly Fishing Club. Held at 7 p.m. at the Cashiers library. 828.743.2078.

• Greenway discovery walk, May 9. Bring binoculars and view the wonders of the bird world. Led by Friends of the Greenway. Meet at 9 a.m. at FROG headquarters at 573 E. Main Street in Franklin. 828.369.8488.

• Guided bird walks, May 10. 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Cradle of Forestry. Reserve a spot by calling 828.877.3130. The Cradle of Forestry is located on U.S. 276 four miles south of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Entrance is $5 for adults For more information, go to www.cradleofforestry.org

• Herblore of the Smokies, May 10. Spend a day discovering how to identify plants and trees Native Americans and early settlers used for dye, food, medicines, crafts, and other items of daily life. Great Smoky Mountains National Park. $49. 865.974.0150.

• Birding for beginners, May 10. Cover the basics of binoculars, field guides, checklists, and CDs, and then learn the simple steps to identifying birds, including the ears. Then spend most of the day in the feld. Great Smoky Mountains National Park. $49. 865.974.0150.

• Salamader forray, May 13. Venture to the Davidson River to look for hellbender salamanders, a gigantic salamander. Led by Highlands Biological Station. $25 per person and includes equipment and lunch. 828-526-2602 or email ahinkle@email.wcu.edu.

• All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory training, May 17. Volunteers get a crash course on the All Taxa Biological Inventory in the Smokies and learn about ways they can assist with the undertaking. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 865.430.4758 or email heather@dlia.org.

• Waterfall photography, May 18. Designed for the advanced beginner who would like to take their moving water photography to the next level. Held in the field at a waterfall. 9 a.m. to noon. Free. Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education. Located on U.S 276 south of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Call to reserve a spot. 828.877.4423.

Environmental Concerns

• Pigeon River Watershed Rafting Trip, May 9. Part of a spotlight on water quality of the river downstream of the Canton paper mill. Rafting done on river in Tennessee. Organized by French Broad Link. RSVP to riverkeeper@riverlink.org to attend.

Special Events

• Audubon Society Recognition Ceremony, May 10. 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Highlands Nature Center. There will be mountain music, light refreshments, exhibits by local conservation organizations and the opportunity to speak with state and local experts on bird and habitat conservation issues. A bird walk for both novices and experts will be held at the Nature Center prior to the program at 7 a.m. To go on the bird walk, call 828.787.1230.

• International Migratory Bird Day, May 10. Guided bird walks are offered at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Family-oriented activities begin at 1 p.m. focusing on bird adaptations, conservation, and natural history. Held at the Cradle of Forestry. 828.877.3130.

• Annual Mother’s Day Tour de Falls, May 10 and 11. Shuttles make a circuit to numerous waterfalls in Dupont State Forest allowing visitors to get on and off and take short strolls at each falls. Shuttles are handicap accessible. Donation of $10 per person to Friends of DuPont Forest. www.dupontforest.com or 828.862.5618. www.dupontforest.com.

• Elk Bugle Corp Volunteer Recruitment. Each volunteer is being asked to work at least two evenings per month for approximately three hours prior to sunset, during the period May 23-Nov. 2. This target period is during high visitor use from late spring during the calving season through the end of fall color season after the elk mating period. Interested persons should contact the Park’s Volunteer Coordinator Babette Collavo by May 8, at 865.436.1265, to receive an information packet and application. Potential volunteers are required to attend one of the mandatory training sessions scheduled for May 17 and 22.

Farm & Garden

• Gardening Basics Seminar, May May 8. For individuals who are new to gardening or new to the area and would like to learn more on how to establish and maintain a vegetable garden. 2 to 4 p.m. at the Swain Office May 8. 828.586.4009 or 828.488.3848.

• Landscaping classes, May 13-June 17. Meets twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon. Travel to the other participants yards to discuss landscaping issues pertinent to the site and for case studies in landscape design. $25. Haywood County Cooperative Extension. 828.456.3575.

• Garden Tour, May 16. Join friends of Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust for a tour of the beautiful “Smith Gardens.” Sign-up by calling 828.526.1111, Julie.hitrust@earthlink.net.

• Recycled Mulch is for sale through the Jackson County Solid Waste Department. $10 per load. Call 828.586.7509 for more information.

• Waynesville’s Farmers’ Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays and Saturdays at the intersection of Russ Avenue and Main Street.

• Canton’s Farmers’ Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesday and Thursdays on Park Street.

• The Pigeon Valley Farmers’ Market is open from 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday next to the COl Mountain Market on U.S. 276.

• Sylva’s Farmers’ Market is open from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays in the town parking lot off Mill Street.

• Franklin’s Farmers’ Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturdays on West Palmer Street.

• Bryson City’s Beautiful Day Farmers’ and Artists’ Market is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays at the corner of Main and Veterans.

• The Cherokee Farmers’ Market is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Fridays on Acquoni Road.

Group Meetings

• A Smoky Mountains chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, at Fat Buddies Barbeque in Franklin. The cost is $12, which includes dinner. For more information, call Grant Keener at 828.342.4330.

• Pigeon Valley Bassmasters will meet May 7. The group normally meets the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the library in Canton. 828.884.2846 or email middlefork@citcom.net.

• Tuckaseigee Chapter of Trout Unlimited, May 13. Fishermen from Haywood, Jackson, Macon and Swain welcome. Meets second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. United Community Bank on N.C. 107 in Sylva.

• Smoky Mountain Beekeepers meet at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of every month in the Whittier Community Building in Whittier. Open to anyone interested in honeybees. 828.554.6935.

• The sylva Garden Club meets at 9:30 a.m. the first Tuesday of each month at the Presbyterian Church. bscreven@earthlink.net or 828.586.1640.

• WNC Sportsmans Club meets at 6:30 p.m. the first Monday night of each month at the Juke Box Junction Restaurant located in Bethel at the junction of US 276 and NC 110.

Bike Rides

• benefit bike ride, May 25. 30-mile ride through the Burningtown area of Macon County. Organized by Smoky Mountain Bicycles in Franklin. Depart from the shop at 10 a.m. The ride benefits local cyclist Alan McGovern, who was diagnosed with melanoma. $15 donation. 828.369.2881.

• Sylva: Tuesday at 6 p.m. Depart from Motion Makers bike shop for a 25-mile ride up to the Balsam Post office via back roads and back into Sylva. 828.586.6925.

• Bryson City: Wednesday around 6 p.m. Depart from the East Swain Elementary school in Whittier on U.S.19 of exit 69 from U.S. 23-74. 800.232.7238, ext. 158.

• Franklin: Sunday at 1 p.m. departing from the Franklin Health & Fitness Center on Main Street in Franklin. fhfc@smnet.net or 828.369.5608 and ask for Tom.

• Franklin: Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. departing from Smoky Mountain Bicycles at 179 Highlands Road. Geared for all levels. 828.369.2881.

Hiking Clubs

The public is invited on Carolina Mountain Club, Fontana Hiking Club, Nantahala Hiking Club and Mountain High Hikers outings. However, non-members must call for more information if planing to attend. Selected upcoming hikes include the following:

• High Falls and Thurston Hatcher Falls, May 10. Scenic hike. 2.5 miles, easy. NHC. 10 a.m. 828.743.1079.

• Sams Gap to Devil Fork Gap, May 11. 8.5 miles along the AT. CMC. 9 a.m. 828.236.0192.

• Little Rock Branch, May 18. 2.5 easy miles at Standing Indian Campground. NHC. 2 p.m. 828.369.6820.

• Standing Indian Circuit, May 18. 11 miles in the Nantahala National Forest. CMC. 8 a.m. 828.213.9701.

• Bee Tree Gap to Ox Creek, May 25. Moderate 7.9 mile hike on the MST. CMC. 9 a.m. 812.738.8154.

• Memorial Day Joint Hike, May 26. 9 or 12.4 mile hike with the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club. CMC. 8 a.m. 828.298.5013.

• Warwoman Dell to the Pinnacle, May 31. 6 miles along the Bartram Trail. NHC. 9 a.m. 828.524.5298.

For more information about joining a hiking club or upcoming excursions visit www.carolinamtnclub.org, www.fontanvillage.com/thisdamlife, www.maconcommunity.org/nhc or www.mountainhighhikers.org.