Small Falls on Chinnabee Silent Trail
by Bill Chambers
Title
Small Falls on Chinnabee Silent Trail
Artist
Bill Chambers
Medium
Photograph - Photographic Art
Description
Small waterfall along the Chinnabee Silent Trail within the Talladega National Forest and Cheaha State Park in NE Alabama. The name of the trail is special because the trail was conceived and built by a Boy Scout Troop from the Alabama School for the Deaf (ASD). The school was formed in 1858 as part of the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind. In 1934 the school made scouting a part of the school to provide valuable life lessons and to encourage the appreciation of nature. I have backpacked extensively on the many trails in north Alabama and have twice had the pleasure of coming upon a group of blind and deaf students backpacking the same trail. The first time was quite a shock to see 7-10 blind and deaf students coming toward me on the trail, approximately four or five miles from the nearest road or trailhead. Obviously, they had several sighted instructors with them, but the students seemed to need extraordinarily little assistance along the trail. The sighted leader at the front came up to me and kindly asked me if I would step off the trail to allow them to pass. They moved at a slow pace while reaching out to feel trees, leaves, branches, etc. It was very enlightening to watch their faces as they felt the bark of different kinds of trees and the different textures of leaves. They were definitely “seeing” the trail in their own way, and I immediately suspected they knew and understood the trail better than perhaps I did. That was a very memorable encounter for me, and even life changing in a way. Before that encounter, it was more about the miles, but afterwards it became more about the journey. I slowed down and looked more, would stop, and sit and just watch the woods and listen to the wind. Because of that encounter, I started driving backroads instead of interstates, and lately have even taken that to extremes on occasion by selecting dirt roads when I find the time and can get good county maps. On my last trip from Homosassa Springs to my home (359 miles according to MapQuest), I managed to drive 128 miles of that on dirt, including several backtracks on roads that were either blocked or were flooded, etc. Anyway, instead of driving 6 hours and 359 miles on Hwy 19, it ended up taking two days and a little over 575 miles, but I had the most wonderful time. I ended up spending the night camped at a little place I had never heard of before, Shired Island, right on the Gulf of Mexico and there may not have been another human within miles of me. It just does not get more delightful than that. So, to those brave souls who lack both sight and the ability to hear, yet still dare to venture out and explore, I thank you for your wonderful “vision” and inspiration.
Uploaded
December 19th, 2020
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