Erin Hatfield has hiked all of the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to become a member of the 900 Miler Club. Hatfield completed her map on December 14, 2024, with a loop of the Gatlinburg, Old Sugarlands and Twin Creeks Trails.
Wm. Rodney Neil on the completion of his 2nd Map, a reverse map, of the GSMNP 900 Miler Challenge, completed 11/25/24.
She is a former reporter/producer for WVLT television and now handles communications and special events for the Boyd Center at the Haslam College of Business at UT.
As of January 17, 2025, the 900 Miler Club had 869 members.
The club was founded in 1995 by “Louisiana Lou” Murray, who operated a printing shop on Clinton Highway at the time. She is now in St. Cloud, Florida, leading music in a Methodist church. Lou is one-of-a-kind.
UT-Knoxville wins wind tunnel grant
UT-Knoxville, in conjunction with the UT Space Institute, has won a $17.8 million grant from the United States Air Force to create a new innovative wind tunnel.
The new wind tunnel, which will be housed in Tullahoma, as part of UTK’s Tickle College of Engineering, will join only a handful of wind tunnels in the world that can mimic the conditions of hypersonic flight. The work is crucial to the future of hypersonic vehicles such as space shuttles, which slam into Earth’s atmosphere at nearly Mach 25. That tremendous speed heats the shuttle’s surface above 2600 degrees Fahrenheit and subjects it to extreme pressures for up to 15 minutes.
Outdoor Knoxville
Maintain those resolutions with a neighborhood run, walk or hike. Your best source for these opportunities is Legacy Parks’ Outdoor Knoxville events calendar, compiled by Elle Colquitt. Here.
January 28 – February 1
Wilderness Wildlife Week: Jan 28-Feb 1: 9 a.m.-8:30 p.m., Ramsey Hotel & Conference Center. Free. Info: My Pigeon Forge at 800-251-9100. Join us in celebrating the abundance of wildlife, plants, trees, wildflowers and history of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park through a series of classes, seminars, demonstrations, guided hikes, panel discussions, and workshops. Details and registration online.
Saturday, February 1
Hot for Chocolate 5k: 9 a.m., World’s Fair Park. Info: Personal Best Racing at 865-567-0358. Celebrate chocolate with a 5k run with a chocolatey finish. Eddie’s Health Shoppe will be there serving up chocolate dipped goodies at the finish line. Register online.
AMBC Trail Workday: 9 a.m. to noon, William Hastie Natural Area. Info: Appalachian Mountain Bike Club. We’ll be doing trail maintenance. Lunch provided at noon. AMBC will provide the tools, bring gloves, safety glasses, and water. Details online.
Sunday, February 2
World Wetlands Day Cleanup: 10 a.m., Norris Dam State Park. Info: 865-426-7461. Meet at the boat ramp for trash cleanup and invasive removal. Bring lunch. Register online.
Knox Frost Disc Golf League: 2 p.m., The Claytons. Info: Knoxville Disc Golf Association. Disc golf singles tournament. Check In at 1 p.m., Tee off at 2 p.m. Register online.
