The Shady Valley / Mountain City CBC will be held this Saturday, December 29. The Weather Forecast: Shady Valley, TN and Mountain City, TN I've been holding off this email as long as I could because of the weather forecast. I've been watching it over the last few days and I don't think that it will be fine to still have the count as scheduled. If, however, you feel comfortable coming out in the rain / snow showers.. I will understand completely. Use your own judgement and do what you feel is best for you. With the low only 33 on Friday night and the high to be in the lower 40's on Saturday - whatever falls will be wet instead of icy. But there cold be some slick spots so keep that in mind and be careful. The colder air looks to be coming Saturday night. Hopefully everyone will be done with their area by that time. Friday Night - Rain and Snow Showers - No accumulation expected as of now. Low 33. Saturday - Rain and Show Showers - No accumulation expected as of now. Hi: 43, Low 23. If this weather forecast changes tomorrow - I will make a decision, but there is a good chance there will NOT be a make up date if it has to be cancelled. If Saturday does have to be cancelled and someone else wants to coordinate the make up date, I would still be willing to enter in the data on the Audubon Web Site. Let's hope that's not the case. :-) Ok - The Parties Since my last email to Bristol Birds, I know that Tom McNeil and Ron Carrico are still leading their areas - and since I haven't heard from Wallace Coffey and Rick Knight I will assume they are still leading their area or have gotten someone to be in there area. All the leaders know their area so I won't get into the details of that here. Contact me off the board if you need any more contact info for any of the leaders. Their emails are listed below and they can be contacted to schedule start times for each party and where to meet. Rick Knight - rknight@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Tom McNeil - tsmcneil@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wallace Coffey - jwcoffey@xxxxxxxxxx Rob Biller / Ron Carrico - xyon42@xxxxxxxxx Tom McNeil and Rick Knight have the Mountain City section - both east and west of Mountain City. Ron Carrico and Wallace Coffey have the Shady Valley area - both east and west of the cross roads. Ron Carrico and Wallace Coffey start at the restaurant at the cross roads on the corner of hwy 91 and hwy 421. The building with the small silo in the parking lot. Usually just before sunrise you can find both parties getting breakfast here. So for those wanting to bird Shady Valley, this is a good place to meet up with one of their parties. I can provide directions here to get to Shady Valley for those wanting to bird the Shady Valley but those birding with Rick Knight or Tom McNeil need to get directions from them if there is any questions. Directions to Shady Valley From Kingsport, Bristol area - (those from Kingsport will need to take 11W to get to Bristol first) take Hwy 421 south past South Holston Lake, then over Holston Mountain which drops into Shady Valley. The restaurant will be on the right at the flashing light. https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Kingsport,+TN&daddr=Shady+Valley,+TN&hl=en&ll=36.587455,-82.206481&spn=0.235698,0.528374&sll=36.4676,-82.074376&sspn=0.236063,0.528374&geocode=FVKvLQId5TQU-ymXSwdwa4VaiDEfhMwL08Ccbw%3BFX4_LQIdMdgd-ynVHx6Ll2hQiDEFWBLXKVqS_Q&oq=Kingsport&t=w&mra=ls&z=12 From Abingdon, VA, Lebanon, VA, etc.. (From Lebanon take Hwy 19 to Abingdon) then take Hwy 75 / Hwy 44 to Hwy 421 South past South Holston Lake, then over Holston Montain which drops into Shady Valley. The restaurant will be on the right at the flashing light. https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Lebanon,+VA&daddr=Shady+Valley,+TN&hl=en&ll=36.596656,-82.020989&spn=0.117835,0.264187&sll=36.587455,-82.206481&sspn=0.235698,0.528374&geocode=FU4QMwIdfY4b-ylTD_rwBAVQiDEyoa4f06nIDg%3BFX4_LQIdMdgd-ynVHx6Ll2hQiDEFWBLXKVqS_Q&oq=Leb&t=w&mra=ls&z=13 From Johnson City Take 321 through Elizabethton - then briefly on 19W to Hwy 91 through Stoney Creek. Stay on Hwy 91 until you cross - Cross Mountain which drops down on the other side into Shady Valley. Stay on Hwy 91 until the flashing light at the crossroads and the restaurant will be on the left just before the flashing light. https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Johnson+City,+TN&daddr=Shady+Valley,+TN&hl=en&ll=36.371753,-82.163153&spn=0.236354,0.528374&sll=36.579909,-82.119532&sspn=0.471441,1.056747&geocode=FWAZKgIdv2IX-ylbo0FR23xaiDHLYwV8DCrmPA%3BFX4_LQIdMdgd-ynVHx6Ll2hQiDEFWBLXKVqS_Q&oq=Johnson&t=w&mra=ls&z=12 Any other questions - email me at xyon42@xxxxxxxxx. If you show up to Shady Valley after the parties have started, you may call me (423-571-4242) and I can help you find where either party is. If I can get to the phone or I'm out of signal, leave a message and I will call you back as soon as I get the message. Good luck to all the parties and, once again, you can email me the results and I will compile them that way. Robert Biller Compiler Shady Valley / Mountain City CBC Elizabethton, TN