Appalachian Trail Kick Off!
March 8-10, join authors, Appalachian Trail Hikers, Vendors, Hiking Clubs, and Friends as we celebrate the Appalachian Trail! Meet Gene Espy, learn hiking tricks from the pros, enjoy demonstrations and see what's new in the hiking world!
Friends volunteers will be busy helping to set up, host, meet and greet and support this big event at Amicalola Falls. Make sure to visit the Friends table set up to learn more about memberships and support Friends through your purchase of an event tee shirt. Friends hopes to raise funds for room partitions and room darkening drapes for the lodge lobby area.
Some of the birds of prey will be shown by the volunteers throughout the weekend.
Friends volunteers fund the lodging and meals for the guest speakers and welcome bags for all the speakers and vendors. If you are ever planning to attempt to hike the entire Appalachian Trail then this weekend is a MUST. Don't miss this exciting and informative special event!
For a complete schedule, keep reading!
Friday – March 8th
7:00 pm JOEL ZACHRY, 2005 AT Thru-hiker, Alaska Backcountry Guide, Instructor, and Author of Bears We Have Met, shares his knowledge of these fascinating creatures and answers questions about what to do if you encounter a black bear on your hike!
8:00 pm PACK RAT PROS – if a new hiker is willing to have their pack publicly scrutinized, our pros will "tuckerize" your pack and lighten your load! It's a learning experience for everyone!
Saturday – March 9th
9:00 am TREKKING ABROAD - THE SKY'S THE LIMIT! Join multi-book author Bill (Skywalker) Walker who, after hiking the AT and the Pacific Crest, tackled the Camino de Santiago and just got back from the dizzying heights of the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal.
10:00 am DIY (Dehydrate It Yourself) BACKPACKING FOOD Judy Gross "Heartfire" of LightHeart Gear will teach you the in's and out's of dehydrating food for the trail and offer comparison tastes of home vs. commercially dried foods.
11:00 am SIR-PACKS-A LOT'S 10 GOLDEN RULES (of thru-hiking the A.T.) –
Appalachian Wilderness Guides help thwart common mistakes made by hikers in this light-
hearted presentation.
1:00 pm THE LEGEND – GENE ESPY The second man in the world to have thru-hiked the AT, Gene (author of The Trail of My Life) shares memories of his 1951 journey while showing the original equipment that accompanied him.
2:00 pm AWOL ON THE AT! David Miller, author of AWOL on the Appalachian Trail and The AT Guide shares his extensive knowledge of the trail.
3:00 pm ATC... WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU START! – Meet 2012 thru-hiker Joe Conaci as he shares concerns, tips and pointers from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy.
4:00 pm JUST PASSIN' THROUGH - Author Winton Porter tells tales from the trail and his life at Mountain Crossings/ Neel's Gap/ Walasi-Yi.
7:00 pm VIRTUAL CAMPFIRE – Appalachian Wilderness Guides once again delight guests with this question and answer session in the most unique setting. The answers come from all of our guest speakers, while the questions are supplied by the audience. Meet at Shelter #2
Sunday – March 10th
9:00 am GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE ... AN ADVENTURE!! As more women tackle the AT, ALDHA's Judy Young shares her AT experience as "Grayjay" and offers advice for all hikers.
10:00 am JUST DO IT (YOURSELF) – ALCOHOL STOVES AND ULTRALIGHT BACKPACKING GEAR YOU CAN MAKE. Antigravitygear's George Andrews will demonstrate how to make your own hiking gear.
11:00 am THE PERFECT FIT – Have you ever wondered "How do I choose the right sized pack, and how much volume do I really need?" Or, "What's that weird loop on the sternum strap for?" Matthew Lagas-Rivera of Elemental Horizons will break down the different kinds of packs and their anatomy; how to choose the right one for you, and the importance of what
you put inside!
1:00 pm DOUBLE FEATURE - Meet Kevin Martin of Advanced Outfitters and Director of Emergency Management at Reinhardt University. His bandana may double as a filter, a sling, or a bandage; his poncho might become a tent, and some everyday backpack gear could become life-saving equipment.
2:00 pm TREKKING POLES – Chris Hall discusses the advantage of using trekking poles, and introduces you to something new on the trail!
3:00 pm THAT'S OWL FOLKS! It's our way of saying " Owl's well that ends well!"
Paralee Dawson-Hayward, author of Living the Dream and Still Living the Dream will be offering how-to-make-a-survival-bracelet demonstration in the Beech Room Saturday, at 1:45 PM, and Sunday at 11:30 AM. Please stop by her booth for more information.
Hiking Organizations, vendors, and authors hope you'll drop by their booths. All booths are located in the Oak Rooms.
NEW THIS YEAR: If you don't want a full buffet lunch at the Maple Restaurant in the Lodge, check out the Appalachian Trail Kick Off sandwich shop!