1996 CELEBRATING TENNESSEE EASTMAN HIKING & CANOEING CLUBS 50th ANNIVERSARY
FEBRUARY
THE TENNESSEE EASTMAN
HIKING & PADDLING NEWS

Contents


• Next Two Months at a Glance
• Hiking
• Paddling
• Proposed Amendment to the TEHCC Constitution
• 1996 TEHCC Winter Dinner Meeting - Kickoff for 50th Anniversary
• Rental Equipment Auction and Flea Market for Hiking / Canoeing Equipment

NEXT TWO MONTHS

HIKING

TEHC Annual Maintainer's Dinner
(Scheduled: Feb 10, 1996)
Leaders: Ted Malone, Ed Oliver
Dinner will start at 5:00 but show up around 4:00 to help the cooks and socialize. We've got a lot of new equipment purchased by a Forest Service grant and most of that will be on display. There is a possibility of more of the A.T. being in new and extended Wilderness Areas so we'll talk about our concerns about this. Also we need to talk about how to make our Maintenance Teams stronger, new projects for the '96 year and the Konnarock season. I hope all of our Trail Adopters can attend. We need to know about how many will be eating with us so if you live in the Kingsport area call Ed or call me if you are in the Johnson City area. Team Leaders, if you cannot make it be sure and have someone from your team represent you. Dinner will be simple but hearty soups and Dagwood sandwiches. We'll go pot luck on desserts, so if you have a favorite and want to bring something, do so.

TEHC Trail Maintenance For The Next Few Months. Targeted for Third Saturdays
(Scheduled: Feb. 17 and Mar. 16)
Leaders: Ted Malone, Ed Oliver
Due to the recent heavy snow storms, February, March and maybe April will be used to remove blow downs. A few months ago Hurricane Opal blew close to a thousand trees down on our 126 mile section so maybe the '96 snowstorms will leave minimal damage. Before the thru hikers arrive around the middle of May, we need to complete the upgrade on the Yellow Mt. barn and build two foot bridges on Jones Br above the Nolichucky. The Third Saturday concept was a targeted weekend that everyone could add to their schedule. Looking back on '95 Third Saturdays we made about half of them on the third Saturday and the others were moved due to bad weather or not enough members getting together due to conflicts. On the average we went out almost twice a month and sometimes more to work on special projects. It's hard to communicate with everyone especially if you are on the outside mailing list. If you want to help in some of our 'in between Third Saturday' projects, call Ed or myself and we will add you to our help list. Meet at 8 AM between MacDonalds and Burger King in Colonial Heights.

Laurel Falls via Hampton & Dennis Cove
(Scheduled: Saturday, Feb 24, 1996)
Leader: Ted Malone, Rated Moderate
The plan is to divide the participants with one group hiking from Hampton to Dennis Cove and the other from Dennis Cove down to Hampton. We'll do a car key swap when the two groups cross paths along the 4 mile stretch. Reservations are required primarily to get your phone number in case we have to cancel because of bad weather, unsafe trail conditions or snow on the road into Dennis Cove.

PADDLING

Lower Doe or Leader's Choice
(Scheduled Feb. 11, 1996)
Leader: Mike Morrow; Rating: Class II-III
This is a great run nearby. The put-in is at Hampton High School and the take-out is near downtown Elizabethton. The Lower Doe can only be run after a good rain. Please call me ahead to register. If there is a lack of water, a similar alternative will be chosen.

Watauga Gorge or Doe Gorge
(Scheduled Feb. 17, 1996)
Leader: Dewey Fuller; Rating: Class IV-V
Monsoon season in the Southern Appalachians should be in full swing in February and there should be plenty of water for a run on one of our smaller steep creeks like the Watauga or the Doe. If water levels are not right for one of these, we will make an alternate run of equal or lesser difficulty. Please call ahead to register.

Upper Little River or Leader's Choice
(Scheduled Feb. 25, 1996)
Leader: Mike Morrow; Rating: Class III-IV
At the right level this is a fun run. We will put-in at Elkmont campground and take-out at Metcalf Bottoms. The Little River runs along the Smokies near Gatlinburg. It is about a two hour drive. Since the Little River is level dependent, please call ahead to register. If there is a lack of water, a similar alternative will be chosen.

PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE TEHCC CONSTITUTION

(Bob Tonnies reporting)
As many of you are aware, we are in the process of modifying the TEHCC constitution. Currently, retirees are not empowered to vote on the committee. Since many of our most active trail maintenance members are retirees it was felt they should have full steering committee status. At this point, the proposed constitutional amendment has been endorsed by 10% of the membership and been approved by a two-thirds majority vote of the steering committee. For it to be finalized, the amendment must receive the affirmative vote of at least four-fifths of all those voting in a general poll.

Your participation in the election process and Constitution Amendment is an important membership responsibility, please give me a moment of your time to participate in this process. You will receive a ballot in a separate mailing.

1996 TEHCC WINTER DINNER MEETING - KICKOFF FOR 50TH ANNIVERSARY

(Scheduled: Sun, 3 Mar 96)
Leader: Garry Luttrell; Rating: FUN
The 1996 Winter Dinner Meeting will be held at the Eastman Recreation Area Cabin on Sunday, March 3, 1996. The program theme this year is "50 Years of Hiking, Stories, Experiences, A.T. Stewardship" and will involve many members partcipating and sharing some exciting events in the life and history of the TEHCC. The focus will be on earlier events, but some of the better later events will also be shared. Trail Sports Ltd. will provide the vendor display and door prizes. Mike Brown's store is located on Fort Henry Drive, and he specializes in Hiking Boots but also sells a complete line of hiking, camping, and backpacking needs. In addition to the vendor display, there will also be displays of "Old-Fashioned" camping and canoeing gear; and, quite a few TEHCC rental tents and packs will be auctioned. Come early for the auction of some of the Club's rental tents and packs. Also, if you have some items you want to sell or trade, put a price on them and we'll display them; and, if time permits we'll auction them too.

The schedule of events:

4:00 - 4:45 Auction of Equipment

4:30 - 5:00 Social time, Mike Brown's Display, Old-Fashioned Equipment
            Displays, and Drinks

5:00 - 5:45 Dinner

5:45 - 6:00 Displays

6:00 - 7:30 Program-Awards, Announcements, Main Program

The Cabin grill this year will be converted into Kabuki's Japanese Steak House. Tim Hongkham will prepare Hibachi Chicken and Teriyaki Yakininku ($7.25) or Jumbo Shrimp ($8.25), and the meal will include soup, salad, fried rice, glazed carrots, mushrooms, fortune cookie, and a choice of coffee or tea. Chopsticks will be available. If you order Shrimp Dinners, these will be cooked following the Chicken and Yakininku to avoid mixed flavors. A child's smaller portion plate will be available and can include any combination of items. If you want to show your appreciation to Tim for the meal preparation, a container will be available for a gratuity. Please return the following reservation form with a check made out to Garry S. Luttrell by Monday, Feb. 26, for all the adult and children meals needed. Mail to

          131 Meadow Glade Circle,

          Kingsport, Tenn. 37663

Contact Garry Luttrell for further information, or contact one of the Club Officers or Steering Committee Members.

          NAME (Please Print)          Entree amount  


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Names of those in party wanting child's dinner (12 or

younger)

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Phone Number:________________________________________

RENTAL EQUIPMENT AUCTION AND FLEA MARKET FOR HIKING AND CANOEING EQUIPMENT
Leaders G. Luttrell / D. Allen
One thing we plan to do at the Winter Dinner Meeting, Sunday, March 3, 1996, is auction some of the rental equipment that is not used frequently, may currently need repair work, or has been repaired several times. The list of items for auction is listed below to give you an opportunity to come by B-89 to examine, if you wish. If you wish, you can send in a bid for the item, by mailing it in a sealed envelope to David Allen, 287 Lakeview Circle, Kingsport, Tennessee 37663, or, to Garry Luttrell, 131 Meadow Glade Circle, Kingsport, Tennessee 37663. On the outside of the envelope, write down the rental equipment item no. you are bidding for, such as HT-2. The sealed bids will be opened at the Dinner Meeting and the highest one will be the opening bid. If no further bids are received from the floor, the item is sold.
Items for auction:
HT-10, 2P Eureka Timberline, currently has a broken zipper
Minimum bid: $15
HT-2, 4P Eureka Timberline, has had zipper problems in the past, but repaired. Small holes in floor patched with tent repair tape.
Minimum bid: $25
HT-13, 4P Eureka Dome, has had some holes in floor repaired with tent repair tape.
Minimum bid: $25
HT-1, 4P Eureka Dome, small holes in floor, and has had problems in the past with zippers, but repaired
Minimum bid: $25
HT-9, 2P Eureka Timberline, has had zipper problems in the past, but repaired. Not being used
Minimum bid: $25
HB-22, Medium, Kelty Tioga, women's turquoise backpack. Not being used.
Minimum bid: $25
HB-20, X-small Kelty Child's Pack, red, not being used.
Minimum bid: $10
HB-25, Camp Trails Astral, not being used.
Minimum bid: $20
HB-15, Lowe Backpacker, Internal Frame, Navy, not being used
Minimum Bid: $30
HC-33, 34, 35, Life Vests.
Minimum bid: $2 ea.
HB-11 & 19, REI Super Pak, Rust, Large.
Minimum bid: $5 ea.
HB-14, REI Super Pak, Rust, Medium.
Minimum bid: $5