Category: News

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Southeastern Foot Trails Coalition Gathering

Southeastern Foot Trails Coalition invites TEHCC members to Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau Gathering in September.

Members of the 40 hiking and trail maintenance clubs in the Southeast interested in hiking the trails on the Cumberland Plateau or wanting to know more about all aspects of trails and trail building/maintenance are invited to the 7th biennial meeting of the Southeastern Foot Trails Coalition (SEFTC) at Fall Creek Falls State Park in southeastern Tennessee near Pikeville on the Cumberland Plateau on September 20-23, 2012, about 70 miles north of Chattanooga.

The SEFTC is a coalition of most all the hiking and trail maintenance organizations in the Southeast, representing over 40 such clubs from Florida to Virginia and Kentucky.

The coalition leadership has planned a fun and informative four days.  There will be numerous trail-related workshops led by experts in the field.  A variety of hikes are planned, both inside this 25,000-acre state park and in the surrounding state/protected areas of the Cumberland Plateau.  Trail fellowship and a wide exchange of ideas are part of the offering.  Special speakers and entertainment will be yours each evening.

Much of the beautiful lakeview lodge, cabins, and campground have been reserved by SEFTC for this weekend.  Part-weekend registration and attendance is available for those not able to be present the full time.

Early registration now is encouraged. Some fees go up August 1, and there is a limit to housing with almost no alternatives nearby outside the park.

Go to website www.southeastfoottrails.org to learn more about the conference and for the registration form.  The website provides the basic information with links to the pages for registration, housing, meals, workshops, and hikes.

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F/B Hike: Erwin Linear Trail, Sunday – August 19

Leader: Mary Fanslow, 423-707-5004

Enjoy an easy stroll along the paved Erwin greenbelt which borders Indian Creek.  While the greenbelt length is 5 miles one way, we’ll tailor the length of our walk to participant interest.  We’ll meet in the parking lot between the Colonial Heights McDonald’s and the bank at 1 pm, or alternative meeting locations can be arranged.  Please let Mary know before 10 pm Saturday, August 18, if you plan to go on the walk.  Bring plenty of water.

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Details on Recurring Events

Most Tuesdays:  Weekly AT Trail Maintenance
Join a group of maintainers who work somewhere on our 135-mile section each week, usually on Tuesdays.  Contact Carl Fritz (atvolunteer@tehcc.org) for dates and meeting places.

Tuesdays Evenings:  Johnson City Roll Practice
Come join the Jackson Action Wagon (J.A.W.), APEs, and other paddlers from around our region at the Freedom Hall Pool in Johnson City, TN from 7:10 to 9:10 pm every Tuesday for tips and tricks about basic kayaking and to learn how to roll.  Have you already mastered the basics and have a bomb proof roll?  There is still a lot of fun to be had at our pool session by practicing your flat-water freestyle moves and fellowshipping with other paddlers in a nice warm-water environment.  Admission to the pool is $2; rolling advice is free!  Contact the pool office (423- 461-4872) for session confirmation or questions regarding the facility.  Please note: The J.A.W. provides the current fleet of boats for demo at the pool session, but neither the pool nor the J.A.W. provides paddling equipment (paddle, spray skirt, etc.).  If you do not have your own equipment, please post a message on the APEs yahoo group site or send Wesley an email asking other members to bring extra equipment.  We will try our best to get you outfitted for the night!

Thursday Evenings:  Paddle to the Grill
Bring your recreation or touring kayak/canoe to meet with The Appalachian Paddling Enthusiasts and TEHCC.  The launch is at 6:30 pm at Davis Dock located in Blountville.  We will paddle to Boone Docks Restaurant located at Boone Lake Marina in Piney Flats for dinner and a social hour, then paddle back.  As we may be paddling back during low or no light, please have a stern light for your boat; PFDs are mandatory.  Contact Debbie Briscoe, 423-534-3636 for more details.

3rd Saturday Maintenance – Hiking with Tools!
Contact:  Kim Peters, atmaint@tehcc.org, 423-538-7665
Come out for a day hike somewhere on our beautiful section of trail on the 3rd Saturday of each month and help out on some routine maintenance needs, such as cutting annual growth, cleaning out waterbars and painting blazes.  All tools will be furnished and no prior experience is required!  Contact Kim for details and meeting time and place.

Bi-Weekly on Saturdays starting June 2:  Watauga River Class I-II
We will launch at 3pm unless there is water elsewhere.  Call first to check and see if it’s on and where!  Contact: Debbie Briscoe, 423-534-3636

Bi-Weekly on Saturdays starting June 9:  Class I-II Trips
Jerry Griffin will hope to lead beginner trips bi-weekly where there is water, opposite of Debbie’s bi-weekly Watauga trips.  This will offer a wide range of rivers to those wanting to work on their skills or just to join us to have fun!  Contact:  Jerry Griffin.

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Tweetsie Trail Survey

The “Rails to Trails” effort between Johnson City and Elizabethton is seeking input on the development of the greenway.  A simple eleven-question confidential survey (link) asks about several aspects of a greenway; and there are a few optional fields which can be used for comments.  If you enjoy other similar trails in the area (Virginia Creeper, Guest River Gorge, or New River) or city greenways (Kingsport Greenbelt or Erwin Linear Trail), then please help define this project by taking the survey.  It will take less than five minutes of your time.  For more information, check the official project website.

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Mahoney’s – What Knot To Do

Mahoney’s is hosting a clinic on knots and if you are like Penny and new to kayaking and tying those dang boats down to car racks it might be beneficial for you, so here are the details :

Thursday August 16th

What Knot To Do
The things you can do with a good knot! Whether you’re securing furniture in the back of the truck or synching guidelines on your tent in gale force winds, knowing a few good knots can mean the difference between night & day. Come join us on Thursday and learn a knot or two. Clinic Meets in Outfitters 6:30 – 8:30 pm.

Here’s a map link to Mahoney’s, so you can put in your starting address for directions: http://goo.gl/maps/fPCRv

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From the Chair

Vic Hasler, Steering Committee Chair

This month brings the 75th anniversary for the Appalachian Trail which was originally deemed “complete” on August 14, 1937 after 15 years of construction.  Since then, the trail has been an ongoing work-in-progress with major changes to the route (such as moving to cross the Roan Mountains) and path (elimination of PUDs*), and the addition of shelters in the 1960s.  A famous quote by Frank Oglesby was “I’m now relocating my relocations!”  This labor of love continues to improve the trail experience, with the assistance of the Konnarock Crew, Hardcore, and college groups.  In addition to the trail construction activities, volunteers are always needed to keep the trail open for the world to enjoy – by clipping back the growth, removing small blowdowns, and checking the shelters along the path.  Please consider joining one of the light maintenance trips… also known as “Hiking with Tools”!

*pointless ups and downs

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Rock Creek Falls (Erwin), Trip Report

Vic Hasler Reporting
Event Date: June 17

A warm summer afternoon was enjoyed hiking up along the very shaded Rock Creek to view its two waterfalls.  Being dry for the past week, the four stream crossings were easy “rock hoppers.”  The trail was in very good condition.   White rhododendron blooms filled some areas.  The recreation area was very busy with Fathers’ Day gatherings with roughly a dozen folks of all ages hiking this “medium” difficulty trail.  On this Sunday trek were Aaron Kelly and Vic Hasler.

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F/B: Bays Mountain Park Antenna, Trip Report

Barry Griggs reporting
Event Date May 27

The warm sun filtered through the trees as our dedicated group of hikers made its way along this relatively easy 4.85-mile round-trip hike.  Our hike started at the Bays Mountain Nature Center and ended with an overview of Kingsport from the antennas atop the mountain.  We could identify places like Church Circle and Holston Valley Medical Center and of course, the Big “E.”  After a brief rest and snack on top, my five-year-old assistant hike leader, helped me lead the group back with a stopover at the animal pens.  Hikers were:  Serita Blankenbecler, Sharon Burnette and granddaughter Kayden, Beverly Griggs, Barry Griggs.

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The July Trail Wiki Challenge

Tim Schaefer Reporting, webmaster@tehcc.org

Have you seen our Trail Wiki yet?  You should; it’s chock full of great information for whatever you need trail related in our area, whether it be a list of trails near waterfalls, hard trails, trails near Kingsport, the AT, or more.  Did you know it’s a wiki just like Wikipedia, meaning we all can contribute?  Well maybe it’s a little daunting, so I’m going to try a new installment called the Monthly Trail Wiki Challenge.  If you’re not comfortable adding it yourself, just send it to me and I’ll take care of it.  Each month I’ll ask for something we are missing from the Trail Wiki.  Maybe it’s a picture of azaleas in bloom or a frozen waterfall, or a detailed description of a trail, or a GPS log for a trail; anything that would be helpful to others trying to decide their next outing.

This month we’ll try [[Limestone Cove Trail]] just south of Johnson City near Unicoi.  Use the wiki to find out how to get there if you don’t know where it is.  This time I’m asking for some pictures and a GPS log.  If you have either already or this inspires you to check it out, please send them to me and I’ll get them incorporated.  If you’re interested in trying your hand at editing, we can work on that as well.  Good luck and thanks for helping our Trail Wiki!