CTC

Shout out to the CTC! I have been receptionless for days and just found out that you all exist again. We are So happy! Long live the Cumberland Trail Conference! -j and hbb

Volunteers hard at work

It was a nice surprise to see Deb, Ray and Jake twice today out on the trail. We were enjoying the fruits of their labor and conversation.

Here is Ray clearing the way and Jake guarding his back. This is the trail version of walking the red carpet!

CTC meeting

The Cumberland Trail sticker has gone everywhere we have since hiking it last year. Best of luck, Cumberland Trail Conference, on the important meeting tomorrow. CTC deserves to be reinstated and continue its fine work. Someone please let us know how the meeting goes. I will check for cell reception compulsively. Love to TN. Thank you for not giving up. -j (and hbb)

New sidehill

Jo tests out the side hill work Deb and crew worked on last Saturday. She was worried it would all get washed away after some big rain but GOOD JOB Trail Volunteers! It looks great and I really can't believe you finished it! Me and John Stein slid down this thing last Friday and today me and Jo could easily walk up it. Without Trail Volunteers hiking would be almost nonexistent and defiantly not as pleasurable. -HBB

Volunteers make it happen.

John Stein and Deb Dunkle getting ready for trail work on the MST.
Below is the new bridge Deb worked on for 10 years that safely crosses Yellow Creek.
I'm sure Deb would like to know that right after me and Jo crossed a bunch of teenagers came up the trail from cooling themselves in the river using this fabulous bridge. Good work Deb!

Thanks John!

Huge thanks to John for all his support over the last few days. We are so sorry that bringing us back to the trail interfered with sidehill work in the rain today... ;)

Tenley Park part 1

Now time to cut loose and have some fun with the KTA trail crew!
Pete Fleszar hooked me up with the stylish hat. I fit right in now!

Volunteering for a day

Out doing trail work with John Stein we stumbled across this sweet shelter!

On the trail again

Thank you to artist extraordinaire Leslie for getting us to Detweiler! Can't believe I got to see you twice (if briefly) this year already. Here's hoping for 3!

Bart and I hiked north to Detweiler Jct today which is where the GET splits into 2 routes. Then we backtracked southbound on the Mid State Trail. The sun is setting from infamous Tussey Mountain and we are ready for bed. Guess I better go set up the tent.

Cumberland Trail Conference

We are sad to announce the abrupt and uncalled-for dissolution of the Cumberland Trail Conference.

The CTC was founded in 1997 by the Tennessee Trails Association (TTA).  The CTC has built and maintained the incredible Cumberland Trail and was on track to complete it in upcoming years. They have connected people, both local volunteers and BreakAway volunteers from across the country to the trail. CTC ensured that the trail was on-track not only for mere completion, but for becoming the definition of a high-quality, challenging, well-loved trail.

On our hike, CTC volunteers helped us in so many ways.  They:

• organized several interviews across the state for us
• hosted events to welcome us and spread the word about the Great Eastern Trail
• hiked and offered to hike new sections of trail with us
• spent lots of time going over trail conditions with us
• organized shuttles into towns for us
• allowed us to use CTC computers and printers to access some maps and guides that we'd neglected to find prior to our trip (oops)
• hosted us for the night in several towns
• welcomed us into their homes and fed us delicious food
• oh, and they were responsible for the trail being there in the first place!

Organizations are only as strong as the hearts and souls behind them, and the Cumberland Trail Conference was filled with passionate, intelligent, dedicated individuals who enriched not only our hike, but our lives. 

Unfortunately, the Cumberland Trail Conference was recently dissolved by Tennessee Trails Association. The TTA leadership responsible for this did not give advance notice to board members or the membership base prior to the meeting.  This hostile takeover of the organization and its assets is a shameful slap in the face to those who have given so much for the dream of completing the Cumberland Trail.

This is a heartbreaking and embarrassing chapter in the story of the Cumberland Trail and our thoughts are with the CTC, its volunteers, and with the trail itself.  Thank you for everything.

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GET Board Meeting

I was lucky to get the chance to attend the 2014 Great Eastern Trail Board Meeting near Corning, New York last weekend.  It was a reunion of wonderful people who made last year's hike possible.  The people on the left are those who make the GET happen.  I wish I could download their wisdom into my own brain.

Especially huge thanks to Pat, who not only retrieved me from the airport (and got me back there) but hosted the event at the lovely Watson Homestead. What a perfect weekend.

While out for a hike, we were able to visit the Great Eastern Trail rock.  I used to think people who hiked the same long trail twice were crazy, but I see wisdom in it now: both Bart and I walked past this rock on June 18, 2013 and didn't notice it.  I guess we were too excited to get to Moss Hill Lean To!  What else did we not see?  Maybe I'll get Bart to hike the GET with me again someday.  He already was silly enough to say yes once . . . .

There is lots of forward momentum on the GET.  I'm excited about all the discussions that took place last weekend and I look forward to watching this trail "grow up" and get better every year.

The morning before I flew back to Minnesota we all hiked to Moss Hill Lean To, the northern terminus of the GET.  It couldn't have been a more beautiful morning to be out and about.  While there, I got to see Strider's note in the register (North Country Trail thruhiker) and I left a note for current GET hikers Taylor and Gramps. 

But the highlight of the hike may have been finding the Pennsylvania rock that Bart carried to New York.

 

Upcoming presentations in Minnesota

 As usual, I am up to no good!  The following presentations are happening in Minnesota:

Thursday, March 13 at 6:30pm - Hiking the Great Eastern Trail at Moose Lake Elementary School

Thursday, April 10 at 7:00pm - Introduction to Backpacking at Moose Lake Elementary School 

Thursday April 17 (apparently I like Thursdays) at 7:00pm - Hiking the Great Eastern Trail at Midwest Mountaineering in Minneapolis. (Expedition Room)

Saturday, May 3, afternoon - Planning an Overnight on the Superior Hiking Trail &

Hiking the Great Eastern Trail at the Superior Hiking Trail Annual Meeting, Wolf Ridge ELC.

(THIS IS AN AWESOME EVENT.)

More news coming soon. . . including news about the next GET hiker heading to Flagg Mountain!

-Jo

Warrior Nation!

Life since the trail

The northern terminus with a list of people who helped us along the way...

Hiking the Great Eastern Trail was a life-changing experience for both of us.

We are continually reminded of all the help we received and the friends we made along the way.  The people are what made this trip everything it could be, and we can never thank you enough for being part of the journey.

Since we finished the trail, Bart has started work as an athletic trainer and his team is having a great season.  Jo has been in Minnesota helping her parents with some projects and is doing a lot of writing.

We will be at ALDHA's The Gathering this weekend, presenting on our hike at 3PM on Saturday.  More information: http://www.aldha.org/gathering.html

We hope our paths will cross with all of you in the near future.  Thanks to all, from the bottoms of our hearts and boot soles.

Heading home

No we didn't walk back! Three wonderful people helped get us home. Pat Monahan from NY(no not the city) took us to Duncannon PA where we ate lunch at the famous Doyle Hotel with(thanks for lunch) Pete Fleszar who traveled us to Morgantown WV(not before dumping us out of his convertible to hike a section of the GET West Route) (glad he thought it was a good idea) to Peggy Pings where we indulged in burgers, salad and potatoes before leaving to the Center Of The Universe!(My back porch Mullens WV!) sorry no squirrel gravy Peggy was walkin not huntin this year!

Northern Terminus

We made it! Posing at the northern terminus of the GET. Thanks to all that helped along the way- trail volunteers (trails don't build themselves )- people who followed us on our blog and our feet, backs, legs and other body parts for putting up with our constant abuse.
Stay tuned for further updated pics, wit and wisdom now that we will be around computers.
HillBillyBart & Someday

End of a journey

Lots of views and cool trail people gave us a nice warm hug to end our journey!

1 barn, 2 non-barns

Pat out with us today hiking through fields covered atop clouds of bliss.
HillBillyBart

Crystal waters on Crystal Hills

Pat Monahan hiked 15.1 of our 21.1 mile day. His dogs hiked 30 miles! Could not ask for better company. They have a wonderful trail with lots of years putting it together.-HBB

Northern MST

Pete hiked with us for a couple hours. Here are some of today's views. WOW!
HillBillyBart