[TTA-Nashville] National Trails Day and AT Backpack

[Libby Francis]

Hey folks!!
Here are some things you may be interested in doing for National Trails Day, Sat. June 5.  
Edwin Warner Park:  There is a River and Greenway cleanup.  Meet at Picnic Shelter #2.  Call the WP Nature Center at 615-352-6299 for times and what to bring.  Doug Burroughs at 615-292-9307, will be our TTA contact person.  
Beaman Park: There will be a workday and hike 8:00 A.M., hiking with naturalist Durwood Edwards to search for seldom seen woodland birds. Expect to hike about 3 miles. Wear good shoes and bring water. From 9 A.M. to 4:00 P.M., join us as we continue work on an ADA accessible boardwalk. We will provide work gloves, training, and tools. Refreshments and snacks will be served. Stay as little or as long as you would like. Leaders: Friends of Beaman Park
Radnor Lake: After the Nashville flood, Radnor Lake is now partially open but there is a lot of work to get it back to normal. Rangers have scheduled Special Volunteer Saturdays for cleanup and trail work. If you can help out, meet at the Visitor Center at 8 a.m. Work will end about noon.
Meriwether Lewis Park:  This 3.5 mile easy to moderate ridge and streamside forest loop travels some very historic ground. We visit the site of Meriwether Lewis' burial, the historic Natchez Trace, and Grinders Stand cabin. The Little Swan Creek valley is always beautiful. If there is interest, we will hike the Devil's Backbone loop just down the road following this hike. You will need sturdy boots, snacks and lunch, and lots of water. Contact Libby Francis at libbyslibbys at comcast.net to register and get car pooling details.  

Here is an AT backpack opportunity from Raymond Myers:
Summer Solstice-Fathers Day Appalachian Trail rhododendron hike
Tentatively, I am planning an easy, long-weekend, 37.9-mile hike on the Appalachian Trail over the June 18-21, 2010 weekend. This happens to include Fathers Day and the Summer Solstice. Anyone interested, if indeed I go? Here are current "plans" (subject to change):

Friday:
9:00 a.m. - Leave Nashville, drive to area of Marion, Virginia
Leave vehicle(s) at Happy Hiker Hollow AT "hostel" near Atkins
Be shuttled to Dickey Gap on the Appalachian Trail
Hike 3.9 miles to Trimpi Shelter

Saturday:
Hike 10.6 miles from Trimpi Shelter to Partnership Shelter (one of the fanciest shelters on the entire AT) at the Mt. Rogers National Recreation Area headquarters and Visitors Center
Order pizza delivery for dinner!

Sunday:
Hike 11.6 miles from Partnership Shelter/Mt. Rogers VC to I-81/Atkins, VA
Be shuttled back to Happy Hiker Hollow Hostel for dinner and overnight stay

Monday:
Breakfast at HHHH
Hike 11.8 miles from Atkins/I-81 to Virginia highway 42
Be shuttled back to our vehicles at the HHHH in the afternoon.
Drive home to Nashville that evening.

These mileages are considered "easy" by AT hikers, but probably strenuous by many Nashville area hikers. You decide for yourself. We'll be in the mountains, but there are no terrible mountains to climb. The rhododendron, azaleas, and mountain laurel should be in bloom, but we should avoid all the tourist crowds who drive to Roan Mountain in Tennessee.

Questions?
Raymond 'Rain Man' Myers
615-385-9644 day & evening
615-300-7410 cell
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