Black Betty's Birthday/Tsali/Father's Day/ Summer Solstice

There's nothing quite like summertime and we've had a full week of it at the Hometown Homestead. Black Betty celebrated a birthday earlier in the week and then we spent a long weekend at Tsali for celebration of the Solstice, Father's day, and summer in general! School is out and the heat is on. We set up Gnometown at Tsali, did a little mountain biking, a little swimming, some great campstyle cooking, and lots of relaxing in general.. We had a great visit with Holly, David, Wyatt, and little Jack. It really doesn't get any better than this!

Wyatt and Jack hanging out in the Gnometown Camper.

Papa and Wyatt riding bikes.

Big boys on Nanna's Birthday.

Wyatt cooling off in Fontana Lake.

Cricket walks Wyatt.

Hometown still in all one piece.

And finally here is Wyatt on his first trip to my favorite mountain biking destination, Tsali. He's actually outgrown his helmet and wouldn't let me put it on his head, so I insisted on the hat. He'll be winning races in no time....

One Year Ago

Has it already been a year since I completed the hike of my life time on the summit of Mt. Katahdin? I'd do it all over again, just to touch that sign!
I miss all my hiking buddies, I miss the trail, I miss all of those 2,176 miles of roots, rocks,and mud!
Here's my journal entry from August 13, 2008:

What can I say? After 2176 miles of trail, I have reached my goal. I've kept my eye on the prize (touching the sign on top of Katahdin) since March 21st. Through good times and bad, cold, heat, rain, magic moments, killer sunsets and sunrises, mosquitos and ticks, beautiful landscapes, great company and fellowship, excrutiating pain, blisters, sore feet and bum knees, inspired conversations, annoying irritations,and occasional boredom, I have arrived at the end of the trail. I am grateful to be here.
Katahdin was even more majestic and grand than I thought she would be. I had beautiful views on the way up and then clouds on the top, as it should be. I kept thinking about how Henry David Thoreau described the mountain in 1846 as "primeval, untamed and forever untamable nature". The climb was tough, the biggest single climb of the entire trip, with more than 4,000 feet of elevation change to reach the 5,267 foot summit. I don't think I really even noticed, though. I had really spent the last 146 days training for this very day. I felt nothing but adrenaline.
It was very special to finish with my trail buddies, Rethinker, SiteSee, and Apostle. I had hiked with these three guys at different times since Virginia, and the odds of us all finishing on the same day had to be be slim. It was also a great pleasure to meet Start and the Twins on their way up the mountain, as we were descending, knowing that they were on their way to finish. It was an honor to share this day with my fellow hikers, they were true friends and an inspiration at all times, I could not have hiked alone. After experiencing the Appalachian trail as a thru-hike, I have the upmost respect for any man, woman, girl, boy, or dog that has been through the challenges, hardships, and glories of the trail. I now know what they have been through, and it ain't easy!
Finally, I want to thank my family, friends, co-workers, fellow hikers, and journal readers for the monumental encouragement and support that I recieved while I was on the trail. I can't emphasize enough the importance of the emotional and mental boost that I got from the guestbook. I couldn't have hiked without it.
Hometown//GA>ME//2008

Trail Days 2009

I had a wonderful reunion with lots of Appalachian Trail friends last weekend in Damascus. It sure did me good to reunite with Rethinker, Pineknot, Tree, Moonpie, SuperChunk, Segue, Floyd, Mr.Burns, Creek Diver, Sampson, Butters, Shuffles, Stomp, The Tennessee Twins, OrangeDust, Bones, and TroutBum from my 2008 hike.

The stories were better than ever, the memories flowed in great torrents, it was just like I was still on the trail (without the soreness and hunger).

There is nothing sweeter than trail friends, I love each and everyone of them like a brother or a sister!!

I'll leave you with a video I shot while inside the maelstrom of the Hiker's Parade, where the spectators attack the hikers with various water weapons........it was a blast!!!

Trail Days

This coming weekend I will attend Trail Days in Damascus, Virginia. It's the big hiker bash and reunion get-together for Appalachian Trail hikers, past, present, current, and future.

The masses of unwashed pedestrians will descend on this sleepy little trail town like a biblical plague of locusts. There will be lots of activities: a hiker parade, free meals provided by local churches, gear demos, talks, eating contests, dog shows, book-signings, and so on...

The big thing for me will be a chance to reunite with so many great friends who I had the pleasure of meeting on the trail last year. Here's hoping that that they ALL attend!

Easter Services 2009 with the Dead

Black Betty and Hometown ready for Shakedown Street!

We enjoyed a glorious and celebatory Easter at the first show of The Dead last night at the Greensboro Coliseum. We arrived with family and friends early enough to enjoy several hours of parking lot hippie action before seeing the big sold-out show.

All in all it was great, the band seemed to really gel, Phil's singing really didn't sound too bad, Billy and Mickey kicked ass with their drums, AND the band threw a pretty cool Watchtower to Warren. The band sounded good and the vibe seemed right. The set list seemed a little strange, but who am I to complain? I had lots of fun!

Set List 4/12/09 Greensboro Colesium
(set 1)The Music Never Stopped>Jack StrawEstimated Prophet>He's Gone>Touch Of Grey>I Need A Miracle>Truckin'
(set 2)JamShakedown Street>All Along The Watchtower>Caution>Rhythm Devils>Space>Cosmic Charlie>New Potato Caboose>Help On The Way>Slipknot!>Franklin's Tower
(encore)Samson And Delilah

Franklin Hosts Fifth Annual Hiker Bash

The Hiker Bash is ready to pop this weekend. Ronnie Havens has done a great job promoting this thing and turning it into an event. Appalachian Trail Hikers will be literally coming out of the woods to partake in the fun and games. I'll be there tonight (sorry, I have to work Saturday and Sunday) to help with the feeding of the masses. I'm looking forward to seeing lots of friends.

Here's the article by the MaconNews:

Thursday, 02 April 2009

Events will include town’s first-ever Hikers Appreciation Day
By Tony Wheeler Staff Writer
The Town of Franklin will sponsor its first “April Fools Trail Days” on Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4. The event will celebrate Franklin’s appreciation of the Appalachian Trail hikers, whether they are long distance thru-hikers, section-hikers or day-hikers. The event is a partnership with the fifth annual Hiker Bash hosted by Ronnie Haven, owner of the Budget and Sapphire Inns in Franklin.
Haven, an avid hiker himself, is dedicated to the AT hikers, and worked in conjunction with the town and the Main Street Program to consolidate the annual bash with the hiker appreciation days.
“This is the perfect place for a celebration of hikers,” Haven said. “Almost 2,000 people showed up for the bash last year.”
Franklin is located 100 miles north of the traditional Spring starting point of the 2,175-mile trail at Springer Mtn., Ga. The trail’s northern terminus is Mt. Katahdin in Maine. The trail runs through Macon County about 10 miles from downtown Franklin, at Winding Stair Gap. Haven said that at one time, before Franklin became recognized as hiker-friendly, the trekkers would resupply at Hiawassee, Ga., and not stop again until they reached Wesser, N.C., 14 miles west of Bryson City. He has provided free shuttle service to hikers over the years and is well-known along the trail, having contributed his local knowledge to a series of AT guidebooks. He once hauled a record 216 hikers from the trail to town and back on a single day, in April 2007. “I’m trying to do a good job of representing the town of Franklin to the hikers,” he said.
Ronnie Haven, owner of the Budget and Sapphire Inns of Franklin, is an avid hiker and Appalachian Trail enthusiast.The celebration starts on Friday from 5 to 9 p.m. with a cookout and live music at the Sapphire Inn. Saturday morning, the day begins with a free breakfast for the hikers sponsored by the First Baptist Church. Then on to the Big Bear Shelter on the Greenway from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be food, entertainment by the Frogtown IV, educational booths from the Nantahala Hiking Club, the Appalachian Trail Conversancy and other organizations, book signings and hiker games. Bill Dyar and the Boy Scouts will set up their historical camping display. The Franklin community will get a chance to meet the hikers and learn about their experiences on the trail. Thru-hikers that have hiked the entire Appalachian Trail will be on hand to answer questions. On Saturday night from 5 to 9 p.m., the Sapphire Inn will again host food, live music, book signings and a talent show.
Linda Schlott, executive director of the Franklin Main Street Program, encourages the community to come to the Big Bear Shelter on Saturday for a day filled with fun, food, entertainment and a great learning experience. “We know that the Appalachian Trail hikers have a positive economic impact on our town and we want to celebrate that.”
For further details, contact Linda Schlott by calling (828)524-0476.
Admission will be $10 per person to cover entertainment and food expense at the events held at Sapphire Inn. There will be shuttles available from Fontana and the Nantahala Outdoor Center to and from the bash with Starlite Limo Service in Cherokee for a fee. Call (828)586-5466 for information. Budget Inn of Franklin, (828)524-4403; Sapphire Inn of Franklin, (828)524-4406.