A.T.K.O. (AppalachianTrail Kick Off)

Description

Friday: 7:00 P.M. Tales of the Trail? Neva ?Chipmunk? Warren, the youngest woman to have solo thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, shares her adventure. 8:00 P.M. Packrat Pros: Some call it ?Tuckerizing?; some call it a ?shake down?; It is our knowledgeable hikers showing you how to lighten your load and pack with efficiency. It requires your fully loaded pack to be picked apart, analyzed, and repacked while a crowd of people stare. A learning experience for everyone, but it is a weight-lifting reprieve for our ?volunteer?. Saturday 9:00 A.M. The Benton MacKaye Trail Association familiarizes you with the remote, challenging, and magnificent Benton MacKaye Trail. 10:00 A.M. Meet AWOL, the hiker, the author, and the king of the guide books. Forget the credit card?don?t leave home (to go on the AT) without Awol?s guidebook! 11:00 A.M. Sir-Packs-Alot?s Ten Golden Rules (of thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail). It?s fast, it?s fun, and full of facts to help first-timers fulfill their dream! Join ?AT Thru-Hiker Coach?, hostel operator, and ATKO organizer, Bob Gabrielsen for these much-needed tips. 1:00 P.M. The Legend: Gene Espy Meet the Appalachian Hall of Fame Charter Member and 1951 thru-hiker; the second man to thru-hike the AT; and the author of ?The Trail of My Life?? Georgia?s own Gene Espy. 2:00 P.M. From Bringing in the Cows to Hiking the A.T. ALDHA?s Judy ?Gray Jay? Young shares her Appalachian Trail experiences. 3:00 P.M. Trekking Abroad: The Sky?s the Limit! Bill ?Skywalker? Walker has regaled us with tales of the A.T., the Pacific Crest, and his adventures on ?The Camino??..but this year, he?s taking us to new heights as he shares his experience in the Annapurna (Himalaya) Mountains of Nepal! 4:00 P.M. Dehydrating Backpacking Food ? Judy Gross of Lightheart Gear demonstrates how to do-it-yourself and eat well on the trail. Compare store-bought to homemade items and see which you prefer! 5:00 P.M. ATC Reports ?State of the Trail Update? ? The Appalachian Trail Conservancy shares pertinent details about the Trail, including sanitation, norovirus, Lyme Disease, bear canister requirements, and Leave No Trace. 7:00 P.M. Fireside Quest? Depending on the weather, this may be held outside in our ATKO tent camp, or inside the Lodge. We supply the fire; you provide the questions; and our pros provide the answers! Sunday 9:00 A.M. Women?s Forum: Gender Specific Issues on the Appalachian Trail From gear to personal hygiene, join Vera Hurst in an open discussion of the challenges women face on the trail, and some solutions to overcoming them. 10:00 A.M. Real World Leave No Trace ? Alex Coughlin teaches Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics ? but did you know there are INDOOR ethics too? Etiquette goes beyond the trail, into shelters, into trail town restaurants. 11:00 A.M. The Perfect Fit ? Matthew Lagas-Rivera of Elemental Horizons shows you how a backpack should fit, what all the little bells and whistles do, what type pack you need for your expected travels, and how to pack it! 1:00 P.M. The Trail Community ? Janet Hensley, ambassador and Trail Angel, discusses the wonderful world of hikers and the community they have created. 2:00 P.M. Where in the Blue Blazes Are You? The G.A.T.C. In Action! The Georgia Appalachian Trail Club is one of 31 AT maintaining clubs whose volunteers advocate for, educate on and maintain the AT and many of its blue blazed side trails. How did the AT come to be? Why does it follow the route it does? The AT never changes, right? When did it become a unit of the National Park Service? Join Communications Director Ron Hamlin as he shares the history of the AT. 3:00 P.M. That?s Owl Folks! Now that you know Who is Who in the Hiking World, let?s learn whose whooooo is whose from the birds of Amicalola Falls State Park. It?s our way of saying ?Owl?s well that ends well.? Don?t miss this live bird-of-prey program.