Carolina Mountain Club
Since 1923
eNews
| Hike . Save Trails . Make Friends
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Think Spring!
The 2017 Spring Social is scheduled for April 22
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at the Arboretum. Heading the program will be Garrett Artz, Executive Director of Riverlink. The theme of his talk is The French Broad River: Hiking, Floating and Conserving our Watershed. Jim Stokely, President of the Wilma Dykeman Legacy and Wilma Dykeman's son will introduce our main speaker. The program will be emceed by Sharmon Stambaugh, Sherman's daughter.
Of course there will an opportunity to take a hike before the evening events begin with a 5-mile hike beginning at 2:30 and a 3-4 mile wildflower hike beginning at 3:00. The Social Hour, which begins at 5:00, will give members a chance to connect with old friends over a beer, glass of wine, or non-alcoholic beverage. Once again Bubba's Bar-B-Q will be providing the good eats prior to the program which begins at 7:00.
Everyone is welcome! However you must register in advance by going to the CMC website and either linking to, printing and sending in your form and check to the CMC PO Box or logging onto the website and registering online. The fee for the Social is $22 plus a $1 administrative fee for online registration. Registration deadline is April 17
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PS This limited edition MST plaque could be yours! Submit 1 - 5 photos for the Spring Social photo sharing and your name could be drawn out of the hat. See the home page of the CMC website for details. |
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Camino del Norte and Camino Primitivo
Hear about Carroll Koepplinger
's latest foray into the wilds of Europe in Spain,
from IrĂșn to Santander and from Oviedo to Lugo.
Come and enjoy the latest episode from the ageless adventurer.
REI ASHEVILLE
Monday, April 3rd, 2017, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m
31 Schenck Parkway
Asheville, NC 28803
828-687-0918
Free but (when event appears on store calendar) a reservation is recommended
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Maine Appalachian Trail Conference
Dates: August 4 to 11, 2017
Location: Colby College, Waterville, Maine
Event Overview: The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) holds a conference every two years at different locations in the Eastern US. This week-long event includes over 240 hikes, numerous workshops, and excursions to local areas of interest. The conference will also include ATC's 41st membership meeting. Each evening there are exciting adventure presentations and stellar entertainment. The event draws people from around the world, but primarily from locations along the nearly 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail (A.T.). At the last conference held in Maine (1997 Sunday River), 1,380 people participated. We anticipate over 1,200 attendees in 2017.
About the ATC: The ATC, established in 1925, is a national not-for-profit that is both a confederation of 31 local organizations with assignments to maintain the A.T. and a membership organization with support from all 50 states and more than 15 other countries. Under agreements that date back to the 1930s, buttressed by federal legislation in 1968 and 1978, ATC leads a cooperative-management system for the A.T. that includes the National Park Service and USDA Forest Service at national, regional, and district levels, numerous state parks,a variety of agencies in 14 states and other land management organizations.
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Maintenance Crew Gets Surprise on Quick Response to Downed Tree
On a recent scout hike on the AT near Lovers' Leap, my wife, Beth, and I encountered a huge tree down on the trail. It was too big to straddle and was on a steep slope, making going down hill and across difficult. Beth was able to barely scoot under it, but I had to work my way up and around it. I reported the downed tree on the CMC website when we got home. John Busse replied immediately and had the Free Ranger crew out the next Wednesday. Here is his account of their work to clear the trail and the surprise that they found:
That large tree you came across on your scout hike last week is gone. We had a 5-person Free Ranger crew out today to cut/remove that. Bit challenging...required a grip hoist to secure the root ball prior to and during cutting, but worked well. The tree was big (we knew that), and upon cutting discovered it was hollow, but when we removed the initial wedge cut discovered another 7" tree growing INSIDE the hollow! Very unusual. Also, if you take a gander down-slope about 100' you will see the cut portion "standing" against another large tree...when we pushed it over the edge it took off like it would make it to the French Broad, but then the roots hit the tree mid-way down, spun 180 degrees and landed in an upright position. Even if we had tried to script it that way, no way that happens. Anyway, trail is now all clear. Enjoy your upcoming CMC hike.
A big shout out to John and the Free Ranger Crew for this work, and to all the trail maintenance crews who, week in and week out, make over 400 miles of trails fun and safe for all of us.
Randy Fluharty
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Treasurer Search
Due to increased work commitments and other obligations CMC's Treasurer, Ann Hendrickson, has resigned her position. We appreciate the time and expertise Ann dedicated to this position during her 2016 tenure as Treasurer.
This resignation finds the Club in need of someone to fill this important role. The treasurer has general oversight of the club's finances, including paying bills, tax reporting, preparing financial statements and preparation of the proposed budget for the upcoming year, and is, of course, a member of Council. We feel that with a club membership of over 1000 individuals, we have a great wealth of talent in this area, so we are reaching out to membership to help us find a replacement. It's a challenging job, but Council is dedicated to developing ways so that the workload doesn't fall all on one person.
A broad knowledge of Carolina Mountain Club and its various facets is very important. Knowledge of basic web-based bookkeeping and payment practices are important. Previous experience in the financial area of non-profits and working with volunteers are a real plus.
Are you that special person? Can you recommend someone who might be that special person? If so, please email president@carolinamountainclub.org
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Four CMC
Love
Stories
By Bobbi Powers
Ah, February, the month of St. Valentine, Cupid, chocolate, and love stories. For those of you who might enjoy a
little vicarious romance in your life, here are some true love stories about couples who met through CMC.
 Les Love met the love of his life Catherine during a CMC backpacking trip in 2002 in Damascus. Les said the two had
met a year earlier on a hike he led and that she was with another man. But he noticed her! One year later when they both showed up for the backpacking trip, Catherine had no man in tow, and she remembered Les. He said the whole group felt the electricity the two of them generated. After the first night's camping, Les said, "The next night we camped away from the others, and then we extended the trip at a bed and breakfast, and we've been together ever since."
 Kathy Kyle and Michael Cornn met on Kathy's first hike with CMC, the traditional New Years Day hike in 2007. She has no memory of eating her lunch on a boulder at the river's edge while sitting across from Michael, but a photo proves it so. Kathy remembers being impressed by the friendliness of the group. About 4 months later the two of them helped the Club with a booth at a hiking festival in Black Mountain. Soon after, they had their first date, a hike along the Buck Springs Trail to the Pisgah Inn. Love blossomed, and they have been hiking with CMC ever since. On New Years Day 2008, they were on their honeymoon. Each April, they celebrate their first date by hiking the Buck Springs Trail.
 Gail Lamb and Joe Burchfield met on Joe's first hike with CMC in 2005, during which the leader lost 7 hikers. He remembers Gail as being "noisy but interesting," talking non-stop about rehabbing houses on Tybee Island, Georgia. Through hiking and dancing together for a year, they became very good friends. Their first real date was just before Joe's colonoscopy to which Gail was driving him. Gail said that because he was on a liquid diet, they drank a lot of beer, and soon after, they were a couple. (Beer as an aphrodisiac?!) Or, as Joe likes to say, "She chased me until I tripped." Gail's version of the story is that as soon as she stopped chasing him, he came looking for her. In either case, they are one cute couple! They bought a house together in 2010 and spend lots of time planning trips together.
 John Sanders and Felicia Hemans first met along the Tanawha Trail on a hike led by Michael and Kathy Cornn in September 2011. After the hike, the group went to dinner at a nearby restaurant; John and Felicia started to get to know one another while sharing a basket of hush puppies. Later, they both began quizzing friends about the other. Their next meeting was the Annual Dinner at Pack's Tavern where they stole glances at one another and chatted. Kathy Cornn played Cupid and invited the two to a theater outing. John and Felicia had drinks at Zambra before meeting Kathy and Michael. There the chemistry began! (Again, alcohol as an aphrodisiac?!) In July 2012 they moved in together, and in June 2015 they were married at English Chapel in Pisgah Forest. As Felicia puts it, "Today we are living happily ever after in Etowah."
John Muir once said, "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." I'm sure these four couples would agree. Thanks to them for sharing their stories.
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The newsletter usually goes out the last Friday of every month.
The next issue will come out on Friday, March 31st, but s
end your news by Friday, March 24th, to eNews@carolinamountainclub.org. Include your email address at the end of your story. Thank you.
Westgate parking - Park in the northernmost part of the lot - past EarthFare, in the last row of parking spaces.
Toys-R-Us parking - Park in the spaces closest to Brevard Rd.
To join Carolina Mountain Club go to:
www.carolinamountainclub.org. Click on "Join CMC" on the right side. Follow the instructions. Send all address and email changes to Dennis Bass at
dbass3607@gmail.com. Do not resubscribe yourself to the eNews. That will be done automatically.
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Carolina Mountain Club | P.O. Box 68
Asheville, NC 28802
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