Centennial

This year marks the 100th year of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. It began as a two day conference in Washington DC in March of 1925. The trail was completed in 1937 and the first thru hike was in 1948.

The ATC has strong presence in Damascus, VA, home of the most well known Appalachian Trail Days festival. Every year, the weekend after Mother's Day, current and past thru hikers gather in Damascus for a weekend of camping and revelry. I made the short drive from Tennessee and set up my tent, hoping to catch up with hikers I met last year.

On this centennial year, the signs of hurricane Helene were still visible in Damascus. Most of the town was clean and functional, but the occasional mud field or pile of debris reminded that there is still work to be done, even eight months later.

Strider came down from Kansas and we hiked from Damascus south to the Tennessee state line. In this 3.5 mile section we walked over sawdust and through cleanly cut logs which must have taken weeks to clear.

Later we attempted to recreate a photo of our first marathon hiking day, which was from the Iron Mountain shelter to the Marathon station in Damascus.

Tara Dower, the record setter of last year, was at the festival being a trail celebrity. We spotted her at the contra dance.

We ran into some acquaintances in tent city, and even more at the hiker parade. The traditional hiker parade has thru hikers arranged by year marching through downtown. Children (and big children) line the streets with super soakers and garden hoses to keep everyone cool.

Our year's mascot in the parade was bricky, a yellow brick which had been relayed all the way to Katahdin.

At night I found the musicians, including Ketchup the banjo player who I had met last year. Sunfish loaned a pair of congas and we teamed up with Rambo, Slim Pickins, and others for a long set by a bonfire.

It felt good to be back in the thick of trail community. Not enough can be said for it. I will keep going back.

Now I've set out on my summer road trip. I'll be stopping in Kansas, Grand Canyon, throughout California, Mount Rainier and Bellevue in Washington, and back through Michigan. Mostly visiting new hiker friends, and some old friends too.