[at-l] Pinhoti Trail officially connected to AT

[lorac4491 at linkamerica.net (Coosa Donaldson)]

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040606/APN/406060679

About 50 people attended a ceremony at the Pinhoti Trail on Dugger Mountain near Anniston to inaugurate a trailhead named for local pioneer Pink E. Burns.

Burns, who died in 1999, was a bluegrass musician, trapper and storyteller extraordinaire. His legacy, and his home of 87 years, were celebrated as part of the 11th annual National Trails Day.

The trailhead that opened Saturday is just behind Burns' old home.

Burns "would have been tickled to death" had he been around for the ceremony, said a tearful Tom Cofield.

Renee Morrison, of Choccolocco, agreed. Morrison, who grew up from the age of 4 possum hunting with Burns, told of him springing off his porch to ask, "Did you bring my moon-pie and cokie-cola?" every time she'd show up at the cabin with her grandfather.

Burns charmed Morrison with folklore but also taught her some of the most important lessons in nature, like how to identify "scat," she said.

"It took me six years to get a degree in wildlife biology, but I didn't learn as much from the books and the Internet as I did from Pink," she said.

Pete Conroy, director of Jacksonville State University's Environmental Policy and Information Center, said the Burns Trailhead gives the public access to Dugger Mountain.

The Pinhoti Trail spans 102 miles and is now officially connected to the Appalachian Trail, which runs from Georgia to Maine. The U.S. Forest Service has plans to extend the Pinhoti 18 miles south of Talladega by December this year.

Following Saturday's ceremony, about 25 people left for a two-hour hike through wildflowers, huckleberries, pines and a lot more wildlife, led by Francine and Bruce Hutchinson.

Information from: The Anniston Star


Coosa Donaldson
Casey&Crockett Donaldson
I think, therefore I hike!
Shop Local, Shop Often
Blairsville, Georgia, USofA
Sign the Petition 
Stop Wal-Mart in Blairsville!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/462389740