[at-l] 2005 RUCKus a da South...

[thornel at attglobal.net (W F Thorneloe)]

Good opening salvo regarding the SORUCK plans. 

Weather in mid January on the AT is quite variable. We have had two years at
Amicolola with snow, once a dusting and the other quite significant. The first
official SORUCK at Goose Creek had warm clear weather. There have always been
more indoor RUCKers than campers. 

Camp Thornwell was most excellent last year, convenient to GA, NC, SC and TN
RUCKers, but probably a push for the FL and AL contingent. The kitchen and
meeting rooms were excellent. I especially appreciated the Concierge service,
wake up calls, sauna, exercise room and computer access for Continuing Hiker
Education points. The security guards were much more friendly, although the
attack dogs at the admission gate were a bit much. The brass quartet nightly
seranades were a dream. Frankly, it really raised the bar for comparison of any
other location.

Rainbow Springs is an excellent location, although I am unsure that the
facilities hold a candle to Thornwell. Coosa and a few others have previously
nominated other camps in the area for a weekend RUCK, but it never went nearly
as far as Thornwell's planning and execution.

My paltry experience with SORUCKs suggests that the only requirement is for
someone to declare the place, and verify the date (classically MLK weekend). If
someone chooses to become the RUCKMEISTER05, he/she will get very anxious and
apprehensive beginning in December, but will be unable to believe how easy
everything actually works. Face it, this isn't anything like trying to get a
Nomad tent before your next hike. RUCKers make it easy and on time.

I wish I could be reinstated as RUCKMEISTER, but I've got a few distractions
going on just now. I think the hat was passed on to much more capable hands,
Pittsburg. I know how quickly the SORUCK BETA version was promptly abandoned on
a drissely weekend back in April, '99. I just question whether a SORUCK would
work in Gooch Gap.

OrangeBug