No Subject

Hello, Trl. Friends

Most humbly-submitted rpt. on a doin's:

I'm a-workin' up @ Table Rock St. Pk. & heard 'bout River Otter (1st 
South-bound hiker of the E. Coast, that we know of) arrivin' @ Springer, 
havin' set off fm. Cap Gaspe, Can. Nrte. 2 K. West on the IAT-AT-FT.  As 
there was 2 B a bit of a ceremony there, w/a couple folx I knew, I decided 2 
drive the 3 hrs. over, & was glad I did.

Back 2 RO's hike:  On Nat'l Trls. Day, 5 Jun. he started out, simultanously 
w/the official dedication of the new IAT, dignitaries in attendance.  Also, 
whales goin' by (this place is 1 of the few w/10 species-in-1-site).  RO 
trucked S-wards, gettin' special permission 2 go thru a carribou preserve, 
which is normally closed durin' calvin' season - he got 2 C 'em.  

Dick Anderson of ME, who's both Benton MacKaye & Malcolm Avery has been 
followin' RO's progress & a couple mon. ago got him 2 specify his arrival 
date on Springer (20 Nov.), which he did make.  Dick is plannin' 'nuther 
doin' when RO finishes, & even has the mayor of K. West psyched 2 B there.

I drove up SR 42, 2 the parkin' lot .9-mi. N. of Springer.  I noticed quite a 
few of thru-hikin' folx who were B'n picked up.  Turns out that some 17 
finished over this weekend.  Anyway, a ceremony was set for 3 PM, w/Eddi 
Minch, GATC Pres., Dick Anderson of ATC, the regional forrestry chief, reps 
fm. the Alabama Pinhooti Trl & Benton MacKaye Trls. & it turns out, me as the 
unofficial FTA rep.  After speaches there was champagne, brought by Van Hill 
of GATC, who'd also flown up 2 Cap Gaspe 2 B there @ the IAT ded. ceremony.  
'Twas nice...we then adjourned 2 the Amicalola Fall St. Pk Lodge 4 dinner.

Others seen @ Springer:  Carole & Brendon Perry of GAT/tr. crew 
("Gaotski"/"Mtn. Goat Sky" and "Gruff") as well as Olin Batchelor, GATC's 
most-Xlnt photographer, & his wife.

A nice side-trip 4 me was stoppin' by Nimble Will Nomad's (Eb Eberhart's) 
place, where he's writin' his book, as well as poetry (most 2 go in the 
book)...Eb recently had ft. surgery & was 2 have the wires removed the nxt, 
day.  He anticipates doin' this same S-bound hike some day.

Back 2 RO's hike, turns out he's gonna canoe the Chatahootchee down 2 the 
Appalachicola R. in FL (FYI, he canoed the 2,400 mi. Missouri R., solo), then 
pick up the FT 2 hike down 2  K. West by 20 Jan.  I'd like 2 B there but 
anticipate workin' thru Feb. in SC.  

Mosta U don't hardly write, dadgummit.  How 'bout some news, fer cryin' out 
loud?

Yrs. & Happy Trls., W

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