RSS FeedMarch 15, 2008
Hikers Walk Appalachian Trail
to Raise Funds for the Great Eastern Trail
Andy Grizzell, Susan Baxley, and their dog Corley
This week, Susan Baxley, Andy Grizzell, and their 2 year old dog Corley will set out from Springer Mountain, Georgia and attempt to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.
Some months ago, Susan contacted me and inquired about using her hike to raise awareness about and funds for the Great Eastern Trail. I connected them with the Great Eastern Trail Association's President, Tom Johnson, and it has come together as a fundraiser!
Please take a moment to visit Susan & Andy's blog. There, you can follow along on their journey, or make a donation to help support the development of the Great Eastern Trail.
In the meanwhile, here at American Hiking Society we wish Susan, Andy and Corley a safe journey! Have a great hike guys!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:53 AM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2007
Green Ridge State Forest Becomes Part Of The Great Eastern Trail
Click on the Image Above to Download a PDF (21 KB) of the Press Release
On of the most significant developments resulting from American Hiking Society's Southeast Trail Program based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, is the formation, naming and coordination of the Great Eastern Trail. It has truly been a privilege to work closely with groups like the Florida Trail Association, Alabama Hiking Trail Society, Alabama Trails Association, Georgia Pinhoti Trail Association, Cumberland Trail Conference, Pine Mountain Trail Club, Appalachian Trail Conservancy, West Virginia Scenic Trails Association, Potomac Appalachian Trail Club (PATC), Mid State Trail Association, Standing Stone Trail Club, Keystone Trails Association, and the Finger Lakes Trail Conference.
It has also been a distinct pleasure working with Francis "Champ" Zumbrun of the Green Ridge State Forest. His passion, desire and leadership on behalf of the Maryland DNR Forest Service has been inspiring. From day one, Francis saw the Great Eastern Trail as an opportunity to get people outside so that they can see first hand the value of protected open space. Thank you Francis!
I would also be remiss not to mention the support we have received from the National Park Service, the USDA Forest Service, as well as Georgia and Tennessee State Parks.
As 2007 comes to a close, I would like to urge all hikers and open space advocates to contact one of the trail clubs above, and get involved with the effort to build and maintain the Great Eastern Trail.
Another way to support the Great Eastern Trail is to make a donation to the Great Eastern Trail Association. Your contributions are needed
You can also support the work of American Hiking Society by becoming a member today. In addition to supporting our work on the Great Eastern Trail possible, your membership also supports trails all across America. Plus, you'll receive some great membership benefits including a subscription to American Hiker and Backpacker Magazine.
Thank you, and Happy Trails!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 10:37 AM | Comments (0)
May 14, 2007
Sue Turner arrives in Chattanooga
on the Great EasternTrail!
Click the above image above to view a PDF of this story from the
Chattanooga Times Free Press from Saturday May 12, 2007
On Friday May 11, Sue Turner arrived in Chattanooga on her historic first-ever trek of the Great Eastern Trail. I accompanied her on the walk from Summerville, Georgia on our way into Chattanooga.
Here are a sample of some of the photos that we took during the 3 days that we hiked together. Enjoy!
Our hike begins in downtown Summerville, GA
Campsite in the Otting Tract WMA
Sue reaches the Walker County, GA border
Sue Turner. Dog Whisperer.
The country lane lined with trees was our route at Dougherty Gap
Continue reading "Sue Turner arrives in Chattanooga
on the Great EasternTrail!"
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 04:51 PM
April 17, 2007
Mid State Trail (PA) Slideshow
Sue Turner (aka Hammock Hanger) is currently making her way north along the Great Eastern Trail. Sometime in late summer, Sue will find herself in the Keystone State. There she will walk the Mid State Trail, which is part of the Great Eastern Trail.
John Stein, the Everett Region Manager of the Mid State Trail Assocition sent me a link this morning containing several slideshows of the Mid State Trail. The photos were recently taken by Tim Segina. To check out the stunning beauty of Central Pennsylvania, please visit the following link.
Enjoy!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 10:08 AM
April 05, 2007
Great Eastern Trail Thru-Hike Makes the News
Sue Turner's attempted thru-hike of the Great Eastern Trail has been covered by the Brewton Standard. Here's the full text of the article;
Hammock's hike
By Lydia Grimes - features writer
The weather did not look promsing Monday morning, but it did not deter “Hammock Hanger” from her plans.
Sue Turner, better known by her hiking name, “Hammock Hanger,” was ready to begin a new hike, and bad weather was not going to stand in her way.
Turner is the first to walk a new trail that begins at the Alabama-Florida line, one that local hikers have been busy setting up.
Eric Douglas and Johnny Miller of Brewton have been mapping out the new trail for some time.
They will see their hard work pay off as Turner makes her way through the Conecuh National Forest. She is the first woman to take the new trail, which will link the Florida trail to others along the way to her destination in upstate New York.
Douglas said the new trail is a dream come true for him.
“I have been back-packing in the Rockies before but wanted to find something a little closer to home,” he said.
“The trails in Florida didn't quite link up to ones in Alabama. All the hiking trails in Conecuh National Forest are in Covington County and in the eastern part of the forest. I got the idea to connect them and began to chat online on the Internet. We formed a committee, and from that meeting came the Alabama Hiking Trail Society.”
Minor problems along the way posed no hindrance to the overall goal, Douglas said.
“Every time we had a problem, we would have a door open for us,” he said. “We established a route from Rock Creek at the end of the Florida National Scenic Trail. From there it becomes the Alabama Roadwalk, which is an old road. The trail leads to the Alabama Pinhoti Trail, which links up to the Great Eastern Trail. Sue will be the first to hike the new trail.”
According to a press release, the connected trails are more than 1,700 miles from the Alabama-Florida state line to the Finger Lakes in New York. The trail is an alternate to the Appalachian Trail which is now used by many hikers. The new trail will be more primitive with fewer encounters along the way, Douglas said. Turner is expected to be able to see some of the most beautiful and primitive countryside, much like the Appalachian Trail was in the early 1920s.
“When I headed out on the AT in 2001, I didn't want to overwhelm myself with the prospect of walking 2,000-plus miles,” Turner said.
“I set small goals for myself and celebrated when those goals were obtained. I will take it trail by trail, kind of like the old saying ‘one step at a time' or ‘one foot in front of the other.'”
Turner said she has her back-pack down to around 25 pounds.
“It is at 13 pounds base and then depending on how much food I am carrying it can go up to 21-25 pounds,” she said. “That is very doable, especially since I headed out on the AT with a 55-pound pack. I know the lighter pack is the only thing that allows my knees to keep me moving.”
Turner said her biggest obstacle are the “feelings of homesickness” for her husband - but this time she has a plan.
“It is (at) about the six-week period that I start to get really crazy. This year (my husband) will meet me at Trail Days and we will spend some time together after the festival. Then I will take a vacation from the trail in July, to go home and see him and the kids.
“Lastly he will come out to see me either at the end of the hike or for my birthday if the hike seems to be going past the month of August.”
Turner hopes to complete the journey by mid-September. She invites all of those who are interested to follow her adventure at her online journal.
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 12:53 PM
April 03, 2007
Historic hike of the Great Eastern Trail begins!
Sue Turner about to begin her hike of the Great Eastern Trail
Photo by Johnny Miller
On Sunday April 1, Sue Turner (aka Hammock Hanger) began her planned thru-hike of the Great Eastern Trail. This is the first attempted thru-hike of this newly announced trail system that stretches from Florida to New York State.
This morning I received a photograph of Sue as she signed in at the kiosk at the Florida - Alabama border. This image was taken by Johnny Miller of the Alabama Hiking Trail Society.
If you'd like to follow along on Sue's journey, you can do so by visiting her online trail journal. Please take a moment and sign her guestbook with some words of encouragement.
I'll provide updates on Sue's progress in the coming weeks and months, including trip reports from the times when we plan to hike together.
Sue Turner walking a Forest Service road in South Alabama
Photo by Johnny Miller
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 08:33 AM
March 28, 2007
Great Eastern Trail in the News
The Martinsburg, West Virginia newspaper The Journal features an article today about The Great Eastern Trail. Check it out at this link.
After reading the article, please consider joining American Hiking Society, or make a donation to support the develoment of the Great Eastern Trail.
Happy Hiking!
Posted by Jeffrey Hunter at 09:32 AM