September 18 & 19, 2004 at Rivers and Trails in Caratunk, Maine.

This will hopefully be the last time I ask this question. This is more than a WhiteBlaze get together. It is also Trail Magic for thru-hikers and anyone who has a interest in the Appalachian Trail. So if you know someone that wants to come that is not a member of WhiteBlaze then please drag them along also. If you know someone that is a prospective thru-hiker or section hiker then drag them along also.

I need to get a feeling of how many WhiteBlaze members will be attending the 18 September get together. I need to know how much food and drinks we need to acquire. So could you please vote on the voting poll that I created so that I can get a feel of how many people will be attending. I have come up with a sort of agenda for the first day. If anyone has any ideas please feel free to post them. This is the first time I have ever done an event like this so I can use all the help and suggestions I can get.
1. Arrivals through out the day. Will have a trail register style signup sheet.
2. Socializing and meting others.
3. Cooking for thru-hikers passing through.
4. Start cooking for free meal around 4:30.
5. 7 PM, WhiteBlaze welcome announcement and explain about the web site and where it is and where we hope to have it go.
6. Introductions, Who are you/trail name, when have you hiked and when are you going to hike ect…
7. 8 PM, Baltimore Jack’s Question and answers session for prospective hikers.
8. Campfire on into the night.

Here are some other options we are looking into.

1. Swimming trip up to The Forks for a bridge jumping trip.
2. Canoe trip down the Kennebec River on Sunday.

Why can't I vote?

Voters: 1. You may not vote on this poll

I can't seem to find any reason you should not be able to vote. Everything is right with your account and you haven't already voted.

Same thing here, I couldn't vote. I clicked on the thread and was taken immediately to the thread and it said I had already voted. Would like to attend but it is too far. Hope everyone has a good time.

Hmmm, only two voters, me and Troll. Looks like something is goofey since only Admins are being allowed to vote.

[Voters: 2. You may not vote on this poll}

this is the mesage I get..I am not be allowed to vote...

OK, someone try again and let me know.

works for me now.

I declare the issue fixed. Now back to discussing the get together.

I want to come. Have previous commitment. May be free next year, specially if it's a little closer, perhaps in Tnn/Smokies. OOOH, how about at the Standing Bear Farms Hostel, easy access (for me anyway) Great people, room for 2 dozen tents plus, lots of bunk space, 2 showers, close to the trail.


Doctari.

I was planning on being there but the Docs decided I needed an overhaul so have to wait and see how it goes, don't want to mess up all their fancy(& expensive) stich work ;) If I don't make this one will make the next one ...post lots of pics :banana

I really really want to go, but unfortunately I work weekends. I won't be able to make it.

I hope we get more of a turn out then the 6 people I know of so far. The three in my family and PCM25. One Leg and Baltimore Jack will be hiking together in the area and Jack said he would make it there to do his Question and answers dicussion that he is well known for. I am sure we will get some thru-hikers there as well. I will have a bunch of burgers ready to cook up Saturday evening and for thru-hikers through out the day.

Maine is just a few states too far for me!

Hi Attroll,

I would be willing to help with the get together if you need stuff brought up to Steve Longley's or help with setting up at his place. I have that week off.
I hope to spend most of the weekend up there at the get together. There will be two of us.

Hi Attroll,

I would be willing to help with the get together if you need stuff brought up to Steve Longley's or help with setting up at his place. I have that week off.
I hope to spend most of the weekend up there at the get together. There will be two of us.
I think I have everything I need for the get together. I will buy the food about a week before the event. I am not planning anything fancey. Just burgers and hot dogs. Help cooking may be needed if we get more then 8 people coming (hopefully). I am hoping we get at least 15 to 20. But if not then we will just have fun with what we have. I would like to do this again next year also. But that all depends on how it turns out this year. I will let you know if I need help hauling anything up there. Thanks for the offer.

Hope you guys have a great time!:clap

Sorry, ATTroll...the Jaybird will be doing the family REUNION thang that weekend & then hiking the following weekend...prepping for another section-hike (w/ "TeePee") in early October.

Thanks for the invite.

Ya'll eat a few burgers for me! :D

[insert 'Scansin voice over] Tree tousand miles away, eh, for this yuper. In da spirit of Bart and Vince, have a couple two tree beers and brats for me, hay der den.

I think i'll be there !

In spite of all our planning, Tripper and I won't get to attend. I had asked Steve (Ferryman of WhiteBlaze) to hold a cabin for us and have let him know we won't need it. So there may one cabin available for those who may be interested. Maybe next time.

Sorry you are not going to be at the Whiteblaze Get Together in Sept. I was looking forward to meeting you. Best wishes.

Walkin Wally

Man what a bummer I was hoping to meet you and your wife. Darn. Well hopefully it will turn out well and I will do another one next year.

I will be attending your "Maine Event" for sure. Afterwards, I'll be hiking north to Monson. I'll need to find a shuttle or hitch, but I'll work something out.
Also, I'll be accompanied by my hiking partner Max.
Can I bring something to pinch-in?, maybe a Philly cheesesteak or some scrapple?
Looking forward to meeting people who have advised me and also entertained me.
Rancid

I went to Caratunk today and got all the questions answered that I had about the get together on 18 September.

Here is the latest additions to the plan of events.

We will have a tent for registration and other things. This will give us a central location. It will also provide us with a spot in case we get bad weather. We are hoping people will start rolling in around noon time. Sooner would be better. The sooner people get there the sooner we can organize a group event if any one is interested.

Some possible events for Saturday are:
A trip to Moxie Falls about 8 ½ miles up the road.
A hike up Pleasant Mountain.

Sundays group event:
We will be organizing are Kennebec River trip Starting 6 miles up river from where the get together is and ending at the get together. This type of trip is a couple hours trip depending on how fast you do it. You could site in the canoes and let the river take you and do the whole trip without paddling if you wanted to. The sign up sheet for this will be at the tent.

If I don’t get there Friday night I will be there Saturday morning by 9 am. I am going to try and be there before Steve makes his first Ferry run of the day.

We have also added something new to our agenda thanks to Steve for providing a place for us. We are going to set up a TV VHS/DVD and show the two newest films on the Appalachian Trail. 2,000 Miles (85 minutes) to Maine and Trek (100 minutes). If the weather cooperates then we will set this up outside for all to watch after dusk. If the weather is bad we have space to show this in Steve’s upstairs loft.

There are horse shoes to be played.
Tent site $5 P/P.

We will cook for thru-hikers though out the day.
The final meal (for non thru-hikers) will start after the last ferry run which is 4 pm. So 4:30 is when we will start cooking burgers for everyone. If you want you can bring your own food and use our grills to cook on.

After dinner sometime:
Introductions and briefing.
Baltimore Jack will be on the premises and he said he would hold his well know Question and answers session for prospective hikers. Maybe we can get some more out of him who knows.

We are working on getting a breakfast together right now for Sunday morning.

Campfire for Socializing at dusk.

I will be attending your "Maine Event" for sure. Afterwards, I'll be hiking north to Monson. I'll need to find a shuttle or hitch, but I'll work something out.
Also, I'll be accompanied by my hiking partner Max.
Can I bring something to pinch-in?, maybe a Philly cheesesteak or some scrapple?
Looking forward to meeting people who have advised me and also entertained me.
RancidGreat glad to see that you are coming. Could you please go to the top of this thread and vote.

I almost forgot. If there is anyone coming that plays a guitar or a musical instrument then please bring it along.

I voted as a maybe and now I cannot vote again. Is there someway to do this? I need to change to 2 people attending.
Thanks, Rancid

I voted as a maybe and now I cannot vote again. Is there someway to do this? I need to change to 2 people attending.
Thanks, Rancid
Nope once voted it can not be changed. But I will write this down and as a note to remember.

I hope you guys have an awesome time! :banana

Rancid,

Pack about 200 pounds of genuine Philly cheesestakes and scrapple. You will be the DARLING of the weekend.

Worked with someone from Philly way back who told me about scrapple. When I went to her wedding down there, I was in heaven. Cheesesteaks, I got into in California when some Jersey/Philly guys opened a sportsbar and that was their signature item.

Looks like you might win the prize for traveling the longest to the get-together.

Ooooops. That is if you don't count the thru-hikers.

Look forward to meeting you.

pcm

:jump I would love to see if I can plan my days off to come. I would certainly bring some magic, if I make it. I will send the link about the get together to all the hikers I have emails for. But This is the first I noticed this event. Can you send me the link for info.

:jump I would love to see if I can plan my days off to come. I would certainly bring some magic, if I make it. I will send the link about the get together to all the hikers I have emails for. But This is the first I noticed this event. Can you send me the link for info.There really is no link for this information. You can just go to the first post in this thread and it will tell you everything you need to know and read on down through the post in this thread. If you have anymore questions I will be glad to answer them.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5500&page=1&pp=20

Thanks troll. I will copy that url to all the hikers I have emails for. And I do hope I can make it. I've been wanting to make another trip north since I went to the Gathering last year. That was the first time I was further north of New York City and I was awestruck by the scerery. :clap

I drove to The Forks today on my way home from 'up north'. The Kennebec River looks like it is going to be a lot of fun to travel down in a canoe or kayak. I stopped to say hello to Steve Longley also. He did a shuttle for me a couple of years ago to hike the Bigelows and is a real nice guy. I'm looking forward to the gathering. See you all there. :sun

Bag of Tricks mentioned he may pick up Packrat and Myself at Glencliff for this.

If so, wondered if you guys would like to have a copy of my Documentary to show.

Lion King
walkingwithfreedom.com

I'll be there. If anyone needs a ride I'll be coming from southeast Ohio. I'm also hiking the Long Trail from about Killington north to Canada a day or two after the get together. Anyone interested in hiking? I hike slow and steady and about 10 +/- miles a day.

Sorry, we are on our way back to Florida to assess and clean up any damage our mortorhome may have sustained/is sustaining in Hurricane Frances. Maybe next time. Have a fun and blessed time! :sun

Saw Steve ran an add in "No Umbrella" news paper that mentions the "1st annaul Whiteblaze.net Festival(?)".

You folks have a good time.

Saw Steve ran an add in "No Umbrella" news paper that mentions the "1st annaul Whiteblaze.net Festival(?)".

You folks have a good time.
What is "No Umbrella" news paper and where does it get distributed to?

Looks like I won't be making it, didn't get the OK from the Doc :p You all have a great time now :banana

What is "No Umbrella" news paper and where does it get distributed to?There was a pile of them in the White Wolf Inn. Its a rafting/canoeing/kyaking paper (though there was an AT hiking article in it as well) for the Upper Kennebec Valley. See http://www.noumbrella.com/

September 18 & 19, 2004 at Rivers and Trails in Caratunk, Maine.

Rick,

It now appears there is a good chance I will be driving from Nashville, TN up to Mt. Katahdin, leaving Nashville on Tuesday the 14th or Wednesday the 15th and arriving on the 16th. My daughter Grass thinks she'll be summiting Mt K on Friday the 17th.

Assuming that works out, we both will come to your gathering for the weekend.

My question is, does anyone need a ride, up or back? Please contact me, if so.

Also, any advice on where and how to meet up with Grass, if I want to summit with her?
:sun
Rain Man
Raymond Myers
615-385-9644
Nashville, TN

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It looks like we are going to have 4 kayaks and one canoe so far heading down the Kennebec River Sunday at about noon time. Steve has three more canoes for anyone else wanting to do this. One more week. I can not wait. I hope the weather cooperates.

Just a quick note that was brought to my attention. This is not a free AYCE (all you can eat) for two days. I will have a meal of burgers of some type for Saturday night and for thru-hikers passing through. So any other meal you will have to provide for yourself. There will be gas grills avaiblible for use. We are working on a breaklfast for Sunday morning. It looks like scrammbled maybe.

Another idea that would help is if others could bring fruits like apples, oranges, peaches and things of that type for the thru-hikers that are passing through. If you could bring some coolers to help put things in that would help to. I am not sure if I will need coolers right now but if you could bring them jsut in case.

Ice, Ice, Ice. I don't know if Steve will have iece at his place or not. But we need ice for the soda's.

Steve has a small camp store at his place, which sells, along with other things, soda, beer, ice, snacks, Ben and Jerry's, and all sorts of other stuff.

Troll is right.....it'd be really nice if everyone that showed up brought some kind of "Trail Magic" stuff for the Class of 2004 hikers that'll be there that wekend; it doesn't have to be anything special, just maybe some treats, snacks, sodas, etc.

Also, just so folks know in advance, it's great that Troll and Steve are doing so much work getting this thing together, but NEITHER of these guys is in any position to host or pay for the whole weekend, especially if we get 60-80 or more folks, which is a real possibility. There will be some meals taken care of (cookouts, maybe a breakfast) but this is NOT an AYCE weekend, so I hope folks realize this. Also, I hope there's a Whiteblaze donation bucket set out to help defray Troll's expenses, which are starting to accumulate; also, Steve will most likely be asking a nominal fee (5-10 bucks) from the overnighters, to cover such expenses as a Port-A-John, clean-up of the site, showers, trips to the dump, etc.

This looks like it'll be a great weekend, but I hope everyone realizes that neither Troll nor Steve are in a position to "host" the entire event....it's great that Troll is doing so much to pull this thing together, and it's great that Steve is providing us with his place for the weekend, but there are incidental costs involved, so I hope everyone in attendance knows about this and helps out as much as they're able. Not to make a big deal out of it, but this will be a non-fee "Donations Accepted" event; I hope everyone does their part and helps out, so this becomes an annual event.

Heading off into the woods for a week; hope to see lots of you guys there next weekend!!

may be there unsure yet whats a little drive from mi to me in a weekend if its trail related...got to tie up some loose ends before i will know for sure if i come that will be 3 to 5 in my crew
LUNA

Just a quick note that was brought to my attention. This is not a free AYCE (all you can eat) for two days. I will have a meal of burgers of some type for Saturday night and for thru-hikers passing through. So any other meal you will have to provide for yourself. There will be gas grills avaiblible for use. We are working on a breaklfast for Sunday morning. It looks like scrammbled maybe. ...

Rick,

THANKS so much for all you're doing! We'll be there. Are there any stores nearby or on the way from Millinocket?

Rain Man

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Rick,

Are there any stores nearby or on the way from Millinocket?

Rain Man

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There's a big supermarket in Millinocket right near all the motels.

There are currently about 20 Thru-hikers planning on the trip to Caratunk. Most of us are in Andover right now but plan on hitching in for the festivities. Thanks for having an event such as this. To us it is like Christmas.:banana <-- What is this guys deal?

I am thru hiking this year and I know that there are a lot of hikers talking about this trail magic, and you are in the high-traffic spot- so be prepared for tons of us hungry hikers! I might make it (i'm in rangeley now)- it all depends on how hungry I am and if I am willing to hitch a bit (I've given up being a purist). But if I do not attend I just want you to know that I appreciate you, angel! :clap

I stopped by the Ferryman's today and he has a large tent set up and a sign out by the road welcoming Whiteblaze. Just a couple of days now.
See you all there. :sun

I talked to Steve on Wednesday afternoon on the phone and he said he had a 40 x 60 tent. Steve has done a lot for us so far. I was working on a sign. You said he had a sign out. So I guess that is not a worry anymore about making a sign. It looks like I will be heading to Steve's tomorrow evening to get there early so I can get everything unpacked and set up.

Wally if you could still bring the extra canopy that you said you had is case we get some wet weather. I would appreciate it. Hopefully we will not have to use it. But we can have it as a backup.

I will bring up the tarps (2) I have and some rope for them. The sign Steve has out by the road is facing south and should be seen by eveyone. :sun

Stuck in Glencliff...hoping Tricks will show up...hoping the DVD I sent to ATTroll will play all the way through...hoping I can get there somehow...sounds fun...

Lion King
walkingwithfreedom.com

Stuck in Glencliff...hoping Tricks will show up...hoping the DVD I sent to ATTroll will play all the way through...hoping I can get there somehow...sounds fun...

Lion King
walkingwithfreedom.comLionKing

Just got on the phone with Steve (the ferryman) and he said that Bag of Tricks is coming and he is picking up Jack and bringing him. So hopefully he is still swinging by your way.

I am buisy packing up the truck and all the things right now and took a quick break to check on the site here. The wife is pulling her hair out and getting a little on nerves now. She has done a lot to put all this together. I think she is at witts end.

I am looking forward to meeting everyone that attends this weekend. I will have WhiteBlaze patches and shirts for sale this weekend. I will offer a reduced price from the web site price. Maybe I can sell them and not be stuck with them now. I have learned a valuable leason from the shirt orders. Next time I will get money in advance. Anyway I did not get on here to talk about shirts. For those that are coming there is a good time to be had. We have two documentries to be seen Saturday night, 2000 Miles to Maine and Trek. If LionKing makes it then we will have his new documentry also. So bring some popcorn because that is the one thing I did not get for the weekend was popcorn. LOL.

Hope to see a bunch there. Word is out it seems and there should be a bunch of 2004 thru-hikers.

Looking forward to it. My truck rebelled a bit by dropping the exhaust system. No time to fix it, but wired it up with an old coat hanger. I plan on being there mid-morning. Glad you'll have some shirts/patches. I'll take a couple off your hands.

See you tomorrow!

Hikers are starting to roll in to base camp here at Rivers and Trails in The Forks, right on the north side of Caratunk about 1 mile north of the Appalachian Trailhead. There is sure to be quite a bit of trail magic as well as presentations and general trail chat going on while the campfires burn into the night. There are still 23 days left for the ferry service to operate and so far, everything has run incredibly smooth. We continue to pay close attention to detail and will not rest peacefully until the last day of the ferry service. The watch for hikers after the official hours of operation are over will continue on a daily basis. Looking forward to this weekend and providing a gathering for hikers especially for the Class of 04 who are at the mile 2022 mark and have plenty of reasons to celebrate. If you are in the area, plan on stopping by. It should be the the first of many more WhiteBlaze gatherings. Yours on the banks of the Kennebec River, Steve 'ferryman' Longley

Just wanted to say that I and Grass and Mala and Jason all thought the Gathering at Caratunk, Maine on Sept 18 & 19 was GREAT.

Many thanks to Rick (aka ATTroll) as WhiteBlaze moderator for putting it together.

Also many thanks to Steve, the Ferryman, for hosting it at his place on the Kennebec River.

I may not be able to return any time soon, but my visit to Maine was fantastic due to all the great hiker folks!
:sun
Rain Man

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