Got back from SoRuck 2006

[Almost There]

Got back from the Ruck today and it was an awesome event! Great food and great friends. There were some really great programs, especially on the American Hiking Society and it's new trail intiative. Anyways, I just wanted to say I had a great time at my first Ruck and for any of you who are back as well it was awesome meeting you all, and I hope to see some of you on the trail in the future! If any of you haven't gotten a chance to attend one of these events I strongly encourage it.

[Nean]

Sorry I missed it, I ended up with guest friday and was snowed in saturday. Hikers again tonight. NoRuck? I hope so.

[Tha Wookie]

Island Mama and I had a great time at the SoRuck. It was the first time in a while for either of us to see snow, and it was simply gorgeous in the full moon light, stretching long shadows across the glowing blanket.

The presentations were great. Spur and Ready had some killer photography on display, and Ready's Bruce Trail was particularly different and interesting to us. Even though I'd seen Weathercarrot's PCT slide show, it was still great watching it with a packed house. Me, Luna'97 and Island Mama layed out up front -it was like IMAX PCT!

I thought the highlight (other than the killer food;) ) was Jeff Hunter's SE Trails Inniative. It was very powerful, as we were exposed to a behind-the-scenes look at how AHS is coordinating a 5,000 mile trail network construction/linkage. That was very inspiring stuff, to see Benton Mackaye's ideas carried on and expanded. It's plain to see that there will be a National Trails Network before we know it. The energy in the room was electric -I think a lot of people are inspired to join AHS or one of the project clubs that are doing the groundwork, or to get out there and do some dirty work on the new trail segments.

Now to the food -oh wow. I am still hurting from eating too much. It was endless. Miss Janet's southern-style breakfast was heavenly, even though I got there only for leftovers. I need to get that grit recipe! All the food was awesome -thanks to all the folks in the back doing it up right!

It was great meeting a lot of people I recognize from WB, the trail, other gatherings, or Trail Journals. There were too many names to put here, but off the top of my head I particularly enjoyed talking with Cutty, Joel, Lone Wolf, Jan Lightshoe, Miss Janet, Almost There, Sly, Stumpknocker, Luna, two kids who I can't remember their names, Ready, Spur (who also brought the LCD projector), my long-lost twin brother Weathercarrot, and a whole bunch of others. It was a great crew. I hope to see you all at Trail Days!

And finally, thanks to Sly, for getting the SoRuck together. For the cost (virtually free), I was shocked at how nice the facilities were and how well everything came together.

If I'm in the southeast next winter, I'll be back! :sun

[orangebug]

Ms Janet's Grits recipe

(I done them up right)

Take a huge pot of water and fill it 2/3rd's with water. Salt and boil it.

Add a bunch of quick grits and start stirring, and stirring and sweating how much it expands. Then stir some more.

Toss in a few hunks of butter, a couple handfulls of parsley, and quickly find another pot to take the expanding mass of grits.

Add a bunch of sour creme. Keep stirring both pots. Feel the burn.

Add a bag or two of shredded cheddar cheese. Add more salt. Quit stirring and turn off the heat. Stack the two pots, to keep at least one very warm.

Serves 120.

[Tha Wookie]

Ms Janet's Grits recipe

(I done them up right)

Take a huge pot of water and fill it 2/3rd's with water. Salt and boil it.

Add a bunch of quick grits and start stirring, and stirring and sweating how much it expands. Then stir some more.

Toss in a few hunks of butter, a couple handfulls of parsley, and quickly find another pot to take the expanding mass of grits.

Add a bunch of sour creme. Keep stirring both pots. Feel the burn.

Add a bag or two of shredded cheddar cheese. Add more salt. Quit stirring and turn off the heat. Stack the two pots, to keep at least one very warm.

Serves 120.

LOL!! Thanks! Now I just a couple two huge pots for my mess kit!

[dharmabum86]

Got to stay about 2 hours at the Ruck and then headed on into the mountains. We had a 4 year old with us who has never seen snow before and boy did we find it! About 6 inches of it!!!

As I digress, sorry I didn't get to stick around more. Loved seeing you L. Wolf, Sly, Clyde, Youngblood, Tinman and more. Gypsy, it was wonderful to finally meet you!!! I will see you all at TrailDays and any other get together between now and then. And by the way.....The 4 year old is not mine. I know someone thought it was weird that last year I was child-less and this year...BAM!...I had a 4 year old :bse That would be toooooo weird!

See ya'll SOBO

OJ

[dharmabum86]

Got to stay about 2 hours at the Ruck and then headed on into the mountains. We had a 4 year old with us who has never seen snow before and boy did we find it! About 6 inches of it!!!

As I digress, sorry I didn't get to stick around more. Loved seeing you L. Wolf, Sly, Clyde, Youngblood, Tinman and more. Gypsy, it was wonderful to finally meet you!!! I will see you all at TrailDays and any other get together between now and then.

See ya'll SOBO

OJ

[orangebug]

... And by the way.....The 4 year old is not mine. I know someone thought it was weird that last year I was child-less and this year...BAM!...I had a 4 year old :bse That would be toooooo weird!It was fun/wierd to me to be childless and this year have 10 and 3 year old girls.

[Almost There]

Oh yes! Have to echo Wook...thanks Sly for putting together a great event, and thanks to everyone behind the scenes that helped out...especially those who provided the food that helped to make my waistline expand!!! Everything was an absolute pleasure!!!

[Sly]

No problem. The rewards of everyone having a good time were well worth the effort.

Props go to the hiking community, ALL that came, the presenters, the meal organizers, the kitchen help, and the NOC for being such a great, laid back venue.

[Marta]

Thank you, Sly. It was an excellent weekend--food, snow, slides and movies, talks, and (most of all) people. I'm really having a hard time settling down today and keeping my mind on my work...

[Scrunchy]

YAY SLY!!!! Great job and THANKS BUNCHES.

[restless]

This was only my second ruck and I look forward to each year now. So far, I'm only able to make the SoRuck but maybe I'll try out one of the others. Thanks to everyone involved who help make this year a success. It was great seeing so many familiar faces and meeting some new ones.

[orangebug]

The idea of the SORUCK was to take some of the pressure off of the PARUCK. There probably isn't much difference, other than regional accents and temperment. We probably could do well with multiple regional RUCKs, especially if each of the older RUCKs continue to grow exponentially.

In the past, beginning a RUCK only requires a message "Would anyone come if I tried to set up a RUCK in East Jesus, SC?" Boom, I think that East Jesus would be crowded with 25 folks the first year. A few "traditions" would begin and it would snowball.

[tiamalle]

The idea of the SORUCK was to take some of the pressure off of the PARUCK. There probably isn't much difference, other than regional accents and temperment. We probably could do well with multiple regional RUCKs, especially if each of the older RUCKs continue to grow exponentially.

In the past, beginning a RUCK only requires a message "Would anyone come if I tried to set up a RUCK in East Jesus, SC?" Boom, I think that East Jesus would be crowded with 25 folks the first year. A few "traditions" would begin and it would snowball.Sly,Thanks to you and all who prepared this,Also the great new people I meet and friens I knew,Sorry I couldn' stayed longer,You are all a great bunch,Ron Haven
:D :D :D

[Sly]

This was only my second ruck and I look forward to each year now. So far, I'm only able to make the SoRuck but maybe I'll try out one of the others. Thanks to everyone involved who help make this year a success. It was great seeing so many familiar faces and meeting some new ones.

Thanks for coming Restless. If it wasn't for you the Geocache event would have been a complete bust. My only regret is that others didn't partcipate, but still happy you were able to find all the caches.

Maybe next year, I'll pay you to sit out or atleast have some other, tougher ones, so I can use the same ones over. ;)

[PartnerShip]

Debbie: Just home from the SORUCK and it was amazing? Our first and we were overwhelmed with the people we met, the awesome food and the effort put into the presentations. AMAZING! It was wonderful to meet everyone and thanks for the welcome into this wonderful community. Back at the beach and overwhelmed with the transformation from hiking in the snow yesterday with Jan "Liteshoe" and "Hopeful" and many others to returning to a sunset at Folly Beach tonite. Too much in one day.
You guys are wonderful.
Sly , we never actually spoke to you personally but the event was everything we imagined and more, thanks for all your work. It is apparent you are well loved and admired in this community and we now know why. You are a true asset to this great community.
I am excited about our upcoming thru hike attempt starting April 1, 2006. Because I know it means we will meet others like you all we met this weekend.
Arrived early Sunday morning for breakfast in the dining area and in the window was a pair of boots my size for sale by none other than Miss Janet and they were my size so I bought them. How can I not finish this hike now. I have my good luck charm, Miss Janet's Boots.
To all who read this and those we met - thank you for your words of welcome and encouragement. You gave us a lifetime memory.

[murphyw]

SoRuck was a very good place to be. It was a first Ruck for me, and my first introduction to the culture of the people associated with these long trails. Now I know why everyone says the reason to hike is "the people".

Looking forward to seeing some of you while I'm hiking this year.

--Bill
http://murphyw.livejournal.com

[restless]

Maybe next year, I'll pay you to sit out or atleast have some other, tougher ones, so I can use the same ones over. ;)
Maybe next year I can help you plant them.:banana

[Lone Wolf]

Rucks rock! As always, the food, fun, folks and fellowship was plentiful. Extra thanks to the folks who cooked, cleaned and gave presentations. Thanks to general and cola for letting me and Gypsy crash on their cabin floor Saturday night. I'm leaning towards going to the PA Ruck. Hopefully nobody will have any untaxed liquor for me to get into. I can't handle it. Will you be there Nean? We need to discuss supporting Squeaky.

[Smile]

YES! A terrific SoRuck, my first. Rubberbandman and I had an awesome time and met some very awesome folks ---too many of you to name! --- I also want to thank the gang for the "tuckerizing" that I rec'd Saturday afternoon - some incredible suggestions were made, lessons learned and weight dropped from my pack.

Met a few hikers from the class of 2006 - hope to run into you all on the trail! It was a lot of fun to put the faces with the names, and Sly - you did an amazing job of organizing this event, getting nametags ready - and following up on emails/questions with light speed.

So happy to meet all of you there- hope to hear from you via my trailjournal this year during my thru!

Peace,
Smile
and Rubberbandman

[Lone Wolf]

Rucks rock! As always, the food, fun, folks and fellowship was plentiful. Extra thanks to the folks who cooked, cleaned and gave presentations. Thanks to general and cola for letting me and Gypsy crash on their cabin floor Saturday night. I'm leaning towards going to the PA Ruck. Hopefully nobody will have any untaxed liquor for me to get into. I can't handle it. Will you be there Nean? We need to discuss supporting Squeaky.
PS. How could I forget Sly and Cheryl? Thanks kids. What happened in Cabin C didn't necessarily stay in Cabin C.:)

[general]

PS. How could I forget Sly and Cheryl? Thanks kids. What happened in Cabin C didn't necessarily stay in Cabin C.:)

a little got expelled outside cabin c.

[Nean]

Yes, I plan on being at the PAruck as well, LW. Thought we would get to visit this weekend but stuff happens.

[The Solemates]

just echo-ing the other comments. thanks to all those who worked so hard to put this together. i had a great time and it was good to put faces to names.