View Full Version : AT, The Place, Thru Hikers featured on PBS!
RITBlake
06-17-2006, 02:09
During our stay at The Place in Damascus, there were signs up in the hostel saying that a british film crew might be stopping by. Sure enough right around sunset they rolled up, cameras in hand. It turns out that they were shooting for the very popular PBS show, Globe Trekker. They were doing an episode on the Southeast USA and one of their stops was Damascus. They had been on the blue ridge parkway a few days earlier and were making their way down south to Georgia.
They had us mug inside The Place for an hour or so and we got a chance to try out our acting skills. Afterwards they took us out to one of the local bars and they took real good care of us for helping them out with their project. They were AMAZED by how far we had walked.
Anyway, apparently the episode is done and is now in broadcast syndication. I've heard from a few different people that they've seen us on tv. So keep an eye out for us. I hope we did a good job!
RITBlake
06-17-2006, 02:12
The crew and most of the Joes Hole Posse after the filming wrapped up. The brits loved this AT hand sign that someone came up with?
http://www.maine2georgia.com/VApics/slides/PA090273.JPG
SGT Rock
06-17-2006, 04:17
I wish I was home to see it. No PBS here.
Congadulations on being a part of history.
Mr. Clean
06-17-2006, 06:30
PBS also just aired "Appalachian Impressions" split between two nights. I missed it. :(
They are showing "Alone in the Wilderness" this morning and i missed the whole thing except for last section. I have never been able to see the entire version of this show. I have never caught Appalachian Impressions and have looked for it all the time
Lone Wolf
06-17-2006, 08:17
Just another hostel that may be shut down in the near future thanks to Ahole hikers.
Just another hostel that may be shut down in the near future thanks to Ahole hikers.
I assume you are talking about "The Place", the Church closing it, even though I don't blame them (sometimes), would be a Trail Travesty, maybe mandatory fees need to be established.
A hostel that sees that much traffic needs some structure, and a full-time (at least seasonally) caretaker. To make that happen requires a set fee structure so the caretaker's salary can be paid for. The model used by American Youth Hostels seems to work well. Why would it not work in Damascus?
Hopefully, they can do something proactive rather than shutting The Place down. Wolf, do you have any more concrete info about what's going on there? Is there anything the hiking community can do, other than what we've done in the past which during a couple of years was significant?
Jack Tarlin
06-17-2006, 16:24
If hikers aren't willing to shell out a few bucks for the lodging at the Place (and the majority don't leave a cent), then where on earth is the money going to come from to pay a caretaker?
Nice idea, Skyline, but the Place isn't a Youth Hostel, with an organization behind it. It's a charitable institution run by a small-town church, a church that presumably has all sorts of other worthy things to spend time and money on.
Wolf is right. Enjoy these places (and support them!!) while they are around, but nothing is forever.
You could model "The Place" after the AMC Huts, then sit back and watch the fireworks.
If hikers aren't willing to shell out a few bucks for the lodging at the Place (and the majority don't leave a cent), then where on earth is the money going to come from to pay a caretaker?
Nice idea, Skyline, but the Place isn't a Youth Hostel, with an organization behind it. It's a charitable institution run by a small-town church, a church that presumably has all sorts of other worthy things to spend time and money on.
Wolf is right. Enjoy these places (and support them!!) while they are around, but nothing is forever.
I was suggesting that in lieu of The Place being closed by the Methodist Church that it be re-established LIKE an AYH, or even become affiliated.
But you're absolutely right. Those who use The Place need to pay for it--one way or the other.
I'll ask again a different way: Are there more details about The Place's future plans available? Something must have prompted Wolf to write what he did . . .
They could put a call out to volunteers to man it during the peak hiker times. I'd hang out at the place for a while and see everybody. Another good way for folks to give back to the trail.
I'd up the fees during thru-hiker season to $10 and hire someone to watch the hostel, do routine maintenance and collect the money. I don't know the numbers but let's say 1000 hikers/bicyclist stay there from April-July. With the extra $5 per person you could pay the "caretaker" $300 per week, while making sure everyone pays.
A hostel that sees that much traffic needs some structure, and a full-time (at least seasonally) caretaker. To make that happen requires a set fee structure so the caretaker's salary can be paid for. The model used by American Youth Hostels seems to work well. Why would it not work in Damascus?
Hopefully, they can do something proactive rather than shutting The Place down. Wolf, do you have any more concrete info about what's going on there? Is there anything the hiking community can do, other than what we've done in the past which during a couple of years was significant?Lone Wolf has been doing his best to keep problems down there for some time, I too have now given a hand and I go by there everyday reminding the hikers and bikers to pay there way and do a little cleaning.
About two weeks ago I ran three thru hikers off for smoking pot inside the screened porch area and I don't think Tom collected any money from these three individuals as well. They were sitting right there smoking a big ole bowl as I walked right up on them. I scolded them pretty good and told them that actions like theirs is going to help The Place get shut down...
I have been tempted to post their names here because I have heard other stories about these guys as well about how they always got money for booze and pot and food and never enough to pay for gas and services.
But these three are just a small percentage of what is actually happening there and they represent that class of hiker that are always looking for a free ride. This type of behavior does not only apply to the hiking community but to the biking community as well for I have already met a few freeloaders in that bunch as well....
If hikers aren't willing to shell out a few bucks for the lodging at the Place (and the majority don't leave a cent), then where on earth is the money going to come from to pay a caretaker?
Nice idea, Skyline, but the Place isn't a Youth Hostel, with an organization behind it. It's a charitable institution run by a small-town church, a church that presumably has all sorts of other worthy things to spend time and money on.
Wolf is right. Enjoy these places (and support them!!) while they are around, but nothing is forever.in the future i have no doubt that if The Place is to remain open there will be a caretaker, but on the other hand the mission is to reach out in the love of God and i truly think that mission has been lost because simply there is no one there who will take the time to do it...........i mean from the methodist church....
I'll ask again a different way: Are there more details about The Place's future plans available? Something must have prompted Wolf to write what he did . . .i don't think so, but there is just strong talk lately that something needs to be done.........
I don't usually stay there, but if I'm in town, I'll stop by dollar general and get a mess of cleaning supplies, a box of trash bags and a package of T-paper. (I know there are pig hikers out there that will swipe a roll of TP without reciprocating, but I still have faith that most don't) I then start upstairs and work my way down to the kitchen, cleaning as I go. A few hikers there join me and the whole building is done in about an hour. The hikers that are pigs just have mommies and daddies that still wipe their bottoms after using the toilet and the kiddies don't know any better and deserve a spanking (real hard!)
I hope more and more people do the same or just clean up after themselves. Maybe if the Place was clean more often the church officials would see it is valued by more people than trashed by the pigs and they will keep it open.
there was another PBS crew filming there saturday night.....
Lone Wolf
06-26-2006, 14:10
I don't usually stay there, but if I'm in town, I'll stop by dollar general and get a mess of cleaning supplies, a box of trash bags and a package of T-paper. (I know there are pig hikers out there that will swipe a roll of TP without reciprocating, but I still have faith that most don't) I then start upstairs and work my way down to the kitchen, cleaning as I go. A few hikers there join me and the whole building is done in about an hour. The hikers that are pigs just have mommies and daddies that still wipe their bottoms after using the toilet and the kiddies don't know any better and deserve a spanking (real hard!)
I hope more and more people do the same or just clean up after themselves. Maybe if the Place was clean more often the church officials would see it is valued by more people than trashed by the pigs and they will keep it open.
It ain't about keeping it clean it's about paying the $4 they ask for the stay to keep electricity and sewer flowing. The little amount collected during Trail Days was pitiful. The "hiking community" showed it's ass.
It ain't about keeping it clean it's about paying the $4 they ask for the stay to keep electricity and sewer flowing. The little amount collected during Trail Days was pitiful. The "hiking community" showed it's ass.
The majority of hikers attitude/actions has gotten really bad over the last 10 years or so. When you see what goes on in hostels like The Place you wonder what is happening to the rest of the trail. They think LNT is a new drug or something.
this weekends culprits were two large youth church groups that left the place filthy, and i doubt that they even put $4 a head in the box.....another group that just came in today was cleaning the place up and i walked in about the time they were shoving money into the box....
I just got the chance to watch this show on my local KET1 PBS station.
http://www.ket.org/cgi-bin/tvschedules/episode.pl?nola=GLTK++000509&cd=1&
It was nice to see some familiar places like The Place, and McAfee Knob. Thanks for posting the picture in the above thread.
mixinmaster
02-28-2007, 00:16
They are showing "Alone in the Wilderness" this morning and i missed the whole thing except for last section. I have never been able to see the entire version of this show. I have never caught Appalachian Impressions and have looked for it all the time
Was lucky enough to DVR and convert it to DVD just before shutting off my service in FL and moving back to Ol' Virginia...........I think its the best overall I've seen on the AT........... Seems to reflect the actual mood and mindset better than most.............. IMHO.................