View Full Version : Family Get-togethers
I am interested in hearing places on the trail where long distance hikers have met up with their family on the AT. Being that I will be on the trail for 6 months, my family would like to vacation near the trail so that they can visit with me. The visitors range from couples to families with young children.
wrongway_08
12-26-2007, 21:50
I am making my biggest meetup spot Harpers Ferry! Great little town:
- take a rafting trip
- go swimming
- check out the local Yard sale - big one every weekend
- Go shopping in the local stores (gift shops)
- hotel right down the road
- Body surf in the rapids
- nicer room and boards if the family is doing a vacation, on top of the hill.
- Go play slots/watch horses race down the road about 4 miles at Charles Race Town
- Eat at a real steak house! (Charles Race Town has a REALLY GOOD all you can eat!!!!!
My dad plans on meeting me in Harper's Ferry for a couple of days, and on Mount Washington.
Kirby
My husband and son met me at Clingman's dome.
Great ideas. Keep them coming please.
Thank you
A word of advice... Don't let the needs of your visitors take over your hike. Working people, kids in school, often need to make plans way ahead of time. For your hike to succeed (in any way you can measure success) you need to be able to make plans on the fly. If you're tired, you need to slow down. If you're on a roll, you need to make miles.
The working world/hiking world needs clash mightily. You might find yourself pushing like crazy to get to, say, the White Mountains to meet someone who has made reservations for all of you to stay in the Huts on certain dates. Or you might find yourself dawdling, and letting all the new hiking buddies get away from you because your real family wants to hike Maryland with you on certain dates. It can really mess up your hike to have lots of hard deadlines.
Resist! People can meet you just about anywhere along the Trail. Have them tell you what their available dates are, then let them know where you'll be a few days beforehand. The "where" possibilities are all the towns listed in the various guides, everything from Hiawassee, GA, to Monson, Maine.
Marta hid the nail on the noggin, my dad plans to meet me on trail at a some places, but the dates for the visits will be determined on trail as said destination becomes closer.
Kirby