Big ideas

[Former Admin]

Should Whiteblaze.net rent the parking area near the river in Damascus for trail days ......... I got quite a few Chicago friends and some famous blues buddy's that would play there in 2003 or 2004 it would be a Billy Corgan meets Cheap Trick and jams the delta blues with Fruteland Jackson thing ........... but seriously should we buy a hundred dollar pop-up and put it somewhere .... maybe sell Baltimore Jack signature White Blaze shirts ....LOL

[Hikerhead]

I'll buy one of those "Bill Bryson Is A Candy Ass" shirts BJ was sporting at the Gathering.

Good idea admin, I'll chip in.

[Former Admin]

that would be awesome Hikerhead if you chiped in for on of those Sam's Club pop-ups, I'll try to get a banner made and we can all stop by and shoot the **** and talk about our favorite outhouse's .....

Maybe we can have a scrambeled egg breakfast one day with my big propane cookers I bought a Bass Pro shops (sure to feed hundreds)

[Hikerhead]

We could buy a couple of those blow up sofa's too. Maybe hang one of those solar heated showers in a tree close by. The possibilities are endless.......

[Former Admin]

Maybe we can have some farm animials right on sight so Jack won't have to go far ....... LOL just kidding Jack

[Hammock Hanger]

is definately on my calendar. Would love to hang some with the White Blaze crowd.
HH

[Jack Tarlin]

Interesting ideas. Shameless plug: For those wondering, there WILL be some "Bill Bryson...." shirts available at Trail Days, as well as a few new ones we're kicking around, as well as the traditional one, which seems to be doing well; it is, in fact, the only Trail shirt I've seen with a white blaze on it, which is kinda neat. The latest model seems to have limited appeal..... not too many folks seem to want a shirt that says "Thru-Hikers Eat Their Dead." Evidently, an idea way ahead of its time.

[wacocelt]

Jack, are your T's cotton or synthetic? I'de happily wear a shirt bearing that phrase.

[attroll]

Hey do we have to make it to Trails Days to get one of these T-shirts or is there somewhere else where we can get them?

[The Weasel]

I think we should do it.

A White Blaze booth would be fun, useful and a chance to help hikers (esp thru hikers). It would help offset some of the increasing "commercial" aspects of Trail Days (tourists scarfing up stuff from Mast General store). Depending on location, it is not impossible that Internet access could be provided as well, which would be a boon to hikers since the Library and other restaurant 'puters get overloaded. Yes, tee shirts, and bumper stickers (don't get crazy here on me Jack, I'm NOT suggesting that they go on packs!) with similar phrases. The former - internet - serves the trail community, and the latter - tees and strips - can help offset the cost.

I'll be there next year, and I'll be glad to help coordinate putting this together. If our new, smaller Committee wants to bless this, in any form, I'll be glad to start, and would welcome all ideas that are not illegal under prevailing Virginia laws.

The Weasel

[chris]

Having never been to traildays, I am unsure how this would be received. Probably well. Especially if Jack makes up the Bill Bryson shirts. I'd buy one for sure. I'm not sure if I will be at traildays this year. Hiking plans are up in the air for next summer. The only plan is that I will be gone from Indiana for the maximal amount of time possible, which is around 100 days.
I'd like to meet some of the colorful personalities on the board. I only had the briefest opportunity to talk with Jack at the Gathering. I may go to the Ruck this year, though.

[Lugnut]

If next May is anything like this one was then I suggest a warming tent!

[veteran]

How about a T-shirt with:

"PLEASE FEED THE HIKER"

[SGT Rock]

My Favorite: "NO SNIVELING!"

[Jack Tarlin]

I expect to have more shirts available by Christmas, including the one that started it all, which has a large white blaze on the front, and a re-writing of the poem "The Road Not Taken" (It actually says: "Two paths diverded in the woods; I took the one with white blazes, and that made all the difference." Other shirts will be available in a few weeks; I need to find a new printer and talk with my partner about the new projects.

For those interested, the T-shirts come in a variety of colors (black, navy, forest green) and in a variety of sizes. At present we're going with 50/50 as some folks don't want all cotton for a hiking shirt, and some don't care for all synthetic. 50/50 seems the sensible way to go.

Further questions regarding shirts (price, availability, etc.) would best be directed to me thru private correspondence at [email protected] as it is inappropropriate for me or anyone else to use a public website in order to promote commercial goods. I'm sending along the info in this post in response to a direct query from someone else, but further correspondence regarding this stuff should probably go Off-list; anyone that's interested in any of these items, either old or new ones, should get in touch with me in a couple of weeks.

Whatever we have will be available for perusal or purchase at the Pennsylvania "Ruck2003" hiker Gathering in January; and also at Trail Days and the ALDHA 2003 Gathering which will be here in Hanover in October.

[The Weasel]

I think a booth or area by this forum would be well received; if it costs too much at the main area or the (ugh) official camp area, there are a number of other places where it could work, such as by the Town Hall (the guy with the great Wildflowers of the AT book had a table there this year), behind the library, and some other places. The Baptist Church is increasingly welcoming to the Trail (thank you for the food, Baps!) and others.

There are a number of tees that ("WhiteBlazers Do It On Top" ?) and bumper stickers ("Honk If You're Bill Bryson, Wimp!" ?) could be made up (especially Jack's), and some profits could reduce the cost of a small pavillion and internet hook up. Additional profits beyond costs, if any, would go to the ATC, I suggest. (And yeah, that would be a cool editorial, wouldn't it? Let's call it, "It's all about...." Nah, too whiny.)

I am serious about promoting this idea, but I'm not going to go further until our "New Committee" says something, individually or collectively, that would allow the use of the WhiteBlaze Forums name.

The Weasel