Support the JFK 50 Mile Memorial

[Camping Dave]

The JFK 50 Miler, the only original JFK 50 Mile Challenge event to be held every year since JFK issued the challenge (and a fabulous race all around), is jeopardized by unelected bureaucrat AT Superintendent Pamela Underhill's desire to prevent citizens from using the Appalachian Trail in memorial of one of our great presidents.

Please express your support for the JFK 50 Mile Memorial to the addresses below.

The race director, Mike Spinnler, talks about the race's history, course, charities served, etc. here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C642ZyUSc7M


Superintendent Pamela Underhill
Appalachian National Scenic Trail
P.O. Box 50 (31 High Street)
Harpers Ferry, WV 25425
304-535-6279
[email protected]


Senator Max Baucus
511 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington DC 20510
202-224-2651
[email protected] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C642ZyUSc7M)

[Captain Blue]

Get your facts straight.

Nobody is stopping the JFK 50 Miler from happening. It is scheduled to happen on November 17, 2012 and will.

JFK never envisioned or promoted an organized race like this. He challenged Americans to walk 50 miles in one day on a day and place of their choosing.

[Cookerhiker]

This was all hashed out on a very recent thread: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?78971-Battle-brewing-over-JFK-50-race-use-of-Appalachian-Trail-The-Herald-Mail

I don't know why you're dragging it out again.

[WingedMonkey]

Thank you National Park Service and Pamela Underhill for protecting the Appalachian Trail.

:sun

[JAK]

Politics as usual. Really turned off by the narrow one sided presentation of the opening post. Also not impressed by the organizers of this race. To them its all about increasing race revenues, and allowing the race sponsors to sell more sneakers. Not against trail running, or races, but the AT should be protected from this ****, and this style of politics. I would rather hear balanced arguments. Inform me. Don't bull **** me.

[Lone Wolf]

i've run the race. did well too. i support it

[JAK]

It should be kept low key. There should be more races and such challenges, so that more people can participate, but it should be done by having more races, but keeping them small, and in more than one location, on more than one day. Interesting to hear that that was JFK original vision. There is no conflict between the AT and the JFK challenge.

Keep it small. Have more than one.

[Sly]

Thanks. I took the time to write Pam and Max saying I want it limited to 1000 which IMO is way too many but accept the number since it's been grandfathered.

[Camping Dave]

i've run the race. did well too. i support it

I hope to run it this year. Trail races, and ultras in particular, are just plain fun.

[Lone Wolf]

I hope to run it this year. Trail races, and ultras in particular, are just plain fun.have you run the Mountain Masochist 50?

[Rain Man]

... unelected bureaucrat AT Superintendent Pamela Underhill's ....

A cheap shot pejorative. Superintendent Underhill is standing strong. Good for her.

Rain Man

.

[RockDoc]

After reading the news articles it seems that Underhill wants to study the effects of the race on the trail, but believes basically that increasing the number of runners to two thousand is against what the trail stands for.<br>I 've hiked 2000 miles of the trail, and also run JFK twice. &nbsp;I support Underhill's position. &nbsp;<br>There's plenty of territory for foot races involving thousands of people. &nbsp;There's only one AT, and it is a fragile place that's worth preserving.<br>To my knowledge JFK never specifically designated the AT route. &nbsp;Changing the course wouldn't tarnish the legacy at all.<br>The AT is part of the National Park System, and you will notice that no ultras are allowed on trails in any other park. &nbsp;There's a reason for that, it's called environmental protection of delicate ecosystems.<br>&nbsp;

[nitewalker]

if they are looking to find out the impact of the race on the trail then why dont they ask the people who maintain that section of the trail before and after the race. the race has been going on for a long time and now its an issue like everything else in this modern world. how many people have walked over that section of the trail over the lifetime of the trail? im sure a hell of alot more then 2000 people. it seems they were fine all these years when it had a limit of 1000. im sure they studied the impact of those 1000 and continued to allow it. let em increse the number to 2000. the trail is not going anywhere. its been there forever. now as long as there is no liter left there, the impact is very minimal in the grand scheme of things. how long does it take 2000 people to run that section? 8 hrs between the whole group, big whoop......run the race and sing the national anthem before they start, GOD BLESS AMERICA....