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webbie
05-02-2012, 21:10
Good Morning from sunny Scotland,


I am a member of team of 4 Scout Network members from West Coast of Scotland. In the summer of 2013 we are going to USA to complete out Explorer belt award. This is a truly once in a lifetime experience for us all :D


To complete the Explorer Belt we undertake a 10 day expedition covering around 100 miles of Appalachian Trail. We plan to start at Luray and work our way north to Harpers Ferry.


However this is not only a expedition along the Appalachian Trail. We need to complete 2 major projects and 10 minor projects to develop our understanding of the country, their culture and to develop us as young people.


As well as all of this we have a limit of $10 per day per person to cover everything that we need :o

Any advice on what to expect while we are over on the AT


Webbie

moldy
05-02-2012, 21:16
We need to put these boys to work. I wonder if PATCO has a project to do along the way?

bfayer
05-02-2012, 22:20
You will love the AT and Virginia.

For service projects get a hold of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club http://www.patc.net/PublicView/ and let them know when you will be here and they can help coordinate your projects.

Get in touch with some of the local Scout troops, I have no doubt they would love to help you along the way. You can PM me, I am a leader with a troop here in Northern VA about an hour from Harper's Ferry, but any of the troops up here would be glad to help out I am sure.

As for what to expect, well for one, temps a lot hotter than Scotland is :)

The AT, it is not exactly wilderness buy American standards, so you are never very far from some type of civilization. That means it is also has a lot of hiking traffic, you will not be all by yourself out there. If you want to learn about American Culture the AT is a great place, because the people you will meet on the trail are a cross section of America itself. In a mile of hiking you can go from talking to a Lawyer from California, to a kid that grew up on a farm in Rural Alabama.

Your budget is going to be pretty tough, and will limit your activities off the trail, but I have seen people hike longer sections with less.

Welcome to Whiteblaze

Odd Man Out
05-02-2012, 23:50
Sunny in Scotland? Must be a different Scotland :rolleyes:

Sounds like a great program. I'm sure you will have a great experience.

I'm curious what kind of "projects" you are thinking of. With 2 major and 10 minor projects on top of 10 miles per day for 10 days, you won't have a lot of time.

webbie
05-03-2012, 04:26
The projects are meant to workout as: 10-15hours of activity for the major project and 30minutes to 1hour for a minor projects.

the minor projects include 5 we deicide for ourself:

get into the local media
discover local food
take part in a enviromental study
discover how wine is made
learn about local flora and fona
take part in a show

And then 5 surprise projects that are selected for us.

Old Hillwalker
05-03-2012, 07:04
webbie, When are you travelling over? I will be Munro bagging in Kinlochewe from May 16 through the 24th staying at the Kinlochewe Hotel. If you are able to get there and spend a few hours I would be pleased to talk to you about what you are going to experiance. I have the official AT maps and would be willing to give you what maps you need.

WIAPilot
05-03-2012, 07:20
I can help with the media and the local southern food. My relatives in Danville are great cooks! I think the hardest will be taking part in a show. Do they think that it's American Idol along the trail? LOL.

Old Hillwalker
05-03-2012, 07:53
I can help with the media and the local southern food. My relatives in Danville are great cooks! I think the hardest will be taking part in a show. Do they think that it's American Idol along the trail? LOL.The local cable public access channels often have local interest shows that might be a possibility. A group of UK Scouts visiting the area to hike and learn might be an interesting subject. It's not national TV, but it is public.

Hoop
05-03-2012, 07:54
You likely know the Appalachian Trail Conservancy is headquartered in Harpers Ferry. One of their staff occasionally posts on Whiteblaze (Laurie Potteiger). Might contact them.

chiefiepoo
05-03-2012, 09:21
Hope it will be sunny in Scotland as of this coming Monday. I'll be joining Boots and Paddles in Inverness for a Great Glen canoe transit from Ft William to Inverness. After a weekend in Newcastle I'll be hiking back accross to Carlisle on the Hadrians Wall route. Kind of cool and gray here in Harrogate today.Still getting over my jet lag coming over from the US. Any advice about the Great Glen area?

Blissful
05-03-2012, 09:34
I think it would be good if your "projects" are service oriented duch as cleaning up trash on the trail. Also scouts have built benches at shelters, etc. You'll be in Shenandoah so you could contact the rangers about projects.

Old Hillwalker
05-03-2012, 20:00
To chiefiepoo: I backpacked the Great Glen Way from Ft Bill to Inverness last May. Make sure that you stop at the Main canal office at the Ft W end. (Right beside the canal's start) and pick up a key to the bathroom/shower facilities located along the canal. Nice and clean and a great hot water shower at each location. Also make sure you stop at the Laggan locks and eat at the pub located in an old barge moored in the canal. There is a really nice picnic area on the point of land there where I tented. Right on the end of Loch Lochy. I remember seeing canoeists while I walked and envying them a bit.