Dear Class of 2015 Flip Flop Thru-Hikers,
You are receiving this message because you indicated you were starting your thru-hike around the time of the Flip Flop Kick Off in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Some of you registered your start date through ATC's Voluntary Thru-Hike Registration, and others of you posted your plans on WhiteBlaze.net.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy and the Harpers Ferry-Bolivar Trail & Town Alliance have partnered to create the Flip Flop Kick Off event May 2-3 that is all about promoting alternative itineraries for thru-hikes and celebrating flip-flop thru-hikers!
Here is an agenda of event highlights during the
Flip Flop Kick Off. The events in bold have been planned just for 2015 thru-hikers and do not appear on the website. Check out the website at appalachiantrail.org/flipflop for locations and more details on the public events.
Saturday, May 2
7-9:00 - Have your official thru-hiker photo taken (ATC HQ Visitor Center)*
9:00 - Flip Flopper Meet and Greet, coffee and donuts with ATC's executive director Ron Tipton (ATC HQ Conference Room)
10:00 - Flip-Flopping in 2014
11:00 - The Advantages of an Alternative Thru-Hike
12:00 - 1st Aid and Staying Healthy
Noon - 2 p.m.: Cookout
1:00 - Pack Shakedown
2:00 - Flip Flop anthem
2:30 - Flip Flop Panel
3:30 - Flipping Out for 30 Days: Lessons Learned by 2015 flip-flopper “Treehugger”
5:00 - Prize giveaways; chance to win raffle for first flip-flopper passport stamp.
6:00 - Optional dinner at The Anvil Restaurant, as announced on WhiteBlaze here (post #718) and the Saturday morning meet and greet.
Leave No Trace - We encourage all flip-floppers to take part in the hands-on Leave No Trace fun activities being offered throughout the day. Be sure to attend one of the bear-bag hanging and cat-hole sessions and visit the Leave No Trace table.
*Photographs of Flip Flop Kick Off Thru-Hikers - We'd like to get your individual photos (bring your pack if you like) throughout the weekend for our official hiker photo album at the start of your hike. The best time to do this is early Saturday morning from 7-9am. If this doesn't work for you, stop by during the day Friday or Saturday, but allow at least 30 minutes. We can squeak in a few photos on Sunday morning. Photographs will be displayed on a corkboard inside ATC until they are added to the official photo album later on Sunday. Flip-floppers will get a second photo when you return to Harpers Ferry on the southern leg of your hike.
Sunday, May 3
7:30 - 8:30 Flip-Floppers Breakfast, public invited (Camp Hill Methodist Church) and sign the FFKO event banner.
7:30 - 8:30 Last chance for photos (ATC Visitor Center)
9:00 Speakers, Group Photo, and Thru-Hike Kick-Off (ATC Visitor Center)
10:00 - Welcome and final send-off at "The Point" (confluence of Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers)
ATC is honored to be hosting you for this event! We are looking forward to providing an event that hopefully is both fun and instructive.
Looking forward to meeting you all this weekend.