Trail Days+hardcore for an out-of-towner

[jwalden]

I'm planning on going to this year's Trail Days since I was rather preoccupied with other things (*cough* graduating *cough*) last year and figure it'd be a chance to see some of the thru-hikers I met last year. Things will flow naturally if you're thru-hiking and can show up and hike on whenever (man, do I miss the thru-hiker complete lack of schedule beyond how much food to carry for what distance), but since I have to take a break from the real world to attend I'm trying to figure out when it makes sense to arrive, how exactly to get from $airport to Damascus, and how to get from Damascus back to $airport on which day to catch which flight. So, then, here are the questions I know I have right now:

- which airport makes the most sense to fly into (from SFO or SJC, so I have a bit of flexibility)? roanoke? I don't know the area at all
- anyone else going to be traveling in from a nearby airport with whom I could split a rental car or hop in on someone's shuttle?
- what day makes the most sense to arrive? I'm kinda thinking the Inca trail talk could be interesting, but I don't know whether that might be earlier than most of last year's crowd will arrive or not, and I'm not sure what events are most geared to past thru-hikers and which are more for the current year's crop
- if hardcore ends May 18, would a flight out be May 19?

Advice from people who've done this in the past would be appreciated. Looking forward to getting back out and camping for a bit, things have been busy with work and all back in the real world (which I really do enjoy, but of course you always want to do what you're not currently doing), and hopefully to seeing faces of a few familiar southbounders and northbounders from last year as well...

[fehchet]

Johnson City, Tennessee (TRI) is a good place to land and aquire transportation. I like getting to Trail Days on a Thursday. This year May 14. Flying back on May 20 works.

[Cabin Fever]

Depending on when you leave Hard Core, you can probably find ample transportation to TRI. There will be plenty of people leaving Kincora and headed in that direction. If you can find a ride to Damascus from TRI, then the return to TRI should be no problem.

[Jeff]

Agreed TRI is closest. Consider Knoxville (TYS) as an alternate. Drive a little further but it's a bigger airport.

[jwalden]

Thanks for the responses; I ended up getting a flight that has me in TRI by 17:19 on Wednesday the 13th and leaves the same at 16:10 on the 19th. I'm still trying to work out how to get from there to Damascus. If anyone happens to be in the general area around that time, PM me, as it would be good not to have to sacrifice my firstborn for a rental car.

[JDCool1]

Check with Lone Wolf about a shuttle. He often posts on here on WB.