WhiteBlaze get together this fall followup

[attroll]

I am writing to remind everyone of the WhiteBlaze get together in Caratunk, Maine this year on 18 September. As of now we have named this “WhiteBlaze 2004 Trails End”. For those of you that plan on attending if there is a way for you to contact Rivers and Trails at http://www.riversandtrails.com/ and make reservation for a tent site through email or by the phone number listed on their web site. For those of you that have never been there this is not a campground. Steve is letting us camp around his yard. He says that he has had up to 65 tents set up there before.

For you hammock campers there are only about two places in the yard for hammocks. But I think there is room for about three or four out front along the road. But I would not recommend this since you are very close to the road the traffic may keep you awake. So my recommendation is to bring a tent along also.

We do not have a schedule of events for this. This is something I am throwing together and have never done anything like this before. It would help if we knew how many people would be attending as so I knew what to expect.

I have been talking to Steve the Ferry Man who operates the Kennebec Ferry for the Appalachian Trail and also owns Rivers and Trails. He has informed me that if we have enough people interested he will let us use some of his canoes and shuttle us up to The Forks to just below the ferry crossing to the Caratunk boat launch which is about 9 miles. He might even let us take out at the Ferry crossing that is 2 miles closer but I can not promise that since I have not asked him that yet. The rating on this trip is listed as “Strong current. Easy white water; paddle all season. Good for beginners.” It is listed as a river trip in the Maine map books.

I am working on having some horseshoes there and a volleyball net. We have a place for a fire pit at night to sit around the camp fire as a group. If anyone else has any suggestion please feel free to suggest. I don’t know what to have there if you don’t tell me.

I also plan on having WhiteBlaze patches and shirts there for sale. I will offer all the WhiteBlaze t-shirts that are left over at a reduced rate. So anyone that has not sent the money in for the shirts that they said they wanted will loose out. If you don’t send your money 18 September then they will be sold at the get together. It will be on a first come first serve basis until they are gone.

If this turns out well I would like to do this every year.

[quill2321]

I was actually thinking about doing a week long hike in Maine this fall, and was wondering how far from the trail you are. I would be flying out from Indiana, and would like to come as I would be able to learn more about thru-hiking. Is there a good section close to you that would be good for a weeklong hike. Thanks for any info. My e-mail address is [email protected]

Thanks,

Chebon White

(quill)

[grrickar]

What about one for the peeps who live in the SE, somewhere in the Smokies or the Blue Ridge Mtns? I'd like to meet your guys, but I won't be able to fly or drive to Maine for it.

[Hammock Hanger]

I am hoping to summit the Big K on my 48th b-day (okay a day later) on September 4th. If I can figure out a way to stay up in the area for another 2 weeks I will definately be there. I plan on visiting my daughter who is working in MA near Savage Ravine for a week so that is just about 7 days to contend with. Not sure I'm up to a week of hiking and camping.... LOL But who knows. Sue/HH

[smokymtnsteve]

purty sure I'll be in Alaska,,have a great time.

[Kerosene]

Unfortunately I've used up my chits for east coast camping trips for the year, but I'll try to coordinate with a get together in the future! Have fun!

[Nightwalker]

purty sure I'll be in Alaska, have a great time.

NOT FAIR

[walkin' wally]

I was actually thinking about doing a week long hike in Maine this fall, and was wondering how far from the trail you are.
Thanks,

Chebon White

(quill)

Steve Longley's place is a mile or less north of the rt.201 crossing at Caratunk. It is located on the right side of the highway.

[Frosty]

I'm planning on being there. Someone mentioned getting in a section hike. I may bring my gear along and do the same.

[attroll]

I'm planning on being there. Someone mentioned getting in a section hike. I may bring my gear along and do the same.

Frosty if you are going to be there please vote on the vote question in thise thread please.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5500

[Frosty]

Frosty if you are going to be there please vote on the vote question in thise thread please.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5500

I did a long time ago. I voted I was going to try to make it.

[attroll]

Sorry I must have missed it the first time.

[Frosty]

Sorry I must have missed it the first time.

Looking forward to it. Afterwards will hike a bit of AT to one side or the other of Caratunk.

Thanks for setting it up.

[The Eleven]

Sounds like a good idea about the gathering. I also would like to do a backpack on the AT in Maine. (Quill? from Indiana mentions something?) Anybody want to team up? I do have vacation time coming and as long as I get the OK from the doc about my back situation, I will do a few days on AT.
Canoeing sounds like fun. So does horseshoes! Suggestion: B-B-Q during the day? Everybody bring something....meats, sides, etc. Would we be near any stores for BBQ supplies? Is it for Sat only....like come up and set up on Friday and leave Sunday? I'm down in CT so not too far away. Where is Catacunk? Happy Trails! Steve (Little Bear 2)

[attroll]

Caratunk is about 60 miles straight up from Waterville. The place we are having the get together at is about 1 mile from the AT.

Here is the last post I posted on this subject. If you are going to attend please go to this thread and vote on the topic so I will know how many people to expect. http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5500.

September 18 & 19, 2004 at Rivers and Trails in Caratunk, Maine.

This will hopefully be the last time I ask this question. This is more than a WhiteBlaze get together. It is also Trail Magic for thru-hikers and anyone who has a interest in the Appalachian Trail. So if you know someone that wants to come that is not a member of WhiteBlaze then please drag them along also. If you know someone that is a prospective thru-hiker or section hiker then drag them along also.

I need to get a feeling of how many WhiteBlaze members will be attending the 18 September get together. I need to know how much food and drinks we need to acquire. So could you please vote on the voting poll that I created so that I can get a feel of how many people will be attending. I have come up with a sort of agenda for the first day. If anyone has any ideas please feel free to post them. This is the first time I have ever done an event like this so I can use all the help and suggestions I can get.
1. Arrivals through out the day. Will have a trail register style signup sheet.
2. Socializing and meting others.
3. Cooking for thru-hikers passing through.
4. Start cooking for free meal around 4:30.
5. 7 PM, WhiteBlaze welcome announcement and explain about the web site and where it is and where we hope to have it go.
6. Introductions, Who are you/trail name, when have you hiked and when are you going to hike ect…
7. 8 PM, Baltimore Jack’s Question and answers session for prospective hikers.
8. Campfire on into the night.

Here are some other options we are looking into.

1. Swimming trip up to The Forks for a bridge jumping trip.
2. Canoe trip down the Kennebec River on Sunday.

[attroll]

I am heading to Caratunk this weekend to talk to Steve at Rivers and Trails and make sure everything is still OK. I also need to run some things by him and find out some things. If there is anything you would like me to ask Steve let me know so I can ask him while I am up there.

[ferryman]

AT Troll, The location of my business/Store/cabins/bunkhouse/camping area is situated on the Caratunk/The Forks, Maine town line. I own 960' frontage on US Route 201 (scenic byway) across the street from the Kennebec River (National Wild and Scenic waterway) and 1700' from the Appalachian Trail (National Scenic Trail). September 18 is the perfect time to have an end of Trail Fest and will attract alot of tired and weary northbounders very close to finishing their thru hike. "Trail Magic" will be an important aspect of this gathering. For the past 88 days, we have been operating the Kennebec River Ferry Service on time as scheduled without mishaps or delays and will soon surpass 15,000 hikers ferried. This weekend we are hosting the 13th annual Rivers and Trails Festival which is expected to draw about 200 folks maybe a little more, maybe a little less, however, the Country Choir bluegrass Band will perform on Saturday at about 6 pm. Back in 1992, the Sierra Club celebrated their 100th B-day with five (six) hikers called the "Sierra Club Centennial Expedition-Individuals Making A Difference For The Environment- Georgia to Maine- March to September." The success of that event with some refreshments (food) and two bands (The Boon Docks and Country Choir) with an encore of incredible Northern Lights (auroraborealis) and we never looked back. For further infomation as it unfolds about this End of Trail event and especially suggestions and ideas about contributing to make this a worthwhile and productive experience, please contact me: [email protected] or www.riversandtrails.com or 207-663-4441. Thank You, Steve 'ferryman' Longley

[A-Train]

I'm 90% sure I'll be there, atleast for part of the weekend. Hopefully I'll have a chance to meet some of you guys I never got around to talking to at TrailDays. I'm definately interested in a hike of any length (day) and/or a trip down the river. I'll be for sure heading up to Monson atleast for a couple hours as I have a small hike I "must" do. I'll definately bring tons of food and beer from Vermont for the hiker feed. Looking forward to it.

[attroll]

I would like to get a hike in to on that weekend but it will be kind of hard seeing I am organizing the whole thing. I am still trying to decide on how much burger and hot dots to get. I figure 25 to 30 pounds of burger should be enough for everyone. I hope. It is hard to say when you have no idea how many people are coming.

I am heading up tp see Steve this weekend. To decusse some more ideas and to just visit. I want to talk to him about a river trip and see what he thinks on that. He offered to let us use some of his canoes and he would drop us off upriver and pick us up below the AT crossing when we are done whish is about nine miles. Which sounds pretty awesome. But I need to find out how many canoes he has to let us use. I have done this trip two times in my kayak and we were going to do it this weekend but it is suppose to rain tomorrow.

[The Scribe]

Rick
I have a 17' Coleman I can throw on my truck. It's a barge. lol