Register to attend the Appalachian Trail Conservancy's 38th Biennial Conference July 1 – 8, 2011 Emory & Henry College - Emory, Virginia Hosted by the seven A.T. maintaining clubs of Central and Southwest Virginia, the Biennial will celebrate the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and the Blue Ridge Mountain Trails of Virginia.  Planned around ATC's membership meeting, Virginia Journeys 2011 is also an opportunity for A.T. enthusiasts to take a Trail related workshop, hike on the A.T. (and other trails) in Virginia and Tennessee and explore Damascus, Virginia - the “friendliest town on the trail.” Go to http://www.virginia2011.org/ or email; VA2011@appalachiantrail.org" for more information.
LINKS Schedule Membership Info Membership Application Trail Map Trail & Cabin Trips Programs Other Links Classified Ads Current Newsletter Club Brochure TATC Activity Sign Up Sheets Club Bylaws Officers and Board Volunteer Report Map to Sherando	The Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club (TATC) is an energetic group, open to individuals and families, whose primary purpose is to maintain a 10+ mile section of the Appalachian Trail (AT). The Club is centered in Norfolk, VA, and draws membership from Hampton Roads and surrounding areas. The club also maintains the Osmanthus Trail at First Landing State Park, the White Rocks Falls Trail along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Mau-Har Trail off of the Appalachian Trail, and a number of trails in the St. Mary's Wilderness. In addition to trail maintenance, the TATC offers a wide range of outdoor recreational activities, including backpacking, day hiking, canoeing, kayaking, biking, car camping, white water rafting, skiing, rock climbing, rappelling, nature watching, and of course, eating!  Educational events such as Map & Compass, Leadership and Wilderness First Aid are also scheduled. The TATC general meeting is held on the second Wednesday of every month (except in December) at the new Pretlow Library, 111 West Ocean View Avenue, Norfolk, Virginia at the corner of Ocean View Avenue and Granby St. Meetings start at 7:00 p.m. Visitors are always welcome. For more information, write to: Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club, P.O. Box 8246, Norfolk, VA 23503. This Month’s Hot Items and Links: CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT - Note that the October General Membership Meeting has been changed to Tuesday, October 12^th at 7:00 PM. This is a second change of date in order to avoid a conflict with library usage. Workshop Presenters Needed Share your knowledge and skills as a workshop presenter at the upcoming Virginia Journeys 2011 which will celebrate the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. This gathering, to be held at Emory & Henry College in southwest Virginia from July 1 – 8, 2011, will be the 38^th Biennial Conference of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. A main feature of the conference is a wide variety of workshops which will be held Saturday – Monday, July 2 – 4, 2011. Conference organizers are inviting speakers to present sessions in the following areas of interest: Hiking and Backpacking Skills Trail Management Natural Wonders Engaging Youth on the Trail Community Partners: Sustainable Tourism & the Trail A.T. MEGA-Transect: Environmental Monitoring of the A.T. Corridor Cultural History along the A.T. Celebrating Benton MacKaye If you would like to present a workshop related to any of the conference tracts, or would like to suggest a topic to be considered, we want to hear from you. The deadline for speaker registration is June 30, 2010. Please contact Laura Belleville at lbelleville@appalachiantrail.org, 540-953-3564 / 3571, Ned Kuhns at nedkuhns@cox.net, 757-552-0292, or Mark Wenger at markwenger@cox.net, 757-253-0056. 2010 Membership and Membership Renewal Form Volunteer Activity Report Form - The Appalachian Trail Park Office (ATPO) has established an awards program to recognize volunteer activities  (other than trail maintenance) that support the Appalachian Trail.  Report the time you have spent on such activities to accumulate award "points" towards awards such as hats, pins, vests, etc..  Report your activities  by clicking on this link and downloading, completing, and submitting the Volunteer Activity Report Form. Instructions for completing and submitting the form are provided on the form. Volunteer for the 2011 Biennial Needed - We are in need of a volunteer to handle workshops for the 2011 Biennial July of 2011 in Emory, Virginia.  Our club is responsible for this function.  A great deal of the initial work has been done.  Likewise this person will have our assistance and from ATC Laura Belleville at the Virginia Office will be working closely with this person.  It is a great way to get involved and we can assure you we will work with the volunteer closely.  All interested persons please contact me and I look forward to you being a part of this special an important team. Respectfully, Mark J Wenger TATC 2011 Biennial Steering Committee Rep 105 Thorpe's Parish Williamsburg, Virginia 23185 757-253-0056 (H) 757-220-7408 (W) markwenger@cox.net Second Phase of Development Announced for the Appalachian Trail Museum News Release - July 1, 2010 GARDNERS, PA. -- Its successful grand opening on June 5 has brought national attention and acclaim to the Appalachian Trail Museum, and its organizers are busy seeking input and contributions for the museum's second phase. "With the very gratifying show of support for the museum leading up to and on our opening, we feel that it is important to keep the momentum going so we can reach our goal of providing professional exhibits on all three floors of the museum," said Larry Luxenberg, president of the Appalachian Trail Museum Society.  The second floor of the 200-year-old grist mill that was renovated to house the museum was opened on June 5.  Luxenberg said the next section of the building to be prepared for exhibits will be the first floor. Second phase exhibits will continue to portray not only the history of the Appalachian Trail but also the essence of the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual human experience of the Appalachian environment and the culture of hiking. Among the exhibits in the second phase will be hiking and trail maintenance artifacts. Inquiries about becoming a museum volunteer or a sponsor or about making a donation may be made at the museum’s website, www.atmuseum.org, and info@atmuseum.org. Appalachian Trail Museum - Second Phase of Development Announced for the Appalachian Trail Museum. Inquiries about becoming a museum volunteer or a sponsor or about making a donation may be made at the museum’s website, www.atmuseum.org, and info@atmuseum.org. TATC Video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-4dns6ZlUs Tick Brochure – from John Pessagno Hiking Upward - Hiking in Virginia and West Virginia, the Shenandoah National Park, George Washington National Forest, Jefferson National Forest, Monongahela National Forest, etc Membership Application (join now) Volunteer to work on the 2011 ATC Biennial Conference in Virginia – contact Ned Kuhns 552-0292 Are you looking for some outdoor adventure while contributing to the improvement of Virginia hiking trails?  Then take a moment to watch the following brief videos as members from the Tidewater Appalachian Trail Club (TATC), the Konnarock Crew, and Student Conservation Association (SCA) relocate a section of the Appalachian Trail above the Tye River near Waynesboro, VA.  TATC Video (select “Watch in High Quality”, if you have a high speed connection) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9Izly--kc4 Daily Press Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-YaWQ_YiU_M&NR=1 SCA Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8w33cOiqnk Study of Hiking on the Appalachian Trail – Presented by Barbara Freidt, ODU, at the August 13^th 2008 TATC General Membership Meeting Pictures from the Relocation of the AT above the Tye River Motivations for Hiking: Slide Show - Eddie Hill, Ph.D., Barbara Freidt, Graduate Student., Marni Goldenberg, Ph.D. Appalachian Trail Conservancy – The Register (Newsletter) Health Links (provided John Pessagno) Appalachian Trail Survey Information for "Motivations and Outcomes" Study
Upcoming TATC Events: Ø 3.August.2010 – TATC Board Meeting, Phyllis Neumann 757-566-4584 Ø 7.August.2010 – Newport News Park Trail Maintenance, Bill Buck 846-1125 Ø 11.August.2010 – TATC General Meeting, Phyllis Neumann 757-566-4584 Ø 20-22.August.2010 – Bike the New River Trail, Nancy Rickenberger 623-0334 or 286-8922 (cell) or nancy@rinkenberger.us Ø 7.September.2010 - TATC Board Meeting, Phyllis Neumann 757-566-4584 Ø 8.September.2010 – TATC General Meeting, Phyllis Neumann 757-566-4584 Ø 11.September.2010 – Back Bay NWR & False Cape State Park Bike Trip, Jim and Chris Sexton 484-2827 Ø 11.September.2010 – Hiking and Backpacking Seminar, Bill Rogers 484-6001 Ø 17-19.September.2010 – Raft West Virginia’s Gauley River, Mark Wenger 253-0056 (h), markwenger@cox.net Ø Note date change: 12.October.2010 - TATC General Meeting, Phyllis Neumann 757-566-4584 Ø 6.November.2010 – Newport News Park Trail Maintenance, Bill Buck 846-1125 Ø 19-21.February.2011 – West Virginia Winter Weekend @ Blackwater Falls SP Lodge, Charles Hauser 810-7452 Click on the link to the Schedule page for more details on these events.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of the 2,175-mile Appalachian National Scenic Trail, a 250,000-acre greenway extending from Maine to Georgia. Their mission is to ensure that future generations will enjoy the clean air and water, scenic vistas, wildlife and opportunities for recreation and renewal along the entire Trail corridor. To become a member, call 304.535.6331, ext. 119, or visit their Web site at www.appalachiantrail.org. There, you will also find additional volunteer opportunities and general hiking information.
Lake Drummond Photos by Bill Rogers
Banner Photo by Mark Ferguson Site Last Updated on 07/27/2010