We got the skillz (aka Boo-ya)...

This is a strange post I must admit. The crew just got back from doing their SORO (Southern Regional Office) project checks (Tennessee south). We've been busy doing training; getting prepped for the season etc and we'll soon have more pictures to post…..

But, for now it's time to gloat, hold our heads up high and say a big nanny-boo boo to Mr. Boudman…He said it couldn't be done, he said we'd hit the privy or the shelter (or both) and he even laid a big, fat $1 bet on it. Well Bill, check the pictures, that's all I can say…

(For those that have no idea what we're talking about (probably 99.9% of you), we're referring to a bet from a club member that when we took down the old, severely leaning-towards-the-shelter Black Locust (that's a tree), it would hit either the shelter or privy. As you can tell from the pictures below, we did neither).

I want my dollar!!

Kerry

Red arrow: where the tree is leaning White arrow: a good 4-5' of side lean towards the shelter

Pretty small gap for a really odd shaped tree (I hope I don't hit the privy or I'm out a dollar!)

Tree size-up

Hmmmm, looks like I made myself some sweet cash (I can buy 1/3 gallon of gas!)

Here's my dollar, where's yours?

Yeah! Vroom! Yeah!

Basecamp Clean-Up 2008 a Success!

Painting the exterior of the Kitchen

Janet on the way to the next project

The woodshed on the move

Well, another Basecamp Clean-up has come and gone ending in great success! Over 20 Volunteers spent a week cleaning up camp for the coming season and doing some projects to further spruce up the place including repairing electrical in the pods, moving the woodshed and painting the kitchen (inside and out).

A big THANK-YOU goes out to everyone involved in addition to Trail Crew Leader, Christine Hoyer for leading the charge!

Thanks all,

Kerry

Still Looking...

Due to late-breaking events, we're currently looking for an assistant crew leader for the season. If you know of anyone possibly interested, let us know! We promise good times and great views!

Thanks,

Kerry
kwood@appalachiantrail.org
540.953.3571

Slowly but Surely....

Slowly but surely we’re getting ready for the season, I’ll have more to report after the meeting of the Konnarock Steering Committee this weekend at Mountain Lake, VA. For now, enjoy some pictures of my recent scouting trip to Main Top Mountain for a relocation project starting next year. The crew will be camping and working near Spy Rock, a large granite dome with 360˚ views.

Enjoy,

Kerry

The relocation (in pink) will move the Trail off the Main Top Mtn Summit onto the side (there are no views from the summit but the side has many nice views eastward)

One of many panoramas visible from the summit of Spy Rock.

Trails in Other Places...

A "trail" (really a dry wash) in a narrow canyon south of the Hoover Dam on the way some nice hot springs.

It's nice to have views like these from any trail.

An evening sky while hiking along the "Boy Scout Trail" in Joshua Tree NP.

Vertical "Trail"....

No too much (if any) in the way of real Konnarock-related pictures here but thought I would share a few pictures of my recent trip to Joshua Tree National Park. It's always nice to see trails in other places as they are a good way to learn new ideas for trail design, etc. Of course with Joshua Tree only receiving 4" of rain a year, it's a bit different then what we deal with on the AT!

More Konnarock updates soon to come!

Cheers,

Kerry

T-Shirt Design

Here's the design for the back of our 2008 t-shirt drawn by Volunteer Nolan Hisey. At the moment, we plan to print the design without color (just blackline) except the blaze on the tree (white) on perhaps a dark green shirt. The upper text will also be different but this is a rough design.

Thoughts, comments?

Kerry

Another Hard Day on the Trail/Matt's Creek

Looking north from a point close to the campsite towards Little and Big Rocky Row just north of the James River

Looking south from the AT hiking into the project site

This weekend I met up with folks from the Natural Bridge Appalachian Trail Club to finalize logistics for the Matt’s Creek Project. Another long day on the Trail being subjected to great weather and views of the surrounding Wilderness….

As many veterans of Konnarock know, most projects entail camping in “primitive” conditions….well primitive if you mean being 100 yards away from the vehicles and sleeping on the ground. Really though, the crew often stays in places that die hard outdoor folk might not deem primitive. But, for the most part this situation works out great as it is pretty nice to have after a long day of working on the Trail.

However, this summer, the crew will have at least one good honest primitive project. The Matt’s Creek rehabilitation is smack dab in the middle of Virginia’s first congressionally designated big-W Wilderness, the James River Face Wilderness. For the project, the crew will backpack into a backcountry site near the project and enjoy really being away from everything (or as close to it by Virginia standards).

If you have a particular interest in this project, make sure to include that in your application. Additionally, if you have any questions regarding this or any other project, let me know.

Cheers,

Kerry