JOURNEYS THE MAGAZINE OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL CONSERVANCY May — June 2012 INSIDE: Walking This Planet ❙ Troutville, Virginia ❙ Appalachian Crayfish ❘ JOURNEYS FROM THE EDITOR THE MAGAZINE OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL CONSERVANCY Volume 8, Number 3 May — June 2012 THOUGHTFUL WORLD. ON A SMALL ISLAND OFF THE SOUTHERN COAST OF SOUTH KOREA, A group of local women “free-dive” — equipped with only an amazing set of lungs, goggles, and weighted vests Mission — into the East China Sea to harvest fresh sea snails, abalone, and other shell sh. eir harvest is then sold to The Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s mission is to preserve and manage the Appalachian Trail — ensuring locals, tourists to the island, and nearby restaurants. ese Jeju Island women divers — also called haenyeo that its vast natural beauty and priceless cultural heritage can be shared and enjoyed today, tomorrow, — are renowned historically for this practice dating back hundreds of years, and today, as their ranks dwindle, and for centuries to come. they still hold an almost mythical and heroic standing, not only for their strength and mermaid-like lung capac- ity, but for the reason that they use this particularly pure diving method: sustainability. Last year, Jeju Island hosted the second annual World Trail Conference, during which representatives from Board of Directors A.T. Journeys a worldwide network of trail organizations dedicated to developing, managing, and protecting walking and J. Robert (Bob) Almand ❘ Chair Wendy K. Probst ❘ Managing Editor hiking trails met (page ). As she walked the island’s Jeju Olle Trail, the William L. (Bill) Plouffe ❘ Vice Chair Traci Anfuso-Young ❘ Graphic Designer Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s director of conservation, Laura Belleville, Kara Ball ❘ Secretary was fascinated to learn the history of the famous women divers. “My rst On the Cover: Like many of his Arthur Foley ❘ Treasurer Contributors day on Jeju, I walked around with a representative from Canada’s Bruce fellow thru-hikers, self-taught painter, Lenny Bernstein Laurie Potteiger ❘ Information Services Manager Trail, and we were o ered sea snails from a diver who still had her wetsuit Charles Aldridge is content to not have Richard Daileader Chris Loomis ❘ Proofreader on. She just came out of the water. She must have been about years old,” a definitive reason for, or description of, Marcia Fairweather explains Laura. “ ese women forgo using diving equipment so that their The staff of A.T. Journeys welcomes his journey on the Appalachian Trail. Brian T. Fitzgerald harvesting never becomes unsustainable — they can only harvest in editorial inquiries and comments. “If you haven't completed a thru-hike, Mary Higley smaller quantities. at conservation message resonated as we walked the E-mail: [email protected] no words can explain the experience; Terry Lierman path, discussing the conservation issues of the day.” if you have, no words are necessary,” Sandra (Sandi) Marra Observations, conclusions, opinions, and product Protection of such local, natural resources is a global thought process; and he says. “How do you explain this Charles Maynard endorsements expressed in A.T. Journeys are those responsible promotion is often the key. “Natural resources are our most valu- spectacle of life?” He is, however, able Elizabeth (Betsy) Pierce Thompson of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those able asset for growing the local economy,” says -H extension agent Ty Petty, to provide some charming, wordless Clark Wright Jr. of members of the board or staff of the Appalachian who worked with a small group of -H teens to create a map and brochure of descriptions by recreating glimpses from Trail Conservancy. the Trail in Unicoi County (page ). “Although everyone in the community his 2011 Georgia to Maine trek through ATC Executive Staff has heard of the Appalachian Trail, less than percent of county residents Wearing a lead-weighted vest and his acrylic paintings. (page 26) Mark J. Wenger ❘ Executive Director Advertising have ever hiked on it,” he says. e -H group’s recent hard work, miles of A.T. goggles, the haenyeo plunge into Stephen J. Paradis ❘ Chief Operating Officer A.T. Journeys is published six times per year. hiking, and use of advanced Global Positioning System technology is now 20-meter depths to harvest fresh Boardwalk heading into Atkins, Virginia. Stacey J. Marshall ❘ Director of Finance Advertising revenues directly support the serving to inspire others to experience the Trail in Tennessee. seafood for local markets and visitors & Administration publication and production of the magazine, A similar message of thoughtful, e ective community work resonates to Jeju Island — all in the name of Royce W. Gibson ❘ Director of Membership and help meet Appalachian Trail Conservancy in the o cially designated Trail Community of Troutville, Virginia (page sustainability. Photo courtesy My & Development objectives. For more information and advertising ). “ e town itself re ects the combined e orts of [locals] to literally build Mother the Mermaid (Ineo Gongju) Laura Belleville ❘ Director of Conservation rates, visit: appalachiantrail.org/advertising. a ve-acre park from the ground up,” says Trail Town author Leanna Joyner. Brian B. King ❘ Publisher “ is project organically bubbled up in the community to become the pride of the town and a model of success Javier Folgar ❘ Marketing & A.T. Journeys is published on Sterling Matte paper that is for what a community-driven vision of the future might be.” Today, the park hosts a farmers market each Communications Manager manufactured by NewPage Corporation, responsibly Sunday, where residents sell vegetables straight from their own gardens, and the clerk at one of the locally- sourced, using allocated chain-of-custody certified fiber. owned stores saves a few cartons of farm-fresh eggs for regular customers. It is printed with SoySeal certified ink in the U.S.A. by From a small island on the other side of the world to the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee, to an inviting Dartmouth Printing Company, Sterling, Virginia. Trail town in Virginia, it is always possible to promote sustainability — knowing that, hopefully, millions of others are doing the same with their own local, natural resources. “[At the World Trail Conference] Karim El-Jisr, from the Lebanon Mountain Trail, reminded us of the maxim ‘ ink Global, Act Local’,” says Laura Belleville. And while we all cannot possess the almost otherworldly abilities of Jeju Island’s women divers, if we are thought- ful of our neighbors (close by and a world away), and thoughtful of keeping our impact low, every individual can use their own simple tactics to protect and preserve the balance of the natural wonders on every corner of the A.T. Journeys ( ISSN 1556-2751) is published bimonthly planet. e ripple e ect of one person’s small act has the capacity to create an enduring result. for $15 a year by the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, 799 Washington Street, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425, Membership Wendy K. Probst ❘ Managing Editor (304) 535-6331. Bulk-rate postage paid at Harpers Ferry, For membership questions or to become a member, call (304) 535-6331, ext. 119, West Virginia, and other offices. or e-mail [email protected]. Postmaster: Send change-of-address Form 3575 to A.T. Journeys, P.O. Box 807, Harpers Ferry, WV 25425. A.T. Journeys welcomes your comments, story suggestions and photographs. Queries may be submitted via e-mail to [email protected]. © 2012 Appalachian Trail Conservancy. All rights reserved. Get Social With Us may — june 2012 ❘ A.T. JOURNEYS ❘ 03 CONTENts ❘ May — June 2012 ❘ 18 ❘ waLKING THIS PLANET Representatives from Trails spanning the globe gathered on Jeju Island in South Korea for the World Trail Conference ❘ 42 ❘ departments 16 ❘ TRAILHEAD ❘ 42 ❘ African American History Walk; National Trails Day; A.T. License Plate Grants 32 ❘ TRAIL STORIES What started as plan to section hike the Trail with his young children before their high school graduation, has become a quiet desire to slow down time. ❘ 38 ❘ 36 ❘ TRAIL NATIVES The Appalachian crayfish is a vital link to the health of the aquatic ecosystem along the A.T. features 38 ❘ TRAIL TOWNS Troutville, Virginia offers an open invitation to get to 10 know its residents on a first name basis. Promoting the Trail from 42 ❘ CLUB HOPPING the Ground Up The restoration of Blood Mountain Shelter required the A 4-H group of teens from Unicoi County, Tennessee mutual determination of both man and “beast.” became avid hikers and GPS experts in a successful effort to promote their section of the Trail. 47 ❘ AS I SEE It A dad tackles “Nature Deficit Disorder” head on with a day trip to the A.T. in the north Georgia Mountains. The Jeju Olle Trail second 26 annual Walking Festival, Creative Observation during the World Trail Following his 2011 thru-hike, Chuck “Guinness” ❘ Conference, attracts Aldridge began a passionate pursuit to recreate 03 FROM THE EDITOR participants from around moments from his time on the A.T. 06 ❘ LEttERS Korea to Jeju Island. 08 ❘ OVERLOOK 44 ❘ TRAIL GIVING 46 ❘ PUBLIC NOTICES may — june 2012 ❘ A.T. JOURNEYS ❘ 05 ❘ LETTERS to provide "Trail magic," but I met these we were especially delighted with the JOURNEYS two hikers at New Found Gap in the content and style of the March-April 2012 THE MAGAZINE OF THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL CONSERVANCY March — April 2012 Smokies. I was passing through the gap edition, where you really highlighted the after hiking the Benton MacKaye Trail hiking community. While we know that CELEBRATE THE and gave [them] a lift to the grocery store much of the ATC’s emphasis must neces- in Gatlinburg. I was glad to see they sarily be on wisely preserving and pro- completed their journey to Katahdin. I tecting the A.T. corridor, it was just plain ANNIVERSARY OF THE also liked the notes on the international delightful and memory-charging to see 2,000 milers (“2,000-Milers,” page 21).