[at-l] Northern Ruck January 25-27

[Amy Forinash]

Hi folks,

The old PA Ruck moved out of Iron Master's mansion in PA a couple of years ago.  It's now held at the Bears Den Trail Center in VA.  Hence the ruck was renamed the Northern Ruck (as opposed to the Southern Ruck at the NOC).  But it's still happening.  We'd love to see you, especially prospective Appalachian Trail thruhikers.  The purpose of the ruck is to support thruhikers, to answer their questions and dispense advice as needed.  And to give our hiking family a chance to get together - but mostly it's to support the thuhikers.  So if you're planning to thruhike the AT in 2013, and you need your pack tuckerized (i.e. have an experienced hiker go through it and point out areas where you could lighten up, or essential things you might be missing) or you have questions (How do you poop in the woods?  Are bears going to eat me?) I encourage you to come out for the weekend.  It's fun, it's informative, and you'll get to be with a group of others who are just as crazy about hiking as you are.

The PA Ruck website at http://www.paruck.com/ has been updated with the dates for 2013 and the nightly price, but the schedule has NOT been updated.  Checkin time is currently 5 pm on Friday rather than the 2-5 meet and greet we've had before.  Bears Den has new hosts this year and this is their first ruck.  And it's my first time managing one.  So don't be too surprised if something is not the way it has always been.

If you are coming, please be aware that there aren't restaurants nearby, but there is a kitchen at the hostel.  You are responsible for making sure you have enough to eat.  DeLee Smith is managing the kitchen this year.  She'll make a spaghetti dinner for folks there on Friday night.  Saturday night is a communal dinner - please bring a main or side dish, and please let DeLee know what you're bringing.  Her address is delee.i.smith at gmail.com.  

Breakfasts are up to you.  In the past we've had a charity soup lunch (with the funds going to the hostel) on Saturday, but neither DeLee nor I want to manage that, so if you want that to happen please think about organizing it yourself.  We'll have a donation bucket in the kitchen for people to donate to the hostel.  If nobody steps up to organize the charity lunch, you'll need to have enough food for lunch for yourself.

If you are coming and haven't reserved a spot yet, please call the hostel to do so.  That will ensure that you get a bunk, and it will also help us estimate how much to get in the way of supplies.  The hostel's website is http://www.bearsdencenter.org/ and their phone number is 540-554-8708.

Thanks and I hope to see you there!

-Amy Forinash / Mrs Joy 2010

PS If you're planning to bring a projector, please let me know. :)
PPS cross-posted to at-l, whiteblaze, and facebook