AT Museum Volunteer Newsletter - January 2017

January 2017

Brought to you by Nathaniel "Angry Bird" Shank, Appalachian Trail Museum Manager

Though the museum seems quiet there are still quite a few things going on. From organizing little things, to planning speeches I have found that the work never ends, and that is a good thing. 

What the ramp looked like last year at this time

What the ramp looks like now

New clock added to the docent desk

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Exhibit Committee Meeting

The date for the Exhibit Committee Meeting has been set for Saturday January 21st, from 10:am to noon on the second floor of the Appalachian Trail Museum. At this meeting we will discuss the idea of our become a hiker cards for the children's mini walk of the AT, the evolution of the backpack exhibit, and any new ideas you may have for exhibits to be displayed in our future.

To sign up you can follow this link: Exhibit Committee Meeting

Afterward we plan to have a social time to enjoy treats and good company. 

So stick around if you can!

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January Renovations

Three of our dedicated volunteers decided to

 surprise us with some of their great looking handy work.

Storage Area Door

Trap Door Ceiling Access

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Museum Cleanup Day & Docent Training

I have updated a few new shifts on SignUp.com for the Museum Cleanup Day on March 18th, the Museum Greeter Orientation on March 17th - 25th, and Docent Shifts will soon be updated as well. Please follow the links provided to sign up for these shifts.

The Museum Greeter Training Sessions will be scheduled for March 17th, 18th, 19th, 24th and 25th. These sessions (5 in total) will provide Docents with a review of the processes and refresh the memory. I will also be conducting hands on training on the PayPal Here software at all sessions.  Any new Docents will receive more intense training.

Saturday, March 18, 2017 is the date for the spring clean-up at the Appalachian Trail Museum. Activities will start at 9:00AM and we should be done by 12:00 noon or 1:00PM. If you cannot make it for the entire morning, we appreciate whatever time you can spare so we can have the museum in ship-shape for the opening the following Saturday March 25th.

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Saturday/Sunday Public Programs 

Once again the Museum is hoping to offer a variety of Saturday/Sunday Public Programs.  We are starting to book the presenters now and hope to offer interesting presentations throughout the season. If you have something you would like to present, let me know and you can have an early pick of which Saturday/Sunday you want to present. Your topic can be just about anything relating to the trail, or the outdoors, or local history, etc... If the program can be held outdoors that would be great as well.

Send me a short description of your presentation and pick your date.  I will be updating the AT Museum Programs both here and at atmuseum.org. All Sundays are open between Memorial Day and Labor Day.

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Angry Bird Trail Stories

Day number one on the Appalachian Trail: Hiking up to Katahdin was a little more than just another peak in the state of Maine for me. I never liked back tracking so I decided to hike up the Abol trail which was shorter and steeper. I then descend on the Appalachian Trail. This trail has been relocated since my accent in May of 2012 but still remains to be the shortest route to Katahdin to this day. Along this accent and for the next two days I hiked with another guy who I call Alabama. One because he is from Alabama, and two because I have forgotten his name. 

Knifes Edge Trail May 30th, 2012

After hiking down to the Katahdin Stream Campground I traded in the day pack that they provided for me and went on to the Hurd Brook Lean-to completing 18 trail miles for my first day on the trail. Along the way I dropped my phone in Nesowadnehunk Stream and had to improvise a way to dry it out in a zip lock full of rice that I kept in my front pocket for the next few days. On the third Morning however on top of Nesuntabunt Mountain I was so determined to take a picture with my phone that I did not care if it was broken in the process. The result was an amazing picture and a phone that has not died to this day. You can see the picture below and understand why I was so determined.

Sunrise view from Nesuntabunt Mtn. on Jun 1st, 2012

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Things Coming Down The Trail

January 21st, Exhibit Committee Meeting
January 27th - 29th, Northern Ruck - Bears Den Hostel, VA
March 3rd - 5th, Appalachian Trail Kick Off Convention, Amacalola Falls State Park, GA
March 17th - 25th, Museum Greeter Orientation

March 18th, AT Museum Cleanup Day

March 25th, Museum Opening Day

AT Museum Volunteer Newsletter - November 2016

November 2016
Brought to you by Joe Harold, Appalachian Trail Museum Manager and Nathaniel Shank, new Appalachian Trail Museum Manager

Another successful season (actually our most successful) has come to an end.  We had a record number of visitors, topping 10,000 for the first time.  We also had a record amount of donations received at the Museum and our sales at our little gift shop were the best they have ever been.  We anticipate next year being just as busy and successful.  We hope you all continue to give your time as without you, the Museum doesn't exist.  

This is my (Joe's) last preparation of the Newsletter.  From now on, Nate will take on the responsibility of keeping you informed and interested.  I've had a great time.  

Thanks to all of you for your help.  It is certainly appreciated.

Early morning after closing for the season

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Troop 248 Completes work project at the Museum 

On October 23rd Cub Scout Troop 248 from Zions View, PA spent the weekend in the Park and asked to do a service project at the Museum.  The grounds needed a little TLC before winter rolls in, so the scouts spent the day raking and doing a very nice clean up around the Museum.

The scouts made quick work of the leaves, sticks and chestnut casings that were littering the grounds and we are very appreciative of their hard work and service.  

Thanks Troop 248 for making the Museum look so good.  
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Paint Party at the Museum 

The two upper floor renovations have been progressing well and we needed to get the third floor painted so the electrician can finish his work up there, so on Oct 29th, we called a paint party.  More than ten generous volunteers heeded the call, with Ron leading the crew and the work commenced.  

Mike and Roderick

Thom, Margy, Carolyn, Jen, (Ron) and Martha

Jim, (Jen), Mike, Carolyn, Martha and Ron

Jim, Jen, Carolyn, Ron and Margy

While a large group tackled the attic, another smaller group led by Howard, completed work on the mill race outside.  I haven't been around a long time, but I'm thinking that the race looks better than it ever has in recent history.  

Rich, Howard and Nate

Nate, Roderick, Howard and maybe Rich's butt.

Mill Race

The illusion is complete

Finished

Our zealous efforts had us running out of both primer and the top coat and Mike had to run to Home Depot for more primer, but we got the job done in short order.  

Evening shot.  All is quiet.

Much thanks goes to Ron, Carol, Margy, Howard, Nate, Jay, Mike, Martha, Thom, Carolyn, Rich, Jen, Jim and Roderick.   
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Backpacks Through the Ages 

After trying to arrange a meeting with Dave Sherman since June to see the almost two dozen backpacks we have acquired from hikers over the years, we finally came together in early November to see what we had.  Dave, Gwen, Nate and I met at our storage unit in Carlisle and arranged all the packs we have in a few nice lines.  

Dave, Gwen and Nate discuss the possibilities

Each pack has a great story to tell and some of them will be a part of one of our new exhibits on the second floor of the Museum in the coming years.  Kelty seems to be a popular choice as almost half of them were that brand.

Keltys everywhere

Even with what we have, we are still looking for something to even out the pack exhibit.  External frame packs are well represented, but we are looking for packs from both sides of the timeline.  We are looking for a pack or two from the WWII era as well as an internal frame pack and an ultralight pack.  A highly desirable pack would be one like Warner Hall is wearing in the photo that was turned into the Springer Mountain Plaque in 1933 (May be a Trapper Nelson Pack).  If you have something that you can donate to the Museum with the possibility of it being used in our exhibit, let us know.  

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Meet Nathaniel 

Nathaniel shows his homemade banjo that hiked the PCT with him

As a local of southern PA Nathaniel spent most of his childhood at the Shanks Feed Mill in Fairfield and graduated from Fairfield High. In 2012 Nathaniel graduated from Penn State University with a degree in forestry. Shortly after graduation he decided to thru hike the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia southbound. Along the trail he was unknowingly given the trail name Dress Shoes because he hiked from Maine to Pennsylvania in a pair of leather dress shoes, but the trail name that stuck was Angry Bird because of a gos hawk that struck him in the back of his head while hiking in Maine. After 110 days of hiking, $1,500 spent and 1,184 miles of trail behind him he stood on Springer Mountain. 

In 2013 he was hired by Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve as a forestry intern. During his internship he was in charge of planning and planting nearly 2,000 trees and shrubs within different blocks of the 600 plus acre preserve. He then became an environmental educator and continues to be involved with their programs and events.

In 2014 Nathaniel then decided to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada northbound. He was also given a promotion to manager of the cider operation at the Oyler's Organic Farm. 

Then when 2015 rolled around he decided to do a shorter hike across the Swiss Alps. Hiking more than 300km on the green trail of the Via Alpina he went from Saint-Gingolph France to the peak of Germany (Zugspitze). After this hike he has continued his involvement at the Oyler's Farm and Strawberry Hill and has been assisting with the men's ministry at Liberty Worship Center in Fairfield, PA. 
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My Next Adventure 

As you all know, I'm moving on at the end of this year and I have a huge adventure planned.  I have really enjoyed having a job literally ON the trail, but having that constant reminder of how far the trail goes in each direction and interacting with the hikers all the time, has brought my wanderlust to a boil.  

I think I have intended to complete the trial for a while now.  Up until this year, it was still just the nebulous idea of a dreamer.  As things moved along in my life, I saw a window, where my bride, Lisa, and I can take some time off and take a hike.  

So that is what we are going to do.  Next April, Lisa (LoGear) and I (EarthTone) will be flying down to Atlanta (using the miles we earned paying for a wedding) and start our Quest of Pamola.  If you didn't know, Pamola is a god of thunder and protector of Katahdin.  He has the body of a man, the head of a moose and the wings and talons of an eagle. We hope to walk from Georgia to Maine and if found worthy by Pamola, summit his mountain.  

We are in no hurry, as we have the time to do this at our own pace.  We are starting late in the month to avoid the crowds and will probably be doing a bit of cleanup as we go along behind the larger bubbles.  It is a Long Distance Hike and that can mean whatever you want.  I have set several goals (being a Thru-Hiker is a secondary goal of less importance) that I hope to meet along the way.  Each will add to our adventure and give us more stories to tell.  The further we go, the more stories.  

Being someone who likes to share my journeys, I have set up several sites where I will possibly be posting our progress and my thoughts as we move up the Trail. I know that it is hard to walk all day, do your camp chores, then find time to write and post and signal can be sporadic at certain places, but if I am posting, then these are the possible places I will be posting.

1. Facebook Like Page "Adventures of EarthTone and LoGear". This will probably be my go-to, as near as daily as possible, easy place to post. If you use Facebook and Like this page, you will see my updates in your feed.

2. I may also post to my personal Facebook Page. If you are my friend (or following), then you will see it. https://www.facebook.com/johar923

3. Trailjournals website: http://www.trailjournals.com/pamola... I hope to keep this up-to-date with a nice mileage accumulation and maybe a picture or two, but it is a unwieldy to use with a phone out on the trail, so updates may come late and in chunks. Eventually, it will be updated with all the data as a record of the hike. My other hikes are all documented here.

4. Our Blog: The Adventures of EarthTone and LoGear - http://cgmasterchief.blogspot.com/ I started this Blog about seven years ago and have more or less added to it as things happened in my life and I had the desire to write about them. If you dig down into it, you will see its theme change from time to time. Evolving into what it is now. This is my personal blog. I invite you in to check it out. Eventually this too will contain a complete rendition of the hike. I will probably update this more on a weekly schedule if I can.

5. Instagram: earthtone923. From time to time I might post a photo. Not my go to app, but who knows.

6. SnapChat: earthtone923. I followed a few hikers on this for the 2016 season. It is kinda cool, but can get annoying at times. I might do a few short videos from time to time when I get the inkling

7. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/johar9... I don't plan on posting many videos, but you never know. I don't plan on being a filmmaker out there, so anything I post will probably be pretty raw and in need of editing.

Hopefully I will keep at least one or two of these going during the hike.

People are always asking "why are you doing this hike".  Some can answer quickly, some need to think about it a while.  I have thought about it for a long time and here is my latest response:

I want to be an outsider
To watch the dawn break in the forest
To feel the midday sun on my neck as I move North
To see a sunset each day
To walk among the falling rain and feel a stiff breeze chill me
To be with the beasts of the forest and talk with the people who walk with me
To live life to its fullest each day that I hike

So come along with LoGear and I, virtually or in person.  All are welcome to our Tramily. (Trail+Family=Tramily)

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Things Coming Down the Trail

November 20th, 2016 - Volunteer Recognition Dinner
March 25th, 2017 - Museum opens for its eighth season

For those wanting to see me not wearing hiking clothes:

And a few more to part with:

Four Managers, all in a row.

Jeff and Ed place the last grate onto the ramp.  Job just about done.

AT Museum Volunteer Newsletter - July 2016

July 2016
brought to you by Joe Harold, Appalachian Trail Museum Manager

The peak of the NOBO Thru Hiker crowd has most likely passed, but we still have a lot of hikers coming into the Museum.  Most are very full from eating ice cream, but we know that in a few minutes they will be hungry again.  With the passing of the peak, our hours will scale back to Noon to 4PM and before too long, we will start to see the SOBOs come through the park.  

Thanks to all of you for your help.  It is certainly appreciated.

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2016 Will Be A Banner Year At The Museum 

Each month I prepare a summary report that I send to the the Board of Directors.  It gives them, (and me), a good snapshot of how the Museum is doing throughout the season.  The report shows attendance, sales, donations and volunteer hours.  As I was preparing the June report early this month, I notice that for the last two months everything has been looking very promising.  June had the highest visitor count since our first two months back in 2010.  Our donations and sales were the highest ever.  This shows that people are really liking the Museum and our Docents are who make them like it.  

I'm sure "A Walk In The Woods" is partly responsible for this popularity, but we also think that our new Lower Level Children's Museum (suitable for all ages 2 to 200) is also drawing in more visitors.  

As business continues to Boom, we will continue to be there to welcome our visitors and show them the wonder of the Trail.  With all of you volunteers, that is possible.
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A.T. Museum And The Park in the News 

The Museum has also been fortunate this year in the publicity department.  We have been featured or mentioned in a number of publications in the area.  Below are a few I have gathered in the last couple of weeks.  

Celebrate Gettysburg Magazine 

Main Line Today

The Half Gallon Challenge seems to be a popular news item this year.  Here are two videos on the topic.  The first one is from the York Daily Record and the second is from Fox 43.  
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Programs Needed for August 

If you have checked out the Sunday Public Programs page recently, you will see that the month of August still has slots open for presenting our public programs.  If you have something you would like to present, or know someone who might be interested in presenting a topic, let me know and we will get it scheduled.  
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Things Coming Down the Trail

July 17th, 2016 - Program: Backpacking with a Dog
July 24th, 2016 - Program: Starting out Halfway... WV, MD and PA on the A.T. 
July 31st, 2016 - Program: You Don't Know What You Got 'til It's Gone
August 28th, 2016 - Program: Appalachian Odyssey 

AT Museum Volunteer Newsletter - June 2016

June 2016
brought to you by Joe Harold, Appalachian Trail Museum Manager

Business is boomin' at the Museum this June.  There are lots of hikers coming through and our visitor counts are rising.  The weather is rather pleasant and our new Children's Museum is a hit.  The grounds around the museum have been transformed with some great landscape additions and the ramp is nearing completion.

Thanks to all of you for your help.  It is certainly appreciated.

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A.T. Hall of Fame Inducts Four 

We had a record crowd at the Allenberry Resort on Friday, June 3rd as we held our sixth annual Appalachian Trail Hall of Fame Banquet.  Everyone gathered in the carriage house for some good music by Windtalker, good food provided by the Allenberry, good comments by our emcee, DCNR Secretary Cindy Dunn and great speeches by the inductees. 

Honored were Maurice Forrester, Horace Kephart, our own Larry Luxenberg and Henry Arch Nichols.  The HOF committee had the pleasure of having Charter HOF Member Gene Espy present Larry his Hiking Stick (fondly referred to as a Bodhi or Bo D. HOFman)

Maurice Forrester

Horace Kephart

Larry Luxenberg

Henry Arch Nichols

You can read more about the four honorees on our website in the News section.  
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New Children's Museum Opens

Saturday, June 4th continued the busy weekend where we dedicated and opened our new lower level Children's Museum to the public.  A crowd of around 60 visitors gathered around as the speakers talked about all the thought and work that went into creating this space dedicated to the future of the trail, our children.

Gwen speaks to the crowd before the ribbon cutting

Margy and Gwen prepare to open the door to a whole new Museum experience

Your journey starts here...

The space was opened for all to enjoy and the day continued with a Children's Festival.

Festival!

We had music, a trail mix table, story telling and other activities.  We didn't let the early afternoon showers dampen our spirits as the day was full of excitement.

Jennifer reads one of her stories to the gathered children

Later, we had a Volunteer Picnic followed by a couple of our honorees from the night before telling their stories of the trail and their love of its beauty.  

It was a very good day for the Museum.

Visitors enjoy the Reading Hut

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Welcome Our New Intern

After our first 2016 intern prospect fell through, I feared that we would not have the help that we have been lucky to have each summer at the Museum since it opened.  About two weeks ago, I received a call from Tim Atwell, a recent Messiah College grad, who still needed to do his internship.  I eagerly accepted his proposal and we set him up as our Programs Intern.  

Tim introduces Eric who told us all the scary details of ticks and Lyme
and the steps to take to protect yourself at last Sunday's Program

In addition to serving as a Docent, Tim will be helping with the Sunday Public Programs each weekend for the next two months.  Tim isn't your typical college undergrad.  He's a tad older, has a family and a full time job and has served in the Military.  

If you are around on any of the next several weekends, please welcome Tim to the A.T. Museum family.
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Program Added for June 26th

We have added a presentation for the June 26th slot that had been vacant in the Programs schedule.

At 2:00 pm, Tim Atwell, (our intern) will present:

The Necessity of Adventure Experiences in Modern Youth

In the 1930’s, German educator, Kurt Hahn, identified six social declines that hindered the proper development of youth. In response, he developed a school called Outward Bound which is considered the foundation of modern day adventure education. 

Recognizing that these declines are evident in today’s youth, a two week-long wilderness backpacking experience was designed to specifically address these issues. This experience was provided by the Messiah College Office of Adventure Programming, and was designed, implemented, and evaluated by Tim Atwell, an Adventure Education Major Senior. 


Come listen to Tim discuss his findings. You may not be surprised that there were gains made in all of the 6 declines, especially around the areas related to mental toughness.

This seems like a very interesting topic.  We still have a lot of vacant slots for August this year.  If you have a presentation you would like to give, let me know and we will get you on the schedule.  See all our Program Descriptions on our Programs Page.  
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Positions Available at the Museum

Some of you might already be aware of this, but it is time to make the announcement.  

I have decided to step down as manager at the end of this season.  You see, there is this trail... That people like to hike for a real long time...  That's what I want to do.  That's what I need to do.  So, with that said, we need to find my replacement.

I won't be leaving until the end of the year, so the search is only beginning.  I hike in 2017.

I have proposed to the board, and they are in the process of ironing out the details, of splitting my job into two positions.  We feel that this will separate the two parts of the job so that more direct effort can be placed on both.

Here is the plan so far (subject to amendment and alteration by the board)

A.T. Museum Manager - The manager will be responsible for retail sales and stocking, building and grounds maintenance, Road Scholar Hikes, event planning and outreach.  The manager will also directly supervise the Volunteer Coordinator.

Volunteer Coordinator (Asst Manager) - The Volunteer Coordinator will be responsible for recruiting, training and scheduling the docents and other volunteers, manage the Sunday Public Programs, supervise any interns, and help with event planning and outreach.  

So if any of this strikes you as something you might want to take on, stand by for additional information and an official announcement.  I certainly would love to have members of the current A.T. Museum family step into the job(s).  Your experience and familiarity with the Museum's processes would definitely be a plus.

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Things Coming Down the Trail

June 19th, 2016 - Program: Drag'N Fly and Freckles
June 26th, 2016 - Program: The Necessity of Adventure Experiences in Modern Youth
June 27th, 2016 - Road Scholar Hike
July 3rd, 2016 - Program: Hiker Picnic and Stories
July 10th, 2016 - Program: Wild Edibles
July 17th, 2016 - Program: Backpacking with a Dog
July 24th, 2016 - Program: Starting out Halfway... WV, MD and PA on the A.T. 

Leonard Adam "Baltimore Jack" Tarlin - 1958 - 2016