TC4

“OK, I feel better. I read the acrobat instructions, which left me confused. However, I finally managed to print the page that was on the screen, instead of the entire file. Now I need to find where we're headed and how to get there, including parking for the car.”

“.....the downfall of mankind.”

“The rule of life:


When all else fails, read the intructions.”

“I'm not sure who would know the answers to these questions, but I have had a few emails I need to respond to -- if someone can help.

1) Where is camping available on Friday?

2) Do I need to reserve my place for a campsite on Saturday?

3) What is the limit to how many can be in the backcountry?”

“Here is my best guess to the answer so far. Maybe someone can update me?

1) There is a sign-up page for Tc4.

http://www.thebackpacker.com/trips/trip.php?id=436"> Titanium Chef Backcountry Cookoff Signup

That will allow the committee to guess at how many are confirmed for the backcountry on Saturday. Unfortunately, some people will just show up. We do have a limit on how many we can accomodate, but I am checking to see what that limit is.

2) As for Friday, I will get back to you. I will be driving in late Friday night, and won't be camping. I will hit the trailhead (Civic Park TH) about 4am -- and just going on in. I will get the answer for you on this. As I recall, there is a nice campground for Friday night.”

“Why so early, It surely won't take YOU that long to hike the 7.5 miles? I will probably stay at Cumberland Gap on Fri night, since we will roll in pretty late. I have that day off, so I plan on leaving asap on Fri to get there early. DK who might be going with me tho. Also find out if we hike in on Fri and enter the contest, can we shuttle out on Sun to get back home at a reasonable time for work on Mon morn.?? I don't see where anyone should have a problem with that.”

“That should have been to hike in to Martin's Fork on Sat.”

“town dawg has homecoming fooseball late friday”

“ok”

“Thanks for the info guys, and ladies. I do have acrobat but , I had a file missing soooo, I had to download again to get it to work…sorry for the hassle..”

“Dynamo?”

“http://www.heritagetrailsfest.com"> Heritage Trails Festival ”

“I have the completed Entry Form. Shoot me an email if you want me to send it to you now. Otherwise, it will be at www.heritagetrailsfest.com in a few days.

The website should be able to answer most of your questions...”

“If that entry form is the same for both sites send it to me and It'll be up on HTF in a matter of hours.”

“Cool! Yes, it is the same. I sent it to you - let me know if you get it!!!”

“Lookin' Good !”

“Yep and done.”

“Thanks kids!”

“Which trail did you guys say was closed coming up from VA?

I just printed out Trails.com info... and they gave the Chadwell Gap Trail as the main one. Is that the one that's now closed? I see it said trailhead parking was on private property....”

“Last I heard it was still closed because of public access complications.”

“Chadwell Gap trail is the one they use for the shuttle service, and yes.”

“yea..that one has a "semi" permanant sign at the top side saying trail is closed”

“The Chadwell Gap trail is not the one we went on last year on the shuttle. It is on the east side of the mountain and we came in from the west side. We left the National Park Headquarters and went by the Sugar Run Road # 988 to # 277 and thru the community of Hutch. We took the Shilalah Creek Road (which is gated and locked to traffic). map”

“The Chadwell Gap trail is the one that is closed due to problems the landowners had with some hikers. People were always bugging them and leaving trash, insisting on using the phone for non-emergencies, etc. Since it was a private road on private property, they had it closed. That is the way it was explained to me by the park service at least.
I am still planning on taking off that weekend with my last 2 vacation days, even tho I am changing work schedules.”

“karo is correct, except for a typing error. It was 988 to 217.

I had driven on that side (NW) of the park previously, and I recognized landmarks along the way. Also, without doing any funny stuff like loops or circles, we made a simple turn to the right to go through the gate and up the mountainside. So we had to be on the NW side of the Park.

The nerve! People not on the shuttle telling us where we went. Any more of this and I'm apt to tell them where to go. (Calls bonecrusher on his cell phone.)”

“aHh.. I did not realize that. Since I didnt ride the shuttle.. I had just assumed they used that entrance.. oh well.. guess that's what I get for thinkin..”

“I'm hiking in this year, I am in such better health/shape than I was last year.”

“You are correct, I just hit the wrong key on the numbers keypad. I keep thinking it is a phone keypad. BTW, tell bonecrusher hello for me.”

“hpoefully someone will send out an email with all the particulars. HINT karo, smokygirl! jerbear@backpacker.com THANKS”

“I sent you the pdf -- if you needed that.”

“Sooooo (once and for all, <G>)... What's marked on the map as 'Shilalah Creek Trail' Is actually a road?”

“Apparently, Tilt.”

“So, if we hike up the 'Shilalah Creek Trail,' will that satisfy the Board of Directors, for the hiking requirement? Otherwise, where is the start of the shortest route that meets the hiking requirement? Is it in this list of possible trailheads?

Brownies Creek Primative Road at Cubbage on 976
Shilalah Creek Trail from 217
Sugar Run Trail from Sugar Run Picnic Area
Sugar Run Trail from Sugar Run Road,988
Ridge Trail from Fort Lyon
Skylight CaveTrail from 58
Skylight CaveTrail from Wilderness Picnic Area
Gipson Gap Trail from Wilderness Campground
Ewing Trail from Civic Park
Other”

“the bears better show up this trip or i'm gonna start calling them "nancy" boys”

“Just so long as you don't hitchhike up the Shilalah Creek Trail...


(Shorter almost always = steeper!)”

“I wouldn't qualify that as much of a road,LOL. It was pretty bad shape, but as far as backpacking I guess you would call it a road.”

“THe shortest route is the requirement of 7.5 miles, and is the Ewing Trail at Civic Park Trailhead.

Directions/locations/specifics, etc. will be provided on www.titaniumchef.com.
For now....
I swiped this from the internet, "The "Civic Park" in "Civic Park Trailhead" is the Ewing (Virginia) Civic Park. Simply take VA 724 north from Ewing until it dead ends at the park. If you are on U.S. 58, VA 724 turns off just east of the Citgo station. The best place to leave a car is just outside the gates of the park at a little gravel lot. From there, the trailhead is a short walk through Civic Park on the gravel road; the trail starts just behind the picnic shelter."”

“Thank you, smokygirl.”

“Well hello I am still alive.
Just a note for those hikers

If you hike up the Ewing trailhead there are many things to see so plan a early hike and enjoy the sites.
First stop is White Rocks with great views and second stop is Sand Cave a wonder rock house great for a lunch break.
Don't forget to explore Hensley Settlement 1 mile from Martins Fork.
enjoy
CGHiker”

“Cumberland Gap Park Future

The Plan Process”

“I just wanted to get this back up to the top. BTW, I am still interested in competing again this year. I would like to know if we hike in the required miles, can we take the shuttle out. I need to get home asap to be ready for work Monday. I am using my last vacation day on Saturday the 15th for TC4 by choice. I wouldn't miss it for the anything. I will hike in even if I don't campete. I missed it last year, but really enjoyed sharing the shuttle with everyone that went on it.”

“I need to proofread before I hit the submit button, I spell as bad as Ice Tea!”

“I am looking forward to meeting those I have not met yet...wooohoooo...who is Valerie??/”

“The food must be edible.
Road kill is not an acceptable ingredient in your recipe.


LOL...these are in the rules...LMAO...hahahahahahaha”

“HPM: Top notch work. Your skills are only surpassed by your personal charm.

;) Wow.. I said something nice, I must be sick. Seriously, it looks really really good.

If you need more on the "about TC", I'll try to find some content for your review -- (but you know where I told you to look).

Sorry to hear about yor lightning strike. I'm still recovering from one of those on my personal laptop. I was home last night, but I crashed (not my car you idiot!.. lol.. lol.. Wore out, working too many hours..) and was up again this morning at 330am.

I wish I had a better feel for what our attendance is going to be, but only for the sake of planning. I feel good though, all in all -- Tina and Barbara are right on top of everything!

Again, really really nice job, Michael.”

“I'm back up now.
Luckily all I had to replace was a network card and not the router.”

“Hey! That's my photo on the front page!”

“I guess I'll let you use it ;-) I get to register for free right? ;-)

http://jeremy.qn.net/backpacking/trips/tc3/pinnacle03.jpg”