REPORT; Grayson Highlands Fall Festival; Sept 23-25, 2011

[Timberrr]

She's talking about the escape from the cold Hang in Florida!!! This year it's not the same weekend as the Mt Rogers hang. So what a contrast that's gonna be.... From snow to palm trees!

We're always happy to share our palm trees, but um... you can keep the snow. Thanks anyway.

[L.D. Cakes]

I'm sure that will be great, but why not do do both

I might just do that Tim!

[gunner76]

Thanks for the vids Gunner

maybe by next year I will have learned how to acutally edited the video

[slowhike]

This past week we received a letter of thanks for the HF groups contribution of $335.00 to Grayson County State Park through "Friends of GHSP", complete with membership card & a sticker.
Hammock Forums is listed with a "Sponsor" level membership for one year.



This year's Grayson County Fall Festival Hang was so much fun for everyone, even with the rain, that the consensus among the HF attendees was that we should aim toward making it an annual event. I agree

[GregScuba]

It was wonderful meeting everyone for the first time in GHSP. This place is truly a gem among state parks. Everyone was so helpful and friendly, and didn't really seem to mind my endless questions.

I arrived after my 16+hr drive up from Florida and set up early Saturday around 4:30 am. Dutch happened to be up when I was setting up in the dark and offered a few helpful pointers.

When I woke up in the AM, my ENO Slapstraps had stretched to the point my butt was on the ground. Despite this, I woke up refreshed and rejuvenated. On the other hand, my friend Tyler "Blackfoot" was too tired to set up his tent, and decided to sleep in the car instead. When I rose in the morning and went back to the car, Blackfoot had relocated to the parking lot next to car with only his sleeping bag for shelter in a vein effort to seek out more comfort. He on the other hand was not so well rested. And so, for this reason, Blackfoot was re-named "Blacktop".

Breakfast Saturday morning was absolutely amazing. Thank you all for your contributions. The venison sausage was certainly something I wouldn't mind having again. The berry pancakes were a marvel as well.

Shortly after breakfast, Blacktop and I hiked the trails down to the festival grounds. There was plenty to see and do. What really got me however, was a woman who appeared to be in her 90's. She was the first person on the dance floor, and the last person off. She had more energy than most people a fraction of her age.

The hike back to the campground proved to be slightly trying and nerve wracking as we had apparently made a wrong turn somewhere and ended up getting lost without any emergency supplies other than a rain coat and a pocket knife. Fortunately however we eventually found our way back to the campground, just in time for the raffle and some amazing Gumbo made by Gumbo, but only after adding a couple extra miles to the hike.

The raffle was quite fun and had a plethora of wonderful goodies. I was lucky enough to win a new Dutchware Continuous Tarp Ridgeline, but my luck turned when I got it so tangled a bird would have eagerly stolen it at first chance to repurpose it as a nest. But, thankfully my luck quickly turned again when gunner offered to help untangle my mess of a ridgeline for me. I'm not sure how, but within minutes he had it all sorted out, and ready for use. Within an hour I had my new ridge line in service along with a whole new dynaglide whoopie sling suspension system from Dutch complete with Dutch Clips and Dutch Buckles. Many thanks to Dutch and all others who helped me set up and get acquainted to my new rig components. So far I have been incredibly impressed with Dutch's hardware and his knowledge and expertise. It is so thoughtfully designed, fast to setup, and lightweight. Major Kudos!

Saturday night it rained cats and dogs almost continuously. Despite this I managed to stay completely dry, thanks in part to the new hardware keeping me off the ground.

I didn't get up the next day until the rain let up at about 11am. Breakfast consisted of an egg and cheese burrito. After eating and saying farewells, Blacktop and I started preparing for a 3 day hike on the AT. We took the Rhododendron Trail up to the AT and headed South to Thomas Knob where we spent the night. Thankfully the weather cleared up and was about as beautiful as it gets. We even got to see some wild ponies who were actually so friendly, they approached and surrounded us when they saw us hanging out in the field near them.

The next day we hiked up to the summit of Mt. Rogers, had lunch and then descended to Deep Gap where we got on the Va Highlands Horse trail and hiked until dusk. We set up camp in the woods, and once again the new Continuous Ridgeline, and Whoopie Slings Dutch set me up with worked impeccably.

The next morning, we had taken a wrong turn where the trail isn't marked, and ended up on the cabin ridge trail instead of the horse trail. Thankfully a couple on horseback found us and guided us back on course for our destination of going back to the state park.

At this point we left Va and headed for Nantahala, NC where we camped one more night just off the AT. Blacktop was so impressed with the whole hammock thing, he finally decided to convert at this point and bought an ENO Doublenest at the NOC. Last I heard from him, he is in the Florida Keys hammock camping, fishing, happy as can be.

This trip was so much fun, and the company as good as it gets! Thank you once again to all who contributed. There are just too many names to remember and mention, but thank you none the less, mentioned or not.
I can't wait to do it again!

[GregScuba]

One more thing...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jh4OMqB4abk
This is a video of the trip that Blackfoot/Blacktop and I made. Credit to Blackfoot for his awesome video editing skills. Enjoy

[Dutch]

Great Vid. I didn't know you had such good tastes in music

[L.D. Cakes]

Hey Yeah! I had noticed him sleeping on the ground and when you told the story and that his name was Blackfoot I immediately thought of "Blacktop"! Glad it stuck!

Was that an Osprey Hornet of Blacktop's? I have the 46 and find it very comfortable to carry. I also have an Exose 46 and I think I like my Hornet better!

That was a fun video to watch! And I'm happy to hear that Blacktop has raised his perspective. He may earn another name now!

[L.D. Cakes]

This past week we received a letter of thanks for the HF groups contribution of $335.00 to Grayson County State Park through "Friends of GHSP", complete with membership card & a sticker.
Hammock Forums is listed with a "Sponsor" level membership for one year.



This year's Grayson County Fall Festival Hang was so much fun for everyone, even with the rain, that the consensus among the HF attendees was that we should aim toward making it an annual event. I agree

Tim this is Fabulous! I think we picked the appropriate organization to support. And I agree that this hang/festival education both combo will become another annual event to look forward too.
Does this mean the HF logo could go on next years flyer for the festival (with permission of course)?

[slowhike]

Does this mean the HF logo could go on next years flyer for the festival (with permission of course)?

Are you talking about flyers handed out by park employees at the festival? I think I missed that.

Good to meet both you guys, Greg & BlackTop, & I'm glad to hear BlackTop has found his way into a hammock.

Good video too. I've put away about half of one of the jars of apple butter you showed them selling. Good stuff!

I see you went through "Fat Man's Squeeze" on the AT. And for those of you that have seen Thomas Knob Shelter, did they put new siding on it?

You should hike those trails in late July and August. Those blue berry bushes are loaded with all the BBs you want to eat