Highlighted by a blaze of fall colors, Board Members of the Maine Chapter of the International Appalachian Trail (MaineIAT) traveled along the Mohawk Trail (Rt.2) to Williams College, Williamstown, Mass. to attend the 3-day 35th Annual Gathering of the Appalachian Long Distance Hikers Association (ALDHA) from October 7 to 10.
The MaineIAT participants – Dick Anderson, Walter Anderson, Cliff Young, Bill Duffy, and Josh Bowe – arrived Friday noon at Greylock Hall to assemble our assigned information/display booth, strategically located next to the ALDHA registration table and with prominent visibility and ready accessibility for visitors. Attendance at the “Gathering” was determined at 500 souls.
In addition to our information booth, the ALDHA program included two 1½ hour slots for five MaineIAT power point presentations: (1) IAT History & Deasey Mt. Historic Fire Cab Designation (Dick); (2) Pioneers in Appalachian Geology (Walter); (3) IAT AGM in Ireland & Northern Ireland (Walter); (4) Hiking the IAT in Greenland (Bill); (5) Katahdin Woods & Waters National Monument (Walter). All were well attended. Attendance for presentations 4 & 5 were packed with standing room (50+) & well applauded. The mention of Roxanne Quimby was greeted with standing ovation and cheers!