Well, that took longer than we expected. The IAT/SIA began an upgrade to our website last year, with an expectation it would take perhaps a month. However, stuff happens and both technical and human complications conspired to make the upgrade a much slower process. And now we’ve returned to a very different world than we could have imagined 10 months ago. One thing is certain though, we’re all in this together and the IAT/SIA mission of Thinking Beyond Borders is more relevant than ever.
Despite the lack of posts there has been a lot of activity on the IAT/SIA over the last 10 months. First, this year was the 25th anniversary of the founding of the IAT. The actual date (April 22nd) was marked with a small gathering of the original IAT protagonists, Dick Anderson, Don Hudson and Maine Governor Joe Brennan, in Portland Maine. In May, IAT/SIA representatives from New Brunswick, Quebec, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland joined their Maine colleagues at Shin Pond Village in Maine to reminisce about the early days of the trail and discuss the future.
Newfoundland, Spain, Ireland and many other Chapters continued to improve the trail and host IAT/SIA events such as sponsored hikes, marathons(!), educational conferences and workshops. Look for posts about these happenings in the near future.
Finally, despite the COVID-19 virus, we intend that the new IAT/SIA website will provide some respite from our disrupted lives. To that end, we’ll soon be asking you all to send us a photo or two of some of your favorite local hiking spots or most fondly remembered times on the trail. We’ll post these on the special “Distant Socializing” page on the site.
Stay healthy, wash your hands, practice “social distancing,” and get outside!