From July 22 to 27, IATNL executive members Paul Wylezol and Arne Helgeland played host to American Hiking Society Founding President Jim Kern. Paul, Arne and Jim, who soon turns 88, are friends of Appalachian Trail Museum President Larry Luxenberg, who in 2019 joined Paul and Arne on an IAT 10th anniversary tour of Scotland, followed by an Appalachian Outdoor Economy Forum in Northern Ireland.
Jim, who is also founder of the Florida Trail, was in Newfoundland for the first time to do a little hiking and sightseeing, beginning on the Great Northern Peninsula where Paul and his wife Annie own a beachfront inn in Portland Creek.
The first adventure included a 45-minute hike into Western Brook Pond and a 2-hour boat tour of the inland fiord
followed by another 45-minute walk and seafood dinner.
Day 2 also included a tour of Western Brook Pond, but this time from the air, when the trio took a morning floatplane ride over the Long Range Mountains, provided by Portland Creek Outfitters.
The 1-hour round trip began at Portland Creek Pond and flew south down the back end of a series of inland fiords to Western Brook Pond, before returning via the coastline.
For more on the story, go to the IATNL website …