It is time for the tourists to hit the trails again, and we have not checked out Mt. Pisgah as yet. So let's check it out this Friday. Meet at the ranger station work center at 8. Please let me know if you will be out. If anyone would like, the Asheville Friday crew is working on the MST at Balsam Gap again this week. They can use all the help they can get. See the forwarded message from Skip. Bill

Folks, The weather forecast is really bad for this week, but we can always hope. If the rain gods go away, we will work on the MST trail out of Balsam Gap. Meeting places will be at the Home Depot at exit 44 of I-40 at 8:00 for the Asheville folks and Ingles at 7:20 for Hendersonville. Our Western friends can meet up with us at the ranger station around 8:45. Callers please make your calls and every buddy please let me know if you are coming (this is important. We left someone in Asheville last week because they were a few minutes late and I didn't know they were coming). Howard, please bring your saw, others will need digging tools. If the weather is bad, I will send out an E-Mail ether the night before (if it is really bad) or by 6:30 Friday morning, Hope to see you there. Skip

The Appalachian Trail Project Office (ATPO), National Park Service, has established a new program in its Trail-wide volunteer recognition program. The National Park Service and the USDA Forest Service have established this as a formal means to thank all the dedicated volunteers that devote their time toward maintenance and management of the Appalachian Trail. For hours of service ATPO has identified four levels of awards based on the range of hours worked: 1. Up to 99 hours: a pin. 2. 100-199 hours: a patch. 3. 500-1000 hours: an embroidered cap. 4. More than 1000 hours: a fleece vest.

The final 2003 and draft 2004 Konnarock crew schedule has been issued by the ATC Konnarock Steering Committee. The 2003 schedule for our CMC Firescald Ridge Relocation of the AT is June 19 thru June 23 and August 14 thru August 18. The tentative schedule for 2004 is for the 2 weeks of July 29 thru August 9 for the Lovers Leap Rehabilitation project.

Jorge, Yesterday I did trail maintenance on the MST from Glassmine Fall overlook to Balsam gap... Activities included :cleaning the waterbars,removing lots of limbs and brush from the trail and cutting 2" and less diameter blow downs and breakdowns. I worked 6hrs and drove 70 miles.. The trail is in moderately good condition however, there are some trees across the trail which should be removed...a walkthrough with a chainsaw is needed. Most of the chainsaw work be of the low difficulty level.....Best wishes Bob Byrd

Saturday the Buccaneer were doing their thing again. Felix Metzner, Charlie Hamberger and myself covered the sections Balsam Gap to Graybeard. Like reported by Bob this section was worked and done by the maintainer. It is clean and in good condition except for a couple of spots that would need the Monday Crew care. I am pleased to say that the water bars were dug clean with a long and clear channel with no obstructions for the waters to flow. Excellent job Bob. Thank you. We also walked Angie's section lopping it and cleaning of branches. This section also will need the Monday Crew to take care of some tread work. On both sections we cut six trees and a few invasive rhodos. Angie's section needs water bars clean-digging as well as reviving a number of water ditches. The rest has been taken care of. Jorge

Folks, This Friday we are going to Firescald and take in the heavy equipment we will need there for the remainder of the summer. Need all the help we can get. There will be plenty of tread work and lopping to do on this trail and the AT to clear away the winter damage. Also may be some trees down on the new trail and the old AT in this section. Plenty to do for all who can come. Meeting place is the Forest service office in Asheville at 8:00. Hendersonville folks meet at Ingles at 7:20. Greenwich Tennessee boys meet us at the top of Firescald around 9:15 - 9:30. Folks from the West may want to meet us at Sams Gap around 9:00( please let me know) Callers please make your calls and everyone please let me know if you plan to come. Should the old rain god do us wrong again on Friday, I will send out an E-Mail before 6:30AM Friday morning. Hope it isn't necessary and that you all can make it.Skip Special appeal: We really need the help from the big strong Greenwich Tennessee folks to carry the stuff in. Please come if you can.

Folks, The Wednesday crew had a real exciting time with thunder storms on high exposed ridges yesterday and we don't want to repeat that on Firescald on Friday. If it is raining in the morning, I will call off the day before 6:30 with an E-Mail. If it is clear in the morning, we will meet as scheduled, and decide whether to go to Firescald or someplace else. We will not take any chances with lighting on that ridge, but we need to get the equipment moved in if we can. Skip

This article appeared in the last issue of Blue Ridge Country. I think the pictures are very good and tells a nice story about our maintenance folks: Page 1 Page 2 Page 3