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WHAT IS THE 2010 AT CIRCLE EXPEDITION?
The 2010 AT Circle Expedition is a highly task-oriented group with a strong sense of mission and purpose. It will be a nomadic community that will be centered on individual commitment to a common goal and cooperation to achieve group success. The Expedition is a non-commercial grassroots endeavor. The goal/task: The expedition members will form a circle on Springer Mountain in Georgia on Saturday May 1 and carry it ‘unbroken’ to the summit of Katahdin in Maine on Saturday September 4 after walking the entire Appalachian Trail. The three expectations for expedition members:
What previous expedition members had to say (excerpts): The most profound experience of my life. I thoroughly enjoyed myself this summer and can’t think of anything I would rather have done. A chance for variety. It’s the lasting, overall impression of fulfillment that will stay with me. It does give a strong positive sense of belonging to be involved in a group activity. I would like to see it repeated. I delight in the challenge achieved. It was the hardest task I ever tackled—it was the hardest task I ever completed. The friendship and bond that holds us together can never be broken. Overwhelming – work – fun – completeness. So many wonderful times with all these wonderful people who I hiked with, I can never exhaust the happy recollections. Undoubtedly I have acquired so much from this summer, I will never regret for one minute I decided upon it. Why did it have to end so soon? It seemed so simplistic, so natural, it was so beautiful. What I accomplished this summer can never be taken away from me. The hike gave me a chance to look at myself. At times, I feel I can relate everything in my life – each event or action or thought – in some way – to the hike this summer. Freedom. A precious human experience filled with beauty. WHO CAN GO? No prior hiking/backpacking experience is needed since there are at least 20 mandatory days of realistic group preparation over a 2.5 year period. Expedition members will be self-selected based on their willingness to commit themselves to achieving the task while meeting the three group expectations. SUPPORT VEHICLE? We will have a vehicle to carry our supplies and equipment. Of the 127 days of the hike, only 8-12 days will be spent backpacking with never more than a 2.5 day backpack. We will meet the vehicle at the end of most days at road crossings. We will camp near these road crossings most of the time. Town stops (i.e., indoor lodging) can be expected on the average of one out of ten evenings. COST? As previously mentioned, the expedition is a non-commercial, not-for-profit, grassroots endeavor. No one gets paid. It will be one of the most economical ways to walk the trail. A suggested donation of $1,000 per person to cover expedition costs will be welcome before the start of the expedition (mid- April 2010). Expedition costs are minimal and are to cover organizational costs during the preparation period and costs on the actual expedition. To cover postage, printing and phone calls during the preparation period, expedition members are asked to contribute a $20 donation per year to be paid on: May 17, 2008 AND April 6, 2009. By the end of April 2010, expedition members will be asked to contribute a $1,000 donation per person to cover the costs of the support vehicle, general expedition expenses, and some campground fees. WHEN? May 1st to September 4th, 2010 (a 127 day journey) The approach to Springer Mountain will be Saturday, May 1, 2005. The journey of the circle will start atop Springer in the early evening on Saturday May 1, 2010 and end in the morning atop Katahdin on Saturday, September 4, 2010. The departure home from Katahdin will commence in the late afternoon of September 4th. |
| The Three Expectations | 2010 Daily Schedule | Preparation Period Schedule |
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