Your marketing team of Richard and Anderson returned home to Maine from West Virginia at 3:30 AM on Monday the 16th of October after three eventful days in Athens, West Virginia at Annual Gathering of Appalachian Long Distance Hikers. Traveling to and fro, we ran up about 2,000 miles -- that's long distance driving!
We had a very successful trip. There were about 500 long-distance hikers in attendance. We did four presentations on the IAT/SIA, including Nova Scotia and Newfoundland&Labrador. All were well attended. Lot's more hikers visited our information table and we distributed a very large amount of printed material. We personally spoke to at least. 300 hikers. I am sure we got some thru-hiker recruits for 2007(look for requests for information).
For your calendar--the 2007 ALDHA Gathering will be held in Gettysburg, PA on October 12-14. That is Thanksgiving in Canada, but ALDHA is a great opportunity. Dick is mailing a copy of the program for you to see what a great marketing opportunity the ALDHA Gathering is for the IAT/SIA. We also enjoyed the IAT/SIA thru-hikers reunion that we sponsored. Eight of our thru-hikers were present. Accompanying photographs are by Will. You will remember some of the thru-hikers. In a couple of weeks, the Maine IAT web site will have a complete register of all our thru-hikers since John Brinda in 1997. Please keep in touch and e-mail us any stories for the ALDHA Newsletter.
ALSO check out the Canadian EXPLORE story on the web site. Nimblewill Nomad wanted to be remembered to everyone.
Attachments:
(Photos by Will Richard)
1. The Spirit of ALDHA - Two career Hikers
2. Thru Hikers - Thru hikers that were at reception: Front- Charlie Duane "Linguini", Joyce and Peter Cottrell "Laurel and Hardy", Jojo Burley "Jojo Smiley", Lewis Moyers "Camo", Dennis Webster "Forward March", Eb Eberhart "Nimblewill Nomad"
3. Eb-and-Dick - Eb Eberhart "Nimblewill Nomad" & Dick Anderson "No Pack"
4. Belle Isle Hikers - Dick Anderson "No Pack", Eb Eberhart "Nimblewill Nomad", Jojo Burley "Jojo Smiley", Lewis Moyers "Camo", Dennis Webster "Forward March", Will Richard "Arktos" (Nimblewill, Jojo Smiley, Camo, and Forward March are also hikers of the Eastern Continental Trail)
5. Chris Bagby - Chris Bagby (Spur) with the IAT Banner
6. Ron-Scott - Scotty VanDamm "Scotty" and Ron Frey "Van Gough"
7. Tim-Miliam--JR - Tim Millam"Legs" and J.R. Tate "Model T"
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