Flip Flop Kick Off May 2-3 in Harpers Ferry!

[Lauriep]

There is going to be a crazy-good new event happening along the Appalachian Trail soon!

We are inviting all A.T. lovers to come out and participate in the first-ever "Flip Flop Kick Off" May 2-3. ATC believes it is good for the A.T. to have more thru-hikers starting in Harpers Ferry to help spread out hikers, and the town is celebrating the flip-floppers who have chosen to start their 2,189-mile journeys with us.

Together we decided we could create a fun event around the name "Flip Flop Kick Off." I swear everyone I mention the "Flip Flop Kick Off" to smiles, hiker or not. How about you?

The event is meant for everyone. The more people who come and and support this event, the more we can raise the profile of flip-flopping. This new trend will help us keep thru-hiking sustainable, allowing more hikers to thru-hike without making the Trail significantly more crowded. This is really important in advance of the movie A Walk in the Woods coming out later this year.

Live music by the awesome Todd Coyle will be a highlight, along with a special new song written just for flip-floppers, food, raffles, games for kids, and temporary tattoos and a new A.T. passport stamp.

For hikers who are contemplating or just curious about a flip-flop thru-hike (and anyone wanting to hone their trail skills), we'll have workshops on thru-hike preparation, flip-flopping, Leave No Trace, First Aid and Staying Healthy, and more. Lauralee "Blissfull" Bliss and Heather "Brave" are among those participating.) If you want to learn more about flip-flopping and the benefits it offers, check out the When and Where to Start page of ATC's website.

On Sunday you can join the flip-floppers for a pancake breakfast and send them off on their adventures.

I've attached our flier; a schedule and more details can be found at www.appalachiantrail.org/flipflop and our press release is here.

Hope you can join us!!

[wornoutboots]

Will there be camping in town somewhere? Maybe behind the ATC? There's not many cheap diggs in HF?

[Lauriep]

There are lots of camping options near Harpers Ferry:

KOA, Harpers Ferry, WV - 1.6 miles west of ATC, designed/priced for RVs; cabins available.

Harpers Ferry Campground, Harpers Ferry, WV – 4 miles west of ATC (by vehicle); 1.5 west of lower town on foot along Potomac River.

Knoxville-Harpers Ferry HI Hostel - Knoxville, MD, 4 miles north of ATC (closed during the day) - tent camping or hostel.

Blue Ridge Center for Environmental Stewardship, Purcellville, VA (Neersville) - 5 miles south of ATC.

Brunswick Family Campground - Brunswick, MD 7 miles east, along the Potomac River (about 3 miles trail east of the A.T. junction at Keeptryst Road near Weverton).

Maple Tree Campground - Rohrersville, Maryland, 10 miles north of ATC, very close to the A.T. at Crampton Gap; wooded, campsites and cabins.

In Harpers Ferry/Bolivar, within 0.6 mile of ATC, we have a hostel, a motel, an inn, and several B&Bs. They all receive good ratings on virtual any social media you look at, and many are stellar. A complete listing can be found at www.historicharpersferry.org.

Additional motels - both lower-budget and higher-end, can be found in Charles Town, WV, 5-7 miles west. Of the lower-budget motels in Charles Town, we hear the most favorable reports from the America's Best Value Inn.

[Ladyofthewoods]

So excited, Laurie! Thanks for all your work putting this together:-)

[dangerdave]

I'll be there!

[Carbo]

Flip-flopper flapjacks Sunday morning. I wouldn't miss that for anything!

[Lauriep]

Jeff Taussig (owner of the Green Mountain House Hostel in Vermont) has created a new flip-flop thru-hiker stamp for us to have at ATC Headquarters in Harpers Ferry.

If you don't already know about the passport, you learn all about it and buy it at www.atpassport.com. You can also buy it from ATC online here, or here at ATC Headquarters in Harpers Ferry.

We should have the stamp early next week.

Laurie P.
ATC

[IrishJo]

I'm so excited!!! I can't wait to meet everyone & be there to watch my hubby, dangerdave, set off on this amazing adventure!!!


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[Dwill1000]

I am looking forward to the Flop Flop Kick Off and to meeting my fellow Flip Floppers. Thanks Laurie for all you've done to make this what it is.

[Dwill1000]

Flip-flopper flapjacks Sunday morning. I wouldn't miss that for anything!

Anyone with the trail name 'Carbo' had BETTER love Flip Flopper Flapjacks!

[squeezebox]

Bought my flip flops yesterday, purple !!!

[Carbo]

Anyone with the trail name 'Carbo' had BETTER love Flip Flopper Flapjacks!

Indeed I do, every Sunday morning, and this will be a great way to start off the adventure from HF.

[T-Rx]

Counting down the days! See you all in HF! Thanks Lauriep for everything you do!

[dangerdave]

Looks like we will have a spot opening up at the Two River Guest House for the nights of May 1st & 2nd. First come! $40/night. And it's a really nice place.

[joshuasdad]

There is going to be a crazy-good new event happening along the Appalachian Trail soon!

We are inviting all A.T. lovers to come out and participate in the first-ever "Flip Flop Kick Off" May 2-3. ATC believes it is good for the A.T. to have more thru-hikers starting in Harpers Ferry to help spread out hikers, and the town is celebrating the flip-floppers who have chosen to start their 2,189-mile journeys with us.

I started my almost 3 year section hike of the Appalachian Trail with a Pen-Mar (Mason-Dixon Line) to Harpers Ferry section hike because I thought that Maryland was a great place to train for the tough miles. I think that this effort to encourage hikers to start here is a great idea, and I hope the event goes well.

Hopefully I can attend the kickoff, and maybe hike a few miles with the family as well!

[squeezebox]

If there are going to be temporary tattoos, I request that long wall map of the AT across the length of my back.

[Slo-go'en]

I just booked a bunk at the "Tea horse" hostel for May 1st. Now I will have to decide if I want to hang around for any festivities Saturday or get hiking right away. I'll be heading SOBO into Virginia, unless someone can talk me into joining the crowd heading north. But do I want to hike PA a third time? Probably not