'Save the Doyle': One couple's campaign to rescue an historic Appalachian Trail hotel

[Malto]

Relax admirald,

Matty is an OLD TIME Whiteblazer who has been absent for a number of years. He is passionate and a bit eccentric, but he is also a great guy with a great heart. He is very dedicated to the AT. He is a part of the AT conscience. His rantings (poetry) take some getting used to, but they do offer a lot of wisdom as well as passion. He does also donate a lot of physical labor to the AT institutions.

You just have to get used to his "style".

Agree completly

as far as the Doyle is concerned, I live near there and have been there many times. The owners are great and the building was once incredible. But, I don't believe there is a viable business case for restoring the building to its former glory and operating it as any kind of hiking hangout. There is no money in hikers and money is what it will take to restore that building. Unless, some serious cash is raised as charity which I believe it highly unlikely. I wish them well and hopefully will be back for more of Pats chili.

[swisscross]

There must be a ton of lead pant in that old building which makes renovations all that more expensive.

AND ASBESTOS!

they need to call the travel channel.
http://www.travelchannel.com/shows/hotel-impossible

[rafe]

While we're at it, are Pat and Vicki (at the Doyle) proper trail angels? I say yes.

[Puddlefish]

AND ASBESTOS!

they need to call the travel channel.
http://www.travelchannel.com/shows/hotel-impossible

I've often been accused of raining on parades, but... those reality rebuilding shows have a terrible long term record. Most of the restaurants have since gone out of business, many of the needy people with rebuilt homes lost them from lack of funds for maintenance and taxes.

[swisscross]

I've often been accused of raining on parades, but... those reality rebuilding shows have a terrible long term record. Most of the restaurants have since gone out of business, many of the needy people with rebuilt homes lost them from lack of funds for maintenance and taxes.

Except it appears they are about to lose it anyway.

I was being facetious about the travel channel....but asbestos abatement is not cheap.
Originally constructed in the early 1900's asbestos was not used. Beginning in the '30's it was used for anything from wall board compound, floor tiles, insulation, wiring protection, etc. During the time period between the '30's to the 50's and limited use into the early 90's I cannot imagine that such a building would not have any asbestos..
A survey would be required and would shut the facility down until ALL abatement is complete prior to renovation and or construction. No income during that time (possibly more than a year) would be very difficult for the owners.

[Pedaling Fool]

I've often been accused of raining on parades, but... those reality rebuilding shows have a terrible long term record. Most of the restaurants have since gone out of business, many of the needy people with rebuilt homes lost them from lack of funds for maintenance and taxes.

I'm not sure you can blame that on the shows, probably the owners mostly at fault.

It's kind of like the show Biggest Loser, many of the contestants gain a lot of weight back and many people want to blame the show -- wrong, it's the individuals fault.

And who should we blame when all the millionaires lose their millions not long after winning the lottery....

[Lyle]

I'm not sure you can blame that on the shows, probably the owners mostly at fault.

It's kind of like the show Biggest Loser, many of the contestants gain a lot of weight back and many people want to blame the show -- wrong, it's the individuals fault.

And who should we blame when all the millionaires lose their millions not long after winning the lottery....

I don't think that is a fair comparison. The home makeover shows go so far overboard with what they do for their ratings that the homeowners have no chance to be able to maintain these palaces that they produce. The biggest looser, the folks just have to maintain their eating and exercise - not really a financial burden that they have to somehow manage.

[Mags]

Serious question.. It has been quite some time since I've been in that area...

But, the area where the Doyle resides reminds me somewhat of the area where I grew up...meaning that much of the industry has left. And trade jobs have been replaced with lower paying service jobs for those who did not develop skills for so-called professional jobs.

So, I guess my question is, does the area surrounding the Doyle have enough of an economy to support itself outside of hiking season? My gut feeling tells me "No" and I am not sure how long the Doyle would survive without not only a major overhaul but a steady customer base all year patronizing the Doyle.

[illabelle]

Agree completly

as far as the Doyle is concerned, I live near there and have been there many times. The owners are great and the building was once incredible. But, I don't believe there is a viable business case for restoring the building to its former glory and operating it as any kind of hiking hangout. There is no money in hikers and money is what it will take to restore that building. Unless, some serious cash is raised as charity which I believe it highly unlikely. I wish them well and hopefully will be back for more of Pats chili.

Just my two cents: is there any chance of a viable business plan that restores the building and operates it as something other than a hiking hangout (with maybe a few hiker rooms for the sake of nostalgia)? Or is Duncannon just too small a town for that?

(Basically same question as Mags, he beat me to it)

[rafe]

In some ways Duncannon reminds me of Hot Springs. Only difference is Elmer's place is a lot smaller and more manageable, and he's managed to keep it in decent shape. Pat and Vicki are dealing with a much, much larger space, in dire need of repair, from top to bottom. But it's been that way for a long, long time and hikers ought not complain. If it were up to modern standards and codes, they probably wouldn't be willing to pay to stay there.

[admirald7s]

Relax admirald,

Matty is an OLD TIME Whiteblazer who has been absent for a number of years. He is passionate and a bit eccentric, but he is also a great guy with a great heart. He is very dedicated to the AT. He is a part of the AT conscience. His rantings (poetry) take some getting used to, but they do offer a lot of wisdom as well as passion. He does also donate a lot of physical labor to the AT institutions.

You just have to get used to his "style".

No need for me to relax as I'm not worked up. Unfortunately, plain text doesn't convey the sender's tone very well.

You are correct that I don't know Matty, and I did (perhaps incorrectly) insinuate he was unlikely to do the renovations he was proposing. If he's contributed before to other facilities, perhaps he really would put his time and energy into helping the Doyle. My point was that waxing poetic is one thing, but doing it is quite another, and if he was serious about helping, he should contact the owners directly. I'm not saying that I didn't enjoy his exposition because I truly did, but I do tend to be more of a realist (some say pessimist) than a dreamer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[soilman]

Serious question.. It has been quite some time since I've been in that area...

But, the area where the Doyle resides reminds me somewhat of the area where I grew up...meaning that much of the industry has left. And trade jobs have been replaced with lower paying service jobs for those who did not develop skills for so-called professional jobs.

So, I guess my question is, does the area surrounding the Doyle have enough of an economy to support itself outside of hiking season? My gut feeling tells me "No" and I am not sure how long the Doyle would survive without not only a major overhaul but a steady customer base all year patronizing the Doyle.

I think you are correct. During my 2010 hike I was walking back from the Doyle from the ice cream store with another hiker. We started talking to a couple of locals drinking beer on their porch. We had a habit of asking locals we met along the way how the economy was in the various towns we passed. They mentioned that they thought the town was dying as many of the youth left Duncannon as soon as they graduated high school because of the lack of opportunity. The one guy said he worked in Harrisburg and lived in Duncannon because the rent was cheap. They also did not know the AT went through town.

[Mags]

In some ways Duncannon reminds me of Hot Springs

Arguably Hot Springs is more of a recreation hub (white water, destination hiking beyond the Appalachian Trail, fishing. mtn biking too?) with some scenic mountains as a backdrop.

Duncannon? Pretty enough but not where many people go for vacation I imagine. The area also, again reminds me of a former industrial area, based around a river, that has seen better days..I grew up in Pawtuxet Valley and it has the same vibe...at least to me.

[rafe]

Interesting points, Mags. When I was in Hot Springs the first time, I remember wondering, "where are the young people" but it was evident there wasn't much for them to do there. It seems a bit livelier now, actually, with a fairly hip little micro-brewery that was busy at lunchtime on a weekday.

I'm not sure what brings people to Duncannon, other than the AT. It's a distant suburb of Harrisburg, more or less. It had a full-fledged supermarket, which I don't recall seeing in Hot Springs.

[peakbagger]

If I can rememeber correctly Duncannon was just wide spot next to river

[capehiker]

Serious question.. It has been quite some time since I've been in that area...

But, the area where the Doyle resides reminds me somewhat of the area where I grew up...meaning that much of the industry has left. And trade jobs have been replaced with lower paying service jobs for those who did not develop skills for so-called professional jobs.

So, I guess my question is, does the area surrounding the Doyle have enough of an economy to support itself outside of hiking season? My gut feeling tells me "No" and I am not sure how long the Doyle would survive without not only a major overhaul but a steady customer base all year patronizing the Doyle.

You are correct. I lived just down the road in Carlisle. In the 25 years since I've graduated high school, dozens of huge manufacturing plants and previous "mainstay" companies have left.

[mweinstone]

One day i will hire grant writters and find a way to save her.
One day i will list her on a site for movie site scouts.
One day i will rent her to gost hunters.

[mweinstone]

Hikers make up enough of the economy torender the question flawed.
At the current low level incoms localy, take away any factor, no matter how small and its a big impact. Allready the local economics requires the hiker percentage.
Bottom line is duncannon could live without hiker dollars only cause they live by there wits allready.
My country need to wake up to the idea that the underdeveloped natio towns, need us as much as we need them. Only the freash canvass of an underdeveloped town can allow new ideas to root in soils layed fallow for just such needs.

[mweinstone]

My ideas for duncannon are too radicalized for most.
But this is hikerdom.
and atroll's my friend.
So heres the insanity other matthewskis may have sheilded you all from.
ill start with the smallest projects and work my way up.
Stay with me....
Worlds larges zipline complex from peters mt shelter to the roof of the doyel where a burger is handed to yo.
Onsite trout pond.
Tiki torch lite boardwalk along the river.
Telescopes all over town free for public use.
A levy to shield duncannon.
Brick sidewalks with memorial bricks just like damascus.
a nascar stadium on the site of the field behimd mutzys.
Maby not.
But a skateboard park and crap for the bored kids.
Did i mention a glass enclosed floating worlds largest ice skeating rink on the sussquhanna?
Two of those.
one completly for locals only.
and bakerys every 100 yards.

[Wise Old Owl]

I don't think that is a fair comparison. The home makeover shows go so far overboard with what they do for their ratings that the homeowners have no chance to be able to maintain these palaces that they produce. The biggest looser, the folks just have to maintain their eating and exercise - not really a financial burden that they have to somehow manage.

You may be right - but the restaurant IMO are clear looser's. In Restaurant Impossible both Delaware restaurants went under very shortly. As they should have, ( I was a patron )