‘Miss Janet’ plans third Appalachian Trail Summit

[WhiteBlaze]

‘Miss Janet’ plans third Appalachian Trail Summit

By David Thometz
Staff Writer
dthometz(at)erwinrecord.net

The former operator of an Erwin hiker's hostel has announced that the third Appalachian Trail Summit will be held at Centennary United Methodist Church on Saturday, April 5 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Janet Hensley, better known as "Miss Janet" of the now-closed Miss Janet's Hostel to hikers and outdoor recreationists, said the summit will highlight the tourism and recreational benefits that hiking and other outdoor recreational resources offer to gateway communities such as Erwin and Unicoi County.


"It will be kind of expo-style, with booths and speakers," Hensley said. "There will be booth space for businesses that are tourism-related. The community will be invited to learn about the programs of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, the United States Forest Service, the Tennessee Department of Tourism, the American Hiking Society, the Appalachian Long-Distance Hiking Association and other interested groups and organizations."


Other invited organizations that have not yet confirmed include the Appalachian Resource Conservation and Development Council and the Southern Appalachian Greenways Alliance.


"This summit will be an effort to gather people together who are interested in the Appalachian Trail as a cultural, economic and recreational asset to this community," Hensley said. "The goal of the first two summits was education of the community to work out the relationships between hikers, business people, government officials and people in the town, and we want to continue that with the third summit."


She said representatives will share information about benefits gateway programs have brought to similar trail communities in Hot Springs, N.C. and Boiling Springs, Penn. In addition, several Appalachian Trail hikers will share stories of their adventures and their opinions of Erwin as a gateway community from a hiking tourist's point of view.


"I have made clear my goal to see Erwin become the next Appalachian Trail Gateway Community," Hensley said. "The program addresses many of the needs of this community, and I am excited to learn more about it and the processes to get it started."


She said trail hiking and outdoor recreation are prime for a surge in popularity, aided by the recent announcement by filmmaker Robert Redford at the Sundance Film Festival that his next project will be a film version of Bill Bryson's 1990s best-seller, "A Walk In the Woods."


"In the years following the release of the book, the number of hikers tripled," Hensley said.


With planned filming locations in Hot Springs — just 68 trail miles south of Erwin — and several locations in Georgia, New England and other locations along the trail, she believes the film could have a similar impact.


Mostly, however, she sees the summit as a way to build relations between outdoor recreationists and members of communities that host them.


"The goal of the Appalachian Trail Summit has always been to create a good networking atmosphere, share some good information about the trail, hikers and hiking, and have fun doing it," Hensley said.

[Jan LiteShoe]

Good luck with your leadership on this, Miss Janet.
The stretch between Hot Springs and Damascus is my favorite hike in the south, for the interesting terrain, but also the excellent hostels and towns which add to the pleasure of hiking this area.

Are they really filming in Hot Springs? How did you learn of this? Do you know any more?

[Almost There]

Looking good Miss J!!!

[hobojoe]

Erwin wouldn't be the same without Miss Janet and the AT. I wish you the best miss J see you soon.

[Pedaling Fool]

I don't know about this. It seems like it will lead to over-commercialization of the AT. From the article:

"This summit will be an effort to gather people together who are interested in the Appalachian Trail as a cultural, economic and recreational asset to this community," Hensley said. "The goal of the first two summits was education of the community to work out the relationships between hikers, business people, government officials and people in the town, and we want to continue that with the third summit."

I'm not saying anything yet, just thoughts swirling right now. What do other people think of this? Will it lead to crazy stuff like what happens at TD? Everyone keeps talking about overuse of the AT, won't this increase that? Seems like it has the potential to attract the partying crowd. How do you improve relationship between the community and hikers with that crowd?

[partinj]

Just wonder where is this Centennary United church

[hobojoe]

The people of erwin could use a little more education on the trail. I've met folks who lived in erwin all there lives and had no Idea where that trail went from beauty spot.

[Flush2wice]

Just wonder where is this Centennary United church

N. Elm about a block off of Main St.
Here's a map.

[mweinstone]

we must give. no time for blab. send good thaughts and prayers to:
ms janets brain
c/o her mind
atop her neck
xoxoo

or send kisses to :
lips of ms janet or cheek of ms janet at the same address.

ms janet and the blackberry ,tomatoe and sasauge gravy band are copyrighted trademarks of the ms janets appreciation corperation . ms janets cheeks may not be kissed without exspress written permission from the national football leauge. any rebroadcast of ms janet is stricktly forbidden.

[Miss Janet]

I don't know about this. It seems like it will lead to over-commercialization of the AT. From the article:

"This summit will be an effort to gather people together who are interested in the Appalachian Trail as a cultural, economic and recreational asset to this community," Hensley said. "The goal of the first two summits was education of the community to work out the relationships between hikers, business people, government officials and people in the town, and we want to continue that with the third summit."

I'm not saying anything yet, just thoughts swirling right now. What do other people think of this? Will it lead to crazy stuff like what happens at TD? Everyone keeps talking about overuse of the AT, won't this increase that? Seems like it has the potential to attract the partying crowd. How do you improve relationship between the community and hikers with that crowd?

I don't understand the fear of the "party" thing. Most of the 3plus million people a year hiking on some part of the AT are not there to "party" but to take a walk. This site sometimes perpetuates the idea that only ThruHikers are out there on the trail.

What communities like Erwin need are ways to live with the decreased tax base that we have because a large percentage of our county is public land and doesn't help much with our budget woes. Learning about a tourist attraction and valuable asset that is in our back yard is important. Most hikers are never counted or recognized as an economic asset so they are not very well marketed to. They stopped at a restaurant before the hike and they may stay at a hotel in the area after the hike and even eat out again. Welcoming these people and marketing to them is important for businesses in our area. I think that Hot Springs NC and Boiling Springs, PA have had some very positive experiences as the first two Appalachian Trail Gateway Communities.

[whitelightning]

Funny that they're filming WITW in Hot Springs. As I recall, Bryson never set foot there during his hiking experience. I guess that's hollywood for you.

[Miss Janet]

There was a team in Hot Spring scouting sites last year. I don't think they were filming and I never said so. But I bet a lot of interesting places will show up in the big screen version of the book.

[Pedaling Fool]

I don't understand the fear of the "party" thing. Most of the 3plus million people a year hiking on some part of the AT are not there to "party" but to take a walk. This site sometimes perpetuates the idea that only ThruHikers are out there on the trail.

What communities like Erwin need are ways to live with the decreased tax base that we have because a large percentage of our county is public land and doesn't help much with our budget woes. Learning about a tourist attraction and valuable asset that is in our back yard is important. Most hikers are never counted or recognized as an economic asset so they are not very well marketed to. They stopped at a restaurant before the hike and they may stay at a hotel in the area after the hike and even eat out again. Welcoming these people and marketing to them is important for businesses in our area. I think that Hot Springs NC and Boiling Springs, PA have had some very positive experiences as the first two Appalachian Trail Gateway Communities.

Like I said: I don't know...just thoughts that went through my head as I read the article. Will keep an open mind for now. Didn't mean to sound offensive.

[Hikerhead]

There was a team in Hot Spring scouting sites last year. I don't think they were filming and I never said so. But I bet a lot of interesting places will show up in the big screen version of the book.

I just have to know...are you going to be in it? I hope so. Maybe you booting MSmith out for staying so damn long or stealing your toilet paper. That will make a great scene.

[Miss Janet]

Bryson was never within a 100 trail miles of Erwin...I feel I am safe from the mental distress of fame and stardom... look what it did to poor Brittney!!

But heaven help us if he hears about the "trailtown" that hung an elephant!! Hollywood writers couldn't come up with that stuff!

[Appalachian Tater]

Good luck with this, Miss Janet!

[John B]

Bryson was never within a 100 trail miles of Erwin...I feel I am safe from the mental distress of fame and stardom... look what it did to poor Brittney!!

But heaven help us if he hears about the "trailtown" that hung an elephant!! Hollywood writers couldn't come up with that stuff!

He already knew about that a long time ago -- a short mention in one of his first books, "The Lost Continent -- Travels in Small-Town America."