Blue Ridge Outdoors May 2015

MAY 2015

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FESTIVAL THE LOWDOWN ON THE BEST BLUE RIDGE THROWDOWNS

BRO’S 20TH BIRTHDAY BASH (MAY 23RD) TO FEATURE OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW!

BORN TO BE WILD

CHRIS McDOUGALL’S NEXT FITNESS REVOLUTION

A.T. THRU-HIKE LEGENDS | ECO PUNKS | 20 BEST BLUE RIDGE BREWS M AY 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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The 1927 Bristol Sessions were groundbreaking for country music’s rise. Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family and The Stoneman Family along with other pioneers of the genre, were featured in the first recordings. Orthophonic Joy: The 1927 Bristol Sessions Revisited brings new life to the original sessions. Grammy Award‑winning producer Carl Jackson revives its legacy with some of today’s top recording artists. The album echoes the 1927 sessions from the Birthplace of Country Music, Bristol, VA/TN.

Birthplace of Country Music Museum Bristol, VA

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The Birthplace of Countr y Music Museum honors the influence of Bristol on the music scene. Located along The Crooked Road, a stretch of 330 miles connecting over 60 music venues and festivals in Southwest Virginia, the museum is just one stop on a music lover’s road trip.

Visit Virginia.org/music

DEVILS BACKBONE BASECAMP | Nelson County, VA | Friday, Oct. 9th - Sunday, Oct. 11th THEFESTY.COM

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DEVILS BACKBONE BASECAMP Nelson County, VA Saturday, Aug. 22nd The Official Beer Cup of VA. A wide variety of beer styles from more than 30 breweries across Virginia.

VACRAFTBREWERSFEST.COM

CONTENTS

May 2015 DEPARTMENTS

FEATURES

8 EDITOR’S NOTE

25 Festival Guide 2015

We’re born to be wild. So why are we exercising in gyms?

Our guide to the best bashes highlight authentic music, craft beer, and outdoor adventure in stunning locations—along with bands to watch, fest gear, and an interview with Old Crow Medicine Show, headliner for BRO’s 20th anniversary concert this month.

10 FLASHPOINT Black people bike (and hike and paddle and ski). Let’s start acknowledging them.

13 QUICK HITS Wardian breaks treadmill 50K record • Hiker killed by falling tree • More A.T. thru-hikers expected in 2015

45 20 Best Blue Ridge Brews

15 THE DIRT

67 Solo

The Wolves of Vinland dare you to re-wild yourself • McDougall launches another fitness revolution • More urban whitewater parks coming soon

Among the peaks and valleys of long-distance adventurer Buck Nelson’s journeys is one singular pursuit: the rapture of being alive.

Natural Tunnel Amphitheater, Natural Tunnel State Park, Duffield.

More music, culture and adventure await in Virginia State Parks.

To celebrate our 20th anniversary, we’ve picked our 20 favorite brews.

71 Joy Ride 75 THEN & NOW Two A.T. legends reflect on two decades of thru-hiking.

Can an outdoor adventurer kill his competitive instinct and just gape?

78 THE GOODS Warrior hiker Sean Gobin selects his go-to gear.

CA N’ T FI N D U S I N P R I N T ?

DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTIONS

are available at BlueRidgeOutdoors.com

We’re celebrating 20 years of BRO all year long over at

BlueRidgeOutdoors.com/MyBlueRidge COVER PHOTO BY

STEVE ZIEGELMEYER / Z IE GE L ME Y E RPHOTOG R A PH Y.COM

Pork, Peanut and Pine Festival, Chippokes Plantation State Park, Surry.

For information about events and festivals, visit www.virginiastateparks.gov.

800-933-PARK (7275) | www.virginiastateparks.gov M AY 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M BRO_May_2015.indd 1

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4/2/2015 9:31:46 AM

© PatitucciPhoto

CHATTER READERS’ RESPONSES

PR ESI D EN T

BLAKE DEMASO

ED ITOR I N C H I EF

WILL HARLAN

will@blueridgeoutdoors.com PU B LI SH ER

LEAH WOODY

leah@blueridgeoutdoors.com A RT D I R EC TOR

MEGAN JORDAN

megan@blueridgeoutdoors.com

Editorial & Production JEDD FERRIS

SEN I OR ED ITOR

jedd@blueridgeoutdoors.com TR AVEL ED ITOR

JESS DADDIO

jess@blueridgeoutdoors.com SEN I OR D ESI G N ER

LAUREN WALKER

lauren@blueridgeoutdoors.com C ON TR I B UTORS

CHRIS GRAGTMANS, KY DELANEY, GRAHAM AVERILL, JEFF KINNEY, DAVE STALLARD

ACT TRAIL PRO SERIES Perfect load transfer and superior breathability come together in the new ACT Trail Pro back system

JULIA GREEN, ROBERT MCGEE

C OPY ED ITORS

Advertising & Business

Asheville, N.C. Office (828) 225-0868 SEN I OR AC C OU N T EXEC UTI VE

www.deuter.com

MARTHA EVANS

martha@blueridgeoutdoors.com AC C OU N T EXEC UTI VE / D I G ITA L PU B LISHER

ORDER YOUR A.T. LICENSE PLATE AND SUPPORT THE

APPALACHIAN TRAIL!

DUSTY ALLISON

dusty@blueridgeoutdoors.com

Charlottesville, Va. Office (434) 817-2755 AC C OU N T EXEC UTI VE

KATIE HARTWELL

katie@blueridgeoutdoors.com

AC C OU N T EXEC UTI VE / M A R KETI N G & PR

NICK NOE

nick@blueridgeoutdoors.com B U SI N ESS M A N AG ER

DON’T CUT BLUFF OR BIG IVY I’ve hiked in many national forests and seen the utter destruction wrought by big logging companies. They could care less about the health of the forest, just like the coal companies that have stripped mountain tops and polluted groundwater. And where is the lumber going? Often to China. I am glad the U.S. Forest Service is considering revising its plan.

—Ed Corack, Commander, US Navy Retired MOSES CONE CLOSED TO RUNNERS? All of the trail users at Moses Cone get along well, and I have never felt my enjoyment compromised by runners. Several members of our family are serious runners and enjoy the trails there. Leave the situation as it is now for all to enjoy. If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

—John Paar IN THEIR FOOTSTEPS Fantastic story by Lamar Marshall on Native American footpaths in the region. It is always interesting to hear stories and folklore directly from our Cherokee cousins.

—Scott G. THE ART OF FALLING DOWN I loved Jess Daddio’s writing and honesty in “The Art of Falling Down.”

She is a great motivation as a newbie learning the task of cross country.

—Suzanne

MELISSA GESSLER

melissa@blueridgeoutdoors.com C I RC U LATI ON M A N AG ER

AVERY SHOOK

avery@blueridgeoutdoors.com

Digital Media CRAIG SNODGRASS

North Carolina Appalachian Trail

ON LI N E D I R EC TOR

webdir@blueridgeoutdoors.com

License Plate Application

D I G ITA L M ED I A SPEC I A LI ST

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC) now has a specialty license tag in the state of North Carolina.

By getting your tag today, you’ll help the ATC protect and maintain America’s Facts Favorite Long Distance Trail!

The ATC will receive $20 annually for each AT plate purchased or renewed.

How Much Does It Cost?  $30 Regular Appalachian Trail plate*  $60 Personalized Appalachian Trail plate* You are allowed four (4) spaces for a personalized message. __ __ __ __ 2nd Choice __ __ __ __ 3rd Choice __ __ __ __ 1st Choice Name (as shown on certificate of title): FIRST

MIDDLE

LAST

ADDRESS CITY

STATE

ZIP CODE

HOME PHONE

OFFICE PHONE

Current North Carolina Vehicle

 You must already have the vehicle registered in North Carolina.  You receive a FREE ATC Membership with the purchase of your NC AT Tag.  *The $30 or $60 annual fee is in addition to regular annual license fees you have already paid.  Personalized tags may be relinquished to someone else, but once a numerical tag expires without renewal, that number can never again be reissued.  If you change your mind, you can go back to a regular license plate at any time. There will not be a refund of unused portion of special fees.  Additional applications can be found online at

All proceeds received from each state will help manage and protect the Trail. _______________________ ____________________________________ PLATE NUMBER

VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER

TO ORDER, VISIT APPALACHIANTRAIL.ORG/PLATES ______________________ ____________________________________ DRIVER’S LICENSE #

YEAR

MODEL

MAKE

BODY STYLE

www.appalachiantrail.org

Owner’s Certification of Liability Insurance I certify for the motor vehicle described above that I have financial responsibility as required by law.

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FULL NAME OF INSURANCE COMPANY AUTHORIZED IN NC – NOT AGENCY OR GROUP

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R SPOLICY / M AY 2 01 5 NUMBER – IF POLICY NOT ISSUED, NAME OF AGENCY BINDING COVERAGE ______________________________________ _________________________________________ SIGNATURE OF OWNER

DATE OF CERTIFICATION

TRAVIS HALL

travis@blueridgeoutdoors.com PU B L I S H E D BY SUMMIT

PUBLISHING

116 West Jefferson Street Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 56 College Street, Suite 303 Asheville, North Carolina 28801

BlueRidgeOutdoors.com ©2015 Summit Publishing, LLC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

#TBT to my first Mt. Craig Sunset. #MyBlueRidge @thesalliegator HOW TO REACH US editor@blueridgeoutdoors.com

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CONTRIBUTORS

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MOST MEMORABLE FESTIVAL MOMENT?

SAL RUIBAL Riding bikes with Dave Matthews and the band at Jiffy Lube Live in Virginia before their concert.

CHRIS GRAGTMANS Watching Con Bro Chill open for Mix Master Mike (Beastie Boys) at Outdoor Retailer in 2013. A band we’d never heard of proceeded to absolutely kill it.

JENNIFER PHARR DAVIS Volunteering at Mountain Song, Merle, and Telluride. It’s a great way to give back (and get in free).

JESS DADDIO Dancing my butt off to an acoustic cover of Salt-N-Pepa’s Shoop at Floyd Fest 2013. I really connect with that song.

I also know every single word to the lyrics. Don’t hate.

CRAIG SNODGRASS Hookahville 1999. I ventured into a porta-john in the middle of the night.

Once the door closed, I was in complete and utter darkness, and existential panic pounced on me like a jaguar in the dark, dark jungle. I became disoriented and couldn’t remember which way I had come in. A three-day old honey-pot isn’t the kind of place to go feeling around in if you know what I’m saying. Eventually my eyes adjusted to the darkness and I was able to make my way out of the worst sensory deprivation tank ever.

TRAVIS HALL JOHNNY MOLLOY Sharing a beer with Sting when The Police played a bar in Memphis, Tennessee.

Making it from my hotel room in downtown Denver to a late show at Red Rocks and back in time to set up and work an outdoor festival at 5 a.m. the next morning.

M AY 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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EDITOR’S LETTER

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BORN TO BE WILD

GET OUT OF THE GYM AND INTO THE WOODS

W

hat can human beings do better than any other animal on the planet? We don’t have sharp claws or teeth to fight with. We’re not large, overpowering beasts. And we’re certainly not very fast compared to other animals, even ones in our backyard: the fastest Olympic sprinters would get dusted by a squirrel or rabbit. We are uniquely adapted to do one thing: run long distances without overheating.

This was one of the central insights in Christopher McDougall’s bestselling book Born to Run, which revealed how running has been key to the survival and evolution of our species. Our ancestors chased their prey to exhaustion in persistence hunts that continue to this day in hunter-gatherer societies.

If running is our birthright, where did we go wrong? We screwed it up in the same way that we screw everything up: we tried to cash in on it. We were sold fancy cushioned shoes, expensive clothing, and high-tech gear. Products became more important than 8

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 5

people. Running became a mundane chore endured for 30 minutes on a treadmill to burn off last night’s pizza.

But for most of our existence, running has been a joyous cultural, social, and spiritual experience.

The Tarahumara—an indigenous tribe living deep in Mexico’s Copper Canyons—continue to live that running tradition. They run for dozens of miles in handmade huaraches—old tire tread fastened to their feet with goat leather. Sometimes they are chasing deer to exhaustion or running between villages to deliver produce carried on their backs. But mostly, they are running because it’s fun. Running to the Tarahumara—and to our ancestors—was a celebration of life.

Now McDougall is launching another fitness revolution with his new book Natural Born Heroes. It’s not just runners who can benefit from a rediscovery of their primal roots, he argues. All athletes need to take fitness out of the gym and into the wild.

Outdoors, you might get caught in a downpour or

photo by STEVEN Mc BRIDE

stumble over a few rocks, but there’s nothing wrong with falling down. It’s okay to get hurt sometimes, McDougall reminds us. Our culture seems to fear knee scrapes and bruises, but we do even more harm sheltering ourselves from them.

This is about more than fitness. Athletics are meant to make us stronger, more resilient human beings who can adapt to the unexpected challenges of everyday living. In the woods—as in life—there’s unpredictability that the sanitized gym can never prepare you for. And the deepest and most lasting rewards are not in calories burned, but in the moments of sublime beauty which can’t be experienced behind glass.

WILL H A R LA N

will@blueridgeoutdoors.com

EXTENDED INTERVIEW with McDougall on PAGE 22

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FLASHPOINT

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BLACK PEOPLE BIKE (AND HIKE, PADDLE, AND SKI). IT’S TIME FOR THE OUTDOOR COMMUNITY TO START ACKNOWLEDGING THEM.

by JEFF KINNEY

T

here aren’t many African Americans in outdoor sports. This should bother all of us.

It bothered D.C.’s James Goodwin so much that he decided to do something about it.

“I would always hear people saying they went out hiking and there were like 25 people, but I was the only black person there,” says Goodwin, founder of Goombay Adventures. Founded in 1988, Goombay Adventures caters primarily to African Americans who are interested in the outdoors but don’t quite know where to start. “You feel more comfortable when you go to an event and you’re not the only African American in the group.”

Goodwin grew up camping and has been way into adventure sports since college. But for as long as he can remember, he’s been fighting the notion that African Americans just don’t do that sort of thing.

“I heard it from African Americans and from white people,” he says. “I constantly heard, ‘We don’t do this, or we don’t do that.’”

If there’s some truth to this perception, he primarily chalks it up to two things: cultural norms and access. “People in the inner city weren’t introduced to outdoor sports when I was growing up,” he said. “We just haven’t been taught to do it. It’s out of our comfort zone. Everyone does things that their parents or grandparents teach them. But if you’re from the inner city, you don’t have that many options.”

African Americans seem to be off the radar screens of those who market outdoor sports. “Because a lot of adventure companies don’t particularly target minorities, we don’t see it as much, so we don’t gravitate toward it,” Goodwin says. For example, he rarely sees skiing advertised in publications aimed at African Americans.

Despite these obstacles, there are signs of progress.

For one thing, Goodwin says, these days it’s easier to get African Americans to sign up. Goombay Adventures runs about 12 trips a year, including backpacking, rock climbing, and skiing. Most trips are local, although they are planning to ski in Iceland this year. And the group’s efforts are paying off.

“Once African Americans see pictures on social media or whatever, they want to come and participate,” Goodwin says. “They see all these adventure shows and they like the idea, but they want to do it with people they’re comfortable with. It’s about changing their mindset.”

Najeema Washington, co-founder of Black Women Bike, echoes the call for a paradigm shift. Her group, members of which hail from Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C., seeks to build community and

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“It’s not just affluent white hipsters who are getting around on a bike.

The truth is: you can come to different parts of D.C. and see there are people of color biking all around.” —Najeema Washington, Black Women Bike co-founder

interest in biking among black women. Its certified biking instructors lead trips and give instructional talks, and the group pushes tirelessly for additional bike lanes and other cycling-friendly policies.

Such efforts are noble, but widespread misperceptions about race, class, and gender sometimes get in the way. “The idea is that it’s affluent whites or hipsters who are getting around D.C. on a bike,” she says. That notion is held both by the general public and—perhaps more damagingly—by officials in community organizations and even the city government. “The truth is, you can come to different parts of the city and see there are people of color biking all around.”

Still, practical barriers abound. Even middling bikes and gear aren’t exactly cheap, and bike lanes are rare to non-existent in lower-income areas—especially

inner cities. And even if you’re interested, good luck finding a bike shop anywhere near a lot of urban neighborhoods.

Still, Washington is hopeful. “We’ve reintroduced people to biking, raised the profile of black women on bikes, and raised the profile of various issues that lowincome people have to overcome for transportation,” she says. “It would be great to see people of all races get together with a common love of participating in outdoor activities. In the end, people just want to get out there.”

PEDAL POWER

Join Black Women Bike’s monthly ride on May 16 along D.C.’s Marvin Gaye Trail. For more information visit blackwomenbikedc.tumblr.com

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DISCOVER MOTHER NATURE’S PLAYGROUND. From underground caves to the shores of lakes and rivers to the highest peaks of the Appalachians, Kentucky is home to one of the largest state park systems in the country.

Which means endless hiking, biking, camping and canoeing outdoor adventures. It also means endless pampering at our lodges and restaurants, rounds of golf on championship courses and beautiful scenery. Explore everything we have to offer at parks.ky.gov.

1 AY 2 01 5 12 83481_KYDTT_MthrNatur_9_2x4_975c.indd BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS / M

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QUICK HITS

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BEYOND THE BLUE RIDGE

SHORTS

19 WOLV ES K ILLED FOR POPULATION C ONTROL IN IDA H O

Boise, Idaho In March, Idaho Fish and Game reveal that 19 wolves had been killed the previous month as part of a population control measure in the dense forests of the state’s Lolo elk zone near the Montana border. The action was taken to help reduce predation of the area’s dwindling elk population, which has dropped from 16,000 in 1989 to fewer than 1,000 today. The revival of wolf populations has become a contentious issue with many farm owners complaining about the killing of cattle on their properties and hunters protesting a loss of game.

But the Lolo Zone is very remote, not easily accessible for recreation like elk hunting.

So conservationists, who believe rising wolf populations are helping restore natural habitats in wild areas, are wondering why they’re being controlled in this area. In the Twin Fall TimesNews, Suzanne Stone of Defenders of Wildlife posed the question: “If it’s so remote that hunters can’t get in there, why would hunters care that wolves are killing elk in there?”

BLUE RIDGE BRIEFS

by JEDD FERRIS A . T. B O O K V I E W S T R A I L T HRO U G H F I C T I O N

Appalachian Trail After Richard Judy hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in 1973 he soon started writing an account of his adventure, only to put his book aspirations on hold indefinitely. Since then there have been a large number of nonfiction trail tales, most notably Bill Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods, so a few years ago when Judy revisited his project he decided to take a different approach.

The result—THRU: An Appalachian Trail Love Story—is a novel that chronicles life on the trail. Released last year, the book’s story is told through the trail journals of a diverse group of thru-hikers, and while it is a fictional work, authenticity comes through as a result of Judy’s hiking experience (he section-hiked the A.T. to finish the full distance a second time). Proceeds from the book benefit the Appalachian Trail Museum in Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Pa. H I K ER K I L L E D BY FA L L I N G T RE E

Harper’s Ferry, W.Va. In March a man was killed on the Appalachian Trail after being hit by a falling tree. Jason Parish of Philadelphia, Pa., was hiking on the trail about six miles north of Harper’s Ferry on March 15 when the fatal accident occurred on a steep and rocky section near the Ed Garvey Shelter. Two hiking companions called 911, and before help arrived an off-duty park ranger performed CPR in an attempt to save the 36 year old. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Parish worked as an environmental engineer and, as a musician, was also a popular part of Philadelphia’s folk scene. Friends said he loved hiking in the mountains of Virginia and West Virginia, often heading into the woods for extended backpacking trips.

NEW 50K T R E A D MI L L R E CORD SE T

Arlington, Va. Michael Wardian is at it again. The Arlington-based national champion ultrarunner, who’s previously set some since-broken unconventional records like fastest time for running a marathon on a treadmill or while pushing a baby stroller, made quirky running history again back in March. According to a story on Runner’s World’s website, while on a destination race cruise

organized by Spartan Races, Wardian decided to use his time on the boat to attempt the fastest 50K on a treadmill. On March 7, he finished the distance in what he thought was a world-record time of 3:06:24.

That night, though, he learned that British runner Paul Navesey finished a treadmill 50K in 3:05:57 back in December. So what did Wardian do? He amazingly hopped right back on the treadmill on March 9, and set the record with a time of 3:03:56.

FA R M ER S AV ES FR EEZING C A LF

Rossville, Indiana Quick thinking from farmer Dean Gangwer saved a newborn calf’s life back in early March. Gangwer found the baby cow shivering and barely breathing in a snowbank, so he grabbed the calf and jumped into the closest source of warmth—his hot tub. While soaked in his clothes, the third-generation family farmer held the calf, which he named Leroy, in the warm water for an hour to raise his body temperature. After taking Leroy inside and wrapping him in electric blankets, Gangwer told a local news station the calf was back to normal and nursing within a day and a half.

95-YEA R -OLD S ETS R UNNING R EC OR D

A PPA LAC H IA N TR A IL C ONS ERVA NCY LAUNCH ES TH R U-H IKER R EGISTR ATION SYSTEM

Harper’s Ferry, W.Va. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy has launched a voluntary online registration system for those attempting a thru-hike on the 2,189mile trail. The nonprofit created the system as an attempt to prevent overcrowding on the trail, which will lighten impact on the land and give hikers a more solitary experience. The system (found at appalachiantrail.org) is not a substitute for any necessary permits.

London, England Charles Eugster didn’t start running until a year ago. That’s amazing, considering the 95-year-old man from Switzerland set a world record for running 200 meters in his age group at March’s British Masters Indoor Track & Field Championships. Although he’s new to running, Eugster has been active in other athletic endeavors in the latter part of his life.

According to a story in Runner’s World, the retired dentist took up rowing in his 60s and won 36 World Masters gold medals. He also started lifting weights and wakeboarding in his 80s. His running record bests the previous mark set by American Orville Rogers by 2.4 seconds.

illustration by WADE MICKLEY M AY 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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THE DIRT

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ECO PUNKS

THE WOLVES OF VINLAND BADASSES DARE YOU TO RE-WILD YOURSELF

by ERIC WALLACE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF LYNCHBURG, VA., a strange and perhaps unprecedented experiment is brewing. For nearly a decade now, under the leadership of jet-blackedly pony tailed, hulkishly muscled Paul Waggoner, a crew of motley young savages have been laying the foundations for a life that is environmentally sustainable, steeped in nature, self-reliant, physically active, spiritually intensive, and lived in community.

While on the one hand some variation of the above will inevitably be found slathered over the PR materials, brochures, and web copy of back-to-theearth, communal type organizations the whole world over, the thing that makes Waggoner’s band—aka The Wolves of Vinland—so wildly fascinating is this: They are urban. They are by no means pacifistic.

They practice Germanic shamanism and MMA-style fisticuffing. They are, in fact, more-or-less a biker gang.

Comprised of predominantly working class, bluecollar, once-upon-a-time criminal miscreants, the Wolves pooled their funds in 2003 and purchased a large tract of property along Lynchburg’s stretch of the James River, as well as a large, communal house downtown. On the water-fronting parcel the Wolves have subsequently constructed several off-grid houses from logs harvested and planed themselves. They hunt, trap, gather, and grow much of their own food and make most of their own clothing. They barter with small local businesses to reduce dependence on what they call corporate capitalism. The Wolves now boast over 300 members, with chapters in Wyoming and Colorado.

I headed to Ulfheim, the sacred name of Wolves of Vinland parcel, where, amid some at-first-glance terror inducing pagan festivities, I talked with Wolves of Vinland founders Paul and Mattias Waggoner.

HOW DID WOLVES OF VINLAND GET STARTED IN THE FIRST PLACE? P W: My brother and I grew up in Wyoming. There was nothing there. The natives were hugely conservative.

It was suffocating. So, like many a youthful rebel, we spent our time searching for an answer to the “pathology of normalcy.” That’s Freud, by the way.

Which led to drugs. The so-called ‘underground.’

Criminality. After a while—living dog-eat-dog; worshipping the vanity of the self; doing nasty, more-or-less gangster shit—we found ourselves crashing against walls, and into jail cells. We knew that something had to change.

photo by ERIC WALLACE

“After living dog-eat-dog, worshipping the vanity of the self, doing nasty gangster SH*T, we found ourselves crashing into walls and into jail cells. we knew something had to change.”

—Paul Waggoner M AY 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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THE DIRT

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YOU FOUGHT THE LAW, AND THE LAW WON. PW: We realized we were expending our creative energies in the wrong direction. We wanted to find a better, more sustainable way of life, one that wouldn’t compromise our personal integrity, what we felt was an honorable mode of living. At that time, we were running heavy metal venues, putting on public and underground events. It was a dangerous life. You had this big, extended flock of people calling you ‘brother’ and ‘friend,’ yet you didn’t really know anything about them. The majority of those relationships were parasitic, spiritually draining. There was this sudden, staggering recognition of a core group of individuals that were different, where the connection went beyond the realm of acquaintance. We started thinking: If as human beings we have the option to choose the people we surround ourselves with, why not choose people who will influence us positively, and vice versa? Why not create a model based on symbiotic relationships, upon dynamics of personal empowerment? A dynamic of power share versus power drain.

COULD YOU CONDENSE THE GROUP’S CORE PHILOSOPHY INTO A SINGLE STATEMENT? I think that, on the most basic level, human beings are built for success. We’re given—most of us—all the potential to succeed. And yet so often we choose not to. When you realize that success is a choice, you understand the necessity of surrounding yourself with people that are striving for success, that will feed and cultivate and nurture your own internal strength. So many organizations are antagonistic, organized around blame, about objects of hatred. We didn’t want to focus on the weaknesses of the world out there. We wanted to create a community oriented about shared values of sustainability and self-reliance, wherein people were unafraid to confront one another and be confronted about our own weaknesses. We thought— to paraphrase a Christian quote—worry about the beam in your own eye before pointing out the speck in somebody else’s. That’s real strength, when we can overcome ourselves.

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THE WOLVES? We’ll be a thousand times more sustainable. I see us growing and raising every morsel of our own food; fabricating all our own clothing, vehicles, and homes; having created an effective and efficient barter and trade economy based upon local and nationwide networks. I see villages of off-grid houses in a number of locations around the country where members and their families live or come stay as they please. I see a group of men and women, thousands strong, living lives based about honor and integrity, lives that are immersed in nature, in spirituality, free and independent of the materialistic hell of capitalism.

ANY ADVICE FOR NON-WOLVES? Who you are is not who you have to be. You are the hammer. The anvil. The raw material that lays upon it. Shape your life into a thing of beauty and strength.

Face your destiny head on and with a savage grin.

MATTIAS (TOP) AND PAUL (BOTTOM) WAGGONER. photos by ERIC WALLACE

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PARK AND PLAY

URBAN WHITEWATER PARKS MAY BE COMING SOON TO A RIVER NEAR YOU

by JESS DADDIO

I

magine living in a place where a river always flowed and there was no such thing as “paddling season”—you could get your whitewater fix seven days a week, 52 weeks a year if your shoulders held.

By and large, that place exists right here in the Southeast. Between rainforest-like springs, summer releases, wet falls, and winter snowmelts, river running is available year round. That’s certainly more than the boaters out West can claim. Their paddling season is short, inconsistent, at the whims of their fickle weather.

But it’s perhaps this unpredictability that is responsible for a growing number of whitewater parks in states like Colorado and Montana, an idea that is just now starting to gain traction in the East. Paddling hubs like the Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI) in Maryland and the Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) in North Carolina are the stomping grounds for some of the world’s stoutest kayakers and, it’s worth noting, some of the earliest sites for artificial river features here on the East.

So what is a whitewater park exactly? Think of it as a skate park for kayakers, an entirely man-made series of features that either require the creation of an artificial river from scratch or the modification of an existing one. Whitewater holes and waves that are placed into a natural river, like the NOC’s permanent photo by ANDREW KORNYLAK

freestyle feature, are costly investments and require the use of bulldozers and heavy machinery. But money and equipment aside, taking these projects to fruition also eats up years of jumping through bureaucratic hoops, acquiring permits, persuading community leaders, and ensuring that the environment is not damaged in the process.

Still, it’s not impossible. Colorado alone has more than a dozen whitewater parks and play features scattered throughout the state with plans in the works for more. The benefits of integrating this concept into small communities are numerous. At the top of the list? The economic impact that comes from introducing outdoor recreation as a sustainable means of local revenue.

For kayakers, Denver, Colo., wasn’t always an appealing place to live. But after a flood ravaged the confluence of Cherry Creek and the South Platte River, leaving the surrounding industrial area abandoned and littered with oil tanks and storage containers, the city decided not only to do something to prevent flooding in the future but also to make that section of river recreation friendly.

Now, nearly 40 years after that flood, Confluence Park attracts kayakers, inner tubers, and dog walkers alike. It’s become a source of pride for the community.

Here in the East, where arguably the best paddling in the country exists, what need is there for whitewater parks? And more importantly, how on Earth will it ever be possible to convince local governments fueled by decades of natural resource extraction to turn the wheels and drop hundreds of thousands of dollars (at the very least) all for the sake of a bunch of river lovin’ hippies?

“It starts by thinking a little bit larger than yourself,” says Risa Shimoda, a seven-time paddler on

THE U.S. NATIONAL WHITEWATER CENTER ATTRACTS MORE THAN JUST PADDLERS. THOUSANDS OF TRAIL RUNNERS, MOUNTAIN BIKERS, HIKERS, AND CLIMBERS FLOCK TO THIS 700-ACRE OUTDOOR OASIS IN CHARLOTTE, N.C.

the U.S. National Freestyle Team and a fixture within the paddling community.

Shimoda’s spent the better part of her life dedicated to the sport of paddling, from securing river access to promoting rodeo, but her work now with the McLaughlin Design Group focuses specifically on helping local paddling communities take their vision of a backyard whitewater feature from dream to reality.

“Who’s going to spend a million bucks on a bunch of kayakers?” Shimoda adds.

Well, to be perfectly honest, no one. Unless, that is, you’re a bunch of kayakers who happen to share the river with a diminishing species of fish, like the American shad.

“We had some perfect storms that helped us, and in any other situation it would have been extremely difficult to create a dialogue with the power company,” says Matt Samms, a 40-year-old kayaker from Safe Harbor, Penn., who has spent nearly his entire life on the waters of the Susquehanna.

Samms was one of the key players who helped ensure that PPL Electric Utilities followed through with its promise to build whitewater features below Holtwood Dam after the plant applied for a relicensing that would have taken away 264 hours of recreational release time from paddlers. In short, thanks in part to over 60 years of efforts to help the Susquehanna shad make its annual upstream river passage as well as the heavily involved presence of American Whitewater (AW) and the local Lancaster County paddling M AY 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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FIND A PARK NEAR YOU! CHARLOTTE, N.C. U.S. NATIONAL WHITEWATER CENTER

usnwc.org

DICKERSON, MD. DICKERSON WHITEWATER COURSE

potomacwhitewater.org

HOLTWOOD, PENN. HOLTWOOD WHITEWATER PARK

check out their Facebook page

MCHENRY, MD. ADVENTURE SPORTS CENTER INTERNATIONAL

adventuresportscenter.com

COLUMBUS, GA. CHATTAHOOCHEE RIVER WHITEWATER PARK

chattahoocheeriverwhitewater.com

BRYSON CITY, N.C. NANTAHALA OUTDOOR CENTER

noc.com

DUCKTOWN, TENN. OCOEE WHITEWATER CENTER

ocoeeadventurecenter.com

PLAN BEFORE YOU PITCH Proposing a whitewater play park is a very involved process that takes time, energy, and funds. Make sure your proposed site has the following three things before taking that next step.

Sounds silly, but you’ll want to make sure the river gets enough natural flow to channel for your play spot.

WATER :

GR ADI ENT: It doesn’t take a lot, but the river can’t be flat.

AC C ES S : Is it privately owned or is it on public land? If it’s on private property, how does the owner feel about kayakers? Making good connections with landowners is and always will be an important part of securing river access.

community, the kayakers got what they wanted and PPL took a loss—a $4 million dollar loss, at that.

“It’s world class whitewater,” Samms says of the big volume Susquehanna. “We’re hoping to have a world championship event here which would bring international paddlers. That would be huge.”

Perhaps Shimoda wasn’t necessarily thinking about fish when she advised paddlers to think larger than themselves, but there’s no question that a world championship event at Holtwood Park would draw much-needed attention to the local businesses and area attractions that Lancaster County has to offer and help establish that slice of Pennsylvania as a whitewater destination on par with the Bryson Cities and Deep Creeks of the East.

The land surrounding Holtwood photo by ANDREW KORNYLAK

lends itself to further development, something perhaps that might resemble the U.S. National Whitewater Center (USNWC) in Charlotte, N.C. Though on the larger end of the whitewater park spectrum, the USNWC embodies exactly Shimoda’s sentiments on play parks, that they need not only cater to kayakers but to the area’s residents in general.

“There’s something out here for everybody. The Olympian in-training is going to come out on the water the same day a family comes out to enjoy rafting for a day or to get dinner and listen to live music,” says Eric Osterhus, the brand manager for the USNWC. With over 20 miles of trails, rock walls, zip lines, and a boat conveyor belt, your backyard play feature will likely look nothing like the USNWC. But according to Shimoda and Samms, with a little passion, a lot of patience, and a helluva lot more persistence, anything is possible.

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THE REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE AIR CONDITIONED

CHRISTOPHER MCDOUGALL TALKS ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK, RESISTANCE FIGHTERS, AND THE FIVE FINGERS FALLOUT.

by WILL HARLAN

I

n his bestselling book Born to Run, Christopher McDougall shadowed the indigenous Tarahumara and a wily ex-boxer named Caballo Blanco to uncover the secrets of distance running. (Matthew McConaughey is starring in the upcoming feature film as Caballo Blanco.) Now, in his new book Natural Born Heroes, McDougall follows in the footsteps of resistance fighters in World War II who plot the daring abduction of a general during the peak of the Nazi occupation. McDougall retraces their steps in the razorsharp mountains of Crete, experiencing firsthand the extreme physical challenges

they face. Along the way, he discovers surprising truths about fitness and heroism—truths that can change the way we move and live.

What inspired you to take the ideas of Born to Run beyond the running community?

CM: The minimalist running movement was already underway when I wrote Born to Run. I was just the dude sitting on the surfboard when the wave came.

Similarly, the natural fitness revolution is already happening. Look at the explosion in obstacle course racing, Crossfit, mud runs—anything where people are getting outside and doing something unpredictable.

Like Born to Run, your new book is both a fitness revolution and an adventure story. Where does your latest adventure unfold?

CM: On Crete, the birthplace of the classical Greek heroism that spawned the likes of Heracles and Odysseus, I followed in the footsteps of World War II resistance fighters during Nazi occupation. How did they hike for hundreds of miles on a starvation diet and maintain the strength to defeat their enemies? That question drove this book.

These particular heroes were a small band of

misfits trying to recapture the island of Crete during World War II. But you don’t need war—or even a marathon—to be a hero. Our problem today is that we have artificially inflated heroes into superheroes. The truth is: all of us can be heroic.

What are the tools of natural fitness?

C M: Natural movement, extraordinary endurance, and efficient nutrition.

You don’t need anything but your brain and body.

Too often, if someone can sell something that makes it easier, we buy it. We’re constantly pushed to purchase things that do the work for us. As a result, we live in a largely sedentary environment with high obesity rates, and fitness is not fun.

But a lot of folks like their workout routines and the reliability of the gym—especially in bad weather.

C M: We’ve given gyms a fair shot, and how well have they worked for us? Most folks who get their gym memberships in January have stopped showing up by March. We think we like routine and repetition, but really we don’t. Routines are boring and they don’t engage our whole selves.

There’s nothing wrong with getting wet in the rain. There’s nothing wrong with falling down. It’s okay to get hurt sometimes. Getting hurt shows you what your limits are. Our culture seems to fear knee scrapes and bruises, but we do even more harm sheltering ourselves from them.

Can city dwellers realistically adapt natural fitness into their training?

C M: Natural fitness is all about adapting to your surroundings and making use of what’s available.

Over half of the world’s population now lives in

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WATCH THIS | GOSHEN: PLACES OF REFUGE FOR THE TARAHUMARA TRIBE

MCDOUGALL’S LATEST READ: FOLLOWS A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE OF NATURAL FITNESS DURING WWII.

cities. Parkour—running, jumping, and climbing over obstacles—is just one example of natural fitness adapting to an urban environment.

How has natural fitness changed the way you train personally?

CM : My fitness is a lot more randomized and playful. I recently went running with natural fitness guru Erwan LeCorre, and in the middle of the run, he suddenly veered right up and began scrambling up a steep slope. It seemed strange at the time, but I followed him, crawling on all fours up the cliff. It was unpredictable, and I was dialed in completely to the moment. That’s the beauty of uncertainty. Randomized fitness unlocks the power and immediacy of the experience.

Any specific challenges you like to do most?

CM : My favorite workouts are always out in nature. Personally, there is nothing better than chopping wood and hauling hay. I still love my running trails, but I also have a climbing rope outside my office and a wheelbarrow nearby.

Play doesn’t necessarily need purpose. It’s unstructured and meant to be fun and exploratory. At the same time, there are useful skills being learned through play. Play often comes from mimicking adults. Kids are often building blocks and stacking stuff when they’re younger, and later, they’re developing running and climbing skills on the playground.

A new feature-length documentary about the Tarahumara goes beyond running and offers a deeper look into their culture.

Goshen reveals how the Tarahumara ancient diet, active lifestyle, and cultural traditions have enabled their people to thrive in some of the most inhospitable terrain on the planet. The film was made by Dana Richardson and Sarah Zentz, who lived with the Tarahumara in the canyons. It has already won an Accolade Global Film Award.

Appearing in the film is BRO Editor in Chief Will Harlan— winner of the 2009 Copper Canyon Ultra—who founded the nonprofit Barefoot Seeds to assist Tarahumara farmers.

Drug violence and drought are endangering the Tarahumara’s ability to survive in their ancestral homelands. Barefoot Seeds helps Tarahumara communities grow and store indigenous varieties of seeds so they can withstand future droughts and food shortages.

The documentary will make its premiere in the Southeast at the Asheville Pizza and Brewing Company theater on May 7 at 10 p.m. Harlan will be there to introduce the documentary and answer questions.

What’s your reaction to the fallout from the Five Fingers lawsuit?

CM: It’s deflating that the conversation is always about the product. Vibram made promises about the shoes that they probably really believed were true, but they couldn’t prove them scientifically. In that sense, they really stepped on the rake. Unfortunately, a lot of people interpreted the lawsuit as saying minimalist shoes are bad. Born to Run wasn’t about shoes. It was about rediscovering natural running form and reconnecting with our running heritage.

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THOUGHTFULLY BUILT WATER SHOES AND SANDALS SINCE 1991 24

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FLOYDFEST—A BRO FAVORITE—TAKES PLACE JULY 22-26 IN SCENIC FLOYD, VA.

OUR ANNUAL LOWDOWN ON THE BEST BLUE RIDGE THROWDOWNS

20BESTFESTS

by JEDD FERRIS

F

estival fans take notice: These are the bashes you must attend.

New festivals keeping popping up across the country, but the Blue Ridge is full of proven galas that are worth your long weekend. This year BRO offers a guide to the top 20 festivals in the region. We chose events filled with the things our readers love best—authentic music, craft beer, comfortable camping, and outdoor adventure—in stunning locations that set the scene.

photo by ROGER GUPTA

FRENCH BROAD RIVER FESTIVAL

HOT SPRINGS, N.C. | MAY 1-3

frenchbroadriverfestival.com BASICS: Started nearly two decades ago as an intimate gathering by a group of paddlers, this fest at the Hot Springs Campground has grown into a regional favorite, featuring an impressive line-up of roots music and plenty of chances to play on the river. Best of all, it’s a party with a purpose: Through the years the fest has raised boatloads of cash for river access protector American Whitewater and a handful of other local charities.

BEST IF: You like camping festivals on the smaller side with some outdoor action during the day.

BANDS ON THE BILL: This fest is anchored by some of the South’s best regional acts, including Sol Driven Train, Larry Keel, and Big Daddy Love.

This is also a chance to enjoy the French Broad with a popular raft race, a Paddle with Pros clinic, and a river cleanup.

BEYOND THE TUNES:

LEAF

BLACK MOUNTAIN, N.C. | MAY 7-10

theleaf.com BASICS: Nestled within the mountainous property of Camp Rockmont, the family friendly Lake Eden Arts Festival— better known as LEAF—features one of the most diverse arrays of artistic offerings of any fest in the region: live music, dance workshops, healing arts, and much more.

BEST IF: You’re open to music and art from around the world, as this year performers from 30 different countries will be represented at the festival.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Headliners this year include Xavier Rudd & The United

Nations, Bombino, Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires, R. Carlos Nakai, and Donna the Buffalo.

BEYOND THE TUNES: LEAF is designed to be interactive with more than 40 healing arts workshops on a range of topics from yoga and holistic health to rolfing and martial arts, diverse global cuisine, a wide selection of artisan goods, and a nationally recognized poetry slam. You can also enjoy the scenic surroundings with a hike on the Rockmont trails or a paddle in Lake Eden.

DOMINION RIVERROCK

RICHMOND, VA. | MAY 15-17

dominionriverrock.com BASICS: Billed as the nation’s largest outdoor sports and music festival, this adventure games bash draws huge crowds to the banks of the James River in downtown Richmond. From central

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grounds on Brown’s Island, you can run, ride, paddle, and climb in a variety of comps and races, while live tunes are blaring in the background and big crowds are browsing gear booths.

BEST IF: You like to race and enjoy an epic post-party.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Riverrock organizers always cap the evenings with solid headliners, and this year is no exception with Blues Traveler and Greensky Bluegrass taking the top slots.

BEYOND THE TUNES: This one is more about the adventure than the music, as Riverrock hosts races and comps all weekend long. Runners have the James River Scramble 10K Trail or the Filthy 5K Mud Run, while fat tire fans can sign up for the Thule Urban Assault Mountain Bike Race. There’s also an adventure race, climbing comps, and kayak events, including a boatercross. If you’re looking to find a new sport, the Interactive Village has opportunities to try kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, bouldering, and more.

TRAIL DAYS

DAMASCUS, VA. | MAY 15-17

traildays.us BASICS: The tiny southwestern Virginia town of Damascus, known as Trail Town, U.S.A., turns into a big reunion for Appalachian Trail thru-hikers and a huge party for outdoor lovers of all stripes. Hikers get together to trade trail stories, march in a parade, get goofy in a talent show, soak each other with water guns, check out a variety of gear booths, and get rowdy at the campgrounds in the evenings. There are also talks and presentations by A.T. legends of yesteryear.

BEST IF: You’re all about the outdoors and the culture that surrounds it. You’ll be in good company here.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Local and regional bands will provide the soundtrack with free shows everyday at the fest’s central grounds in Town Park.

BEYOND THE TUNES: Take advantage of what this town is known for and get on the trails. While the A.T. runs through downtown, you can also easily access the rugged Iron Mountain and familyfriendly Virginia Creeper Trails.

ROOSTERWALK MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

AXTON, VA. | MAY 21-24

roosterwalk.com BASICS: Initially created to commemorate the lives of two lost friends, this lowkey festival held in the scenic foothills

country near Martinsville continues to improve its impressive line-up of roots music. This year the fest is moving to new venue, Pop’s Farm, in Axton.

BEST IF: You dig an intimate homegrown festival on the rise, and you’re open to discovering new up-and-coming bands.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Headliners this year include Yonder Mountain String Band, Lake Street Dive, the Steep Canyon Rangers, Southern Culture on the Skids, and Donna and the Buffalo.

BEYOND THE TUNES: Henry County holds a 45-mile scenic stretch of the Smith River. Grab a reasonably priced canoe or kayak rental from Smith River Outfitters and make time for a morning paddle.

lineup is anchored by Americana all-stars Jason Isbell and Shovels and Rope, as well as return visits from Old Crow Medicine Show, Trampled by Turtles, Leftover Salmon, and Railroad Earth.

BEYOND THE TUNES: At Delfest you can stretch out every morning with yoga classes scheduled as part of the Movement Playshops program. The festival also has an Arts and Crafts Fair with vendors offering clothing, jewelry, and acoustic instruments.

GRAVES MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL OF MUSIC

SYRIA, VA. | MAY 28-30

gravesmountain.com DR. RALPH STANLEY’S 45 TH ANNUAL MEMORIAL WEEKEND BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL COEBURN, VA. | MAY 21-23

drralphstanleyfestival.com BASICS: A down-home, multi-band traditional bluegrass gala in a beautiful setting at the old homeplace of Ralph Stanley, who’s still performing at age 88. He leads the bill with the Clinch Mountain Boys at his own Hills of Home Park in the mountains of southwest Virginia.

BEST IF: You can’t get enough of the high lonesome sound, and you need to cross Stanley off your bucket list of legends to see live.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Additional acts include Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers, and Stanley’s son Ralph II. BEYOND THE TUNES: Learn about Appalachian music with a trip to the Ralph Stanley Museum. The festival provides shuttles to nearby Clintwood, where the museum sits in a historic Victorian house as a stop on the Commonwealth’s Crooked Road music heritage trail.

DELFEST

CUMBERLAND, MD | MAY 21-24

delfest.com BASICS: A progressive bluegrass and roots music festival hosted by high lonesome sound pioneer Del McCoury in the scenic Potomac River Valley of western Maryland.

BEST IF: You’ve always wanted to make it to the Telluride Bluegrass Festival but would rather keep it local, and you can’t get enough acoustic string jams.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Along with daily sets from Del and his band, this year’s

BASICS: Three days of the best in bluegrass takes place at the scenic Graves Mountain Lodge, in the shadow of Shenandoah National Park.

BEST IF: You like to keep it mellow at festivals, watching top-notch picking and singing while relaxing in a lawn chair with stunning mountain views as a backdrop.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Hear traditional bluegrass acts like Junior Sisk, Doyle Lawson, and Balsam Range alongside progressive folk artist Willie Watson.

BEYOND THE TUNES: You’ll be within some of central Virginia’s best terrain, so spend your afternoon horseback riding, hiking, or swimming before the music begins.

BONNAROO MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL

MANCHESTER, TENN. | JUNE 11-14

bonnaroo.com BASICS: The pace setter for the current explosion of multi-band mega fests, Bonnaroo annually brings 80,000 fans to a 700-acre farm in the middle of Tennessee for one the country’s most eclectic, high-profile music extravaganzas.

BEST IF: Crowds, heat, and dust won’t deter you from throwing down, as you take in a musical marathon that can’t be topped.

BANDS ON THE BILL: The top of the bill features Billy Joel, Mumford and Sons, Deadmau5, and Kendrick Lamar. Go deeper and catch sets by the War on Drugs, Caribou, the Punch Brothers, and Sturgill Simpson.

BEYOND THE TUNES: Make time for Bonnaroo’s additional offerings like the comedy shows, the Broo’ers Festival craft beer garden, cinema tent, Silent Disco, and Food Truck Oasis.

RED WING ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL MOUNT SOLON, VA. | JULY 10-12

redwingroots.com BASICS: An intimate roots music festival with an impressively growing lineup at Natural Chimneys Park in the Shenandoah Valley. The hosts make this a family-friendly fest with scenic camping and plenty to do for the little festivarians in the Kid’s Zone, which includes special band performances for younger audiences.

BEST IF: You need your music fix but like to keep it fun for the whole family.

BANDS ON THE BILL: In addition to host band the Steel Wheels this year Red Wing will feature sets from the Punch Brothers, Robert Earl Keen, the Wood Brothers, Jon Russell of the Head and the Heart, Nikki Lane, Chatham County Line, the Travelin’ McCourys, and many more.

BEYOND THE TUNES: Members of the Steel Wheels love to pedal, so this festival hosts group bike rides on Saturday morning. Pick from road options that range between 10 to 40 miles or a 10mile mountain bike ride.

BACKSTAGE PASS

Since debuting in 2013, the Red Wing Roots Music Festival has quickly become a nationally respected Americana gathering, set in the intimate confines of Natural Chimneys Park in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. The festival is a collaboration between some local Harrisonburg music promoters, including Jeremiah Jenkins of Black Bear Productions and versatile acoustic outfit the Steel Wheels. In three short years the festival has featured an impressive array of roots-music acts, from established legends like Del McCoury and Sam Bush to popular upstarts Trampled by Turtles and the Devil Makes Three. Ahead of this year’s event, Jenkins and Steel Wheels front man Trent Wagler offered a glimpse behind the scenes of festival preparation and favorite moments.

EARLY ROOTS The Steel Wheels tour regularly across the country and have been featured at some of the biggest acoustic music festivals in the world, including Merlefest and Stagecoach in

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California. A few years ago the band decided they wanted to host a party near home in Harrisonburg. “We would come home and talk about how great it would be to have a boutique musical festival right in our backyard that our own families would grow up around,” Wagler said. “We dreamed about something that could create that kind of community in the Shenandoah Valley.”

DEFINING ‘ROOTS MUSIC’ Jenkins said the festival requires at least 10 months of planning, and in a sea of competition from other festivals, booking acts can be tricky. “Year-round we keep a long list of bands that we’d like to play the festival,” Jenkins added.

“Fitting everything into a budget and schedule becomes a puzzle with a bunch of moving pieces. Fortunately there is so much great music out there.

We’re a small festival, and that is all we are trying to be. We want music that draws from traditions of old country, folk, singer-songwriter, Cajun, and bluegrass—what you would consider the roots of American music,” Wagler said. “We’re working hard to find great music that defines that term for us.”

KEEPING IT SMALL Red Wing’s site at Natural Chimneys only allows a few thousand people to attend every year.

While many festivals continue to grow, organizers want Red Wing to stay intimate and neighborly for people of all ages. “It’s a broad cross-section of our larger community,” said Jenkins.

“People can come appreciate the festival in their own way. I love seeing people of all ages enjoying themselves—a 10-year-old girl with her face painted drinking out of a coconut, and an older couple sitting in lawn chairs, just grinning as they watch the music.”

AFTER HOURS “Last year on Saturday night, after everything had ended, members of five or six bands were backstage hanging around the fire, playing music together and singing,” remembered Jenkins. “Two members of the Devil Makes Three were dancing under the moonlight, the trees were swaying, and everyone was happy. At Red Wing artists can let their guard down and be themselves.”

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FORECASTLE FESTIVAL

LOUISVILLE, KY. | JULY 17-19

forecastlefest.com BASICS: Once a small neighbor bash, Forecastle has grown to become one of the premiere music festivals in the country, taking place every summer at Louisville’s scenic 85-acre Waterfront Park.

BEST IF: You want to throw down with a deep roster of bands in one of the South’s most vibrant cities.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Hometown heroes My Morning Jacket will be joined by an eclectic mix of acts that includes Widespread Panic, Modest Mouse, Sam Smith, Cage the Elephant, Houndmouth, Tweedy, and many more.

BEYOND THE TUNES: You’re in Kentucky, so enjoying some brown water is a must. In addition to the tunes, this fest honors its home state’s great trade with a Bourbon Lodge. You can also check out more goods from the Bluegrass State at Kentucky Landing, which highlights local food and craft beer.

FLOYDFEST

FLOYD, VA. | JULY 22-26

floydfest.com BASICS: You reach FloydFest on Milepost 170.5 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Once there you find an unsuspecting 80-acre mountain plateau that becomes a multi-stage musical blowout, bridging the gap between Appalachian traditions and the melting pot of independent roots music from the around the rest of the world.

BEST IF: You’re down to get lost in nine stages of music for five days in a remote Blue Ridge setting.

BANDS ON THE BILL: This year FloydFest is packed with something for everyone. Headliners include Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, Brandi Carlile, Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Drive-By Truckers, Trampled by Turtles, Lord Huron, the Chris Robinson Brotherhood, and plenty more.

BEYOND THE TUNES: The festival has added an impressive outdoor adventure program to its lengthy list of activities. The Moonstomper Mountain Bike Trail offers onsite

singletrack, and there’s also an organized off-site 19-mile ride, the Belcher Mountain Beat Down, that features 1,600 feet of climb and offers shuttle service back to the festival. More adventure opportunities include guided hikes, disc golf, and organized paddling trips on the Little River.

BACKSTAGE PASS

Kris Hodges founded FloydFest back in 2002, alongside partner Erika Johnson, as a way to showcase the unique progressive arts community in Floyd, Va. The small Blue Ridge town has been a haven for musicians, painters, and organic farmers since the ‘60s and still remains an off-the-beaten path beacon of creativity in the South. With the fourteenth installment of the festival on the horizon, Hodges gave us an inside perspective on managing growth and sticking to FloydFest’s initial vision.

EARLY ROOTS FloydFest’s first lineup represented a bridge between the sounds of Appalachia and music from around the world. Regional hero Doc Watson shared a bill with the African

Showboyz, while a modest crowd was exposed to Floyd’s culture. “In the first year the idea was to create social awareness globally,” Hodges says. “We wanted to use Floyd as an example of how communities can function through an old-school way of country living with a strong sense of barter, farmto-table food, and organic farming.

Floyd was started by people who left mainstream society to forge their own lives. People living there today are still outside the fray. We’ve gotten national attention, but we’ve never wanted to be mainstream. With FloydFest we’ve tried to forge our own path.”

going to keep a small cohesive vibe.”

KEEPING IT REAL Hodges has always resisted booking a major headliner that would bring a dominating crowd to the festival. Instead he crafts a roster of roots music artists of all stripes that come together for a colorful combination. The formula has worked.

FloydFest attendance has swelled into the tens of thousands in recent years, causing Hodges to even reduce capacity. “We’ve found you get a lot more connectivity when the crowd is able to act as community. We want this festival to be sustainable, so we’re

FAVORITE MEMORY “From the beginning I remember telling myself if I can get Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, and their whole crew on our stage, my work will be well done. When it happened in 2012, I remember walking through the crowd and seeing folks just smiling ear to ear, having the best times of their lives. That’s a great feeling— when you keep your integrity intact, you work hard, and it’s recognized.”

MORE THAN MUSIC “I’ve been a musician my whole life, but I’m also an avid backpacker and trail runner. I live in a yurt in the middle of the Blue Ridge. I want to be around like-minded people. Our crowd has been very receptive to our outdoor offerings. Our river trips sell out every year, and our 5K runs have been packed.

This is a special place, located right off the Parkway, so we want people to experience what it has to offer beyond the music.”

BRISTOL RHYTHM AND ROOTS REUNION

BRISTOL, TENN./VA. | SEPTEMBER 18-20

bristolrhythm.com BASICS: Bristol is a historic musical city, the site of early recordings by the Carter Family and many more pioneers. Every fall the border town celebrates this lineage through a gala that incorporates roots music from all generations. This annual fest features a range of artists from national headliners to regional upstarts to down home Appalachian pickers playing along the bustling main drag of State Street (which straddles the Virginia/Tennessee line) on 22 stages— outdoors, inside theaters, and bars.

BEST IF: You like a lively street party with a deep line-up of bands in a quaint Southern city.

BANDS ON THE BILL: This year’s diverse lot of roots-music acts includes Steve Earle, Dr. Dog, Hot Rize, Balsam Range, Delbert McClinton, Strand of Oaks, and Moon Taxi.

BEYOND THE TUNES: Take the opportunity

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to learn as well as listen by visiting the nearby Birthplace of Country Music Museum.

LOCKN’

ARRINGTON, VA | SEPTEMBER 10-13

locknfestival.com BASICS: A jam fans paradise on the sprawling, idyllic Oak Ridge Farm, Lockn’ offers an alternative to the usual festival formula by holding bands on two massive side-by-side stages with no overlapping sets. Approaching just its third year, the festival has set a high bar by already hosting the likes of Tom Petty, Willie Nelson, and surviving members of the Grateful Dead. The fest is also known for orchestrating interesting collaborations between artists, like the first year’s pairing of John Fogerty with Widespread Panic.

BEST IF: You miss the early years of Bonnaroo, when it debuted as a jam band marathon.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Catch sets from Widespread Panic, Phil Lesh, and the String Cheese Incident, who will play one set in a special collaboration with the Doobie Brothers.

BEYOND THE TUNES: Oak Ridge is a gorgeous property, and during the festival there are 30 miles of biking trails open to attendees. If you can’t bring your own bike, there is a demo fleet on site.

HOPSCOTCH FESTIVAL

RALEIGH, N.C. | SEPTEMBER 10-12

hopscotchmusicfest.com BASICS: Every year an eclectic mix of indie rock and experimental acts converge in downtown Raleigh for this annual festival that hosts shows in more than a dozen venues, including an amphitheater, theaters, and smaller bars and clubs.

BEST IF: You’re cool with navigating a schedule of 160 bands at a variety of venues.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Not announced yet but last year was headlined by Spoon, St. Vincent, De La Soul, and the War on Drugs.

BEYOND THE TUNES: The greater Raleigh area has 18 breweries, and Beltline Brew Tours (beltlinebrewtours.com) has a range of options for tasting some of the best around the Triangle.

GAULEY FEST

SUMMERSVILLE, W.VA. | SEPTEMBER 18-19

americanwhitewater.org BASICS: Started back in 1983 as a victory dance to celebrate the derailment of a dam project that would have disrupted flows of the mighty Gauley, this bash brings together class V whitewater runs, live music, and boater shenanigans as the biggest paddling festival in the world. In addition to plenty of river time, you can score some great gear deals and catch up with a who’s who of industry folks in the whitewater marketplace.

BEST IF: You’re a river junkie who loves to paddle and party.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Not typically the focus of this fest. Expect some local or regional acts that will keep the fun going.

BEYOND THE TUNES: Enjoy what you’ve come to celebrate and run the class V rapids of the Gauley. If you’re not a whitewater boater, jump in a raft with one of the area’s many outfitters.

JUNE 12, 13 & 14, 2015 An exposition of fine crafts and heirloom skills, this fun and education festival is perfect for the entire family. Join us for a weekend of seminars, demonstrations and hands on activities. We’ll also be hosting SITHL Timbersports with live lumberjack competitions as athletes compete in the original extreme sport.

FOR INFORMATION CALL 877.441.4386 OR VISIT snowshoemtn.com/heritage

BREWGRASS FESTIVAL

ASHEVILLE, N.C. | SEPTEMBER 19

brewgrassfestival.com BASICS: New beer festivals keep popping up everywhere, but Brewgrass was around long before the current craft beer boom. Approaching its 19th year, the annual festival, now taking place at Asheville’s Memorial Stadium, features tasty offerings from 50 craft breweries and a full day of progressive bluegrass.

BEST IF: You’re into day drinking, and lots of it.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Acts this year include the Jeff Austin Band, Big Daddy Love, and the Packway Handle Band.

BEYOND THE TUNES: If you have anything left in the tank, head to one of Asheville’s 18 breweries for one more round. Or maybe just go home and drink water.

THE FESTY EXPERIENCE

ROSELAND, VA. | OCTOBER 9-11

thefesty.com BASICS: This intimate fest sits on the scenic grounds of central Virginia’s Devils Backbone Brewery, hosting a long weekend of eclectic roots music combined with mountain sports, workshops, and local beer.

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SATURDAY, MAY 23 CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA WITH SPECIAL GUEST

THE DEVIL MAKES THREE TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT thenteloswirelesspavilion.com HIKE BEFORE! Join us for a hike along the Appalachian Trail, followed by a feedthe-hikers trail magic lunch. 9am. Reeds Gap parking lot off the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Celebrating 20 years!

PARTY AFTER! Join us at the Southern Cafe & Music Hall for the official OCMS After Party, featuring Chamomile & Whiskey and Friends!

For more information visit

BlueRidgeOutdoors.com/MyBlueRidge

BEST IF:

You’re looking for a small family friendly festival with comfy camping spots and crisp fall weather.

BANDS ON THE BILL: The Festy is always anchored by expansive bluegrass pickers The Infamous Stringdusters; many more acts to be announced soon.

BEYOND THE TUNES: Wake up early on Saturday morning and run the Blue Ridge Burn, a 10K/5K trail race hosted

by Blue Ridge Outdoors on the festival’s three-mile onsite trail network.

year, but it’s too good not to mention.

This year’s line-up featured the Avett Brothers, Dwight Yoakam, Bela Fleck, and Trampled by Turtles.

BEYOND THE TUNES: Bring your instrument, as the Merlefest scene always has legendary picking circles at the nearby campgrounds. Also, bring your bike and the ride the flowy singletrack of the Kerr Scott Trails.

GO OUTSIDE FESTIVAL

FESTIVALGEAR

ROANOKE, VA. | OCTOBER 16-18

roanokegofest.com Every fall, Roanoke’s River’s Edge Sports Complex turns into a mountain sports playground filled with running, biking, climbing, slacklining, paddling, and fishing. Set along the Roanoke River, this annual three-day fest features races, relaxed gear demos and clinics, and the chance to check out the latest and greatest from gear vendors.

BEST IF: You want to celebrate your favorite sport or learn another.

BANDS ON THE BILL: Still TBD, but count on regional acts to provide the soundtrack in the evening. Last year was headlined by the Hackensaw Boys.

BEYOND THE TUNES: Another one that’s all about adventure. Run the trail half marathon, learn to roll a kayak, or enter the fly casting comp. Options are plentiful here, with 175 free activities, and you can camp on site. Craft beverages are also a big part of this fest.

According to organizers, last year’s 20,000 attendees put back more than 12,000 beers.

BASICS:

MERLEFEST

TBD, 2016 | WILKESBORO, N.C

merlfest.org One of the country’s preeminent Americana festivals, Merlefest was started by late icon Doc Watson to honor his son and fellow musician Merle, who predeceased him. An estimated 80,000 people flock to the campus of Wilkes Community College for a huge line-up of artists that blur the lines between country, blues, bluegrass, and rock. This festival is dry, so the party truly revolves around the sounds.

Grab an energy bar and bounce between 13 stages. Key tip: Don’t miss the midnight jam.

BEST IF: You can’t get enough roots music.

BANDS ON THE BILL: BRO’s guide comes out days after this festival finishes every BASICS:

by JEDD FERRIS

Don’t arrive at the festival grounds unprepared. Here’s a guide to the right gear for your upcoming sonic adventures.

SMITH OPTICS TIOGA Smith turned 50 this year. To celebrate the venerable eyewear company is bringing back popular styles from yesteryear. Rep the vintage vibe with the Tioga, which features a classic outdoor style that’s been shading the eyes of dirtbags and extreme athletes for decades. In addition to a great look, you also get Smith’s expected cleareyed polarized performance at a great price. $80; smithoptics.com MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR LAMINA Z SPARK Play hard, and sleep very little. Such is life in tent city. When you’re done howling at the moon, get some quality slumber in the Mountain Hardwear Lamina Z Spark. It’s a tech-savvy bag that won’t break the bank, made with Hardwear’s refined synthetic insulation that mimics the loft and even distribution of down. With a lightweight design that features a wide, comfy mummy cut, this is a bag that will go well beyond fests and into the backcountry. $159-179 (size variation); mountainhardwear.com YETI HOPPER 20 Known for making tough bear-proof coolers that hold a chill for days, Yeti is now branching into portability with the soft-sided Hopper line. The 20 is a great personal option, about the size of a briefcase to easily transport a 12-pack or essential perishable snacks. Burly enough to resist punctures in transit, the Hopper 20 will keep food and drinks cold all weekend, thanks to a thick inch of insulation. Anti-microbial liner on the inside prevents mildew and is also easy to wash. $299.99; yetcoolers.com

CHACO Z/VOLV SANDALS During long days grooving in the Southern sun, feet need the open-air comfort and lightweight maneuverability of Chaco’s Z/Volv Sandals. This modified take on an old favorite features Chaco’s standard adjustability with a softer underfoot design that’s 20 percent lighter than the Classic Z. $100; chacos.com

the waste of bottles or cans.

Also, pour your brew into a 16-ounce Steel Pint Cup. Many regional festivals, including FloydFest and the Festy Experience, are including one of these reusable, stainless steel cups with the price of admission—a noble effort to reduce the sizeable footprint of multiday events. Growler $49.95 and cups $9.95; kleankanteen.com

KLEAN KANTEEN GROWLER AND STEEL PINT CUPS Hit your local brewery on the way to the fest and fill Klean Kanteen’s Insulated Growler with your beer of choice. Your 64 ounces of craft tastiness will stay cold and fresh for 24 hours, thanks to a double-wall vacuum-sealed design, and you can feel good about cutting down

ALITE DESIGNS MEADOW MAT Grab some space for your crew with this affordable outdoor blanket. It’s waterproof and washable, so you don’t have to worry about wet ground or beer spills. When it’s time to head back to camp, it also rolls up tightly for easy transport. $39; alitedesigns.com

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FRANKFORT

Frankfort

Meet Us At The River

River Blast June 26th & 27th

Ribbon Cutting for Locks 1 thru 4 Friday June 26 , 3:00 pm At Lock 4 th

Meet Us At The River In Frankfort

River View Park • 404 Wilkinson Blvd Live Music • Food • Beer Garden ART Market Canoe and Kayak Rental • Paddling Contest Boat Rides and Tours • Flotilla Laser Show (See other side for details.)

Contact Capital Plaza Hotel for River Blast Package

502.227.5100

Additional Information at Frankfort/Franklin County Tourist Commission 800.960.7200 • www.visitfrankfort.com

Title Sponsor

Friday, June 26, 2015

3:00 p.m. Ribbon Cutting at Lock 4 1021 Kentucky Avenue, Frankfort, KY 7:00 p.m. Downtown Frankfort Summer Concert Old State Capitol — Broadway Street

Saturday, June 27, 2015 Frankfort River Blast Schedule at River View Park $ 2 Admission

Proceeds Benefit Riverside Children’s Play Park 8:00 a.m. Registration for Paddling Races 9:00 a.m. Paddling Races Begin

10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

ART Market • Children’s Activities 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Food Vendors • Beer Garden Noon to 10:00 p.m. Live Music on Stage Noon Flotilla Presented by the Frankfort Boat Club 1:30 to 6:00 p.m.

Games for All Ages 1:30 to 7:00 p.m. Boat Tours Nancy Wilkinson History Pontoon KY River Thorobred (KSU Science Boat/Lab) Coming Events on the Kentucky River

Saturday, August 1, 2015 September 11-13 & 18-20 Boonesborough River Blast “Two Loves & A River” Boonesborough State Park bluegrasstomorrow.org/river-blast

Frankfort, KY Ward Oates Amphitheater 502.696.0607

Event Sponsors Presenting Sponsors

Graviss McDonald’s Restaurants Joe & Debbie Graviss

Printed in cooperation with the Kentucky Department of Travel?

BANDSTOWATCH

by JEDD FERRIS

L

ook beyond the headliners and catch these bands on the Southern festival circuit.

RHIANNON GIDDENS Fresh off her work on Lost On The River: The New Basement Tapes, a T. Bone Burnett-curated collaboration that found Giddens, Elvis Costello, Jim James, Marcus Mumford, and Taylor Goldsmith putting new music to leftover Bob Dylan lyrics, the songstress and founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops is branching out with her first solo project. On the recently released album Tomorrow is My Turn, Giddens once again teams up with Burnett and, much like her traditional torch-bearing work with the Chocolate Drops, puts her own spin on songs and styles from the past.

With strong acoustic players behind her, including members of the Punch Brothers, Giddens uses the album to unearth a range of old rootsy gems, including Nina Simone’s “Black is the Color,” the Odetta-arranged work song “Water Boy,” and Dolly Parton’s “Don’t Let It Trouble Your Mind.” There’s also a poignant original, the folk ballad “Angel City” that Giddens wrote for her New Basement Tapes collaborators. She’s touring the new material with members of the Chocolate Drops behind her.

APPEARING AT: Papa Joe’s Banjo-B-Que Music Festival, Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival

XAVIER RUDD & THE UNITED NATIONS Australian musician Xavier Rudd first broke out as a solo act, playing a positive brand of world folk that featured his simultaneous work on a range of acoustic guitars, didgeridoos, and primitive percussion toys. This year Rudd’s worldwide fan base will get to hear him front a full band, as he leads a new crew of diverse musicians from across the globe dubbed the United Nations. “Come People,” the lead single from the band’s new album Nanna sets the tone for the band’s mission, as an upbeat, roots reggae groove guides a message of bringing people together.

APPEARING AT: Shaky Knees Festival, Hangout Festival

ROADKILL GHOST CHOIR If you’re into alt-folk or indie rock, Roadkill Ghost Choir can sound like five of your favorite bands. The band’s debut EP, 2012’s Quiet Light captured the haunting mood of Fleet Foxes, but on last year’s full-length In Tongues the quintet from central Florida branched into the expansive realms of My Morning jacket and the War on Drugs. Main singer/songwriter Andrew Shepard sings with a weary drawl that provides a comforting anchor in a sound that slides on the spectrum between compelling folk meditations and full-on atmospheric rock blitzes.

APPEARING AT: Candler Park Music and Food Festival

JEFF AUSTIN BAND Last year it was big news when Austin left his longtime gig in Yonder Mountain String Band. He’s now focusing on a solo band with the same instrument configuration, featuring string aces Danny Barnes on banjo, Ross Martin on guitar, and Eric Thorin on bass, but Austin’s new solo album branches beyond his usual expansive bluegrass. On The Simple Truth, which was released on the venerable North Carolina independent label Yep Roc Records, Austin showcases his talents as a songwriter, delivering a set of concise roots rock that incorporates an electric edge.

APPEARING AT: DelFest, FloydFest, Brewgrass THE WORD The Word is the occasionally uniting supergroup featuring pedal steel virtuoso Robert Randolph, keyboard wiz John Medeski, and the three members of the North Mississippi Allstars. First configured back in 2000, the group combines its members’ varied styles to play an improvisational style of instrumental gospel-rock—rooted in the Sacred Steel sound first played in Pentecostal churches. The group recently released the new Soul Food, the first album since its 2001 selftitled debut. It’s a rekindling of a dynamic blend of string-shredding roots-rock with jazz chops and a heavy helping of spiritual uplift.

This band doesn’t play often so catch them while you can at select festivals.

APPEARING AT: Forecastle, All Good Music Festival M AY 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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50MOREFESTS

by LUCIE HANES

T

he Blue Ridge is packed with festivals from spring through fall. Find your jam in our comprehensive look at the region’s best bashes.

running at the Pavilion at Montage Mountain. Additional acts on the bill include Pigeons Playing Ping Pong, Ryan Montbleau, Hoots and Hellmouth, and plenty more.

CHEAT RIVER FESTIVAL

LAVA MUSIC FESTIVAL

cheatfest.org Celebrate this Appalachia haven in a day filled with music, dancing, art, food, and fun, all in support of paddling and the Cheat River watershed.

lavafestival.com This Virginia festival features some of the biggest names in indie music. Ten bands will rock this single-day bash, including Fitz and the Tantrums, Of Montreal, and Mute Math.

ALBRIGHT, W.VA. | MAY 2

AIKEN BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL AIKEN, S.C. | MAY 8-9

aikenbluegrassfestival.org This two-day celebration of bluegrass, biking, and beer returns to Aiken for its 10th anniversary, featuring jams from Town Mountain, Greensky Bluegrass, and Delta Cane, Larry & Jenny Keel, and Doug and the Henrys. During the fest, enjoy drinks and delicious pizza from sponsors New Belgium Brewing Co. and Mellow Mushroom.

SHAKY KNEES MUSIC FESTIVAL ATLANTA, GA. | MAY 8-10

SUFFOLK, VA. | MAY 16

SWEET LIFE FESTIVAL

COLUMBIA, MD. | MAY 30-31

sweetlifefestival.com This festival at Merriweather Post Pavilion features sweet sets for the sweet life. Hear from Calvin Harris, Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd, Vance Joy, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, and too many more to name! Plus, chow down on good local food during the show.

HANGOUT MUSIC FESTIVAL

GULF SHORES, ALA. | MAY 15-17

shakykneesfestival.com This fest has found fast success in its short three-year reign, now boasting big names including Wilco, The Strokes, Neutral Milk Hotel, and the Avett Brothers.

hangoutmusicfest.com The name says it all. Hang out at the Hangout Fest for four sunny days on the Gulf Shores of Alabama. Listen to top national artists like the Foo Fighters, Sam Smith, the Zac Brown Band, and Beck for good times on the beach.

NORTH CAROLINA BREWERS AND MUSIC FESTIVAL

PAPA JOE’S BANJOBQUE MUSIC FESTIVAL

ncbrewsmusic.com For its fifth year, this festival has added a second full day to its celebration of tasty beer and good tunes. Find some of the region’s best craft brews and bluegrass tunes together on Huntersville’s historic Rural Hill. Sip on your favorites while listening to the likes of the Steep Canyon Rangers, Sol Driven Train, Town Mountain.

banjobque.com Dig into some BBQ and bluegrass this May weekend, to the tune of the Trampled by Turtles, Vance Joy, Shovels & Rope, The Infamous Stringdusters, and others.

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. | MAY 8-9

SUSQUEHANNA BREAKDOWN SCRANTON, PA. | MAY 8-9

susquehannabreakdown.com Pennsylvania bluegrass group Cabinet will host this festival for its third year

Workout. Repeat. NO stink.

EVANS, GA. | MAY 22-23

EXP ER IENCE BA MBO O AT THE S E FINE RETAI LE RS [ALABAMA] Fleet Feet Huntsville Atlanta

Baer’s Den

Wagners Run Walk [GEORGIA] Fleet Feet

Smith & Davis Big Dog Running Co. Jake & Ed’s West Stride Running Serious

Tennis [KENTUCKY] J&H Lanmark

Ken Combs Running Tri-State Running Co. [NORTH

CAROLINA] Fleet Feet Asheville Mast General Store Highland Hiker Swamp Fox Trading Co.

Twig

Good Life Outfitter [SOUTH CAROLINA] Fleet Feet Columbia

Outfitters Charleston Place Hotel

Appalachian

Hilton Head Health Sea Pines Resort Jack and Jane

Sport [TENNESSEE] Baer’s Den Raquet Club of Memphis [VIRGINIA] The Homestead

LONG CREEK MUSIC FESTIVAL

LONG CREEK, S.C. | MAY 22-24

longcreekfest.com This mountain rager features a stacked line-up full of fiddles and funk to support the mighty Chattooga River.

Taking place at the Chattooga River Resort & Campground, the event will include the sounds of Melonfunky,

D e sign e d in Ne w Orlean s ta scPe rforma n ce .co m

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200 artists, 250 cultural experiences, 34 Crooked road concerts

-------- June 12th - 20th ---------

one unforgettable homecoming

Visit www.mtnsofmusic.com or call (276) 492-2409 for tickets and more information.

PRINTS AS LOUD AS YOUR MORE COLOR. MORE VARIETY. MORE ADVENTURE 38

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 5

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MUSIC ShOP

GRANDTRUNK.COM

Owens Gin, Ronny Ragan and Rusty Jessup, and Big Shot Jimmy.

MOUNTAIN SPORTS FESTIVAL ASHEVILLE, N.C. | MAY 22-24

mountainsportsfestival.com This annual weekend of Olympic-style competition in Asheville features a 10 K race, stand-up paddleboard classes, dodgeball, cyclocross, and a river clean up. Kids even have the opportunity to participate in a duathlon and a bike race.

Look for great vendors and live music at Carrier Park.

COUNTERPOINT MUSIC FESTIVAL

KINGSTON DOWNS, GA. | MAY 22-24

counterpointfestival.com This three-day event has it all, from music on three stages and art exhibitions to workshops and local food. Bands include Widespread Panic, Zedd, The Roots, and Umphrey’s McGee. VIRGINIA MOUNTAIN BIKE FESTIVAL STOKESVILLE, VA. | MAY 22-25

underground Southern jams in a rural farming area. Look for Rollin’ in the Hay, Adam Hood, Funk You, the Bo Henry Band, and plenty more to round out the weekend.

TOUR DE FAT

WASHINGTON D.C. | MAY 30

newbelgium.com This traveling celebration of “beer, bikes and bemusement” features a large bike parade, followed by a series of wild shenanigans that include a bike circus and rodeo. Don’t forget all the great New Belgium beer you’ll be enjoying.

The first stop is in Washington D.C. BEER CITY FESTIVAL

ASHEVILLE, N.C. | MAY 30

beercityfestival.com Sample beers from more than 30 craft breweries while soaking up some great Asheville tunes. Bands include The Jamar Woods Acoustic Band, The Resolvers, and Flow Tribe.

mtntouring.com Celebrating Virginia’s rich mountain biking culture over the course of three epic days in Stokesville, this fest allows you to squeeze in some great rides during the day and kick back with chow and a few beers at night. Brave the legendary Southern Traverse or Reddish Knob.

OBX BREWFEST

SPOLETO FESTIVAL USA

SEEDTIME ON THE CUMBERLAND

spoletousa.org For 17 packed days and nights this spring, the Spoleto Festival for the performing arts fills Charleston’s historic theaters, churches, and outdoor spaces with a variety of music, dance, theater, and visual arts.

seedtimefestival.org This annual two-day celebration of Appalachian music, arts, and culture occurs in the tiny, beautiful town of Whitesburg. Enjoy both old-time and contemporary bluegrass tunes, visual arts exhibits, and hands-on workshops.

NELSONVILLE MUSIC FESTIVAL

MOUNTAIN MUSIC FESTIVAL

nelsonvillefest.org With both big names and smalltown charm, this festival includes The Flaming Lips, St. Vincent, and Trampled by Turtles.

mountainmusicfestwv.com Access some world-class whitewater as well as a top-notch trail network in West Virginia’s New River Gorge at this event hosted by ACE Adventure Resort.

Alongside all your outdoor playtime, listen to an amazing line-up of roots music that includes the Del McCoury Band, Papadosio, and Keller Williams.

CHARLESTON, S.C. | MAY 22-JUNE 7

NELSONVILLE, OHIO | MAY 28-31

BRIAR PATCH MUSIC FESTIVAL DAMASCUS, GA. | MAY 29 – 30

briarpatchpro.com Bringing what festival curators call “The Real to the Field,” the Briar Patch Music Festival boasts exciting

NAGS HEAD, N.C. | MAY 31

obxbeerfests.com “A Palate Pleasin’ Adventure,” this celebration of all things beer features over 80 types of craft brew from across the nation plus live music, brewing workshops, and a handcrafted soda garden.

WHITESBURG, KY. | JUNE 5-6

OAK HILL, W.VA. | JUNE 5-6

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Water Power.

Perfected over 250 years.

Celebrate with us

At the Clarksville Anniversary Event July 18 - 19, 2015

Boat parade with fireworks Recreation of 1800’s tobacco auction Historic home tour with period actors 1800’s Dance under the Stars visit www.visitmeckva.com/meck250.aspx for more details

The healing waters of Mecklenburg County were once so famous that people traveled great distances to experience their mystical powers. In the 1880s, it was bottled and sold across the country and overseas. People still visit from all over to enjoy the waters and experience a different kind of healing. Today, visitors reconnect with nature as they enjoy paddling, fishing and wildlife viewing on Virginia’s largest lake.

Join our year long celebration. Get insider info and offers in a special 250th anniversary e-newsletter.

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B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 5

visitmeckva.com #moremeck

BLUE PLUM FESTIVAL

FESTIVAL FOR THE ENO

blueplum.org This three-day fest in downtown Johnson City attracts nearly 80,000 people every year for a weekend of Americana music, art, and great food.

Come find out why it’s earned the title “Friendliest Festival in the South.”

enoriver.org Last year’s event featured over 65 acts on three stages, complete with great food, art, and celebration of the great Eno River & Watershed. Look for another fun Independence Day weekend this summer in the Triangle.

MAD TEA PARTY JAM

ALL GOOD MUSIC FESTIVAL

themadteapartyjam.com The Mad Tea Party Jam, now back for round four, brings back familiar jamtronica acts to the “Bavarian Villa” in Hedgesville. Get excited for sets from Consider the Source, the Mantras, and Broccoli Samurai. Visual artists, costume contests, and fire performances make this an event for the books.

allgoodfestival.com It’s all good in the hood at this festival.

Berry Hill Farm provides the perfect venue for maxin’ and relaxin’ to the tune of big bands like Primus, moe., and CAKE.

JOHNSON CITY, TENN. | JUNE 5-7

HEDGESVILLE, W.VA. | JUNE 18-21

NORTHERN VIRGINIA SUMMER BREWFEST LEESBURG, VA. | JUNE 20-21

novabrewfest.com A deep roster of breweries coupled with local music, food, and arts makes this annual Leesburg fest a summer staple in the area.

ROMP: BLUEGRASS ROOTS & BRANCHES FESTIVAL

OWENSBORO, KY. | JUNE 24-27

rompfest.com This three-day fest aligns seasoned bluegrass veterans like Del McCoury with progressive favorites including the Punch Brothers and the Lone Bellow.

Benefiting the International Bluegrass Music Museum in Owensboro, the eclectic lineup is sure to please with a combination of traditional performances and interactive music workshops.

DURHAM, N.C. | JULY 4-5

SUMMIT POINT, W.VA. | JULY 9-11

SOMERSET, KY. | JULY 10-11

mastermusiciansfestival.org This fest is all about variety, striving to bring a big range of multi-cultural music to the stage. Blues, bluegrass, Celtic, rock, jazz, country, and Americana jams will make sure that everyone finds a little something they love. Lineup includes Dwight Yoakam, Sam Bush, Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, Ben Sollee, and more.

ert c n o C ive

BALTIMORE, MD. | JULY 17-19

artscape.org Over 400,000 people regularly attend Artscape, America’s largest free arts festival. Situated in downtown Baltimore, the fest spans 12 city blocks and features a bevy of exhibits, music, dance, theater, and film.

Free L

SLOSS FESTIVAL

REV O O L ER WAT

BIRMINGHAM, AL | JULY 18-19

FRANKFORT RIVER BLAST

PARADISE MUSIC & ARTS FESTIVAL

visitfrankfort.com The waterfront of Kentucky’s Capital City comes alive with music, craft beer, an art market, and paddling.

paradise-fest.com In this festival team’s own words, “the ultimate combination of music, art, and nature takes you away to Paradise.”

Echo Acres will host workshops on

FRANKFORT, KY. | JUNE 26-27

This first-time event is a down-home, mountain-high celebration of Snowshoe’s country-ness, featuring great live music, local foods and artsy crafts plus samples of the best distilled spirits and craft beers to ever ride down a dirt lane in the back of a pick-up truck.

ARTSCAPE

thebigwhat.com Three huge nights of camping and jams in central North Carolina. Big Something, Vulfpeck, Kung Fu, and the Mantras round out an impressive lineup.

MEBANE, N.C. | JUNE 25-27

Festival

MASTER MUSICIANS FESTIVAL

slossfest.com This new bash will bring over 30 bands, regional beer, and culinary delicacies to the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark in the downtown scene of Birmingham. Big names include Modest Mouse, Band of Horses, St. Paul and the Broken Bones, and Purity Ring.

THE BIG WHAT FESTIVAL

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HUSTONVILLE, KY. | JULY 23-25

100% FUN

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EXPLORE THE ELLIJAYS OF NORTH GEORGIA Geta world a world away in only an hour Get away in only an hour Just an hour north of Atlanta, come explore north Georgia’s best hiking, biking, Just an hour north of Atlanta, come explore water adventures, shopping and more. Beautiful rivers, lakes and majestic north Georgia’s biking, waterGot It!” mountains are just a fewbest of thehiking, reasons we say: “Gilmer’s

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yoga, manifestation, and crystal grids, plus art exhibits and a music lineup including The Werks, Michael Menert, and Tauk.

WILLS MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL

BEDFORD, PA. | JULY 31-AUGUST 2

wmfest.com This three-day roots fest sits along the scenic Appalachians in Bedford County.

Lineup TBA. A BEAR’S PICNIC

ROARING BRANCH, PA. | AUGUST 6 -10

bearspicnic.com In celebration of the Grateful Dead family and spirit, A Bear’s Picnic features art and music that would make Jerry Garcia proud. Listen to Leftover Salmon, New Riders of the Purple Sage, and Steve Kimock as you remember the good ol’ days of the Dead.

BLUE GRASS VALLEY MUSIC FESTIVAL BLUE GRASS, VA. | AUGUST 7 - 9

facebook.com/bluegrassvalleymusicfest This diverse fest, set among the remote beauty of Highland County, will feature a great line-up of regional acts including Dangermuffin, Driftwood, and The Hillbilly Gypsies. Combine that with farm-fresh food, local brews, and area artisans, and you’ve got something much more than just a music festival.

MICROFESTIVUS

ROANOKE, VA. | AUGUST 8

microfestivus.squaresociety.org Situated at Elmwood Park in the heart of downtown Roanoke, Microfestivus brings nearly 130 beers for your sampling pleasure, along with great music and local food.

THE PEACH MUSIC FESTIVAL

SCRANTON, PA. | AUGUST 13-16

thepeachmusicfestival.com Greg Allman returns for another year of the festival tradition he started with his legendary former band four years ago. This time, look for Greg going solo alongside Santana, Bob Weir, Willie Nelson, and more.

STAUNTON MUSIC FESTIVAL

STAUNTON, VA. | AUGUST 14-23

stauntonmusicfestival.org This annual event will feature an extended program of world-class chamber music in a quaint historic town

in the Virginia Blue Ridge.

HOT AUGUST MUSIC FESTIVAL

COCKEYSVILLE, MD. | AUGUST 15

hotaugustmusicfestival.com Soak up that hot August sun with the best of rock, folk, and bluegrass. Lineup includes the Counting Crows, the Punch Brothers, Railroad Earth, and The Infamous Stringdusters.

CAMP BAREFOOT

BARTOW, W.VA. | AUGUST 20-22

campbarefoot.org Camp Barefoot returns for another year of hot jams and beats at the secluded Camp Hidden Meadows in the Monongahela National Forest. This year’s lineup features Big Gigantic, Greyboy Allstars, Emancipator, and others.

VIRGINIA CRAFT BREWERS FEST ROSELAND, VA. | AUGUST 22

vacraftbrewersfest.com Over 50 Virginia breweries make their way to this annual festival just outside of Charlottesville. Sip on concoctions from Three Notch’d, Blue Mountain, Devils Backbone, Strangeways, and plenty more.

RTE. 23 MUSIC FESTIVAL WISE, VA. | AUGUST 29

rte23musicfestival.com This killer little fest on the rise features a great line-up at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. Bands include the London Souls, Desert Noise, This Mountain, and Wayne Graham.

FRONT PORCH FEST

STUART, VA. | SEPTEMBER 4-6

frontporchfest.com Produced by some great friends and family in Patrick County, this relaxed weekend campout sits on the 130-acre picturesque Spirit Haven Farm. AJ Ghent, PGrass, and more will set the stage this year.

Martinsburg West Virginia

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE DAY FESTIVAL AT THIS CAN BE FOUND

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Car Show · Survivor Skills · Wine Tasting · Ghost Tours Motorcycles · Bridal Show · Secret Tunnels · AND MORE!

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MOUNTAIN SONG FESTIVAL

BREVARD, N.C. | SEPTEMBER 11-13

mountainsongfestival.com The Steep Canyon Rangers curate another weekend of spectacular bluegrass at the Brevard Music Center’s open-air auditorium. Lineup TBA.

126 E. Race St. Martinsburg, WV 25401 Call 1-800-4WVA-Fun (800-498-2386) or 304-264-8801, or visit www.TravelWV.com M AY 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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WATERMELON PARK FEST

BERRYVILLE, VA. | SEPTEMBER 24-27

watermelonparkfest.com This small Americana gathering in Berryville kicks up some serious dust alongside the scenic Shenandoah River. Lineup TBA.

OLDCROWMEDICINESHOW

TOPLAYBRO's20thANNIVERSARY

by JEDD FERRIS

YOU'RE INVITED! Get all the details over at

BlueRidgeOutdoors.com/MyBlueRidge

TOP OF THE HOPS

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. | SEPTEMBER TBD

topofthehopsbeerfest.com You get four hours to sample more than 150 craft beers from around the world at Top of the Hops, curated by local brewery Starr Hill and Charlottesville favorite Beer Run. SHAKORI HILLS GRASSROOTS FESTIVAL

SILK HOPE, N.C. | OCTOBER 8-11

shakorihillsgrassroots.org A bluegrass-Americana paradise set in the Triangle, biannual Shakori Hills brings a stellar line-up of roots acts together for a long weekend of family-friendly revelry. The fall roster is still TBD, but the spring fest featured The Wood Brothers, AJ Ghent, and Donna the Buffalo.

RICHMOND FOLK FESTIVAL

RICHMOND, VA. | OCTOBER 9-11

richmondfolkfestival.org Celebrate the rich roots of American culture through music, dance, storytelling, and food at this yearly Richmond staple born out of this city’s previous reign as the hosts of the National Folk Festival. Lineup and events TBA. RIVER ROCKS

CHATTANOOGA, TENN. | OCTOBER TBD

riverrockschattanooga.com Celebrating the best of Chattanooga, this 10-day fest features mountain biking, trail running, paddling races, hikes, and outdoor activities for novices and seasoned athletes alike. At night, enjoy great food and music by the river. •

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T

he members of Old Crow Medicine Show have had plenty to celebrate recently.

Back in February, the high-energy old-time revivalists picked up a second Grammy Award, winning Best Folk Album for last year’s dynamic effort Remedy, and less than two years ago the band became official members of the Grand Ole Opry. For the Nashville-based septet, these validating accomplishments have come after nearly two decades of hard work that initially included humble beginnings busking on street corners and touring relentlessly with a fiery brand of string band music. The group now regularly plays for crowds in the thousands and is getting set to tour amphitheaters with Willie Nelson this summer. The band will also help Blue Ridge Outdoors celebrate 20 years with a show at the nTelos Wireless Pavilion in Charlottesville, Va., on May 23.

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 5

Old Crow founder and energetic front man Ketch Secor grew up in Harrisonburg, Va., and traces his musical path back to his surroundings in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. As a teenager he wrote the band’s biggest hit, “Wagon Wheel,” by adding verses to a leftover Bob Dylan chorus. The wanderer’s anthem came out on Old Crow’s 2004 debut album O.C.M.S. and was later made a chart-topping country song by Darius Rucker. On Remedy, an effort that mixes scrappy foot-stompers with dusty ballads, Secor once again collaborated with Dylan, this time formally asked to finish one of the bard’s unfinished tunes. The result, “Sweet Amarillo” is a heartbreak song set to a cowboy waltz, but more importantly it’s another example of how a ragtag bunch of former street pickers continues to earn a place in the legacy of American roots music. Secor recently shared his

thoughts with BRO. How did the Blue Ridge region shape you as a musician?

K S : The Valley was a really musical place to be a kid. There’s a great musical tradition in the area with a lot of different forms of country music being made. We would go to old-time music jams in Churchville and bluegrass picking sessions at the volunteer fire department up in Mount Jackson. It’s one of the places in the South where a musical heritage really exists, and that musical heritage can be best exemplified by a fiddle or banjo. For me the Shenandoah Valley is the land of the fiddle tune.

In many ways Old Crow is experiencing a second act with recent line-up shifts and a confident batch of songs on the new album Remedy. How would you

describe the current state of Old Crow?

KS : For the past couple years we feel like we’ve had a real pennant-winning team. We’ve really grown. Remedy definitely feels like we made the record it took 15 years to make. We went through a lot of trials in order to make it. Having it be a Grammywinning record was really exciting and affirming. We’re proud of all of the work that we’ve done, but with this one in particular it felt like we stepped it up sonically, as songwriters, as performers. Everything went a little deeper.

Now that we’re members of the Opry this thing is bigger than it used to be, but we still play a wind-up toy of a show with the same basic idea of, “Hold on tight and let ‘er go boys.”

The Remedy song “Doc’s Day” is about the well-told story of Doc Watson being impressed by Old Crow busking on a street corner in Boone and inviting you to Merlefest.

Why was it time to tell that story in a song?

KS : It’s such an important part of the story of our band—such a pivotal event in the band’s life. It was our big break. Through the course of 17 years we’ve learned that one of the things that sets us apart from other bands is our story. We tell so many personal tales.

“Rock me mama like a wagon wheel”—that’s me in high school just me trying to get home. There’s always been that autobiographical element to the songwriting. The things I learned from ages 16 to 26—there’s a really wellspring of information that I can always revisit. We really went hillbilly at that time.

You penned the verses to “Wagon Wheel” when you were a teenager.

As your most popular song and one that your audience expects, how do feel about singing it these days?

KS : That song is like four aces. I’m not going to quit on it until it quits on me.

I love singing it. It’s amazing having a song that delights so many people. It’s an incredible gift.

How would you describe your songwriting now compared to back

then?

KS: There’s something that happens with early songs that you don’t ever get back to, because you can’t ever look at the world that way again. Frankly, you lose your innocence and can’t get back to that point of view. I know so much more now than I did when I was a teenager, and I’ve really learned a lot about song form, particularly how to utilize little pieces of traditional musical form from the folk canon. I’m not trying to be scholarly about it. The sounds recorded in the first 20 years of commercial record making are what really excite me.

“Sweet Amarillo” was a second chance to collaborate with Bob Dylan. What was the experience like the second time around?

KS: Dylan’s people sent me a fragment (of a song), and I pushed it around and put it into place. That was a really great experience. It’s exciting to look at the greater picture of what Bob did. He had a run of writing songs that really did change the perception of a whole lot of people. He’s like John Henry and now the train’s going through the tunnel but you don’t think twice about it. Somebody had to dig it.

Did you get any feedback on the final result of “Sweet Amarillo”?

KS: No. There’s no need to go asking trailblazers for commentary. You just let them roll on. What I got to share in the forms of these songs means so much. That’s all I can really hope for. I wasn’t looking for the handshake.

You’re a serious student of music. Do you feel the band has a place in the greater lineage?

KS: For a lot of folks out there, we do. But I’m not the type who gets sedentary or satisfied. I’m always working on something. It took so much momentum to get where we are, and now that we’re there, it hasn’t really stopped. In the past couple years all of our dreams have come true.

I’m not sure what’s on the horizon, because we’ve never dreamt about more than what we’ve got now. I don’t ever get tired of it. It’s just cool to have a rocking old-time string band that matters more now than when we started it.

20 ESSENTIAL

Blue Ridge

by GRAHAM AVERILL

I

t’s customary to celebrate a birthday with the equivalent number of spankings. You turn six, you get six spankings. I’m not sure where that ritual came from­— one theory is that the spankings were originally meant to cleanse the birthday boy/girl of a year’s worth of previous sins. But that’s an internet fact, so who knows.

BRO is turning 20 this year, and while I would like to go around to each and every one of our readers and deliver 20 spankings per, our lawyers tell me that there are some legal issues inherent with that plan. So, instead of spankings, I offer 20 birthday beers, which is probably a more fitting tribute considering our region has become a craft beer powerhouse in the last few years. Virginia alone now has more than

100 breweries. I think North Carolina stopped counting. There are so many breweries, crafting so many delicious beers; it would be great if you could drink them all. Not healthy, but great.

So start with these 20 essential beers of the Blue Ridge (and beyond). And remember to pace yourself.

GAELIC ALE HIGHLAND BREWING COMPANY

Asheville, N.C. If you’re looking for a true classic from the Blue Ridge, look no further than Highland’s Gaelic Ale, an easy drinking amber that is more balanced than a yogi on a slackline. This could be the South’s greatest gateway beer—the one that lures people over to the dark side of craft beer. Side note: Highland turned 20 in 2014! highlandbrewing.com

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TEN FIDY IMPERIAL STOUT OSKAR BLUES

Brevard, N.C. The whole world owes Oskar Blues a debt of gratitude for ushering in the can revolution with Dale’s Pale Ale—a fine beer even without that aluminum legacy. But it’s their Ten Fidy that gets us excited. This roasty, chocolaty stout comes in at a whopping 10.5 percent (thus, the name), and offers an intense rush of both malty sweetness and hop complexity (the stout registers at 98 IBUs). It is a true BBB (burly, beautiful beer). oskarblues.com VIENNA LAGER DEVILS BACKBONE BREWING COMPANY

Nellysford, Va. Devils Backbone pulled down serious hardware at the most recent Great American Beer Festival (Mid-Size Brewing Company of the Year!). Their flagship, Vienna Lager, which has plenty of medals of its own, is the ultimate craft lager—mellow, crisp with a hint of sweetness and a clean finish. Add the low ABV (4.9 percent) and you’ve got the ultimate post-adventure beer. dbbrewingcompany.com LONG LEAF IPA APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN BREWERY

Boone, N.C. Not long ago, the High Country was short on quality craft beer. Then Appalachian Mountain Brewery opened its doors. And it was good. Long Leaf hits you harder with the sweet side than the bitter, thanks to the aggressively citrus nature of the hop profile. Plus, the tallboy cans have the official state toast of North Carolina. Respect. appalachianmountainbrewery.com FULL NELSON BLUE MOUNTAIN BREWERY

Afton, Va. I first had this beer at Trail Days in Damascus when it was homebrewed by a friend of BRO. Now, it’s simply one of the best pale ales you’ll find in a can.

Anywhere. It’s creamy, spicy in a hopcentric sort of way with a dry and bitter finish. Blue Mountain built their house around this beer. And it’s a damn sturdy house. bluemountainbrewery.com LITTLE RED ROOSTARR

it’s slightly sweet with added hits of chocolate and caramel, but it’s balanced out by that coffee acidity and bitterness.

My only criticism of this beer, is that it’s on a limited release schedule as part of Starr Hill’s All Access series. So you’ll probably have to wait until next winter to give it a go. starrhill.com HOP, DROP ‘N ROLL NODA BREWING

Charlotte, N.C. Holy hop bomb, Batman. This IPA from Charlotte-based NoDa is hopped to the be-Jesus throughout the entire brewing process. The result is a beer that punches hard and fast with sweet and tangy citrus. It’s no surprise, then, that Hop Drop ‘n Roll took gold at the World Beer Cup for best IPA last year. We’re super psyched these babies can be found in cans now. nodabrewing.com

RECREATIONALE

CHOCOLATIZED

SWEET BABY JESUS

PISGAH BREWING

DUCLAW BREWERY

Swannanoa, N.C. Gold, baby, gold! That’s what Pisgah Brewing won with this chocolate stout at the most recent Great American Beer Festival. This is a big beer—a Russian Imperial Stout that’s aged on raw cocoa nibs from local chocolatier, French Broad Chocolate Factory. Bring a friend—Chocolatized measures in at over 11 percent ABV, and is best shared. pisgahbrewing.com

Baltimore, Md. Chocolate. Peanut butter. Need we say more? Sure, things could go terribly wrong when additives like chocolate and peanut butter are thrown into the brewing process, but DuClaw shows amazing restraint with this beer (aside from the name, of course). duclaw.com

420 SWEETWATER BREWING

Atlanta, Ga. 420 has been around since the late ‘90s, so it’s easy to overlook when you’re standing in a beer store packed with sexy new limited release beers brewed with real monk’s tears. But 420 helped pave the way for craft beer in the South. sweetwaterbrew.com

TERRAPIN BEER COMPANY

Athens, Ga. It was a little surprising when they released this straightforward session ale. And by straightforward, I mean “kick ass.” It’s surprisingly citrusy for a session ale, with just enough malt to keep it all together. Plus, there’s a turtle hiking through the mountains on the can. terrapinbeer.com

GOSE WESTBROOK BREWING

Charleston, S.C. This is easily the weirdest beer on this list. Gose is a traditional German style of sour beer that also uses salt and coriander. It’s tart as hell, but also salty and incredibly complex. It’s also refreshing and way sessionable at 4 percent ABV. Call it a hipster beach beer. westbrookbrewing.com GENESIS BLONDE SOUR WICKED WEED BREWING COMPANY

THE CITIZEN DC BRAU

Washington D.C. This Belgian pale ale hits most of the style high notes—a little bit fruity, a little bit grassy with a bit of tartness, and a spiciness from the hops—all of which is mellowed by a pleasant malty sweetness. If you’re looking to venture into the world of Belgians, look no further. dcbrau.com

Asheville, N.C. Wicked Weed has become the king of sour beers in the South, even opening a facility dedicated to sour and barrel aged beers. Genesis is fruity as hell, with all kinds of citrus notes and a wickedly good tartness coming from the wine barrels that the beer spends eight months aging in. wickedweedbrewing.com PUMPKIN ALE

spices and brown sugar. It also registers at a burly 7.4 percent. That’s my kind of pumpkin pie. alewerks.com HOP BEARD MOUNTAIN MAN IPA FONTA FLORA

Morganton, N.C. These brewers take a local-first approach to brewing, using local farmers and even scavenging the surrounding mountains for ingredients whenever possible. The only bummer? They’re not canning or bottling and their distribution footprint is small. Road trip. fontaflora.com TROPICALIA CREATURE COMFORTS

Athens, Ga. Creature Comforts is a relatively new brewery operating out of the world’s greatest college town, but they’ve already made waves with their huge IPA, Tropicalia. It’s juicy, fruity, and not nearly as bitter as you might expect a bold IPA to be. Consider this the softer side of IPA’s: more juice, less pucker. creaturecomfortsbeer.com NO VETO THREE NOTCH’D BREWING

Charlottesville, Va. It’s all about the malty sweetness with tons of caramel and toffee notes, but in a surprisingly drinkable package.

That’s the beauty of the English Brown Ale style—sweet, but quaffable. threenotchdbrewing.com WASHOUT WHEAT HOLY CITY BREWING

Charleston, S.C. Washout is a hefeweizen that’s bright and zesty without the use of the traditional adjuncts of orange peel and coriander. Instead, you get a mouthful of creamy, wheaty goodness. It’s named after the best surf break in South Carolina. holycitybrewing.com BONUS BEER: BLONDE HUNNY ALE WILD WOLF BREWING

Nellysford, Va. As the name suggests, this unfiltered wheat beer is a light, easy drinking ale loaded with honey sweetness and just a knife’s edge worth of spice on the backend. It’s a great summer beer, even if it does come at you strong with 6.8 percent ABV. wildwolfbeer.com

ALEWERKS BREWING COMPANY

STARR HILL

THE GREAT RETURN

Crozet, Va. This is a milk stout that uses locally roasted coffee from Red Rooster Coffee Roasters in Floyd. Like all milk stouts,

HARDYWOOD PARK

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bomb and provides a massive dose of grapefruit, which comes off as being both bitter and sweet. The best aspect of this beer, though, is its freshness.

Hardywood releases a new batch of cans every three weeks so you can get the most out of the fresh hops used in the brewing process. Maybe even better, a portion of the proceeds go to the James River Association. hardywood.com

Richmond, Va. The Great Return follows the West Coast IPA tradition of being a citrus

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 5

Williamsburg, Va. If you want to taste AleWerks at its finest, wait for fall and grab their seasonal Pumpkin Ale. This is an unabashedly pumpkin beer, full of pie

BEER RUN

Join the Race to the Taps, a sixpack of four-mile runs that begin and end at Asheville breweries this summer: racetothetaps.com

Blue Ridge Mountains Southwest Virginia

Pure bliss. Every step of the way.

Turn your vacation into a journey at Virginia.org/Outdoors

GIV EAWAY!

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BUCK NELSON SOLO HIKES THE 2,223-MILE DESERT TRAIL FROM MEXICO TO CANADA, BECOMING THE ROUTE’S FIRST THRU-HIKER.

THE PEAKS AND VALLEYS OF LONG-DISTANCE ADVENTURE HIKER BUCK NELSON

by ERIC J. WALLACE

W

ere there a lifetime achievement award in the category of DIY Outdoor Superstar, Bruce “Buck” Nelson would invariably top the list of recipients. He explored the Alaskan frontier during his seven-year tenure as a Coast Guard parajumper and a smokejumper.

Then Nelson decided to get back to the land, constructing himself a 16 x 20’ cabin just outside of Fairbanks (“With all the regular amenities, minus running water.”). Whenever Nelson wasn’t parachuting from DC-3s and battling wildfires, he was off exploring the great Alaskan wilds. Nelson exhibited a penchant for the dramatic: Like some kind of mutant thrill-junky, he systematically sought out and proceeded to tackle the biggest, most notorious high-mileage solo excursions known to man.

After thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail in 2001, he canoed solo down 2,300 miles of Mississippi River from headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico.

Then in 2006, hoofed, paddled, hunted, and fished his way across 1,000 miles of Alaska’s Brooks Range, abiding by the rather hardcore imperative of “live by the land or perish.” His trek was featured in “Alone Across Alaska”, a documentary described by Backpacker Magazine as “Oscar-worthy for indie outdoor films.”

Nelson has also conquered the 3,100-mile Continental Divide Trail, the 2,650-mile Pacific Crest Trail, and in 2012, he became the first thru-hiker of the 2,223-mile Desert Trail from Mexico to Canada.

Most recently, Nelson paddled 557 miles from the source of the Yellowstone River to its convergence with the Missouri, and he spent 70 days in Alaska’s Admiralty Island’s Kootznoowoo Wilderness area, living exclusively off the land.

Interspersed throughout these wanderings were a slew of international adventures, including summits of Aconcagua and Kilimanjaro.

What exactly drives Nelson to pursue these big-mileage solo expeditions? BRO caught up with Nelson on a rare moment off-trail to find out.

What has been your most exalted moment on the trail?

B N : It would be hard to beat a wildlife encounter I had during the river portion of my Alaska traverse. I was drifting down a remote river and spotted a black wolf. Nearby was a caribou. When the wolf first rushed the caribou, the caribou reared up on its hind legs and fled in terror. With the wolf catching up, the caribou leapt into the river and swam for its life, passing just a few feet from my inflatable canoe. Its eyes were huge. I floated right past the black

photo by BUCK NELSON / BUCKTRACK.COM M AY 2 015 / B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S . C O M

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wolf, which was still staring at the caribou.

They were both so focused—one on escape and the other on its meal—they barely noticed me. That was intense.

What about your most life-threatening and/or terrifying experience you’ve yet to encounter?

BN: On the Pacific Crest Trail I hiked several hundred miles with another hiker whose hiking style matched mine. We came to a creek roaring with icy snowmelt. The ‘official’ crossing was marginal, with a fifteen-foot section of falls a stone’s throw below it. Not a good deal. We went upstream in to a better spot. Still marginal looking, but a bit easier and farther from the falls. I wanted to take some time, to double-bag gear in case we fell in, maybe scout a bit more. She wanted to get it over with. She waded in, looking very wobbly as the water deepened, but kept going. She fell in the middle and was swept away. I ran downstream, hoping to be able to grab her when she came by. As I got to the main crossing I thought, “If I don’t see her here, she’s dead.” When I got there, I couldn’t see her. I stood looking up and downstream.

Nothing. I’m sure my face went white. I was yelling for her. Thankfully, I heard her answer—she’d made it to some brush just upstream. She and her gear were completely soaked. She was a trooper. No whining. But it was mighty scary for us both.

What’s the most number of days you’ve gone in the wilderness without crossing paths with another human being?

BN: I have gone for weeks without seeing people in Alaska. I’m unusual in that being alone for weeks doesn’t bother me at all.

Doing trips solo is a big advantage for me. Pacing and goals are usually different between partners. Team hiking always involves compromises that sometimes lead to friction. Hiking with other people can be a positive, but it can also be a negative. In the river crossing story I related, my partner wouldn’t have tried to cross on her own, but she didn’t want to hold us back and she almost paid dearly.

Were you ever surprised by a human encounter?

BN: On my Alaska traverse I went weeks without seeing another soul. One day I was hiking along a beautiful mountain valley and saw a reflection up ahead. I thought, “What could that possibly be?” Then I saw a few dots and another reflection. “The sun reflecting off caribou antlers,” I figured. Seemed too early in the year for shiny antlers though. Finally I figured out what it was. The dots were people and the reflection was a Frisbee. When I got there it was a group of about fourteen young ladies! Half had flown out to a lake and were 68

B L U E R I D G E O U T D O O R S / M AY 2 01 5

walking back to the village, the other half started at the village and were walking to the lake. They had just met at the halfway point.

I have to admit, it was fun seeing their faces when they I told them that I was in the middle of a 1,000-mile trek.

What was your most coveted trek?

B N: My Alaska traverse across the Brooks Range was an incredible adventure. This was before Google Earth. When I tried to ask people if certain passes were doable, the standard answer was “I don’t know.” It was real exploring. I didn’t know what I’d find, what I’d see, if there was even enough time before winter for me to complete the trip. At times there was no indication that humans had ever existed. There was only wilderness in every direction. I had many close encounters with grizzlies, moose, Dall sheep, musk ox, and caribou. I had a pack of wolves howling outside my tent. I came upon wolf puppies, found an old plane wreck, and discovered ancient artifacts.

What was your most challenging excursion?

B N: The Desert Trail, Mexico to Canada, was very tough, especially logistically. No one had thru-hiked the Desert Trail before. I had to figure out how I’d resupply and get water. It took over two weeks just to lay it all out and pick up water and food caches. The toughest part was making sure my caches would be intact when I got to each point along the trail.

What do you get from these wilderness steeped, solitary quests?

B N: For some people the answer would be that these experiences aren’t important, but pointless and narcissistic. For me, I’ll answer that question with two quotes: “All America lies at the end of the wilderness road, and our past is not a dead past, but still lives in us. Our forefathers had civilization inside themselves, the wild outside. We live in the civilization they created, but within us the wilderness still lingers. What they dreamed, we live, and what they lived, we dream.”

—T.K. Whipple

“What we’re really seeking… is an experience where we can feel the rapture of being alive.”

—Joseph Campbell BUCK’S WORLD

Peruse upcoming plans, travel journals and photos, exclusive gear reviews, or get yourself a copy of his scintillating documentary Alone Across Alaska: 1,000 Miles of Wilderness at bucktrack.com

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JOY RIDE CAN AN OUTDOOR ADVENTURER KILL HIS COMPETITIVE INSTINCT AND JUST GAPE?

by DEVON O’NEIL

N

o matter how good you get at something, it’s important to remember when you sucked at it.

Both for your sake and others’.

As a mountain biker, my period of sucking is boiled down to one very vivid memory. It was June 2004. I had just bought my first pair of clip-in pedals, and I went for a ride to test them out. The switchbacking trail behind my home gained 200 vertical feet before you could catch your breath. I was almost at the top when I came up short on a rock, couldn’t complete the pedal stroke and my bike stopped. I tried to unclip with both feet but failed, all the while sloooooowly teetering over like a Jenga tower.

Splat!

I hit the ground and immediately felt an uncomfortable warm sensation on my right wrist. I looked down and saw the dog poop at precisely the moment its odor filled my mouth and nose, which, as

I lay on the ground, hovered about four inches from the still-steaming pile. I gagged. Somehow the vomit stayed down.

I picked myself up, used a pine branch to clean my arm, turned my bike around and rode home, humiliated. I glanced around on my way down the hill to gauge whether anyone saw. As far as I could tell, no one did.

After briefly considering whether to find something else to do with my time, I stuck with mountain biking and grew to love it. Now I ride five days a week all summer and fall. I write about the sport and its colorful characters for magazines. Some of my favorite adventures involve pedaling a full-suspension rig on a remote trail, hungry, thirsty, beat up from crashing, kind of screwed in the mind, wondering how and where the day will end.

And inevitably on days like that, I come across at least one tourist, sometimes more, who looks like he

just got off the bus from Amarillo and has a hundred questions but is too proud to ask them. This, in mountain-town-local parlance, is a “gaper.” (Perhaps you have seen the bumper sticker that reminds fellow locals to “Love thy gaper”?)

I have never liked that term. It sounds negative to me. Plus, I have been the guy in the foreign place, gaping, literally, at the new and interesting sights, probably while driving like a grandmother. I don’t mind being a gaper, but I don’t think I should be chastised for it either. That’s why I have a problem with the term as it’s used in resort towns, no matter how well the stereotype fits a certain percentage.

The problem is that as human beings we’re wired to impose our will wherever we can. It’s instinctive, on some level, to claim superiority, and the outdoors is not immune, which is really too bad. Nature deserves better.

I refer to this as the outdoors relativity complex,

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and it goes beyond just calling tourists gapers. In fact, it exists in strikingly parallel form in towns across the country and throughout the world, bridging languages and cultures, sports and stereotypes.

The relativity stems from the way we get so concerned with where we stack up in nature that our competitiveness—trying to outdo the next guy—drains the experience of its actual benefit. I’m 35, so maybe it doesn’t sound so curmudgeonly when I say it baffles me to see a runner or biker going so fast down a trail that not only does he not have time to say hello to someone going up, but neither to yield.

The line between instinct and intent gets blurry, but it’s easy to take oneself too seriously. It happens to all of us, myself included. The ego is built into the brain. It gets hungry. So we feed it. But in doing so, we drift from the beauty of coexistence and develop a less compassionate grasp of what being outside is all about.

This tendency exists in the rest of life too. For as long as I’ve understood socioeconomic class structure, I have wanted to end up stranded on an island with Donald Trump, armed with more survival know-how than he, and observe him gradually come to terms with how helpless such a rich man can be sans credit card and communication. Wouldn’t you pay to watch that?

Overzealous outdoorsmen often fit familiar molds: the über-competitive guy or girl who can’t just go for a casual run or ride, no matter what they say at the trailhead. The climber who chides someone who’s still dialing in his rope work. The skier who heckles beginners from the chairlift.

Funny, isn’t it, how we focus on whom we’re better than, instead of who’s better than us? Why else do so many average athletes enter races if not to see how many people they can beat? The psychologists at Strava know this. If you only cared how fast you could do something, stopwatches would still be in vogue and king of the mountain would still be a game kids played on snowbanks in the schoolyard.

What those who draw their entire self-worth from their place on a results sheet miss is that there is only one person on earth who’s the best at something, and only one who’s the worst at something. Everyone else falls in between—each of us is faster than some, slower than others. Yes, you may rank substantially higher on that list than your fellow local trail users, but it can help to remember there are plenty of people elsewhere who would crush you. As one of my ski chums says when he hears people brag about their conquests, “Don’t be too proud. Somebody probably did it decades ago in leather boots and on skinny skis.”

The outdoors relativity complex doesn’t consume everyone, of course. Plenty of men and women exhibit a genuinely humble attitude, including elites who win races. But for those who do get consumed, the complex can drive everything they do, sapping the fun and beauty.

It is also related, indirectly, to the “how long have you lived here” status symbol—a misguided favorite in resort towns, whose communities are built around residents’ shared interests, not tenure. Plus, longevity is relative. How do you think the elk feel when they

hear some 25-year-old get all puffy because he’s been here six years and someone who’s only been here four is trying to tell him about the trail network?

Stifling pride, as it were, takes conscious effort and doesn’t feel as good. The ego wants.

Let it want.

Sometimes we need to simmer down, gape at our surroundings like tourists, and remember that we’re in the greatest place there is: outside.

photo by LIAM DORAN

Devon O’Neil writes for ESPN, Skiing, and Outside Magazine. Before becoming a journalist, O’Neil worked as a counterterrorism analyst in D.C.

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THE EVOLUTION OF THE A.T. THRU-HIKE

HOW AMERICA’S FAVORITE FOOTPATH HAS CHANGED OVER THE YEARS

by JESS DADDIO

W

hen Earl Shaffer took his first steps along the Appalachian Trail, he wasn’t carrying a featherweight pack and a high-tech cooking stove.

Heck, he wasn’t carrying a stove at all, or a sleeping mat, or even a tent for that matter. He had no cell phone, no moisture-wicking clothes, no knowledge of what lay ahead except that there were 2,000-some miles of it through 14 different states.

The year was 1948, and although it seems by today’s standards that Shaffer had a lot working against him, “Crazy One” successfully hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in 124 days. He was the first to ever do so.

photo by C.G.P. GREY

In the nearly seven decades since Shaffer’s walk, more than 15,000 “2,000-Milers” have followed in his footsteps. But in those same seven decades, the hiking world, especially as it pertains to the A.T., has changed dramatically.

Seventeen-time A.T. thru-hiker Warren Doyle and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy’s (ATC) Southern Regional Director, Morgan Sommerville, have both maintained lifelong relationships with the A.T. They know what it’s like to stand on that precipice of change, shouldering external frame backpacks and gazing on as new generations of thru-hikers storm the trail with their smartphones and Gore-Tex. They’re not bitter about it. They’re actually two of the A.T.’s most loyal devotees—Doyle leads group thru-hikes through the Appalachian Trail Institute (which averages a 75-80% success rate for aspiring hikers) and Sommerville has spent over two decades helping to preserve and promote the trail in his work with the ATC. With the help of these two trail advocates, we narrowed down the top 10 changes the trail has seen since the dawn of hiker trash.

WHITE BLAZE: THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL’S SIGNATURE STREAK MARKS TREES FORM MAINE TO GEORGIA.

#10 TRAIL ROUTE Though the trail has grown over 100 miles in length since Shaffer’s hike, “it was harder on the knees” back then, according to Doyle. The trail, built in haste, took hikers straight up mountainsides instead of zigzagging through switchbacks as is the norm today. #9 RESUPPLY FREQUENCY As the A.T. and its community of thru-hikers developed, so too did the towns through which it ran. Well-stocked grocery stores replaced tired little convenience shops, and restaurants began catering to the yearly influx of dirty, hungry hikers.

“When I hiked in the ‘70s, we had long hikes in between resupplies, at least a week if not 10 days,” says Sommerville. “Now you can resupply every three or four days.”

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#8 GIRL POWER Female hikers of today certainly have big shoes to fill, what with Grandma Gatewood (who became the first woman to hike the trail solo in 1955 at the age of 67) setting the bar high in her Keds sneakers. Women now achieve at least a quarter of annual hiker completions. #7 INTERNATIONAL FLAIR Guatemala, India, Norway, Russia, South Korea, Wales, Australia, Canada, Germany. These are just a few of the countries that have recently been represented in the 2,000-miler community. #6 INTENT TO HIKE “It’s a thing to do,” says Doyle. “Back when I first started hiking, younger people were fueled by John Denver.

We read John Muir, Edward Abbey, John Marshall. It was a much more literate population, and more spiritual.

There are more hikers now that are into ‘things’ rather than ‘thoughts.’”

#5 WIFI ON MOUNTAINTOPS Whether you agree with Doyle’s comment above or not, it’s impossible to deny the increased presence of cell phones and Kindles on the trail. But even if you can tweet from Springer, Doyle doesn’t think you should.

“Social media can tempt you, but it hasn’t diluted the wilderness experience.

No one’s telling you to bring those technological devices.” #4 GIARDIA “It used to be called diarrhea,” Doyle says. “I don’t treat my water and I never will — it would be an insult to my body and a crime against Nature.”

Nowadays, Doyle’s in the minority, as nearly every hiker uses some form of treatment method, be it Iodine tablets or portable filtration devices. #3 TRAIL ADVOCACY The longstanding success of the A.T. didn’t come without a lot of blood, sweat, and chainsaws. Over 6,000 volunteers and 30 trail clubs help to maintain the A.T., and ATC-backed initiatives like Trail To Every Classroom and the Appalachian Trail Community program help foster a passion to preserve and promote the trail.

#2 ACCESS TO BETA WhiteBlaze.Net, AppalachianTrials. com, Trail Journals, and Awol’s The A.T. Guide are just a few of the resources available to modern day thruhikers that simply didn’t exist when Doyle and Sommerville hiked in the ‘70s.

“There weren’t any hiker services or hostels or anything like that because there just weren’t enough hikers to warrant them,” Doyle adds. #1 OVERCROWDING By 1970, only 69 completed thru-hikes had been recorded by the ATC. By the year 2000, more successful thru-hikes had been verified that year alone than in the previous 40 years combined. Now, it is estimated that upwards of 800 people will hike all 2,180 miles of the trail by the end of 2015.

While this growing number of annual thru-hikers is an exciting indicator that more people are getting outside, the increase in traffic also begets increased wear and tear on the A.T.—overcrowded shelters, trampled vegetation, trail litter. With the upcoming release of the film A Walk in the Woods, the ATC is being forced to reevaluate the trail’s future. Flip-flop

hikes (which start from Harpers Ferry) and voluntary campsite registration are just two of the many ideas the ATC has conceived for mitigating impacts along the white blaze.

“It will be good for the trail and its environment but will also not restrict the traditional spontaneity that A.T. thru-hikers want to experience,” Sommerville says.

Unfortunately, as Sommerville knows, many potential hikers are seeking that traditional northbound walk. There’s no denying it, Sommerville admits: “It’ll be a tough road ahead.”

As for Doyle, who intends to thru-hike in 2017 and again in 2020 (at the ripe age of 70 years old), he’s not concerned about this issue of “overcrowding.”

“For me, I’d rather have people out there than crowded in shopping malls.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

How do you think the A.T. has changed over the years? Join the conversation at BlueRidgeOutdoors.com

PHOTO / DAN HOLZ

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THE GOODS

LEKI CORKLIGHT ANTISHOCK TREKKING POLES I started with no poles. After the third day feeling like someone was stabbing me in the knees, I decided to use poles. The Corklight has a failsafe locking mechanism, and the cork handles are really durable. $159; leki.com

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BIG AGNES BELLYACHE BAG No matter what you throw at this bag— snow, rain, dirt—it’s really durable and lasts long after you reach Katahdin. The mummy shape keeps you warm and the DownTek water repellent down actually works. Starting at $299.95; bigagnes.com JETBOIL FLASH A lot of hikers start out with different stoves on the A.T., but most of them end up using a JetBoil by the time they hit the halfway mark. They just work. $99; jetboil.com

BATTLE TESTED

INSIDE THE PACK OF WARRIOR HIKER SEAN GOBIN

by GRAHAM AVERILL SEAN GOBIN WAS ON HIS THIRD TOUR in Afghanistan when he started planning his thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. The plan was to hike the A.T. between completing his active duty service in the Marine Corps and his enrollment in graduate school at the University of Colorado, and use the hike as a fundraiser for wounded veterans in need of adaptive vehicles.

“But the hike became so much more than that,” Gobin says. “It was a really transformational experience for me personally, and I decided right away that I wanted to help other veterans experience the same thing.”

After completing his thru-hike in 2012, Gobin founded Warrior Hike, a non-profit that sponsors military vets back from active duty who want to tackle a long trail. Gobin sets them up with gear, money and support in hopes they’ll have the same positive experience that he had on the A.T. “Active duty soldiers are either training for deployment or on deployment. We never have time to decompress or process the experiences we have,” Gobin says. “All this trauma makes its way to the surface when we come back home, which is why you see an epidemic of PTSD. Hiking eight hours a day gives your brain time and space to process 78

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all of your experiences. That active thinking and processing helps come to terms with any trauma you faced.”

Gobin and Warrior Hike helped 14 veterans hike the A.T. in 2013, and expanded the program last year to include the Continental Divide Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail. This year, Warrior Hike will support 30 vets hiking six different long trails across the U.S. Veterans are able to develop strong bonds with other soldiers during the course of the thru-hike, while also slowly re-socializing back into “normal society,” says Gobin.

“Some of these veterans saw the worst of people overseas. To have this exposure to all these wonderful, helpful people who support thru-hikers rekindles a basic respect for humanity.”

During Gobin’s hike with each soldier, he teaches them the lessons he learned the hard way on his own thru-hike.

“I had no experience in long distance hikes, other than forced marches,” Gobin says. “I started the A.T. with a 47 pound pack, which I thought was ultralight and took off like a bat out of hell. I forced marched myself for three days, then couldn’t get out of the tent.”

Here are five of Gobin’s favorite pieces of gear, in his own words.

AHNU MORAGA MESH These shoes have really rugged lugged soles, but with a sneaker-like upper, they fit like a glove. There’s zero break-in time. They’re good to go right out of the box. $120; ahnu.com GRANITE GEAR NIMBUS TRACE ACCESS 70 It’s the perfect balance between lightweight and comfort. As you go down the spectrum of weight, most packs lose their sense of comfort and durability. Granite Gear finds the sweet spot. The pack can hold up to 40 pounds and still be comfortable and last the entire hike. $349.95; granitegear.com

Charlotte’s got a lot for outdoor adventure. charlottesgotalot.com • 800.231.4636