Blue Ridge Party Hearty
Every year for the last twenty or so, hordes of granola-chomping backpacker types (and those wearing absurd funny glasses) descend on the town of Damascus, Virginia for a week of frolic in the wild. The town's population jumps from 10000 to over 20,000 and live bands, gear extravaganzas, cookouts and funnel cake sales-people clog the streets.
Appalachian Trail Days is the name of the event and it has become one of the largest annual backpacker fetes around. This years fest goes from May 12-20 and offers the opportunity to hang out with outdoorsy folks, to pitch your tent and start a fire or two (OK, I don't know that for sure...there may be a strict no fire rule). No matter, this sounds like a heap of fun. I am heading to Norway myself about that time, but if I can talk my wife into going for just a weekend, we might check it out.
Filed under: Hiking, Business, Festivals and Events, North America, United States, Camping
Are frequent flyer programs dying?
Plane Answers: A rant in favor of cell phones on airplanes
Big in Africa: How to track gorillas in the wild
How Long Can Thailand be "Amazing"?
Talking travel with Bizarre Foods host Andrew Zimmern
_thumbnail.jpg "Soulard Mardi Gras: St. Louis, Missouri")
