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Sun, Jul 10 2011 - The AOC-Mazing Adventure: 5 Highest Peaks, 5 States, 1 Day! (View Original Event Details)

Trip Leader(s): Charlie Cottingham, Scott, Laura
Participants:Charlie Cottingham, Scott, Laura, Sam L, Chris H, Sri, Adi, brenda, Emily R, Carol, Sharon Alaimo, Angie Rowe, David Leader, Brigitte, Jim, Lauren E, Jean, Toni Randall, Mike, Vaibhav Joshi, Joanna


Click for Album
Write Up:


July 10 E-Note to Atlanta Journal-Constitution and our 21 "AOC-Mazing Adventurers:"

Just thought I'd spread the word about how proud I am of our achievement today.  It offers proof of what the spirit of friendly cooperation can do.

For some great photos and even a YouTube video of CNN's coverage of our adventure click on this link for to Scott & Laura Erich's SmugMug album:

http://www.jauntsaroundtheworld.com/Atlanta-Outdoor-Club/2011-07-10-The-AOC-Mazing/

For Adi Sharma's nice Picasa photo album of the trip click on:
https://picasaweb.google.com/adityasharmas/5HighestPeaks5States?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCOP3jeXqqaT6oAE&feat=directlink

CARPOOLING/HIKING TEAMS for our "AOC-MAZING 21 ADVENTURERS:"
1. Laura Erich (driver) + Scott Erich, Charlie Cottingham & Sri Kommeneni.
2. Samantha Loucks (driver) + Chris Hill, Jim Witkowski & Brenda Zurita
3. Sharon Alaimo (driver) + Brigitte Fessele, Adi Sharma & Lauren Elsberry
4. Toni Palmer (driver) + Joanna Regan, Emily Robinson, Carol Parr, & Jean Frost. 
5. Mike Fisher (driver) + f+ David Leader, Angie Rowe & Vaibhav Joshi

Our five teams worked so well together to safely accomplish our goal of ascending all five of the highest peaks in five different states - all between sunrise and sunset!  And we had so much fun together while doing it!   I look forward to your sharing the many wonderful videos and photos you shot of us today atop the five summits and en route up and down them.
  Thanks especially to my wonderful co-leaders Scott & Laura Erich for their incredible help in making sure that today went according to plan!  When my own Team #1 Civic broke down 50 miles up I-85 from Atlanta, Scott & Laura saved the day with a AAA tow back to Atlanta and helped arrange rides for me and Vaibhav (with Sharon and Mike and their teams respectively) while they rode with the tow truck driver back to Atlanta and substituted their Taurus as our vehicle for the rest of the trip!

Cheers to all!
Charlie

p.s. Thanks also to our President Lisa Maldonado and Director of Events Tony Ciccarello who supported us so enthusiastically in this unusual event:


In a message dated 7/9/2011 11:33:25 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, Cott4treks@aol.com writes:

TO: ATLANTA JOURNAL/CONSTITUTION TRAVEL EDITOR
We thought you might be interested in reporting this very special trip planned by local Atlanta men and women who love outdoor challenges.   Tomorrow, Sunday July 10, 2011 a group of 21 adult adventurers from the Atlanta Outdoor Club (AOC) will attempt to hike to the summits of the five highest mountains in five different U. S. states. At sunrise tomorrow morning we plan to begin our "AOC-Mazing Adventure" by reaching the summmit of Sassafras Mountain, SC; then by sunset also summit Mt. Mitchell, NC; Clingsman's Dome, TN; Brasstown Bald, GA; and Cheaha Mountain, AL.   We intend to obey all traffic laws while carpooling in our own private motor vehicles between the mountains' trailheads and plan to take advantage of the fact that there is a convenient parking lot and trailhead near each beautiful summit. We are doing this to experience in a single day the gorgeous vistas from the tops of these mountains and to expand the scope of adventures offered by our wonderful nonprofit club. Our proposed "AOC-Mazing Adventure" is written up on our our website at the following link: http://www.atlantaoutdoorclub.com/events/details.asp?eventid=3428  

Since we have been able to find no record of any other person or group accomplishing such a feat we have formally applied to GuinnessWorldRecords.com to have it recorded officially as a world record, assuming that we succeed.  We intend to take group photos and videos atop each summit tomorrow as a record of our quest.  On Monday I'll email you again to let you know how we did!  We are also arranging coverage of the event by TV stations in GA, SC, NC, TN and AL.

-Charlie Cottingham
AOC Volunteer Training Coordinator
and Co-Organizer/Leader of this event 
Home/Office Phone: 404-321-3230