Free Sun 2PM Clinic at REI: Hiking & Backpacking the Benton Mackaye Trail

OVERVIEW:  Many Atlanta outdoor buffs may be unaware that our four Metro Atlanta REI stores offer a wide variety of FREE tutorial clinics on topics ranging from basic backpacking, camping & hiking skills and destinations to bicycling, paddling, climbing, skiing, etc.  Each clinic is presented by an invited guest speaker or REI employee specialist who is considered to be an expert in the featured topic.

In the interest of adding to our AOC members' knowledge of how to enjoy HIKING and BACKPACKING the BENTON MACKAYE TRAIL I have obtained ten confirmed reservations for an AOC "subgroup" (myself and up to nine other AOC members & guests) to attend this indoor REI clinic on Sunday afternoon, Mar 28 at the REI Atlanta store.  We'll first gather at 1:45 PM just inside the store entrance where we'll introduce one another and sign my group AOC waiver form.  Then at 2:00 PM we'll join the featured speaker and other clinic attendees in the "presentation room"—usually the large storage room on your right after you enter the store.

Here is the recent REI promo material for this clinic:

"THE BENTON MACKAYE TRAIL ("BMT") was described in a New York Times feature as "Appalachia's Other Trail."  It is 288 miles long, starting at Springer Mountain, Georgia and ending at Davenport Gap on the northeastern end of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It crosses some of the most remote backcountry and wilderness areas in Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina. Join BMT volunteer, Bob Ruby, for this presentation which will include a "virtual tour" of the BMT and will describe options for hiking the trail, including day-hikes, section-hikes and thru-hikes."  (The trail was named for Benton Mackaye (1879-1975) the conservationist and co-founder of the Wilderness Society who spearheaded the concept and construction of the Appalachian Trail in the 1920s and 30s.)

TO MAKE PERSONAL RESERVATIONS at FUTURE FREE REI CLINICS:  You can check clinic availability and reserve your spot(s) as follows:
1) Go to REI.com
2) Click on "Store Locator" in the upper right corner of the home page and choose your Store of interest from the pop-up menus that appear.
3) Click on the free Clinic of interest,
4) Fill in the online Reservation form and submit (may require your REI member number—costs $20 for a lifetime membership).
5) If you fail to make a formal reservation, walk-ins at these clinics are also usually acceptable on a space-available or standing-room-only basis.