Take a Hike with Bent Tree
When: Late July 2023-Early November 2023
What: 20ish Teams of 3-4 or more Bent Tree and future Bent Tree participants banding together to hike 20 different 100ish mile sections of the Appalachian Trail that would equal a corporate thru hike. Each team member would be encouraged to take photos and short videos with their phones and every day email them to us to be uploaded to a special Take a Hike section of the website, with a dedicated YouTube channel, so that donors and friends would get real time updates on their progress. Each team would be led by 2 team leaders who would be responsible for mapping out where they are going each day, making sure guys are okay etc. and leading a devotional we would make based on the Psalms of Ascent.
Further Details: We would seek over the next year to raise funds to help defray costs for team leaders, we would seek out grants and donors willing to match any funds our teams raise 1-1. We would make each church that is within a 50 mile driving distance to the trail aware of what and when we will have teams coming their way so that they too could participate, either by joining in for a day or two, providing refreshments, setting up portable showers on loan from Disaster Relief, housing at the end of their hikes, driving them to church if available, and having one of our guys speak.
The basic legs available which are flexible depending upon the team leaders:
Take a hike legs
NORTH BOUND ONLY
1.Amicola Falls Lodge to Franklin, NC 109 MILES
2. FRANKLIN TO NEW FOUND GAP(GATLINBURG) 98 MILES
3. NEW FOUND GAP TO ERWIN, TN 136.5 MILES (POSSIBLE BREAK OFF AT HOT SPRINGS,NC)
4. ERWIN TO HAMPTON 84 MILES
5. HAMPTON,TN TO MARION, VA 112 MILES
6. MARION TO PEARISBURG 102 MILES
7. PEARISBURG TO TROUTVILLE 96 MILES
8. TROUTVILLE TO WAYNESBORO 133 MILES
9. WAYNESBORO TO LURAY 80 MILES
10. LURAY TO HARPERS FERRY, WVA 81 MILES
11. HARPERS FERRY TO BOILING SPRINGS, PA 98 MILES
12. BOILING SPRINGS TO HARRISBURG 96 MILES
13. HARRISBURG TO STROUDSBURG 80 MILES
14. STROUDSBURG TO FORT MONTOMERY NY 107 MILES
15. FORT MONTGOMERY TO SALISBURRY, CT 97 MILES
16. SALISBURRY,CT TO BENNINGTON, VT 112 MILES
17. BENNINGTON, VT TO STONY BROOK SHELTER 100 MILES
18. STONY BROOK SHELTER TO NORTH WOODSTOCK, NH 94 MILES
19. NORTH WOODSTOCK TO GORHAM 92 MILES
20. MONSON, ME TO BAXTER STATE PARK 100 MILES
21. MILLINOCKET TO MOUNT KATAHDIN PEAK 40 MILES ROUNDTRIP
These are approximate and can be altered by the team leaders but 98% in the ballpark.
WHY?- This would not be in lieu of an October Conference 2023. But most importantly it is like a short term mission trip, people bond over a shared mission accomplished together. The most important times at Bent Tree events are the conversations, the prayer, the laughter and crying around the table, or fire pit, on the porch. This is a metaphor for a pastors job, a hard hike meant to be done in community, shared by a larger community.
As plans get more firmed up we will post on the website, www.bent-tree.org what legs will be going when. So what do you think, could you hike a “few” miles in support of your pastoral health and the pastoral health of your brethren in arms? You’ve got a year to prepare. If interested be sure to sign up at the Bent Tree booth at General Assembly or email David Wilson at rufbuz@gmail.com.