Potomac Appalachian Trail Club

I’m a member of the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, which maintains the Appalachian Trail and other trails in Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, and southern Pennsylvania.  The July issue of their monthly newsletter—although they are focused on hiking rather than trail running--contained a couple of gems that are relevant to the Ultrarunning world:

First, an excerpt from a list called the “Ten Essentials” dealing with adequate preparation for backcountry exploration, that deals with the important question of how to dress:

Extra clothing should be selected according to the season.  Ask the question: What is needed to survive the worst conditions that could be realistically encountered on this trip? 

You can’t cover every single contingency, otherwise you’d be burdened with an expedition’s worth of gear and clothing. Be realistic and dress/carry accordingly. If you're way out in the backcountry, better safe than sorry; if nearer to shelter/car/home, obviously your clothing choices are of less significance.

Second, just a brief note from the minutes of the last meeting of the governing council:

Tom Johnson reported on the May 5 event for blind hikers.  45 blind hikers and 12 sighted hikers participated in what turned out to be a 2.2 mile hike.  PATC naturalist Bob Pickett provided descriptions of the surroundings.  The group smelled honeysuckle, felt a box turtle and enjoyed feeling tree bark.

Now, stop complaining.