Folks, The Parkway out of Balsam Gap is closed, so we can't get to the overlook to finish up that section of the MST trail. Instead, lets go to the area where we have been working on the new shelter, but instead of moving logs, what say we do some trail improvement work. The AT North of the new shelter is suppose to be in need of some TLC, including widening the tread, lopping, and lots of root covering. Sounds like our kind of job. Asheville folks meet at Home Depot at exit 44 of I-40 at 8:00. I think I am the only Hendersonville person coming this week, so I will drive myself to exit 44. Alan please meet us at the Harmon Den exit if you are coming out this week. Bring digging tools for tread work. Please let me know if you plan to work this week, so we can get the transportation right. See you Friday. Skip

John Soldati's Wednesday Work Crew

I looked at the weather forecast for tonight and tomorrow. While it's suppose to eventually get to 40 degrees tomorrow with a 10-15 mph wind, it will get down to 12-17 degrees tonight. That will make it pretty cold in the morning. Let's wait for it to warm back up a little. Don

Gentlemen: Due to the fact that we have unusual cold weather early in the mornings we will suspend the trail crew for Wednesday the 19th. Of course anyone is free to work. We will go out next Wednesday if the very cold weather is abated somewhat. Thanks. JS

Mike Lang/Barth Brooker Monday Crew

I few days ago it looked like we might make Monday. The BRP is closed at Ox Creek but more importantly we have a weather forecast of temperatures in the 20s in the AM and not above freezing all day with winds of 11 MPH. That gives us a wind chill between 15 & 21. Sorry, we'll try again next week. Barth

nyone interested in joining the trail crews contact: Hendersonville area-Bill Newton, 828-693-4033, Brevard area-Dick Johnson, 828-884-3685, Asheville area-Skip Shelton, 828-891-3264 or Piet Bodenhorst, 828-298-8371, Misha Lazer, 828-259-9729, lazerm@bellsouth.net , Mike Lang, 828-658-1914, mlang626@buncombe.main.nc.us

Save the date - February 5, 2005 - for the FMST Annual meeting in Greensboro, NC. This years guest speaker will be Deirdre F. Hewitt with the RTCA program under the National Park Service in Asheville, NC. She will tell us all about the RTCA program; you can visit here for more info: http://www.nps.gov/rtca/ . The FMST is discussing along with the Department of Parks and Recreation in using this program for the MST East Plan. This meeting of Task Forces has proven to benefit the MST with reports and planning for the new year. Information will be mailed out in the near future about this meeting. Thanks for your time. Jeff Brewer www.ncmst.org

Folks, Time to go back to the AT and do some "spruce-up" work so our trail sections are in top shape for this summers ATC conference hikers. This week we will go in at Rice Gap and work on some narrow trail and side hill improvement about 10 minutes South from there. There are also several trees down across this trail as you go further South. Meeting place will be the Forest Service office at 8:00 for Asheville folks and Ingles at 7:20 for Hendersonville people. Allen, if there is a better place for you to meet us, let me know in your reply and we will meet you there. Alan please bring your saw for the down tree patrol, others bring digging tools to repair tread. Please let me know if you are coming. Skip

NOTE: We need to fill out a CMC annual crew sign-up sheet each year and this is the time. Please bring a pen and plan to spend a minute or two at the Forest service office to fill out a 2005 sheet.

John Soldati's Wednesday Work Crew

John Soldati is out of town so I will be leading the crew this Wednesday. We will go to Craggy Gardens to work the trail between the visitors center and the Douglas Falls trail. Mostly tread work, roots and rocks. Meet at the Folk Arts Center at 8 A.M. Let me know if you will be joining us. Don dlcsmc@charter.net

Mike Lang/Barth Brooker Monday Crew