Round River Rendezvous in Katuah July 2nd-July 9th
Katuah Earth First! would like to cordially invite everybody to come camp with us at the international earth first! gathering!
Directions: (Follow the Frog!!!) First, get yourself a map of Tennessee and find Johnson City. The mountains east of Johnson City is where we will be (south of Watauga Resevoir). Folks coming from the North, West and South (except the extreme southeast ) will want to figure out how to get on Interstate 81 and take that to upper east Tennessee. When you see signs for Johnson City, get on I-181 and travel about 14 miles to Johnson City. Get off at Exit 31 (Hwy 321, Elizabethton) and take Hwy 321 (and Hwy 67) East for approximately 9 miles to Elizabethton. Go thru Elizabethton and follow 321 as it joins 19E south (you will be turning right onto 19E) towards Hampton (approx 5 miles). Look for signs to the USFS Dennis Cove campground and follow them. At Hampton, 321 will split from 19E so turn left at the Texaco and follow Hwy 321 (also 67E) east a little over half a mile. Look for "Citizens Bank" and turn Right onto Dennis Cove Road. Travel up this steep and very windy paved road (with at least two hairpin curves) and enter the Cherokee National Forest (about 5 miles). Follow Dennis Cove Road past the Laurel Creek Lodge (last spot for gas, firewood and ice), and pass the Appalachian Trail Crossing and the Dennis Cove Campground. About another mile and the pavement ends at the top of Dennis Cove. THE ROAD GETS VERY ROUGH AT THIS POINT! Slow down and follow this road which is also known as Forest Service Road #50 for 3/4ths of a mile to a 3 prong split in the road. Take the far right split (onto FS #50F) and travel along this unpaved mountain road for another 2 miles and you will arrive at Frog Level! Please look for a good place along the road to park out of the way of incoming and outgoing vehicles. Welcome to Frog Level, y'all. Now, seein' that the road in is pretty rough, and if you have a very low riding passenger car, you may want to consider the very long way in. Instead of turning at 321, you would continue south on 19E and travel up the Doe River to Roan Mountain. Pass Hwy 143 on your right and turn left onto Forest Service Road #50 and follow it way up into the mountains. Beanpole says this road is in better condition than the portion from Dennis Cove. Follow this until you see the Frog at the split and turn left and follow that road down into Frog Level. From the southeast - find sunny Asheville, NC on your maps. Head towards Erwin, TN on Hwy19/23. Stay on Hwy 23 going northish. Pass Erwin, TN. The main road will become 19W/23 and I-181 -- this is okay. Take Exit 31 to 321N/67E (Elizabethton). From here, follow the directions above. Frog Level is drained by the Laurel Fork, which flows into the Doe River. The Doe joins the Watauga River and it flows into the South Fork of the Holston. The Holston joins the French Broad River near Knoxville to form the awesome Tennessee River. The Tennessee flows south through the Tennessee Valley and west into Alabama before turning north and hooking up with the Ohio River. Just downstream, the Ohio joins the mighty Mississippi, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. We're gonna Party like it's 1999 and we're gonna organize like the revolution is around the corner! We will be gathering from Sunday, July 2nd thru Sunday, July 9th at a gorgeous spot called Frog Level in the Unaka Mountains of Katuah! (The word Katuah is adopted from the Cherokee who is used to name the Blue Ridge Province and surrounding mountains, rivers and valleys) Frog Level is outside of the town of Hampton above Dennis Cove in the Watauga Ranger District of the Cherokee National Forest in upper east Tennessee.
The Rendezvous will be at "Frog Level"
The Southern Appalachian Mountains are some of the planets oldest mountain ranges and contain North America's most biologically diverse temperate forest. The forest here has been labeled the "Mixed Mesophytic Forest" and Central and Southern Appalachia are thought to beits genetic birthplace. Rivers too numerous to name flow out of the mountains to create and water the bottomlands during their dash to the sea. While the forests, rivers and mountains here have been struggling to recover from the insults of the settlers and early industrialists, new threats have arisen in our beautiful bioregion. Unchecked development, rampant road construction, dirty energy production, industrial forestry run amock - all threaten to decimate the last bits of ecological integrity necessary for recovery and survival in Katuah.> Like our friends across North America and the globe, Katuah EF! is organizing to stop the devastation and overthrow the corporate world order. We are working with traditional and not so traditional allies and slowly but surely building a movement for change here in the southern mountains.
My email:[email protected]
So, we are plotting to host a fun and productive Rendezvous! We are proud to be in such a diverse and rowdy movement and we really want to show all y'all what a beautiful place we live in and we really want y'all to have a good time! After all, if we can't have fun and dance, then why bother having a revolution!?! The Rendezvous is a great space and time to network and get to know our fellow activists and hell-raisers. Please feel free to show up and organize workshops and discussion circles. If you need to schedule a workshop in advance, please contact Olivia at 828-645-8845. Please feel free to come a little early and stay a little late to help out with set up and clean up. Bring musical instruments and come prepared to party around the campfires! Also come with an affinity group because we fully intend to have the movement help us give a major earth raper some major grief!!!> We are planning on having a Contra Dance one night so bring yer dancin'shoes! The kissing Katuans will be hosting a kissing booth to raise money for KEF! We will also have an auction to raise money for the post rondy action so bring cool loot to donate and money to buy other peoples cool stuff. And bring yer own mug as we have> several fine homebrewers who will be selling their beverages so y'all> don't have to buy corporate swill. We want to strongly encourage folks> to come self sufficient and to camp in small groups. Haul in some extra> firewood so we don't deplete the future soil of Frog Level! Individual> campfires are unnecessary and wasteful. Everyone should bone up on> their low impact camping skills as the site is incredible and we want to> leave it like we found it.>> #Stuff to bring for 'down South' living:#>> A good attitude!!!! We've got the hospitality but it's your job to help> make the fun. Bring smiles, laughs, hugs, and general merriment.>> OK y'all, we may be sweet and southern but we definitely ain't your> momma. We can't stress enough the virtue of self sufficiency (aka> "takin' care of yourself"). This means personal gear, sleeping gear,> eating gear, your *own* food and a way to cook it. There will be regional field kitchens set up, please let us know if your bringing one. You won't be all> that near any kinds of stores so pick up what you need along the way.> Think rain, sun, hot, and cooler weather patterns.> Here's a little bit more specific list:> --a good attitude (let's make it FUN)> --$25-50 donation, sliding scale, to help us cover costs (no one turned> away for lack of funds)> --a neat-o item to auction off (funds to benefit RRR direct action)> --additional funds for the Katuah auction and the Kissin' Booth> --tent and/or tarp> --sleeping bag> --clothes: layers, layers, layers. It can get real hot in the day and> decently cold at night. It's the mountains, y'all.> --rain gear> --boots and creekcrossin' sandals> --water filtration system> --food enough for the ENTIRE time you'll be with us in Katuah> --kitchen setup: campstove, pots/pans, utensils, plates/bowls/cutlery,> etc.> --mug for HOMEBREW (yes, that's homebrew for sale...yummy)> --bug juice (they ain't all that bad, but we're definitely not> entomologically challenged here)> --sunscreen (for the pigmentchallenged among us)> --toilet paper (if you use it, you need to bring some)> --musical instruments> --an affinity group> --a readiness for merriment and a good attitude. FUN#Food# - Bring yer own!!! There are health food co-ops and/or stores in all of the major cities in Katuah. For a list and directions, please contact the transport folks below. #Transportation# - Frog Level is accessible by road (see directions and map) and by the Appalachian Trail (AT). As the AT crosses White Rock Mountain it connects to Frog Level via the Lacy Trap Trail (#36). Its about 3 miles from the AT to Frog Level and the trail is rated as moderate. If you are planning on coming to the Rondy by plane, train or bus, figure out which city you will be arriving in and contact the folks listed below for carpooling and ride info. (Although, to be honest, it will help us out considerably if you can arrange your own transportation) #On Alternative Transportation#: Bikes: A regional bike map exists; beyond that we can't help you.?If you can get to the region on a bike, give us a call and we can give you directions from there.?Buses: Greyhound stops in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Asheville, and Johnson City. If you need a ride from there, give us a call and we will do our best to get you there. the site.?Trains: Call chris at (865)633-8483. Hopefully if you are hopping trains, you know enough to figure out where they stop. Like with the bus, give us a call and we'll do our best. #Transportation Contacts#: Knoxville,TN - Sloth or Meagan at 865-525-0907 or domommy@h... Asheville, NC - Colleen at 828-252-8312 or colleenrock@e... Chattanooga, TN - john at 423-949-5922 or johnjgb@m... Athens, GA - Hans at 706-613-5984 or hxs1403@o... (These folks can help with info on Food Co-Ops and Heath Food Stores as well) For general info please contact Katuah Earth First! at: River Faction P. O. Box 16242?Knoxville, TN 37996 (865) 633-8483 [email protected] Mountain Faction P.O. Box 1485 Asheville, NC 28802 (828) 285-0631 mountainfaction@c... Tennessee Valley Faction P.O. Box 281 Chattanooga, TN 37401 (423) 949-5922 johnjgb@m... Foothills Faction P.O. Box 608 Athens, GA 30603 On Dogs: We love dogs, but we must ask that you do not bring them. A great deal of biodiversity exists at Frog level. There is a beaver dam at the end of the far meadow and turkeys, coyotes, wildflowers, and bear live in the hills and valleys. Us humans will create enough disturbance as is and we must ask for your assistance in avoiding further impact. We have also had altercations between dogs and children and there are folks who feel a kids-safe space must be dog-free. Please help us create a rendezvous that is fun and safe for everyone - including wildlife and children.
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