The smoke lifted. The sun shone. The people came. The music played on.

Thanks to everyone who made the Round Hill / Hillsboro A.T. Festival in The Gap the wonderful day it was. Between trails talks, an art show, nature crafts, a climbing wall, eco/hiking displays and more, there was truly something for everyone. We celebrated the Appalachian Trail with current thru hikers and we encouraged everyone to get outside responsibly. What a day!

More to follow, but here are some scenes from the day:
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We are honored to have the Round Hill Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department join us once again at our festival. The department responds to all emergencies along our stretch of the Appalachian Trail. We asked RHVFRD's Richard Ganey about the connection between the fire department and the Trail. 

What section of the A.T. does RHVFRD cover?
At Station 604 in Round Hill, our primary area of responsibility on the A.T. is from Snickers Gap/VA 7 trailhead up to David Lesser Shelter. However, we would likely be called to any emergency response from Ashby Gap/VA 50 all the way up to North of Keys Gap/VA 9.

What are the most common injuries you've needed to respond to on the A.T.?
Hypothermia and hyperthermia are the two most common emergencies, with trauma from falls coming next in frequency.

What specialized equipment does RHVFRD have on hand to respond to these situations?
Along with members' familiarity with the A.T. corridor, we have Stokes basket set-ups for challenging carry-out evacuations and UTVs that provide faster mobility in some situations. We have some specialized medical equipment to address environmental injuries and can coordinate with Technical Rescue teams if we need additional support.

How are you personally involved with the A.T.?
My wife and I are PATC members and maintain a section of the A.T. south of Bears Den, from Spout Run down to Sam Moore Shelter. We also maintain the shelter itself. 

We're both avid hikers, on the A.T. and its side trails, and we passed on our passion to our children. Our daughter solo-hiked from the southern end of Shenandoah National Park up to Great Barrington MA over a three-month period. I've also done many long trail runs on the A.T., in preparation for ultra events such as the JFK 50 miler (which runs partially along the AT treadway up in MD).

I am a PATC-trained, US Forest Service-certified chain sawyer and participate in A.T. sawyer operations in the NoVA area. As a Wilderness EMT, I also periodically provide on-site medical support for PATC training and maintenance activities on the A.T.

What do you think the A.T. brings to our greater community?
The A.T. is a wonderful natural resource available to us to enjoy nature and outdoor exercise for our physical and mental health. The A.T. community of PATC, ATC, hikers, trail runners, etc. is a community of great people with a common passion for the Appalachian Trail. I would encourage all to join Potomac Appalachian Trail Club and look into how you can further enjoy the Trail and help preserve the A.T. for future generations.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Congratulations to Hillsboro on becoming an A.T. Community!

Our guest blog comes from Wendy Dorsey of Yellow House Native Plants, a vendor at this year's festival. Here's how Wendy got started in the native plant nursery business:

I had always loved to garden and grow things and had learned enough about native plants to understand how much sense they make. Gardening with plants that have evolved in a certain place require less work and feed more wildlife,

It was the spring of 2020 and I was dividing some of the plants in my yard to share with friends. My husband, a third-generation farmer, and I were talking when it just came to me, there in my garden with plants in hand. I looked at him and said, "I should be growing native perennials," and he said, "You should."  It felt good to say; I knew this was a moment.   

I'd been teaching part-time for ten years.  Our oldest was in college and the youngest would be there soon.  The time was ripe for a new challenge.  I picked the brains of friends who are growers and landscapers, and my husband and I decided to locate the nursery in the middle of our wholesale tree farm.

While it can be hard work physically, it is very easy on the soul. I love the continuous learning that comes with native plants—and the continuous beauty!  An added bonus is that I meet such interesting and cool people.