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JOHNSON CITY, TENNESSEE:  MEET THE MOUNTAINS FESTIVAL 2021

8/27/2021

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JOHNSON CITY, TENN., (August 27th, 2021) — After canceling plans in 2020 due to the pandemic, the third annual Meet the Mountains Festival returned to Johnson City, Tennessee, this August to invite folks to come outside and discover outdoor recreation opportunities and learn about programs in the region from local vendors.

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​BY:  ALLIE BYNUM

Johnson City, Tennessee

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“There’s no reason to be bored in Northeast Tennessee, especially if outdoor recreation is something that you like to do. There’s literally something for everybody here,” said Kayla Carter in 2018, when organizing the first-ever annual Meet the Mountains Festival in Johnson City, Tennessee.
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The Meet the Mountains Festival took place this August 20th and 21st. Since 2018, the Appalachian Highlands region has seen a rise in growth of outdoor recreation of all kinds:  new biking trails, talk of a whitewater park, and new rec shops and entrepreneurs.
SORBA Tri-Cities hosted a bike skills set-up on festival grounds for participants to come out and test their demo fleet, as they had in previous years. This is a great way for kids to build confidence and try out the sport, especially if it's their first time!

Changes

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Samm Keys, this year's MTM Festival Director, was tasked with navigating plans for the festival around the pandemic. By expanding the music talent (Uprooted featuring Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root) out to King Commons, this allowed for much more space for festival goers to spread out and Meet the Mountains in a safe, outdoors atmosphere.
The festival also promoted their first online auction this year, where donors like USA Raft Adventure Resort and Trophy Maker Fly Fishing, and several others, contributed items up to bid that would support NETREP. Any Meet the Mountains Festival product or event goes toward NETREP's Outdoor Development Foundation. The foundation's mission is to foster stewardship, education, infrastructure, and economy in Northeast Tennessee.

Vendors

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The festival had over 50 vendors this year with an eclectic mix of local artisans like Tessa Stacy of Wildflower Collective, as well as regional legends like the Northeast Tennessee Tourism Association. Bays Mountain Park & Planetarium also made an appearance on grounds this year to celebrate their 50th anniversary!

Fun For All

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Folks came out to support the third annual MTM Festival in a family-friendly atmosphere promoting health and well-being by getting outside and learning about all the opportunities in our region. From whitewater boating and mountain biking to Boy Scouts programs and frisbee dogs,  the feeling of community in Johnson City feels stronger than ever!

Send Me On My Way

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Friday night wrapped up with some dancing and musical talent from Uprooted featuring Michael Glabicki of Rusted Root.
Vendors, volunteers, festy goers, dogs, kids, and everyone showed up this year to Meet the Mountains and support the community here in The Appalachian Highlands.
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THE VANLIFE DIARIES:  ENTRY 30, VAN-Couver

8/18/2021

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Vancouver, BC (Reworked for Adventure Pickle 08.27.21/ Original Entry 07.30.18)— And for the first time on this road trip, it feels like a vacation. We take each morning as it comes, without plan or structure. We discover an area along the Spanish Banks right outside Vancouver with no overnight towing signs and agree to park it the next couple days.

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​BY:  ALLIE BYNUM

3 days in Canada

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Day 1

I open the van doors to let the dogs out for a walk the first morning. Trotting down by the ocean, the tide fades off for miles into the distance. We venture off into ankle-deep water, allowing us to squish our toes in the sand with each step.
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I strap Olin into her pack and put her on my shoulders, as we set out to hike across the low tide. It's like nothing I have ever experienced. Just the day before, we had discovered purple starfish in Bellingham and now here we are in British Columbia. We walk about a half mile out into the ocean to where the land stops and the sea resumes. It feels like we are close enough to reach out and touch the giant barges in the deeper waters in front of us. We trek through seaweed, as the dogs frolic back and forth in the Great Pacific.
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Evening approaches. Olin's father and I practice learning to walk with her, holding her soft tiny hands and taking one step at a time along the sandy shores. I embrace heartwarming views of the big bright, pink sun as it sets across the vast sky ahead. In this moment, we have nowhere else in the world to be, and I feel completely free.

DAY 2

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Attracted to the low tide once more, we hike out at dawn to a large sandbank and take a family swim. Splashing and playing together, we aren't sunk with worries of the future- yet afloat and alive with giddy energy. The dogs spend hours running and playing in the water and sand. As the afternoon approaches, we decide to explore Vancouver... by bike.
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We ride for miles along hilly paths throughout town, exploring what each block of the city has to offer and towing Olin behind her Burley Design Trailer. In Vancouver, bikes are valued equally to cars. There are designated paths throughout the whole city where we ride safely, as cars wave us on. It has a very San Diego-esque feel to it. Everyone is outside at all hours of the day, all ages, all types. The energy of this place feels optimistic and multiplied in every direction. We find a store to buy fairly priced groceries and stop for a quick snack.​
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I like it here and am looking forward to falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing along the Spanish Banks tonight. Olin is cracking up, and the dogs are tired.

DAY 3

Canada is magical. We contemplate driving further north and are reminded of the reality of our frugal budget. After a goodbye cruise around the seaport city, we tip our hats and head south to the homeland.
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Read more of The Vanlife Diaries: ENTRY 38, Rainier here

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THE VANLIFE DIARIES:  Entry 38, Rainier

8/12/2021

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Mount Rainier National Park, WA (Reworked for Adventure Pickle 08.12.21/ Original Entry 08.13.18)— With each step, my calves ache and my lungs feel as though they will burst. Inhaling deeply, but there is not enough air to suffice. My heart is racing, and at times I feel like quitting. I am dizzy and angry from the climb. And, I feel alive. But this isn't about me, it's about her- the mountain.

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​BY:  ALLIE BYNUm

Emmons Glacier

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​A little over 50 miles from Seattle, Rainier is an active stratovolcano located in the Cascade Range of the Pacific Northwest. Standing 14,411 feet above sea level, Mount Rainier is home to around 26 glaciers (more than Glacier National Park). Emmons Glacier, seen in the picture above, has the largest surface area of any glacier in the contiguous United States at a whopping 4.3 square miles.

First Burroughs Summit

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At the summit of First Burroughs, I cry at the sight of Mt. Rainier in all her glory. I am smitten by her glaciers and captivated in her story. I skim her from East to West, and tears begin to stream down my cheeks. With my daughter on my back, we take in the beauty of the vast object in front of us, a million times our size at least. I can't catch my breath but not so much from the climb anymore. It was her, the mountain. Standing tall and confidently ahead of us, she stole my breath and I gave her my heart. 
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Marmots and mountain goats appear from shadows in the distance. Mount Rainier is not for the faint of heart. She dominates the surrounding forest in the national park and will leave a mark on your existence. 

Van Life Diaries

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​There are nights I don’t know where we will sleep and days I wonder why we are even out here on the open road—  looking, searching, living. Then one day, I wake up to coffee and chats with my daughter in the parking lot of Mount Rainier National Park and even if just for a day, it all makes sense.
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NEXT- the Appalchian highlands community:  Biking, Stores, & Entrepreneurs

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    Traveler. Writer. Mom.
    ​Great Adventurer of Life.

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