New Year's Day Hike Bryant Grove Trail-Sara

We had 19 hikers from 5 different chapters (Highland Rim, Columbia/Franklin, Murfreesboro, Nashville and Sumner Trails) represented at our annual New Year's Day hike at Long Hunter State Park. We hiked the 8-mile Bryant Grove trail and enjoyed lunch at the Recreation Area picnic shelter. It was cold sitting at the shelter with the wind blowing off the lake, so we ate our lunch hurriedly and returned back to the trail. We had nice views of Percy Priest Lake along the way. A great way to start a new year! Hikers were Jay Brain, AnnaLina Buckley, Doug Burroughs, Joe Campbell, Ron Dunn, Kim Gibbons, Donna Johnson, Jeannie Nachand, Bob O'Berry, Bonnie O'Berry, Ellen Omohundro, Sara Pollard, Marietta Poteet, Dianna Richter, Jan Safavi, Pu Sanford, Vinny Lalka, Gloria Dale Williams, and Daniel Zheng.

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New Years Day Hike Long Hunter - Sara

There were 23 hikers from 5 different chapters (Highland Rim, Columbia/Franklin, Sumner Trails, Murfreesboro and Nashville) represented at the annual New Year's Day hike at Long Hunter State Park. It was a bit chilly, but everyone dressed warmly, and we kept moving along. We had lunch under the picnic shelter after our 4-mile hike to the Bryant Grove Recreation Area. Nancy Juodenas brought black eyed peas to share with the group. On our way back we saw several deer and a herring by the lake. Even though the lake water level was down, we still had nice views of the lake. A great way to start a new year! 

Hikers were Jay Brain, Jean Breuer, Anna Lina Buckley, Doug Burroughs, Amanda Carkhuff, Frank Clark, Kim Gibbons, Michael Glennon, Joan Hartvigsen, Nancy Juodenas, Lacee Lanier, Susan Logue, Bonnie O'Berry, Joan Phillips, Sara Pollard, Marietta Poteet, Jane Reyling, Sharon Rhoades, Dianna Richter, John Ruth, Amy Sutton, Vinny, and Gloria Dale Williams. 

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New Years Day Hike - Sara

This was a joint event with the Highland Rim and Nashville chapters. We had 12 hikers to meet at 9:30 am to start the "out and back" Bryant Grove Trail, an 8 hike from the Couchville Lake area to the Bryant Grove Recreation Area. We had upper 60-degree weather and beautiful views of Percy Priest Lake along the way. There were several small stream crossings we had to rock hop over but nothing difficult. We enjoyed our lunch at the Bryant Grove picnic area before heading back.  We finished the hike around 1:30 pm. Hikers were Jay Brain, Doug Burroughs, Joe Campbell, Jeanne Conatser, Joan Hartvigsen, Tom Hartvigsen, Gary Kimbrell, Sara Pollard, Dianna Richter, Jan Safavi, Cindy Watson and Gloria Dale Williams. 

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New Years Day Hike-Anna

We had a good turnout from several TTA Chapters including Murfreesboro, Nashville, and East TN. I'm probably leaving out some of them but if so, no slight is intended. (Old timers disease) We also had some present from the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park as well as individuals and families from the public. 

‎Peggy Adams Richardson‎ to TTA - Tennessee Trails Association

6 hrs

There were 60 happy smiling faces for the Edgar Evins State Park New Year’s Day Hike and Feast

New Year's Day Hike 2018

We had 28 hikers for the very cold New Year's Day hike at Edgar Evins State Park. Brad Halfacre, park ranger led the hike and shared some interesting history about the park with us. There were hikers from the ​Highland Rim, Murfreesboro, Nashville and Upper Cumberland chapters.

Hikers from our chapter were Anna & Fount Bertram, Jay Brain and his guest Denise from Virginia, Sara Pollard, Hilda Vaughan, and Teri Windham. Anna took pictures and they can be seen on the Friends of Edgar Evins State Park Facebook page. 


https://www.facebook.com/friendsofeesp/posts/1696140830436842

New Years Day Hike-Anna

Happy New Year! We had Sara Pollard, Nabil Wakid, Renee Barr, Hilda Vaughan, Fount and Anna Bertram from the Murfreesboro TTA Chapter as well as a few others from different TTA chapters.

We all had a great First Day Hike to celebrate the New Year. The weather was dreary and misty and may have contributed to the low numbers, but we still had a good turnout with 28 people coming to hike and eat. Thank you for hiking with us, and we hope to see you all in the coming year!

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New Year's Day hike 2016 - Fount

We had a total of 82 hikers for the First Hike on New Years Day at Edgar Evins State Park. There were 3 that didn’t get in the group picture...79 are in the picture. It is posted on the Edgar Evins State Park Facebook Page along with other pictures of the hike and traditional New Years Day lunch. We had TTA people from the Jackson, Columbia/Franklin, Highland Rim, Murfreesboro, Nashville, Upper Cumberland and East Tennessee Chapters, We also had folks from Montgomery Bell, Cumberland Mountain, Nathan Bedford Forrest, David Crockett and Henry Horton State Parks Friends Groups. It was a picture perfect day weather wise and there were a lot of happy faces. The morning hike was on the 3 mile Millennium Trail built by TTA in 2000 to celebrate the park’s 25th anniversary. After lunch, some of the participants hiked the 2 mile Highland Rim Nature Trail.

It is so nice to see state wide TTA participation in events again. We went several years with little or no participation in events that once were very popular with a number of chapters taking part, The New Years Day Hike goes back about 20 years and has been a very popular event. We started out hiking at Frozen Head, then the Trail of Tears near the Cumberland Caverns, then to the Bridgestone/Firestone Wildlife Management Area before moving the location to Edgar Evins State Park. We have had everything from ice storms to balmy weather during the tenure of the hikes. EESP has made covered picnic shelters available with a fireplace and wood, running water, electrical outlets and flush toilets. Having picnic tables versus eating from food placed on the ground has been a notable improvement as well.

All in all...a very successful and fun day...

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New Year's Day Hike - Edgar Evins State park - Anna

Good winter weather without a drop of precipitation, good food and great company made this a very enjoyable outing! (41 present)

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New Years Day Hike 2014-Edgar Evins State Park

51 HAPPY PEOPLE PARTICIPATED IN THE ANNUAL NY DAY HIKE & FEAST - GORGEOUS DAY!

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THE FIRST HIKE (AND FEAST) OF 2013 WAS GREAT FUN! - Anna

There were 27 on the hike, plus 5 more who came just to join us for the meal and fellowship. The rain had pretty much passed over by the time we started the hike. We just had some rain dripping off the trees. We did have a fine drizzle toward the last quarter of the hike on the Millennium Trail but the temperature was good so it wasn't bad.... It made the fireplace a popular spot when we returned to the shelter houses for hot chocolate and the traditional New Years Day lunch. We had just about every food that is traditional to insure good luck and good fortune in the New Year -- black eyed peas, cabbage, collard greens, "copper pennies" carrots, corn bread, etc. plus many other favorites. After a good visit and hearty meal a few stalwart souls went on to hike the Highland Rim Nature Trail despite the steadily dropping temperatures during the afternoon. Having Ranger Mark Taylor leading the Millennium Trail hike  was especially nice as he filled us in on the flora and history. The very attractive long sleeved T-Shirts from the Tennessee State Parks 

helped make the day even better. This was the 4th year the Tennessee Trails Association and the Friends of Edgar Evins have combined the traditional New Years Day Hike and we had several participants from both. TTA has hiked the 1st day of the year at different locations for at least 15 years. It’s interesting to note that we have never had a hike cancellation in all those years. The 100% chance of rain predicted for this one discouraged some, but those that showed up had a great hike, a fantastic traditional meal and wonderful fellowship.

Hikers from our chapter were Anna & Fount Bertram, Faith Bennett and Hilda Vaughan.

New Years Day Hike - Fount

We will be hiking the Millennium Trail at Edgar Evins State Park on New Years Day. This will be a combined hike with the state parks again. We will meet at covered picnic shelter #1 at Edgar Evins at 10:00 am January 1 and drop off our traditional New Years foods, then proceed to the Millennium Trail Head and hike the 3.5 mile moderate trial. After the hike, we’ll go back to the shelter and have lunch. There are electrical outlets, restrooms,running water and picnic tables. The park will furnish firewood so we can have a roaring fire in the fireplace. There is room to set up Coleman stoves and other devices to heat the food. For those who want more hiking, the 2 mile, moderate, Highland Rim Nature Trail will be open for an after noon hike.The parks department is providing commemorative “First Hike” T-Shirts for those that register early.Get your names in ASAP if you want a shirt. NO PETS PLEASE. Contact Fount Bertram... fwbertram@dtccom.net  or call (615) 765-5357