International Appalachian Trail meeting held in Maine

By Gina Clark
Special to the Houlton Pioneer Times
    I recently attended the 2010 International Appalachian Trials/Sentiers Internationaux Des Appalaches annual Maine Chapter gathering at Shin Pond village. Members and guest speakers came from Central and Southern Aroostook Areas as well as around the state and Massachusetts.
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    CHAPTER GATHERING — Chunzeng Wang, associate professor of Geology & GIS at UMPI, was one of the participants at the 2010 IAT/SIA Maine Chapter gathering at Shin Pond Village May 6-8.
    The event was held May 6-8. This year’s agenda began and ended with guest authors in addition to guest speakers on Geology of the region; recreational opportunities in Baxter State Park; A Bert Call Photographic Exhibit of the East Branch at the Lumberman’s Museum; the Charlie Gilman Trail; Obsolete Dams and Sea-Run Fish; Offshore Windpower; High Altitude Lakes; the Maine Outdoor heritage Program; the Penobscot Nation; the Grindstone Scenic Byway; the Volcanic Geology and Geologic History of Haystack Mountain and the Forest Land Initiative to mention a few topics presented to a group of about 50 attendees.
    Our first guest author and historian, Steve Pinkham, a Madison Maine native, introduced his newly “DownEast” published book entitled “Mountains of Maine: Stories Behind Their Names.” His presentation was very interesting, exciting, and most informative. For no fee except the sale of his books, he will do this powerpoint presentation in Aroostook County of the book and a book signing as well for clubs, schools, and cultural organizations, outdoor clubs scouts. This power point presentation has been very well received around Southern and Coastal Maine.  His email is: hikercmc@yahoo.com and he can be reached at 617-407-0743.
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    IN ATTENDANCE — Torey Sylvester, right, of Houlton and Walter Anderson of Yarmouth, are IAT founding board members who gathered at the 2010 IAT/SIA Maine Chapter gathering at Shin Pond Village May 6-8.
    Our second author, who closed our 2010 agenda, was the famous British author Simon Winchester: who recently and with great pride, received his US Citizenship and currently resides in the Birkshires with his wife. His presentation was spellbinding as he took us through each chapter of his soon to be released: The Atlantic Ocean” book. Following his presentation, he signed all copies of his many previous books that members had brought along with them. Some of his previous books include: Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxfo ,The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary;The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom;A Crack in the Edge of the World: America and the Great California Earthquake of 1906; Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded: August 27, 1883  ; The Map That Changed the World: William Smith and the Birth of Modern Geology.