Hike-a-thon 2010 the countdown begins!!

It's that time of year again. Only 23 days away, starting August 1st, I will be taking to the trails to raise money for the WTA. First of all, thanks to everyone who supported me last year for the Washington Trails Association hike-a-thon. I raised over $1500 for Washington Trails!

This year, Ryan is hiking the PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) and he will be hiking hundreds of miles across Oregon and Washington during the month of August. I will be providing support as his “Trail Angel” so I wasn’t sure how much time I would have for actual hiking this summer. We decided to participate in hike-a-thon as a team this year with Ryan cranking out the majority of the mileage. Our Team name is Thru-Hiker and Trail Angel.

In fact, WTA trail crews will be out on the Pacific Crest Trail starting this July to repair parts of the PCT damaged from the 2009 Lemah Fire north of Snoqualmie Pass. The PCT is closed in this area and there are reroutes and detours via Forest Service Roads and other trails. This is just another reminder that the trails require constant maintenance and repair for our enjoyment.

Washington Trails Association is the state's most active group serving the hiking community. The WTA recruits over 2,000 volunteers annually to help repair and maintain our trails, they advocate on behalf of hikers for trail funding and protection, and they publish informative resources both in print and online that help hikers get out on trail more often.

We are seeking pledges for hike-a-thon. You can pledge a flat donation or an amount per mile. All donations are tax deductible. And every little bit helps! Last year I had pledges as low as 10 cents per mile or a flat $3. It all adds up. *For a contribution of $40 or more, sponsors are eligible for Washington Trails Association membership.

We have blogs on the internet detailing our hiking adventures,

http://www.anotherlongwalk.com and

http://www.amandafromseattle.com

as well as a webpage on the WTA website

http://www.wta.org/hikeathon

http://www.gifttool.com/athon/MyFundraisingPage?ID=1468&AID=1098&PID=149244

I hope to hike at least 40 miles on my own at home, on my layovers at work and while joining Ryan on the PCT. If you don’t want to donate via credit card on the website, checks can be made out to WTA and sent to me at the address below. Thanks so much for any help you can provide!

Amanda Arkebauer, PO Box 16131, Seattle, WA 98116