Third Thursday: Exploring the Outdoors

Second program in this series will explore the life-long impact of  the trail on thru-hikers...Specifically what happens  AFTER you hike the AT. Program will be  on Zoom and live streamed on Facebook.

Scott and Lisa Jenkins' Story: 

Taking a break from the stress and strain of managing a team of IT professionals for Ericsson North America, Scott set out on a 4 ½ month southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail with son Tracy in 2012.  Lisa, Scott and Tracy summited Mount Katahdin before the two “boys” headed off toward Maine’s Hundred Mile Wilderness.  Scott and Tracy hiked together all the way to Harpers Ferry, WV, at which point Tracy went off trail to embark upon his post-graduate studies.  Scott continued solo to Springer Mountain, GA to complete his thru-hike.  In addition to maintaining her full-time work for the US Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, DC, Lisa took care of the bills and the dog, provided resupply packages for the hikers, and hiked portions of the trail in each of the AT’s 14 states.

Back in 2012, Lisa and Scott had started thinking about what to do in retirement.  Inspired by the supportive nature of the AT Community, they began to look for property near the AT in Front Royal.  They soon came across Mountain Home, an abandoned historic property just 100 yards east of the AT on Remount Road. They began a 7-year transition from their professional careers and home in McLean, to living in, owning and operating Mountain Home B&B.  The “Cabbin” was rehabilitated in 1 year and opened for hikers and travelers in 2014.  The Main House took 4 ½ more years, opening in October of 2018.  In this new phase of life, they are focused on serving the hiking community and others wishing to explore the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley. Scott and Lisa continue to enjoy hiking in the mountains, including trails in Shenandoah National Park, the George Washington National Forest, and along the AT.   

Sonja Carlborg's Story:

Sonja Carlborg left her job as executive director of the Ragdale Foundation, the country’s fourth largest writers’ retreat to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail in 2000.  Subsequently settling in Maryland, she began a 20-year career as a consultant to nonprofits in conservation, environmental justice, and outdoor recreation, including the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and American Hiking Society. Originally from the Chicago area, Sonja and her husband have lived in Front Royal, VA since 2005.  Founding chair of the Front Royal/Warren County AT Community program, launched in 2012, Sonja has hiked every mile of trail and fire road in the Shenandoah National Park and completed two international distance hikes: the Coast-to-Coast Trail across England and the King’s Trail (Kungsleden) in Sweden. 

A lifelong naturalist, her earliest memories are of the log cabin she grew up in on Illinois’ Rock River, where her first word was “bird.”  A Virginia Master Naturalist, she has volunteered in prairie restoration for the Morton Arboretum and as a rare plant monitor for the Shenandoah National Park. She has written two novels, The 4:30 Bird, based on her thru-hike, and Crooked Little Smile.

Susan Tschirhart will host the program.

Mountain Trails is a sponsor of the series.