MST advocates to speak at Elkin Public Library

To celebrate the Great Trails State Day on Oct. 19, Jerry Barker, author of Discovering North Carolina’s Mountains-to-Sea Trail, A Companion Guide for Hikers and Armchair Explorers and Completer of the MST in 2017, and Howard Lee, former Mayor of Chapel Hill and politician who served as a cabinet member under several NC governors, will be featured speakers at Elkin Public Library at 11 a.m. See the MST through Barker's eyes with his PowerPoint of highlights along the MST and enjoy Lee's stories about how the dream of the MST became a reality.

Barker is an avid hiker as well as an author and is a former board member and president of the Friends of the Mountains-to Sea Trail and will share the rich stories and scenery from each of the eighteen segments of the MST.

In 1977, while serving with Governor Hunt as NC Department of Natural Resources and Community Development, Lee delivered a speech at a trails conference at Lake Junaluska, and that speech inspired the creation of the MST. He will tell you “The rest of the story” in his talk and hopefully sing “Happy Trails to You.”

Barker will have books available for sale and will autograph them. Please note that all the proceeds of his book sales go back to the Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail to continue building trail across North Carolina. Guests will have the opportunity to join Barker, Lee, and EVTA volunteers for a walk out on the E&A Rail Trail following the talk.

Light refreshments will be served.