Appalachian Trail/hospice/home health or hospital

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

Hubby and I are looking to move to a place near the A-Trail. Close enough to both find work in any of the above listed venues but wow the trail is so long who in the world knows what is close.

Prefer more the southern part of the country, or from the Carolinas to south. Does anyone work at, or know of a city close to the trail with decent employment?

I can search the web more just takes a long time to go city to state etc and thought I would toss it out to the group.

We want to be able to hike on a regular basis rather than having to pack up all the time but need to find work stability without snow.

Thanks,

renerian

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ER, L&D, ICU, OR, Educator.

Now this is an interesting way to pick a residential location!

I respect your priority setting...with leisure/recreation in mind. This is the way to a full and happy life!

Cheers!

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how close do you want to be? Springer Mountain is the southern terminus of the trail and can be reached from Amicalola falls state park, in Dawson County between Jasper and Dawsonville. Dawsonville is about 45 minutes - 1 hrnorth of Atlanta, and on that edge of the northern perimeter are several hospitals.

I live in White County near Helen, perhaps it is 45-50 minutes from my house to the point where the AT crosses the Helen-hiawassee highway. It is about an hour drive to the Amicalola area mentioned above (not that far but lots of 2-lane roads therefore the time factor)

The nearest city of any size from me is Gainesville, about 45 minutes south. There is a large hospital (Northeast Georgia Medical Center) and several home health agencies that serve this region. I work for a hospice (United Hospice) that is based in Gainesville.

I dont mean to sound at all like an AT expert because I am not. I have learned a lot, though, from working with a couple of avid hikers/backpackers. this area is also plentiful with many other trails in addition to the AT of varying difficulty that are all an hour or less (most less) from me.

If you find that you are interested in this region you can pm me. good luck!

BTW, what does your husband do? Is his being able to find employment a consideration?

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Specializes in cardiology, LTC.

The AT also runs nearby where I am in SW VA. You can access it from Catawba Mtn or from Daleville or from the Blue Ridge Parkway. We do have snow but not enough to get thoroughly sick of it!! We have two hospitals in the area- Lewis Gale, an HCA facility, and Carilion Roanoke Memorial. It is a level one trauma center and is currently undergoing an expansion. There are all kinds of great places to hike around here within a few minutes drive of Roanoke.

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Well if you travel on down I-81 to the Abingdon/Bristol Area you have a variety of choices in all of the fields you mentioned. Plus the quaint town of Damascus VA which host "Trail Days" each year is only about 20/30 mins from the Tri-Cities. There is also the "Va Creeper Trail" which is a 30 mile trail from Abingdon to the White Top Mt.(NC/Va border)

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

Yeah thanks so much everyone! I am going to yank out my rand mcnally map and start taking a look at these cities/the proximity to the A trail and other trails. I will then look up the hospitals, home health/hospice agencies and the chamber of commerce for those areas!

You have made my day! Hubby last year was in the part of Georgia mentioned and has some breathtaking photos........

Alot of the states have volunteers called "Friends of the Trail". The A Trail Society sometimes uses them to count plant species or other kinds of things etc.

Again thanks for helping us!!

renerian:yelclap:

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Asheville and Hendersonville in NC are close to the trail and have great little hospitals.

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

Thank you everyone.....I really appreciate it.......

renerian

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Specializes in MICU, neuro, orthotrauma.

renarian we think alike. picking what part of the country will give me the most pleasure and then moving there is what i am working on right now. kansas city = purgatory (no offense to KC lovers)

good luck in your pursuit

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

Geek I know I love the area along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It seems like paradise to a city slicker like me......

I love the Shenendoah Valley but do not know if the trail runs anywhere near it?

Does anyone else know?

renerian

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

Thanks again everyone. Hubby and I are checking the maps and coming up with places to call for next week. Quite a large project. Hubby belong to the A Trail society and in their periodical there are places for sale etc along the trail.

Renerian

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Specializes in cardiology, LTC.

I believe that the AT runs through Shenandoah National Park. That is north of where I am in Virginia. I'm in the part where the AT follows the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Shenandoah Valley area has a few smaller towns near the trail. Charlottesville isn't too far from there- UVA hospital is there.

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