Calling all Anvil Heads!
Polish your hammers, pack your forges, make your plans now.
The 2007 Fall Trackrock Hammer-in date is officially set for the weekend of

September 21, 22, & 23.

Those that have attended and participated know the drill.
Those that have never been but are curious about what goes on there and those that want to participate, please don't hesitate to come up.

Directions can be obtained at www.trackrock.com , you can also make camping and cabin reservations on this site.

We have a great time and all interested are welcome to watch, participate, eat, etc.
You will have to make reservations two weeks in advance if you want to join us for the Saturday BBQ (don't want to miss Anthony's cooking!).
That's now for you timeline challenged folks!

Whether you are a complete novice or an accomplished bladesmith you will have a good time and make some great friends.

Please contact me if you have any questions.

Count me in. Working out the details for Avery to come. He's still looking to get the handle on the last blade you and he worked on.

I do not know who planned the event, but atleast you scheduled it when Georgia had an out of town game. :) Sounds like it will be allot of fun. At this time I am planning on being there. I am looking forward to meeting allot of you.

Wade, there are a lot of us that want to meet you, too! My shop is only 4 miles from Trackrock so you will certainly be welcome to visit. Refrigerator privileges come with each visit, you pick your own poison!!!

Pure blind luck Wade. I quit worrying about games, opening days, etc. a while back. There's always something going on somewhere and everybody has their proirities. I figure since the Alexander's are so gracious as to let us invade their beautiful campground, that I'll defer to their choice of dates and convenience. It has always worked out well for the majority of participants. The only promise I make is that I will be there, fired up forge, anvil at ready and hammer in hand.
Hope you will be able to join us this time. Sandy and the BBQ are worth the trip.

Wade if you can make it, you will have fallen in with one of the best groups of people I've ever met. It will make you realize that schools like the University of Georgia and Georgia Tech play football a lot of weekends in the fall, but there isn't but one Trackrock. I got it on my calendar and I am going to try to make it. I really look forward to these hammer-ins...the friends, the food, the hot forges, the food, the ring of the anvils, the food, the hospitality of the Alexander's, and north Georgia BBQ.....Can't wait!

If at all possible I am going to try to make it. My wife loves college football and went to Georgia. College football is probally my wifes only hobby so I do my best to make sure she gets to go to as many games as possible. I figure it is only fair since she has to put up with me, and I still come out on the winning end of the deal. :)

Sandy thanks for the offer. It is funny that we were really thinking of the same thing. I noticed that it should not be far from you and wondered if I would be able to do both.

Just bringing it up current.
Need to know if you plan to eat BBQ......now!
Anthony needs a head count.

See You there!

I will be there (also will be an early bird on Friday!) with spouse and grand dau. So plan on three for BBQ on Sat.

Randy

I have every intention of being there as well. Go ahead and +1 me to the food list...:D

My wife and I are planning to be there. We will problay drive in on Sat. morning. So for now plan on 2 for the eats.

I do have a question. Since this will be my first time, what all will we be doing and what do I need to bring? Also I was scrounging around our old grain bin and found a bunch of old railroad spikes. I was told these were pretty good to use for knives, if so does anyone want me to bring a few?

Count me in! After this Labor Day weekend, I need to get away. Need I say that I'll probably be hungry?

Carey

I will get there Friday, and stay through Sunday. I am looking forward to the BBQ. It's why we do this isn't it?

Carl, I think I told you that I would be able to make it, but things have changed and I will have to miss this one. I know that this will be a good one but when my children want me to do something with them, like deer hunting, I try not to miss it. That just doesn't happen often enough. If you will, make sure Harry hammers out something we can sell.

Shaping up nicley guys. Anthony's going to be pretty busy!
Wade - replied to your pm, but feel free to email me at crex68@yahoo.com if you have further questions.
Harry - the BBQ is justification for our reasoning, but I still like to burn and hammer stuff.
Charlie - I haven't seen anthing that Harry's hammered out and finished that I wouldn't be proud to carry. By the way, you could send that Pedinghouse up with Harry and we'll get her stump broke before she breaks out in rust.

I'm going to try my best to be there Brother Carl. My back will let me know as time gets closer. I sure hope it will work out. Feeling a bit rough at the moment from rasslin an Easter born bull calf. He's safe and happy up in the pasture now. Two Falls, he will be a feast :)

That'd be sure nuff shiney! I sure hope you can make it Brother Mark. It'll be good for us ol' dogs to set the porch and catch up on things. Bringing Miss Deb with you?

That'd be sure nuff shiney! I sure hope you can make it Brother Mark. It'll be good for us ol' dogs to set the porch and catch up on things. Bringing Miss Deb with you?

I cant say for sure. I'd love for Deb to be there, but somebody has to feed the dog and cow. Might get a neighbor to critter sit.

Mark

Crex I can not seem to get the link for Trackrock to work. I was trying to print out the directions to it. I have tried it on a couple different computers and can not seem to get it to come up. Do you think you could post some directions on how to get there? Thanks and I am looking forward to being there.

Hey Wade,

From I-75
Take I-575 North. I-575 ends and becomes APD515. At the intersection of US 19/129 and APD515 to Blairsville, continue going straight 6.4 miles. You will see a Citgo gas station/convenience store on the left. Slow down. Take your next right onto Trackrock Gap Road, go 2.8 miles, then turn left on Trackrock Church Road. Go 1.1 miles and turn left at our entrance sign.


From GA 400 (This is the route I take!!)
Take GA400 North to Dahlonega. From Dahlonega take US Hwy 19 North. Continue on US19 North to Highway 180 East. Turn right on Highway 180 East and follow for 2.3 miles. Then turn left on Town Creek School Road. Go 2.1 miles, then right at Trackrock Church Road. Go 1.9 miles and our entrance will be on the right. (look for the TrackRock Campground sign on tall poles!)

If you are coming in from middle GA you will probably on I-75. Take I-85 North and then Exit to GA 400 North. It is a toll road, I think 50 cents to a dollar. Haven't been there in years. Then North on GA 400 and follow the above.

CRex comes in from I-75 as it is convenient to him. GA 400 is convenient to me. If you want a more detailed map for the GA 400 route, drop me an email address and I will attach my directions to TrackRock.

See ya soon..

Thanks Randy.
Wade - 515 changes numbers in Blairsville at the intersection with 19/129 (mentioned above) it becomes US 76/Young Harris Hwy. If you see the big sign that says "Welcome to Young Harris" you passed Trackrock Gap Road by 1/4 mile so turn around.
I'd give you my cell # but Nextel doesn't work up there, so jot down the Campground number 706.745.2420 just in case or call Sandy 706.379.1621, he's close by.

Place is easier to find than it looks.

My back has gone out on me and there is no way I'm going to be able to ride for four hours to get to Trackrock. :cursin Even if I made it up there I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to stand up.

Guess I'll have to wait until Feb. to see everyone.

Hope everyone has a good time. Be safe.

Carey

Carey........we got chairs.
Sorry you can't make the drive. Come on up ifn' you get to feeling better.

Carey, I really hated to hear that! I have friends with back problems and they occassionally get 'grounded' also. Hope to see you in Feb!

Randy

Carey, my friend---It distresses me to hear that you are troubled with a bad back. Been there, done that! I've got plenty of local anesthetics in my refrigerator and I am sure we could promote a satisfactory degree of numbness in a very short time. Do hope you can make it, and if not---that you recover quickly! Sandy

Carey, I was bringing a piece of that cable you gave me. I stuck probably 95% of those wires together, and flattened that sucker out. I went ahead and made a blade out of it so I could see the pattern. This was my first shot at forge welding. I found out a lot about how not to do it, but think I ended up with a blade that will work. One thing I did end up with besides a lot of unanswered questions is a real need to reline my forge. I was hoping to spend some time going over what I did and how I think I can do it better. I hope you make it to the "Boro" in February so I can pick your brain on this. I'll save the blade to show ya. Get well man.

Thanks for the well wishes, folks.

I was really looking forward to this get-together but I had better nurse this thing so I can get back to work.

See ya in Feb.

Carey

I'll be driven down by a great friend, Claude Jessie. Ol Claude has treated Deb and I like gold since we got here. He'd a good fella. Ya'll'l like him :D

Might make a knifemaker out of Claude before too long.

I literally had to scrape up loose change to make it this time.

Whoo hoo :)

I'm smiling, too, Mark. Claude will be as welcome as could be, my friend. Sandy

What a great time !!

It sure was fun to see everyone again and pound some steel with all the fine folk.

Made it even more special to stay with my Daddio Sandy :)

Cant wait to see everyone in the Spring. I've already got my loose change jug set up.

Mark