The Packing It Out team removed trash from the Appalachian Trail in 2015 and the Pacific Crest Trail in 2016. This year, they will remove trash along the route of a 5,025-mile bike tour of the U.S. and they want YOU to get involved.
Today, Seth Orme (Packing It Out founder) and Abby Taylor begin their massive nationwide bike tour, starting on the Atlantic Ocean at Cumberland Island, Georgia.
Over the course of five months, they’ll bike roughly 50 miles a day, with rest days, events, and cleanups in-between.
Packing It Out’s 2015 and 2016 efforts on the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails were largely individual efforts. Seth and fellow Packing It Out founder Paul Twedt hiked the long trails unsupported, removing trash along the way.
REI Store Events and Community Cleanups
This year, Packing It Out aims to get the community more involved in its cause. Along the way, Seth and Abby will host free events at local REI stores, meet people, participate in Q&As, show their Packing It Out film, showcase their bike-touring gear, and spread the Packing It Out message.
In each city they do a store event, they’ll also host a community trail cleanup that locals can join. The goal is to instill the Packing It Out mindset in communities around the nation.
Below is a schedule of Packing It Out’s REI store events and local area cleanups. All REI store events are from 6-8pm and if a cleanup is scheduled for the same day, it will be before the store event.
The links below click to the registration pages on REI.com (you must register for the free event to join). We’ll keep updating this page with links to live registration pages, as well as with information from Seth and Abby on local cleanup locations and details.
Packing It Out - REI In-Store Event and Local Cleanup Schedule
- May 4 – Atlanta, Georgia REI store event
- Cleanup – 10:00 a.m. on May 5th at Morningside Nature Preserve
- May 10 – Asheville, North Carolina REI store event
- Cleanup – 10:00 a.m. on May 11th at along the Elk Mountain Scenic Hwy (GPS coordinates 35.662445, -82.505816)
- May 31 – Bailey’s Crossroads, Virginia REI store event
- Cleanup –12:00 p.m. on May 31st, meet at Barcroft Park then clean the Four Mile Run Trail. The REI event is later that evening at 6:00 p.m.
- June 6 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania REI store event
- Cleanup – 4:00 p.m. on June 6, meet at South Shore Riverfront Park and clean east along the Three Rivers Heritage Trail. The REI event is later that evening at 6:00 p.m.
- June 22 – Madison, Wisconsin REI store event
- Cleanup – 12:00 p.m. on June 22 at Turville Point Conservation Park. The REI event is later that evening at 6:00 p.m.
- June 29 – Bloomington, Minnesota REI store event
- Cleanup #1 – 10:30 – 1:30 at Coldwater Spring Park along the Mississippi River on June 30. Cleanup trash and invasive species!
- Cleanup #2 – 6:00 p.m. along the Minneapolis Greenway on June 30. Meet at GJ headquarters first, then hit the trail.
- July 20 – Denver, Colorado REI store event
- Cleanup with Exxel Outdoors – July 21
- August 22 – Bozeman, Montana REI store event
- Cleanup – 10:00 a.m. on August 23 at Gallatin County Regional Park.
- August 29 – Missoula, Montana REI store event
- Cleanup – 4:00 p.m. on August 29 at Silver Park/Kim Williams Trail.
- September 5 – Spokane, Washington REI store event
- Cleanup – 12:00 p.m. on September 5 at Riverside State Park.
- September 12 – Seattle, Washington REI store event
- Cleanup – 3:00 p.m. on September 13 at Ravenna Park.
For now, wish the duo luck on their long journey ahead. If you’re in or near an area they’ll be stopping by, be sure to join the events and cleanups, say hi, and do your part to #LeaveItBetter.
–Check out the crew’s 2015 and 2016 efforts on our ‘Packing It Out’ page. Connect with Abby and Seth on Instagram, Twitter, and their blog.
–Our 2017 ‘Packing It Out’ coverage is sponsored by REI.
