Sister, if your brother is in Erwin, TN it is too late to fly into Johnson City and meet him there. The AT does not go through Johnson City. He may elect to keep on the AT when he reaches Erwin and you might miss him. It is extremely difficult to figure out when and where someone will be on the trail. I think it is too late for an Erwin meeting.
I would suggest not surprising him. It would be extremely difficult to do. However, if surprising him is what you want to do, I would pick Damascus, VA. A small little town in which the AT goes through. There are places you could stay in town and wait for him. Very few hikers can avoid staying or stopping in Damascus for at least a couple of hours. It is a little difficult to reach from an airport but you could rent a car and find Damascus. You would need to follow his progress by journal/blog/etc. if he has one. Plan to arrive a couple of days before hand and put up a sign at the Damascus arch, Outfitters, etc. that announces that he needs to report to the location where you in town or call your cell. Or, you could ask him about Damascus and what his plans are there. There are a couple of other options, just post if you need more. I know there are many readers that can help you out. You could also find out if he has been hiking with anyone and contact them. Keep in mind that it would be difficult to surprise someone on the trail. It will take good planning. Good Luck.
Bilko
