Speaking with a friend of hers who is on my facebook. Apparently she is off to college. At 16... Not bad for a "home schooled reject" eh?
The internet brings out the mean spirit in some people. All I can say is congratulations to her!
"You're a nearsighted, bitter old fool."
I don't think anyone is ridiculing the young lady's achievement, rather the spin job put on it, wanting to claim to be a first at something. There is a difference.
Had they claimed youngest to hike trail in Warren Doyle-esque fashion provided by her parents, it wouldn't have raised an eyebrow
As was said, there is no thing as a solo thru hike on the AT anyway. The press doesn't know that though.
Last edited by MuddyWaters; 09-26-2014 at 23:33.
I stopped reading after just a few comments.
Quickly sickened by all the vultures that just can't help themselves and HAVE to discredit a great accomplishment. I'm not usually one to be so openly hostile on these forums, though I have had my moments, but I have to say one thing to those of you that read the story and felt the need to vomit your negativity all over it.
You are pathetic.
Wow, not sure why so many people are down on this girl. I believe it is a heck of an accomplishment to complete the trail. I hope to have the opportunity to try someday.
Rainman...........you are spot on.
This girl at age 15 worked toward her goal...she reached it and completed it.
If 50% or more of the 15 year olds made goals....worked on them ... and reached them......the world would be a little nicer place.
If I could get my 14 year old daughter to complete 1/2 the goals....I would be the craziest/happiest dads the world has ever seen.
Think about it people....teenagers are usually - bed ridden, lazy, arugemenative, and defiant...creatures....
To see a teenager that does something like this...
I would sell a house, if my teenager wanted to do anything like this ....and complete it.....
There are wonders out there, now to find them.
No.. it wouldn't have raised *your* eyebrow. But, someone would still have something non-positive to say about it.Originally Posted by MuddyWaters
This is the thing when anyone (and I mean anyone) makes an announcement about doing something first, or fastest - it will always-always not live up to someone's definition of what it means to be first or fastest.
You just have to ignore folks and let them have their own ideas.
The world would be an ugly place without vultures. I don't understand how vultures have come to represent negativity; it makes me sad
I have not followed Chipmunk's story very closely, but the more learn the more I am impressed.
It seems incontrovertible that is was *HER* hike. And that is a very important part of the story.
Not because of how it plays to the hiking community (and especially on whiteblaze) but because of the message and inspiration she is sharing with others-- young people in particular. Check youtube and the web for more. Its pretty neat.
Presenting her trip as a solo hike gets right to the point that this was *HER* adventure. Some kids get lucky and have amazing parents that conceive and design their kids fist big adventure-- who can't be in awe of the Adventure's Cindy Ross and her husband created for their children when they were young, for example -- and Chipmunk's parents look to have done the same with a 3,000+ mile bike trip a couple years prior.
But her AT trip was different-- it was so much more because it was *HERS*.
And if that is communicated right off the bat by choosing the words "solo hike" (which I think is accurate anyway) why not?I think that gives a better understanding of her accomplishment and context to her message.
What an amazing adventure for her. And she is blessed to have such amazing parents. I am thrilled for all involved.
I just can't find in my wildest thoughts anything negative about this. WB continues to amaze me.
To ease your mind here are 5 who have were home schooled that can -
My daughter - graduate of the Eastern Virginia Medical School surgical assistant program. She is well-liked, highly-respected and very much in demand because of her work ethic.
My niece - has a masters in political science and is a mover and shaker in the political arena in DC
My nephew - is an Air Force Academy graduate and AF pilot.
Another niece - graduated Virginia Tech with a degree in animal husbandry.
And another niece - graduated Old Dominion University with a degree in music as an accomplished violinist.
All well-liked and respected, able to hold down jobs with a high degree of responsibility. And from what I hear from my son-in-law who teaches physics in a public school, I hope all my grandchildren will be homeschooled. School is for education not socialization and many public schools are failing on both fronts in my book. Not really the fault of the teachers (in most instances). It's all the politics and power plays being played in our educational system.
By the way, kudos to the young lady for her accomplishment and her parents for supporting her in achieving her goal.
Last edited by 2015 Lady Thru-Hiker; 09-27-2014 at 10:23.
““Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees....” ― John Muir
WB is a great site but it only takes a few jealous people to ruin a thread - as always.
Yep. Been a member here for a decade and unfortunately the Bash first mentality has always been here. Not sure if it is about upping the post count, the need to compensate for a lack of ones own self worth or just to prove that HYOH means only if you do it "my" way is the hike valid.
"Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." Louis L’Amour
Yet another debate on WhiteBlaze that would never happen on the trail in real life.
I get what you are saying, but if you go back and read each post carefully, there is really not much of a debate at all.
You will find a couple comments with misplaced focus (IMHO) and negative overtones and then you get everyone else chiming in to denounce them.
Not a debate really.
0n the other hand, you see precious few adding anything new or of interest.
I have been teaching in a Title 1 school for over 8 years - over 1100 kids to date - and I'd be the first to say that many, if not a majority of THOSE kids were "socially inept" when they got to me and when they left. Absolutely no concept of how to be polite to each other, function in a location NOT a ghetto, how to treat an adult, how to respond to authority.
Has NOTHING to do with where they are schooled. Has EVERYTHING to do with parenting and the community around them.
As for the young lady, kudos to her for the accomplishment up to now (if she finishes - stated she would start Maine 03 Oct) and kudos for the family support.
I'd like a camper every night to sleep in.
Old Hiker
AT Hike 2012 - 497 Miles of 2184
AT Thru Hiker - 29 FEB - 03 OCT 2016 2189.1 miles
Just because my teeth are showing, does NOT mean I'm smiling.
Hányszor lennél inkább máshol?
Had she actually hiked the AT solo there might be valid questions about parental negligence. She did not hike the AT solo as claimed so it's perfectly valid to question that also. The OP did ask for comments.
BTW, where are the moderators? Seems to me there's a TOS about name calling a personal attacks.
Vultures eliminate the carrion, as well as the weak. The keep the ecosystem strong by reducing spread of disease. They are truly beneficial and important for a healthy environment.The world would be an ugly place without vultures. I don't understand how vultures have come to represent negativity; it makes me sad
Homeschooling is only as good as the teacher, and the coursework used. I've seen good and bad, awful, and exceptional.
Last edited by MuddyWaters; 09-27-2014 at 12:46.
If you are in your '60's with parents healthy enough to drive around following you, wealthy enough to fund the venture, and amiable enough that you don't mind seeing them every night, I would say simply, "God bless you." Then, on further consideration, I would contend that He already has.
We REALLY have to get a LIKE button on this site! I LOVED that Rainman! We just walked the West Highland Way in Scotland, using a company that ported our bags ahead and made the hotel reservations for us for every night. So no we didn't carry big trail packs and we didn't tent out. But we still DID walk every foot of the 96 miles of it! And when I go to do the Camino de Santiago next year I'm staying in alburges or hotels or B&Bs, whatever I can find, every single night. No cooking on the trail, no pumping water out of streams, no tenting. But I will STILL have walked all 480 miles of it. If I could do the AT that way you damn well better believe I would.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us."
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