I'm wondering if the bears are because there are more trained grizzlies than black bears.Originally Posted by linus72
Time is but the stream I go afishin' in.
Thoreau
What's with all the flannel-bashing anyway. Long as it's not cotton it's great, and you get instant mountain-man status. Pendleton wool flannel is classy stuff.
If you look at the bear on the original AWITW cover, it was a brown bear -- we had the same discussion way back then, not the right kind of bear, blah blah.
A critique I have is that neither character (but especially Redford) ever looked quite grungy enough.
i like flannel. i assumed theirs were cotton because it looked like katz was also wearing cotton tee. i could have been wrong... maybe it was wool...agree with the grunge comment.
Doin' the trail one section at a time
You can read about my adventures at http://happyonthetrails.wordpress.com/
Blissful review, Capt. Morgan, and ATC
Veteran ridgerunner and 2x 2,000-miler, Lauralee "Blissful" Bliss just posted a review of A Walk in the Woods on her blog Blissful Hiking at http://blissfulhiking.blogspot.com/2...l-walk-in.html
She picked up on the presence of ATC's longtime southern regional director Morgan Sommerville (http://www.americantrails.org/awards...dvocate13.html) in one scene. What's interesting about the choice of Morgan as an extra is that he is the leader of the "A.T. Walk in the Woods Mitigation Task Force." But it was probably his tall stature and magnificent, big red beard that caught their eye, as much as anything. (He doesn't like being called "Capt. Morgan" but sometimes I can't resist. His real trail name is "Captain A.T.").
Here's Blissful's thoughtful review:
The Meaning of Life and a Trail - A Walk in the Woods Review
A Walk in the Woods will certainly generate AT interest. But not in the way some might think.
This movie is essentially about two older people looking for the meaning of the rest of their life by taking a walk on the Appalachian Trail. One battles alcohol. The other is a washed-up author who is seeing friends die. It is a scenario those over 50 see very much in their lives. Which is why I believe the film will MEAN more to the older generation. Young folks will likely find it boring, uninteresting, or upset the way young people are portrayed in it as either hip studs ready to rescue the old codgers or obnoxious and mean. This is not a movie for young people in that sense. The movie examines the thoughts of older people. But in this, young might learn something valuable about life as they see parents and grandparents go through these struggles. Which is a good thing as these days people seem to be very “me centered.”
As for the hiker, ones that have done the AT won’t like a few mishaps with the trail or mistaken scenery placement. But this is not a documentary. Tons of those out there. It shows a few of life’s lessons and also lessons you can learn on the trail. Like what happens when one doesn’t follow Leave No Trace with food and the bears come (although grizzlies are NOT on the AT). I was also happy to see that twice the hikers showed ethics with waste disposal. There was a small 5 second clip of maintainers taking care of the trail. It did show some beautiful spots and how the trail can invigorate you and cause life changes. That will be its draw, as well as the draw of simply seeing a Hollywood flick with AT written all over it that then extends to people buying the book. Which led to the initial surge of hikers after the book’s release.
I am still concerned about the impact of the trail by those that don’t know what to do. And I feel the movie could certainly spur others to try and do it without being adequately prepared. It did not show so much the rigors but in many cases, interesting trail life. That the trail has lots of pit stops and comraderie and social aspects. That will draw folks. But preparation is the key. As well as preservation in observing Leave No Trace.
But do find a mean to life by a hike, whether in yourself are in others. A walk fills the soul in ways this modern world can never do.
As most of you know, ATC has very deliberately decided to embrace the film. It was going to made with or without us, and we felt the best option for the long-term health of the A.T. was to work with the filmmakers. (We also recognized that Robert Redford, with his record on promoting environmental causes, was probably the Hollywood filmmaker most likely to give the A.T. responsible treatment.) And, regardless of what we did, the film would give the A.T. more exposure. We believed that being involved would give us opportunities to promote Leave No Trace, educate the filmmakers on permits required and certain sensitivities, and have ATC, whose mission is long-term protection of the Trail, linked with the broader reach the film will create. (We had limited opportunities to provide input on set during the filming itself.)
Are a few parts of the trail overcrowded already? Most definitely yes, especially on a certain number of days a year, especially this Labor Day weekend. Has the number of northbound thru-hikers (and behavior of a few) in recent years put a serious strain on Baxter State Park and other locations? Yes. Do day-hikers, weekenders, and groups put stress on the Trail too? Yes. Do most parts of the A.T. see relatively little, or even very little traffic most of the year? Based on all the input I receive in my interactions with hikers and trail managers at ATC, as well as recent observation as a section-hiker, volunteer trail maintainer, and boundary maintainer, I would say yes.
As for dealing with the crowding, ATC believes in the unique management model of the A.T. that gives power to hikers themselves, volunteers, and the cooperative management system to solve problems. We will strive to give hikers the information and ability to do what they can to disperse themselves. We are working on expanding Leave No Trace education. We and our partners will do all these things before resorting to regulation.
In Georgia, the GATC, USFS, and ATC are working together to make sure there will be more campsites, more ridgerunners, more volunteer caretakers, more attention to waste management, as well as more law enforcement.
In Virginia, volunteers with the Roanoke A.T. Club have embraced the challenge of more visitors: www.ratc.org/mcafee-task-force-adds-new-volunteers-celebrates-growth/
In Connecticut, one particularly motivated volunteer led an effort to manage a huge increase in urban visitors to Bull's Bridge:
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/get-involved/volunteer/volunteer-of-the-month/2014/11/25/november-2014---ray-bracone-bulls-bridge-task-force
Attracting more people to the A.T. will create more work for us all, but we're up for the challenge.
Laurie P.
Wondering why they stayed through the credits
My husband and I saw the movie last night again in Frederick, Maryland, mostly because I wanted to observe the audience--how many, who went, how they reacted, etc.
The theater was almost full -- mostly 40-somethings through 70-somethings, but with a sprinkling of younger folks. There was a lot of laughter in the first half, not as much later. It was interesting to note how different people laugh at different scenes.
The most distinct thing about this viewing was most people stayed in their seats while the credits rolled.
The breathtaking aerial photography of southern balds might have been part it, but what was shown was similar to previous sequences in the film. When people did get up there were so many people talking I couldn't pick out any one conversation that was enlightening.
Still pondering what might have been going through viewers' heads as they sat there.
Anyone have insights?
Last edited by Lauriep; 09-06-2015 at 08:04.
The theater in Brunswick, Maine was about as full as I have seen it in a while. People don't go to movies like they did when I was a kid. When I was young, people would pack out the place for B movies. Over the past few years, I have been to Marvel movies when there were only 15 or 20 people in the room. There had to be at least 75 there for the 7 PM showing. Most did not look like they were in hiking shape. Most were older than me. It would be easy to pick apart the accuracy of the film as it relates to the trail itself or how they acted or looked on the trail. Given the audience, I doubt most noticed anything like that. People laughed at scenes that I thought were so so. Some things I found comical, no one made a peep. This was a lazy movie. I believe it was meant to be a lazy movie. It was light. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I just wish somehow they could have had some scenes from Maine and New Hampshire. I agree with those that do not believe it will cause a flood like Wild. There were raw emotions in Wild. By the way, I did not like Wild. Whereas, it will not be the magnet Wild was, it made me want to do some more walking this year.
Edit: The reason I believe this movie will not drive people to the trail is because of the audience and their reactions. The vast majority of the people there looked like they are beyond the ability to hike any great distance. The way they reacted to some of the scenes revealed they were more in agreement with Catherine than Bill. The wife was portrayed as sensible and the adventure was portrayed as silly. None of this was mean. It was just a given promise that everything Bill and Katz were doing was not to be advised. I can see the possibility of people struggling with life going for a long walk because they could relate to the emotions of star of Wild and her situation. A Walk will no more inspire people to hike than Dumb and Dumber inspired people to drive to Aspen.
Last edited by BirdBrain; 09-06-2015 at 08:40.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
Memories! Just as one does not want to leave the trail and have the adventure end,for me it was just so in the theater. There were more than a few times that I was back there at Neels McAfee, Fontana SNP and GSMNP. I was remembering the magic of each place or the God awful weather, rain or the heat or bone chilling cold all over again, I really enjoyed those times and I was held in my seat by the wonder of it all, just as I was pulled upward to mountains vistas I will never forget. Flashes of faces from long ago and those from not so long ago flooded my thoughts as I lingered in the dark, I did not want it to end then now or ever. Yea I liked it.
Interesting observations, BirdBrain, thanks for sharing some insights from up in Maine. Thanks for the eloquent personal perspective, Busky2.
I mostly agree with Birdbrain's take. I could ramble on all day about what I liked and didn't like in the film (and the book) but I can't begin to guess what non-hikers might have thought about the movie or whether it might make them more or less inclined to visit the trail. I recall reading an interview with Bryson, where he opines that the film might in fact make people less likely to try a thru hike.
On the other hand, I suspect the Rte. 311 trailhead in VA may be a bit more congested than usual, for a while.
I saw the movie last night and despite going into it thinking it would be a disappointment I actually liked it.
There were well over 100, maybe close to 200 people in the theater. Every time one of the arial shots of a Bald or the shot of Fontana Dam came up the crowd would come alive. My wife, who has never set foot on the AT kept asking me "is that real?". My answer each time was yes, it is real. She was impressed.
"Chainsaw" GA-ME 2011
Chainsaw, that's a powerful statement right there about the beauty and scope of those amazing places on the A.T..
The A.T. corridor and the lands around it would not be protected today if there were not a lot of people aware of how extraordinarily beautiful and rare these places are and were willing to fight to keep them. These places will not continue to stay protected if there are not a lot of people who continue to care about and value them. A movie like this can make a positive impact by creating a wider base of support for the Trail and the most special places that surround it.
Having read the book, and listen to the audio book many times while walking, it was hard to remain objective, especially after perusing some of the reviews...but I did it. I love movies in general and took these reviews with a grain of salt and in the end...a Coke and a Smile. Good movie.
Lauriep,
Along the thoughts of protecting things, I liked the observations Bill made along the walk. I do not want to spoil things for others. But by way of example, my childhood home had 2 of the largest Elm trees I have ever seen in my life. When I was about 16, I spent a large portion of my summer cutting those trees up and splitting the twisted mess for firewood. It is a task that I would not wish on anyone. I remember as a young boy not being able to throw a baseball over the canopy of those monsters. They were thriving then. They died very quickly. The observations of such things in the movie might seem forced to some. It was real to me. Our maple trees and blue spruce trees are under attack too. The cat nine tails are being overrun by a sprawling blue flowering weed. Our moose is being thinned by a tick that survives winters up here. I am not saying I have solutions. Just found myself agreeing with the gratuitous comments by Bill. We need to be careful. In some cases, we need to show our kids the things that won't be here much longer.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
i've said it before, what's drawing folks to the AT are all the youtube vids showing all the party scenes and such up and down the trail
My wife laughed and elbowed me at just about everything that Catherine said. I suppose she's the sensible one in the family.
I got a few chuckles, and the scenery is, of course, awesome. The ledge scene was hokey.
The continuity problems didn't bother me much, although "where did Bryson get the bathrobe?" was an eyebrow-raiser.
And here, too, most of the audience was old farts, even older than me, out to see Redfodr and Nolte. It looked as if virtually all of them were past hiking age. (I'm of the age where there are folks who look like the young thru's in the movie telling me, "I think it's wonderful that you're still out here at your age." They mean nothing but good by it, and I still want to slap them.)
I always know where I am. I'm right here.
I'd like to see "A Walk in the Woods 2" regardless if Bill Bryson and Katz didn't hike Sobo, Flip Flop or nick knack paddy whack give a dog a bone, and it were all made up...So what. Lots of material stories to be told yet about the trail.
What I wouldn't wish on anyone is trying to use elm for firewood! It won't burn at all when it's green, and it rots before it seasons.
Elm wood burns like churchyard mould,
E'en the very flames are cold! -- Lady Cecelia Congreve
I always know where I am. I'm right here.
I agree, it's always amazed me on the number of older folks that still have their health and hike long distance...that's great, and gives me hope.
Don't get too cocky boy. In two years you will be old like me. In seven years you will be really old like AK. By the way, I think it is wonderful how AK still can get out there and hike.I agree, it's always amazed me on the number of older folks that still have their health and hike long distance...that's great, and gives me hope.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
Burning it was no where near as hard as splitting it. What a twisted snarled up stringy mess. Elm is not ideal for burning. We were not rich. We did what we had to. If only it could have fought the disease as hard as it fought me. If it had, it would still be alive.
In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years. - Abraham Lincoln
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