Teen wins photo contest while hiking Appalachian Trail - Press News

[biggdbo]

I work for the paper that posted this story, and I know the person in question. We are working to verify if he is who carved "Cubby 08" in the shelters.

[RITBlake]

that photo stinks

[TD55]

Folks have been carving stuff like names and dates on shelters ever since they got built . Didn't Daniel Boone carve his name on a tree? Did this kid use spray paint or write offensive stuff? If all he did was "carve" his name he probably thought it would be ok to do so. Why not? Other people do it. Sorry, I just don't understand why folks get upset over such petty stuff. I actually like reading some of the graffitti.

[TD55]

Folks have been carving stuff like names and dates on shelters ever since they got built . Didn't Daniel Boone carve his name on a tree? Did this kid use spray paint or write offensive stuff? If all he did was "carve" his name he probably thought it would be ok to do so. Why not? Other people do it. Sorry, I just don't understand why folks get upset over such petty stuff. I actually like reading some of the graffitti.

Maybe I posted to soon. Are these big carving on the outside of the shelter? A photo would be helpful.

[Red Hat]

They were huge carvings inside the shelter, usually on the back wall. Sorry, I was too disgusted to photograph them. But as 33whiskey said, they were annoying.

[horicon]

Good job.

[TD55]

They were huge carvings inside the shelter, usually on the back wall. Sorry, I was too disgusted to photograph them. But as 33whiskey said, they were annoying.

I recognize the difference between a small carving of a name and date and vandalism. I would still like to see photo's, but it sounds like Cubby 08 may have some difficulties coming his way. Maybe an example needs to be made in this case.

[Pedaling Fool]

Maybe I posted to soon. Are these big carving on the outside of the shelter? A photo would be helpful.

I've been asking the same question, but no one cares to answer. How big can they be? Not that it really matters, but seems like that would take a lot of time to carve "cubby 08" everyday in at least 15 lean-tos, especially for a thru-hiker.

[garlic08]

I didn't even stay in shelters, maybe ate a meal in a few of them, and "CUBBY 08" really annoyed me, too. Large, deeply carved letters, on the inside back wall just above the platform, even a non-shelter person couldn't miss it. Crossed the line, in my opinion. 20 minutes with a sharp knife, I bet.

[saimyoji]

that photo stinks

i agree.

[Lone Wolf]

I know of at least one couple that was made to remove its graffiti when MATC complained to the National Park Service ranger.

So such carvings are not automatically made okay, despite the "tradition."

Weary

it seems MATC complains a lot about a lot of things

[weary]

Appes and oranges.

Your house is your private property. Shelters are community.

Post friggin cops at shelters if you don't want them carved in or painted on. Otherwise, it's gonna happen.

Perhaps. Are you saying that if your town office building, is vandalized it's okay, because it belongs to the community, not to a private group.

Twenty years ago I spent many months promoting the restoration of an 1881 town hall to modern standards. Our community is proud of what a score of voluneers, with the help of a paid crew, managed to accomplish. The building is used daily for town meetings and as an office for town officials. It sits on a beautiful waterfront site, serving the present generation, and highlighting a bit of our history as a community.

It certainly is community property. But if any one carved "Cubby 08" in large letters on its restored walls, I suspect we would trace down the culprit and demand both restitution and jail time.

Weary

[Spogatz]

I think it has more to do with respect than anything....

[weary]

it seems MATC complains a lot about a lot of things

Not really a lot. In my 35 year experience with MATC, I can only think of three complaints, damage to a new shelter, a $100 million industrial power complex a mile from the trail, and blaze orange commercial signs.

Incidentally, all three complaints were successful. The graffiti was removed. The industrial complex was blocked. And the blaze orange signs no longer exist.

Weary

[Pedaling Fool]

Perhaps. Are you saying that if your town office building, is vandalized it's okay, because it belongs to the community, not to a private group.

Twenty years ago I spent many months promoting the restoration of an 1881 town hall to modern standards. Our community is proud of what a score of voluneers, with the help of a paid crew, managed to accomplish. The building is used daily for town meetings and as an office for town officials. It sits on a beautiful waterfront site, serving the present generation, and highlighting a bit of our history as a community.

It certainly is community property. But if any one carved "Cubby 08" in large letters on its restored walls, I suspect we would trace down the culprit and demand both restitution and jail time.


Weary

Weary, you did not have Sesame Street when you were growing up, so I'm going to cut you some slack. But here's a website so you can catch up with the rest of us http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/wrong.htm

Now sing along as you play:

One of These Things
(Is Not Like The Others)

One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song?
Did you guess which thing was not like the others?
Did you guess which thing just doesn't belong?
If you guessed this one is not like the others,
Then you're absolutely...right!

[weary]

Weary, you did not have Sesame Street when you were growing up, so I'm going to cut you some slack. But here's a website so you can catch up with the rest of us http://kids.niehs.nih.gov/wrong.htm]

I heard the song many times while my kids were growing up. The only difference between the two things is that one is located in the woods. Are you arguing that vandalism that no one watches you do is okay?

If so, what is all this chatter about Leave No Trace. Perhaps I haven't read the fine print. Is the real message, Leave No Trace if any one is watching?

Weary

[bfitz]

Not a shelter but allegedly 15 shelters. Not one violation of the law, but 15 violations -- in Maine alone. We haven't heard as yet how many other shelters he may have defaced.

However, no one is lynching the kid. I'm just using it as a way to alert folks that there is a rarely used and even more rarely understood "Leave No Trace" ethic. In my opinion, he should be required to remove his vandalism -- or pay the cost of having someone else do it for him.

Weary

LNT is not a law and is mostly BS as anyone with a brain can recognize. From the cave walls in france to the coliseum in Rome to shelters in maine, people have been doing graffiti since they learned how to make a mark with a tool. Graffiti isn't going anywhere. Welcome to the human race. There will be graffiti. It's really probably one of the least of our flaws as a species. Simma down now!

[Jack Tarlin]

Wow, what a crazy story.

If this is the guy who was defacing signs and shelters, then I hope he's prosecuted for it, fined for it, and I hope this gets widely publicized. The best way to put a stop to this sort of thing is for people to realize that actions can have consequences.

It's also an instructive story for folks who welcome publicity or press in re. to their hikes.

Be careful what you wish for....

[bfitz]

Prosecuted? Don't be ridiculous.

[Jack Tarlin]

How'd you feel if "decorations" and "artwork" appeared overnight on YOUR house? Or car?

Not so enthusiastic I bet.