Please don't take this wrong but is hiking a white person sport?
I never see any Africans American's on the trail. I seen 1 Asian American. Is my perception wrong?
Would you be offended if I told you to
TAKE A HIKE!
CowHead
"If at first you don't succeed......Skydiving is not for you" Zen Isms
I once was lost, then I hike the trail
well i'm from colombia, south america but you're right. never really see anyone but a caucasian looking individual out on the trail...
We have two black couples in our hiking club, the Appalachian Trail Club of Alabama.
I am not young enough to know everything.
Four that I know of: Serial, Rosy, Sarge and Rocky Top. I'm sure there are a few more.
I love the smell of esbit in the morning!
There were at least 2 black folks on the trail in 08. But, when my best friend (who is black) found out I wanted to walk through the woods for 6 months his response was "Man, you white people just ain't right".
Tomorrow might just be too late and today is just beginning.
Yes. Take a look at major league baseball and NHL and Nascar. I'm not saying it's wrong, it is what it is. The opportunity is there, it's just that some ethnic groups don't care to participate in those activities. So be it, and we shoudn't try to have a "quota" of any athlete in any sport. If you want to play, bring your game, but if what you are implying is that there is some discrimination involved, in my opinion you are wrong. I have many African American friends and all of them think I am crazy for sleeping in the woods and walking all day and smelling like you know what when I get through with a section.
Don't forget Navin R. Johnson. He was born a poor black child.Originally Posted by Lugnut
Yes black people hike.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ght=black+race
Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.
Woo
Funny story: When I started my thru attempt in '07, one of the first guys I saw was a black guy descending to the Springer shelter. My dad and I (both ex-military) remember him wearing an Airborne hat.
Later that day I stopped at Hawk Mountain and there was a black girl there asking if I'd seen her buddy. I asked what he looked like and if he was wearing a cap. She looked at me like I was crazy and said, 'He's the black guy'. We all got a great laugh out of that!
- AT: Springer to Daleville (714.3 miles) in 2007
- Bibbulmun Track: End-to-End (600 miles) in 2008
I'm sure quite a few of you have met August also.
Over the years some of my deeply-tanned-at-birth friends have stated they have some concern that they might walk into a batch of dudes with white pointy hats. I have yet to see any bunches of dudes with white pointy hats (on or near the trail) but have encountered a few pale fellows in jeans on 4wheelers who just might change into sheets on weekends?? Have also had similar experiences as Leeki when discussing such as hiking.
Otherwise, I don't have a problem with skin color unless it's maybe green or blue then there may be a problem I cannot be of much help or comfort.
Personally I thought there were lots of african american baseball players.
""Singing"" "One of these things is not like the other"
Marje is from El Salvador...we get funny looks
All Marines are green upon birth at Parris Island or San Diego. Only a few lucky navy blue types get to become green...
If people spent less time being offended and more time actually living, we'd all be a whole lot happier!
In 2003 I met a black gentleman outside Delaware Water Gap, but didn't get his name. In 2004 I met Sarge in Hiawassee. In 2005 I hiked with both August and VisionQuest. She finished that year, August finished last year. I don't think long distance hiking has anything to do with skin color. It is more about finding the means to hike long term.
Aw, I was thinking hue, as of one a might sickly. Those with the positive & rightly earned colors are a different breed indeed.
Taj Mahal was the first guest of Green Mountain House in 2009....hiking from Duncannon to Katahdin. He was in Manchester, VT May 31st.
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=447944
Taj Mahal! Awesome! Learn something new everyday. Love it.
Hiking (along with running, adventure racing, skiing, etc.) is not so much a white person's sport as a college educated and middle class person's recreation. At this time, the majority of people who fall into this category tend to be white, and usually are second generation or more college graduates.
Somewhere buried on this website is a discussion with a link that breaks down the users of the AT not just by racial background, but also by age, level of education, etc.
Here is the HUGE study (18 mb)
http://nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/gtr/gtr_ne276/gtr_ne276.pdf
If you take into account the amount of people who are currently attending college as well as people who graduated college, the percentage of AT users who are college educated is staggering.
My own theory is that the color spectrum of outdoor recreation users may change a little as more minorities become educated beyond high school.
(And for anecdotal evidence, in my own family, my cousins and I are all first generation college students. The family thinks I am nuts to go backpacking on weekends..never mind for weeks at a time.
Last edited by Mags; 07-03-2009 at 14:10.
Paul "Mags" Magnanti
http://pmags.com
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The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau
I was asking myself that same question (one being interested in how different people have their views). Did come across North Star in '07 right before Hot Springs. She ended up getting off b/c she couldn't handle the isolation. Also met JD in VA somewhere. He was in great shape and flew down the trail. Not sure if he was thru or section hiking that year.
But a close friend (who's black) told me I was crazy going out into the woods for 6 months - all those bears and snakes. Funny line she told me when our company was going on a cruise and asked why she wasn't going. She said "Blaine, black people and water don't mix. I ain't going on no boat!"
It is true- I have only ever met one black person in all my time on the trail (a really cool guy from British Ghana), and he was just out for two days. Why don't black people come hiking???
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