Internet Purists

[Frosty]

6) The "No Snivelling Standard". Which is all good, except when you snivel.

Well, this isn't fair, you know, I mean sometimes things just don't go right, and it rains ALL the time, and then, well, is it sniveling if you just say you don't like the rain alot, I mean, that's just not fair, you know, because some people have it easier in rain than me, and sometimes when it rains the shelters are full and it isn't really sniveling if I mention a lot how unfair that is, and sometimes the uphills are just sooo long, and it isn't really sniveling if I comment for the upteenth time, and what if the long uphill is in the rain and the shleter at the top of the hill is full and I have to set my tent up in the rain, you mean I can't complain about that, because that's unfair when even Sgt Rock and the Combat Happy Joes of Easy Co. might even do what is close to sniveling, excpet of course for Bulldozer, but he'd just clear out the shelter and what is the difference if he snivels or makes everyone else snivel because now they are out in the rain, and this standard is just sooooo unfair and ......

[wacocelt]

The fact that some individuals feel the need to lie about their hike is a refection on those individuals and not the ATC.

Max Patch, I need you to clarify your intent, are you merely responding to the statement about the 2,000 miler patch causing problems, or are you inferring that Hydro will be lying when and if she applys for a certificate?

[rickb]

Wacocelt--

In case Maxpatch is out doing something useful, let me jump in. The requirements that the ATC has laid down on paper for thier award has absolutley NOTHING to do with whether or not one interupts his/her hike.

I got us off on a tangent, and Max Patche's comments have nothing to do with Hydro. Of that I am 100% certain

But that's all the more reason to do away with the 2,000 Mile Award. Any conversation regarding it puts one next to (if not touching) the third rail. People get misunderstood all the fricken time. The smartest folk are those who are smart enough to say nothing-- I might evolve to that point in a decade or two.

Rick B

[max patch]

Max Patch, I need you to clarify your intent, are you merely responding to the statement about the 2,000 miler patch causing problems, or are you inferring that Hydro will be lying when and if she applys for a certificate?

I was referring to Rick's comment that the 2,000 miler patch should be discontinued.

Nothing wrong with Hydro going home to get well. The guy/gal that sent the email is an idiot.

[weary]

It's this type of pomp and circumstance that has made me decide that I really DON'T want to hike the entire AT in one year. If walking every inch of the AT puts me in company with snobbish people who make remarks like that then I'm outta the GaMe. I wouldn't cross the street for a 2,000 miler certificate now.

If the "snobs" today are anything like the purist "snobs" of 1993, there won't be many of them and most will be quietly hiding their snobbishness to avoid dirision from other hikers.

I only met a handful of people who I was sure were in a "pass every white blaze" mode and I knew that more by their actions, than by anything they said. I'm sure there were others who were dedicated to reasonably meeting ATC guidelines, but it was not particularly obvious to this relatively late-starting hiker (April 13 at Amicalola).

One 26-year-old girl was almost in tears because a park ranger gave her a three mile ride so she could meet Rusty's truck at the appointed hour. She asked me if she had destroyed her chances for a thru hike. I told her that if she made it to Katahdin with no greater infraction than that I would personally sew her a 2,000-miler patch.

I got a card late the next summer saying she had finally finished the trail that July.

Weary

[Mags]

Maybe the Center for Appalachian Trail Studies would want a "No Trail Magic, Pure, No Cell Phone, No Gun, No Dog - Did it the Right Way" patch. But that would be one big patch

On my second LT trek in '99, saw a series of register entries from one hiker the said something along the lines of "XYZ Hiker - no slack packing, no blue blazes, no yellow blazes". Good for the hiker I say. But it reminded me of those "My child is an honor roll student at SOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL" bumper stickers! In both cases my initial reacation is: Well that's nice, but why do you want the whole world to know.

[bearbait2k4]

Well, I know this is hard to do, but maybe the best thing for most of us to do is just ignore those who believe their pious beliefs supercede any of our individual accomplishments.

Most people seem to believe that the best philosophy is to hike your own hike, and do what you are most comfortable with. When it gets to this level (e-mailing people who are hiking), it is certainly hard to ignore, but ignoring those comments and minding your own business and affairs, when it comes the hike you are hiking, is exactly what you are asking others to do for you, so why not do it for yourself?

It's hard to do, and I'm sure we've all gotten caught up at defending our own, or even others, actions, but there is no reason to do that. The only opinion that matters in this is your own.

[shades of blue]

Mags...this may be WAY off the subject...but those bumper stickers are to motivate children to acheive higher grades (same thing as being a "terrific kid" or "citizen of the month". Children can be very motivated by things like this, and it helps if their parents show that they are proud of their children's work. BTW I'm not writing as a parent....I'm writing as an elementary teacher.

[kentucky]

Well,Mags I can relate to your blazing comments and have some questions of my own like getting lost!and hiking sections of the old AT at times?and does walking over 2000 miles yet missing some sections invalidate one for a 2,000 miler patch?kentucky

[bitpusher]

It doesn't matter if you take away the 2000-miler award, or have another organization administer it, or change the definition of "thru-hiker", or change what you call it, or ignore that the term exists. What happened to Hydro, and what happens every time people start arguing about this, is not going to change. There are always people who have to make themselves feel better by tearing other people down. They participate, or pretend to participate, in every endeavor known to man. You can call them bullies, jackasses, ********, pricks, or whatever, but they are always there, and no amount of discussion is going to make them change.

The best way to deal with them is to accept that they are damaged goods, and ignore them. HYOH doesn't even begin to sum this up, but it's a good start.

[Mags]

2) A "Benton Mackaye Standard". Though he remained mum about the 2000 Miler Award, he thought the Trail was not a narrow footpath, but a corridor. The wider the better. Enough Said. This does make sense.

As I've said before, I find an interetiing dichotomy between Eastern and Western trails in terms of the culture.

Western trail orgs: More or less have the "corridor" idea. Never mind something like the CDT with a very loosley defined "trail", but for other more official trails such as the PCT, CT, JMT etc. as well. Take the official trail or a an alternate route. It's all good. Heck, the CT guide book even suggests for one stretch to get a ride up a jeep road as the stretch can be boring. I kid you not! (Not to say I would do it, but it is an option apparently!)

Eastern trail orgs: OFFICIALLY have a very definite sense of the trail. Hike the white (or yellow or blue..what ever the official trail is marked by) blazes. Nothing else.
But, more than one hiker has wrote the ATC, said they took an alternate route, and still rec'd the certificate.


Not good or bad, just different ways of looking at the trails.


Personally? I think someday the corridor idea may be officially sanctioned by the AT at somepoint esp. if another org decides to get into the whole 2000 miler business. Or maybe not. In the end I suspect it does not matter.

[Mags]

Mags...this may be WAY off the subject...but those bumper stickers are to motivate children to acheive higher grades (same thing as being a "terrific kid" or "citizen of the month". Children can be very motivated by things like this, and it helps if their parents show that they are proud of their children's work. BTW I'm not writing as a parent....I'm writing as an elementary teacher.

Perhaps.

Or perhaps some parents just like to brag.

I suspect both arguements are valid.

[Mags]

Well,Mags I can relate to your blazing comments and have some questions of my own like getting lost!and hiking sections of the old AT at times?and does walking over 2000 miles yet missing some sections invalidate one for a 2,000 miler patch?kentucky

I honestly don't know. I file this under the heading of "Thru-hiker angels dancing on a pin".

[kentucky]

while hikig out on the pct I found myself hiking parts of the jmt and also blue blazing kings canyon and seqouia parks,and pretty much up into Oregon the same! its what I call A covenant,hike where I please but can restpect purist ,If they can respect back,what I always thought was you had a year to finish the AT to be considered a thru hiker,It makes people feel like they have committed a crime if they missed a white blaze!I have even been with people who backtracked while I waited for them just to feel like they were complete,I just smiled and enjoyed my wait,its a new adventure every time I go and hike,as far as the purist who replied she wasnt a thru hiker I can only say it was a rude and unfair statement kentucky

[JP]

Does hiking a blueblaze to a water source then back to the trail mean you didn't hike the trail? I thought the point of the blue blaze to water was to lessen the inpact at water sources. It seems to me going back the same way would double the impact to that trail. I think starting where you left off after an injury is good enough.

[jmaclennan]

I never completely understood why people care what anyone else does when they hike (though I have some ideas). I find it fascinating and quite humerous at times though. It doesn't only happen online either. For instance, a well known "purist" in '03 wrote in a PA shelter about a "knot of partying losers... [who should] hike your own hike somewhere else," and that they "should be disgusted with yourselves." Too funny. Other people deface register entries of hikers who aren't "doing it right." Why? I have some ideas. Another time, my man Baltimore Jack gave me some crap for cutting a shelter loop in PA. As I'm walking out he says, "where ya going? To get some Monastat? I knew your were pu**ying it all the way from Georgia." Ha! Not only do these incidents provide comic relief, but they may get us to stop and think about "what they hell am I doing out here." If we have a good idea what that is, these types of things probably shouldn't bother us.

[Freeze]

I could care less about what other people think, or about a stupid patch, or recognition for walking a certain distance others see fit. I'm out there for me and nothing else. Those who put people down, want to impose their ways on others, or simply have an inferiority problem and must prove to be better than everyone else can kiss my ass!

[weary]

On my second LT trek in '99, saw a series of register entries from one hiker the said something along the lines of "XYZ Hiker - no slack packing, no blue blazes, no yellow blazes". Good for the hiker I say. But it reminded me of those "My child is an honor roll student at SOME ELEMENTARY SCHOOL" bumper stickers! In both cases my initial reacation is: Well that's nice, but why do you want the whole world to know.

I don't like to admit it in public, but I'll tell you folks if you promise not to tell anyone else, I kinda like irony of the bumper sticker that says, "My kid beat up your honor student." If nothing else the two bumper stickers reflect the sad divisions of this country.

Weary

[Frosty]

I could care less about what other people think, or about a stupid patch, or recognition for walking a certain distance others see fit. I'm out there for me and nothing else. Those who put people down, want to impose their ways on others, or simply have an inferiority problem and must prove to be better than everyone else can kiss my ass!

Not to be a punk here, but if you don't care what we think, why bother explaining your philosophy and why so angry about it?

[weary]

Originally posted by MAGs. Eastern trail orgs: OFFICIALLY have a very definite sense of the trail. Hike the white (or yellow or blue..what ever the official trail is marked by) blazes. Nothing else.
But, more than one hiker has wrote the ATC, said they took an alternate route, and still rec'd the certificate.

I wish ATC would make the policy match their practice. I doubt if the patch matters that much to many thru hikers. Most, I suspect, register to let people they have met along the trail know they finally reached Katahdin. And those you meet on trails already know how both you and they have hiked.

I never applied because I bypassed southern New England in order to allow a painful nerve that made sleeping impossible to calm down and because I wanted to end my six months in Maine and on Katahdin, a state and mountain I have hiked many times, both before and since.

I've picked up most of the missed miles but I doubt if I'll ever get around to applying.

WEary