me........Originally Posted by Miami Joe
feeding a person that has a pack full of food and is on vacation is hardly "a wonderful act of human kindness"
Rocket: My own opinion is that there are many people in the world who neither expect nor want anything in return for their acts of unselfish kindness. Many don't even want a thank you. They may wish to perform an act of kindness simply because they believe this is how they should live their life. Probably they do feel good about doing these acts, but hey - nothing wrong with that in my opinion.
Are there people out there who have a quid pro quo agenda? Definitely. But that's kind of their problem.
And perhaps trail magic isn't always opportune; perhaps a hiker needs to put in some serious miles. In most cases from what I've heard, trail magic doesn't take a heck of a lot of time (maybe 5-10 min) unless it is a big spread of food. I would think that in situations like that, a simple, "Gosh, this is incredibly nice of you, but a friend is waiting for me up ahead. Can I take this biscuit with me? Thank you so much for doing this!" and then moving on.
There was a time when a "Trail Angel" was named so by word of mouth from acts of kindness. Now "Trail Angels" are self appointed and self labeled. It ain't the same.
The trouble I have with campfires are the folks that carry a bottle in one hand and a Bible in the other.
You never know which one is talking.
i'm so thankful i got to walk the trail "back in the day" before cell phones, shuttle services, hiker feeds, internet, etc., etc. real trail magic was rare and greatly appreciated. now it's expected and they feel entitled to it.
Not to mention the crowds.
Hows that song go? "I ain't asking nobody for nothing if i can't get it on my own. If you don't like my way of living. ya just leave this old country boy alone"
The term "Trail Magic" seems to have been used loosely.If your going out to hand out food,ok,but thats what it is,handing out food.No big deal,your out for an afternoon handing out food and sharing some time on the trail with some hiker friends/strangers,cool,but call it what it is,a hand out.But that in my opinion is not the trail magic,and true trail magic stories have been told here many times.Sometimes the the difference is again so subtle.but there is a difference.And when you hear a story of true "Trail Magic",theres no denying it.To continue to use the term loosley,kinda takes the magic out of "Trail Magic".Post Script;if you hand me an ice cream on a hot day or any day,I'm gonna eat it.
Being out there in the quiet with no phone, no internet, not having to mow the lawn, not waiting on hold for some sort of customer service, not having to see all of the other blank stares from other people sitting in traffic...... For me, that is the trail magic
I hold my wife's purse at the mall to stay close to my testes.
me and some buds were denied "trail magic" one time cuz we weren't "thru-hiking". i've seen coolers left at roads labeled "thru-hikers only
WF used to say that trail feeds were for the benefit of the giver, not the recipient. Lot of truth to that.
Where is the love?
:sigh: everyone thanks you for the squirrel that will now chew through your pack to get the one peanut that fell out of their trailmix bag.
"come on man!"
If you are referring to the old Cumberland Valley 20 mile road walk you missed a unique trail experience.
one of my favorite stretches of trail
Ah yes CDB,he's on my ipod,awesome music!
After our shuttle failed to arrive on a cold rainy night on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere, the one car we saw in two hours picked us up and took us to his house. We used his phone and got out of a bad sittuation. As I told my hiking partner at the time "the good news is we are not going to die, but we may have to walk 15 miles just to get to a paved road". This did not lift his spirts, but the trail majic sure did.
There are so many miles and so many mountains between here and there that it is hardly worth thinking about
How long do you think it wiil be when one day you're hiking in the "moment" and you come around the bend and say Oh God, not ANOTHER feed. You say to your buddy, wasn't that last one just what, maybe 3 miles ago. I don't think it's not that far in the future. Maybe next year. Maybe somebody has already said it this year. Maybe they'll have to start coordinating with each other as to when and where they will be so as to not create overkill or in this case "overfeed". Maybe even put a schedule in the guides complete with menu. Would add a new twist to figuring out resupplies and food drops and even eliminate quite a few. Could even possibly lighten the pack weight in general. Some might even say this is a win, win situation.When we inject ourselves on someone,we should first be asking ourselves,are we truly doing this for them,or ourselves,the difference is so subtle.We all give to get,but if were honest with our selves,then one can't always say this is truly an unselfish act,nothing wrong with that,but at times,it can almost have an opposite effect,an ruin a perfectly good in the moment hike where serenity rules.just my 2 cents,still digesting it myself.
"Hiking is as close to God as you can get without going to Church." - BobbyJo Sargent aka milkman Sometimes it's nice to take a long walk in THE FOG.
Everybody wants to get in on the act. A coupla weeks ago there was a huge set up at Unicoi Gap, Indian Grave Gap AND Tray Gap. That's 3 huge feeds within about 6 miles.
I did a feed in '06 and I at least humped everything a few miles from the nearest gap. Had the time of my life for four days. I agree that it's dumb to have a party in the woods and say it's for thrubees only.
I'm not really a hiker, I just play one on White Blaze.
We're in their house jakedatc. So it's their rules.
Yea, Feeding wild animals is totally natural.
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