The Family From The South

[HikerMom58]

Couldn't wait for the opportunity to express some religious / political hate this morning?

Funny you should say that, I was thinking the same exact thing. Well, to white blaze... gotta love it.

Haha. I vote for "Spanish Inquisition" too!! Has much more character about it! "Angel" is so common. You deserve a name with pizzazz!!

Aww.. that's sweet, Kryptonite. Another vote goes to SI! The only time that I remember that "Spanish Inquisition" wouldn't have worked as well as "Angel" was when, a super sweet, first time out- section hiker, shouted to me, "Hey Angel, would you please help me put my socks on?" I was both surprised & honored by the request. Without a doubt, that's one of the best moments on the trail, for me.

[Lone Wolf]

Fifty dollars total for 5 nights of stay for 6 (or is it 7) people is a substantial donation????? I don't think so. She only paid for one night out of five. If she didn't have the money, she should not have stayed. A partially used container of laundry soap and some toilet paper does not make up for what she owes them. And yes, she owes them and stated so in her journal. She figured they would be understanding because of their connection to the church. She took advantage of them. Period.

Hiking skills could not help this young kid if someone had tried to abduct him. Thank goodness LW and others were there to take him under their wing.

$6 per night, per person is the required donation. no work for stay. hikers using the hostel are supposed to clean it, wash their towels, etc.

[Eighty-Eight]

Multiple levels of 'natural selection at work' highlighted with these individuals, family, forum, trailtowns, community at large....said process is often very sad to watch when up close and personal, and invites good-intentioned interference which then becomes it's own part of the process. If everyone who has best intentions towards these individuals and the family would donate ten federal reserve notes to a trusted individual who could then contact The Mom with the prospect of: 'O.K., here's $2K that 200 concerned hiker's would like to give you IF you'll get your children off of the A.T. Have you ever heard of the Continental Divide Trail?' Then again, it's vastly entertaining to watch how luck becomes part of the process. I'm going to go sell my chinese made svea for twice what it's worth right now so that i'll have my ten bucks ready.

[Feral Bill]

$6 per night, per person is the required donation. no work for stay. hikers using the hostel are supposed to clean it, wash their towels, etc.

I don't understand the concept of a "required donation". Please explain.

[Lyle]

The boy has O.D.D. not A.D.D. Big difference. Totally agree with Creek Dancer and HikerMom and John!

Just more psycho mumbo-jumbo to explain and excuse bad behavior. I looked up the treatment for O.D.D. According to the bulleted highlights from the American Pediatric Association website, I didn't see anything blatantly at odds with their recommendations, other than missing some recommended counseling. They also recommend exercise, playing up and recognizing the child's positive accomplishments, not escalating situations, and picking your fights. Kinda like letting the kid hike backwards if he wanted and Mom had confidence he would return when ready.

[Rasty]

It's what this country and society does with religious right-wingers and nut cases all the time.

Couldn't wait for the opportunity to express some religious / political hate this morning?

Couldn't agree more with Bob!

[HikerMom58]

Multiple levels of 'natural selection at work' highlighted with these individuals, family, forum, trailtowns, community at large....said process is often very sad to watch when up close and personal, and invites good-intentioned interference which then becomes it's own part of the process. If everyone who has best intentions towards these individuals and the family would donate ten federal reserve notes to a trusted individual who could then contact The Mom with the prospect of: 'O.K., here's $2K that 200 concerned hiker's would like to give you IF you'll get your children off of the A.T. Have you ever heard of the Continental Divide Trail?' Then again, it's vastly entertaining to watch how luck becomes part of the process. I'm going to go sell my chinese made svea for twice what it's worth right now so that i'll have my ten bucks ready.

Well, it's like that TV show, What Would You Do? (I think that's the name of it) You know the show with the hidden camera and fake actors? Some people don't want to get involved and others can't help themselves. I relate to the ones that want to get involved... we can't help it... OK? We have to be careful about how we approach people, when "red flags" are up about someone's behavior, no matter who they are. I know, I know, some people don't think there are any "red flags". The laws are complicated and complex. No one, here, wants to stick their nose into this families lifestyle/business but at the same time we won't stick our heads in the sand, either.
In the end, no matter how we personally feel about this family, the "laws of the land" will prevail. Do we keep "calling in the troops" to take a good hard look at them? I'm saying, YES!! Sorry, if anyone on here or the family themselves are bothered by that fact. I think the BEST thing I could do would be to get out there and hike with them for a few days.....humm... that's not a bad thought. The rubber mets the road....

[Train Wreck]

Well, it's like that TV show, What Would You Do? (I think that's the name of it) You know the show with the hidden camera and fake actors? Some people don't want to get involved and others can't help themselves. I relate to the ones that want to get involved... we can't help it... OK? We have to be careful about how we approach people, when "red flags" are up about someone's behavior, no matter who they are. I know, I know, some people don't think there are any "red flags". The laws are complicated and complex. No one, here, wants to stick their nose into this families lifestyle/business but at the same time we won't stick our heads in the sand, either.
In the end, no matter how we personally feel about this family, the "laws of the land" will prevail. Do we keep "calling in the troops" to take a good hard look at them? I'm saying, YES!! Sorry, if anyone on here or the family themselves are bothered by that fact. I think the BEST thing I could do would be to get out there and hike with them for a few days.....humm... that's not a bad thought. The rubber mets the road....

Watch out if you join this traveling circus, you will get sucked into the vortex

[HikerMom58]

I hear ya!!

[Train Wreck]

The boy has O.D.D. not A.D.D. Big difference. Totally agree with Creek Dancer and HikerMom and John!

I'm confused again...is she traveling with one, or two kids with developmental challenges? One of her earliest journal entries mentions a kid with autism. I got the impression that the one with ODD joined them at a later date. Wow.

[Water Rat]

[QUOTE=Mountain Maiden;1319630]Ohhhhhhhhhhh--THIS child--as absolutely adorable and sweet as he appears, is the child that according to his mother, is one of the reasons they are on the Trail and can't just 'go home.' He's burned their house down, terrorized the neighborhood, stolen from neighbors, abuses the other siblings, etc. She says if they go home, he will be put in jail. Evidently, this hike was an agreement with the authorities to keep him away from the neighbors. He can be cute and cunning at the same time. I witnessed this. She was probably enjoying the break and time with the other children. (Not that it makes it right...) He is a beautiful child and hopefully will get the help he needs at some point before he ends up in real trouble.[/QUOTE

" I'm confused again...is she traveling with one, or two kids with developmental challenges? One of her earliest journal entries mentions a kid with autism. I got the impression that the one with ODD joined them at a later date. Wow. "

In addition to the 11 or 12 yr old who wandered off, the 15yr old is autistic.

[Water Rat]

In her journal (July 4th entry), she mentions moving to Idaho in February. Her plans are to hit the CDT next year.

[Lone Wolf]

$6 per night, per person is the required donation. no work for stay. hikers using the hostel are supposed to clean it, wash their towels, etc.

I don't understand the concept of a "required donation". Please explain.

o.k. replace required with expected. the hostel isn't free like a lot of thru-hikers think. you would not believe how many hikers leave no money after using it for 2-3 days. $6 per night is hardly asking for much. the last few years the church had to dig into other budgets to pay for upkeep, sewer, water, electric, mowing, etc. if one can't afford it they need to camp on the edge of town. i've lost count of the number of hikers that asked to stay a few extra nights to wait on a money drop with a promise to put cash in the box then hit the trail without leaving a dime. bottom line, you're on vacation, not some live changing mission. do the right thing in towns. pay your way

[Veetack]

I met them at the NOC back in early June. They were really interesting to talk to, and I remember her telling me that one of her kids was autistic. If I'm not mistaken, it was her teenage son, and he was extremely high functioning if he was autistic. Relly cool kid though, and the whole family seemed like they were having a blast.

[Sly]

Uncalled for remark. Everyone is entitled to their opinions and right to post if not breaking the rules. At least by opening this topic, more hostels and potential donators know the truth. What they choose to do with that info is up to them.

Yeah, and people have the right to hike if they're not breaking any laws. Cheer Bear & family aren't here to explain or defend themselves,they don't need to be lynched by a bunch of cyber hikers, or internet family specialists.

I'm sure they'll be more welcome to service providers and trail angels on the trail than they have been on Whiteblaze.

[Kryptonite]

Yeah, and people have the right to hike if they're not breaking any laws. Cheer Bear & family aren't here to explain or defend themselves,they don't need to be lynched by a bunch of cyber hikers, or internet family specialists.

We are all entitled to our opinion and thank God we live in countries where we aren't censored. Oh wait, it seems as though you have appointed yourself as judge and jury as to what opinions are allowed to be voiced here. Maybe if you were the one who had donated to this woman who claimed to be flat broke while having a credit card and spending over $600 in town or like Lone Wolf had spent hours out of his night returning her boy; or the organization who put up this woman and was stiffed - you would feel differently. I don't care if your opinion is different, but this doesn't mean that we are all going to agree.

[Sly]

If you want to continue to criticize a family that's just out there hiking, not breaking any laws, because you don't agree with their planning, gear or lifestyle, fine, but don't try to read into things. It's obvious the family isn't flat broke, they've been hiking, traveled to and from home, and have a credit card. If you realize how hikes, or life, works sometimes, you'd know there are times when you're low on cash. I put travelers checks in mail drops, others have to wait until their pay hits the bank.

The thread is full of other examples that fail to see any bright side but only look for the negatives. If it makes you feel better continue your criticism.

[Sly]

Hike My Hike – Damn It! (HMHDI)

[DaveSail]

The " Barefoot Sstrs " , while hiking South , were with " The Family From The North ". Assorted children .
Mother carrying one who was still nursing . Very low on provisions and money . Had some srange habits :
Burning full diapers so as not to have to carry the weight ; ( made camp - site smell bad ) . Just wonder
how THEY were treated on this web - site ? David

[SassyWindsor]

TP and everything else to wipe with can be found along the trail on the ground, especially around shelters and campsites. Full diapers found along the trail would be something new (for me). I would have to recommend to her to BURY the thing instead of trying to burn it. Trail-runners don't deserve this.