Just got on.

[Drakken]

I just signed up to this site and wanted to introduce myself. My name is Hutch, I haven't picked a trail name yet; maybe someone will find a good one for me after I have been on here awhile.
I am a section hiker and I hope to one day have all of VA & TN completed. I live about 20min from the Low Gap (421) part of the AT. I have only done around a pitiful 40mi., but I am hoping to get more in over the 2013 year.
I have posted some pics in my profile. Some from the AT and others from some good hikes in my region. Check them out and leave your comments.
I would like meet some people on here and maybe go for some day hikes. I work a weird schedule so yours would have to be equally as messed up.

In addition to hiking I the drummer for the band F-Bomb. I also enjoy cooking, mtn. biking, snowboarding, and eating what I cook (and what others cook)

[Train Wreck]

Hi, Hutch!
Hey, 40 miles in that area is some pretty nice walking. That section around Iron Mountain is really nice in the spring. I remember it had more varieties of wildflowers than I've ever seen anywhere else.
You might want to take a look under the forums. There is a forum called Hooking Up where you can find and meet hiking partners.
Take some time to look around the rest of the site too, and if you're in the mood to just hang out and have fun, go over and check out hikerboys cyber cafe. They love music and it's just good fun goofing around.

[Drakken]

Hey Thanks, My first reply to a post. You deserve a sticker. Now where did I put those darn stickers.
I saw the Hooking Up section and I think I will give it a look see. I was assuming that it might be for serious partnering.
So, I guess the cyber cafe is a chat room. Awesome, I could use the **** outta that.
Thanks again

[Train Wreck]

Hey Thanks, My first reply to a post. You deserve a sticker. Now where did I put those darn stickers.
I saw the Hooking Up section and I think I will give it a look see. I was assuming that it might be for serious partnering.
So, I guess the cyber cafe is a chat room. Awesome, I could use the **** outta that.
Thanks again

I don't know what happens after the hooking up gets arranged, but since the majority of posters here are guys, I'm guessing not much besides hiking
The cafe is always open. There is a different crowd in the early am, a bunch of loonies on line around suppertime, and an Aussie whose time clock is bass ackward 12 hours from us here, so he's on like at 2 or 3 am. So something should fit in with your weird schedule. Drop by and introduce yourself anytime!

[avalonmorn]

Welcome from Oklahoma! You'll fit in just fine with your weird hours, and, hopefully a good sense of humor.

[HikerMom58]

Hi Hutch...I'm HikerMom. aka as HM. Nice to have you here!

[Drakken]

Thank you all,
I am about to kick my shoes off and make myself at home. This site seems nice (most hikers are). I had joined a Mtn Biking forum and it was horrible. If you didn't spend over a Grand on your bike you were constantly berated about how your bike was crap and you needed to save up for a "real" bike. I don't need that.
Hello HM. I have friends and family in Roanoke. Hope this winter treats you well.

[Train Wreck]

Thank you all,
I am about to kick my shoes off and make myself at home. This site seems nice (most hikers are). I had joined a Mtn Biking forum and it was horrible. If you didn't spend over a Grand on your bike you were constantly berated about how your bike was crap and you needed to save up for a "real" bike. I don't need that.
Hello HM. I have friends and family in Roanoke. Hope this winter treats you well.

We have pack snobs, pole snobs, UL snobs, something for everybody here. Just take it all with a grain of salt. We even have salt snobs. But the last category mostly just hangs out in the cafe

[Papa D]

Greetings Hutch!

[bfayer]

... If you didn't spend over a Grand on your bike you were constantly berated about how your bike was crap....

You mean you can buy a bike for less than a grand? Oh yeh, I saw something like that at Walmart, it looked kind of like a bike

Just kidding. People on here have opinions, not all will agree with yours, but so what?

Some of our most opinionated members are also our most knowledgeable and experienced, don't take it personal and enjoy the site. Welcome.

[Drakken]

People on here have opinions, not all will agree with yours, but so what?

^^Exactly! Opinions are great. That's part of the reason I got on here. But it's when people are rude and treat other people/opinions as stupid that I get irritated. Fine, you don't agree with me and I don't agree with you, let's be adults about it and move past it. Pretty much how I look at it.
Really looking forward to learning some helpful tips/tricks/info on here.

[Mountain Mike]

Welcome to WB. Lots of great info on here written by people with many miles of experience.

[HikerMom58]

Thank you all,
I am about to kick my shoes off and make myself at home. This site seems nice (most hikers are). I had joined a Mtn Biking forum and it was horrible. If you didn't spend over a Grand on your bike you were constantly berated about how your bike was crap and you needed to save up for a "real" bike. I don't need that.
Hello HM. I have friends and family in Roanoke. Hope this winter treats you well.

Thanks so very much, Hutch. I hope when you are back in Roanoke visiting ur friends and family, we will give me a hollar. I wonder if they live close to me. I live in the Bonsack area. Do u like living in Bristol? It seems like a nice place when we are driving thru...

[bfayer]

^^Exactly! Opinions are great. That's part of the reason I got on here. But it's when people are rude and treat other people/opinions as stupid that I get irritated. Fine, you don't agree with me and I don't agree with you, let's be adults about it and move past it. Pretty much how I look at it.
Really looking forward to learning some helpful tips/tricks/info on here.

Well then my best advice is never comment on a thread about: guns, dogs, water treatment, religion, hiking poles, drugs, smoking, fires, trash, anything with the word stealth in it, cell phones, pack weight, or what to do with used toilet paper. Everything else is good to go

OK to be serious, you will enjoy WB just remember that the written word is easily misunderstood and some on here are pretty straight to the point, that does not make them rude, condescending or mean, it just means they are not Hemingway or Tolstoy (present company absolutely included).

The rule of thumb is HYOH ( hike you own hike), but don't ask for opinions unless you really want to hear them

[Train Wreck]

Well then my best advice is never comment on a thread about: guns, dogs, water treatment, religion, hiking poles, drugs, smoking, fires, trash, anything with the word stealth in it, cell phones, pack weight, or what to do with used toilet paper. Everything else is good to go

OK to be serious, you will enjoy WB just remember that the written word is easily misunderstood and some on here are pretty straight to the point, that does not make them rude, condescending or mean, it just means they are not Hemingway or Tolstoy (present company absolutely included).

The rule of thumb is HYOH ( hike you own hike), but don't ask for opinions unless you really want to hear them

This response deserves its own sticky note

[Drakken]

wow, well I just don't get it. I see no need for people to be comment nazis. I totally agree with a PM that someone sent me; "Hike your own Hike". Yep, I'm with you dude. If you don't agree with the way I hike, then don't hike with me. If I wanna carry half of what I own and you wanna carry a tooth brush cut in half and eat berries and twigs, good for you (but would you please share which things are safe to eat).
I have my opinions, and they are mine. I will listen to yours and hopefully learn something from them, but I do not want to get in an arguement over personal preferances. Don't have the time for it.
Thank you all for the comments and warm welcomes. I hope we can all become good friends.