Thru-Hiking Traditions

[ConstableCuffe]

So I've heard about quite a few of these traditions, but there are two i have questions on.

1. June 21, National Hike Naked Day. How many people actually do this and oh yeah... How on earth is this even legal?!?!?!

2. Half-gallon challenge. I've heard it's either a half-gallon of ice scream or sweet tea. Which is it?

[swjohnsey]

I did 'em both in one shot, smeared my naked body with a half-gallon of ice cream on June 21st.

[fredmugs]

It's not legal. I saw two people once. One had a guitar in front of him (no pack) and the other......no comment.

I saw the ice cream challenge but did not participate. Right before I got there (2007?) some guy let the ice cream melt, drank it like a shake, and broke the "record." Woo hoo.

[flemdawg1]

So I've heard about quite a few of these traditions, but there are two i have questions on.

1. June 21, National Hike Naked Day. How many people actually do this and oh yeah... How on earth is this even legal?!?!?!

2. Half-gallon challenge. I've heard it's either a half-gallon of ice scream or sweet tea. Which is it?

1. Few, but it would probably be pretty easy to get away with due to few hikers seen during the day.

2. Its Ice Cream (eaten at Pine Grove Furnace SP, the AT halfway point), PA doesn't know the secret formula to successfully make good sweet tea.

[burrito]

picture this,
hairy ,old ,fat dude in a speedo, now remove the speedo
the 1/2 gallon of icecream is for the massive brain freeze to get that image out of your head

[tds1195]

picture this,
hairy ,old ,fat dude in a speedo, now remove the speedo
the 1/2 gallon of icecream is for the massive brain freeze to get that image out of your head

Haha solid logic, burrito.

[Karma13]

PA doesn't know the secret formula to successfully make good sweet tea.

I'll second this. I've lived in Pennsylvania all my life, and I'm not even sure what "sweet tea" is!

[tf bear]

Saw a thru eat a half gallon in nine minutes. I have never seen a nude hiker ever. For that I am grateful!

[bigcranky]

Yeah, skip the naked hiking thing. Please.

Having someone complain to law enforcement about ones, er, display, might end very badly in all sorts of ways. (Worst case scenario is a lifetime listing as a sexual predator. Given how that law has been abused, I'm not going to bet against it.)

[SCRUB HIKER]

2. Half-gallon challenge. I've heard it's either a half-gallon of ice scream or sweet tea. Which is it?

It's ice cream, because there's no sweet tea up in that godless land. Unfortunately, you can't buy half-gallons of Hershey's ice cream anymore, so the future of that is in doubt.

You might be confusing it with the time that my buddy Manks and I each drank a half-gallon of McDonald's Sweet Tea to go with our 50 Chicken McNuggets apiece at the McDonald's in Erwin, TN. I've mentioned that on WB before I'm sure. If anyone wants to continue this tradition so that it eventually supersedes the defunct half-gallon ice cream challenge, I fully support your efforts.

[Pingus]

I have a little personal traidition. It is, grab my pack and gear. Enjoy every moment of the hike. Works for me. Smiling.

[Hairbear]

picture this,
hairy ,old ,fat dude in a speedo, now remove the speedo
the 1/2 gallon of icecream is for the massive brain freeze to get that image out of your head

Why must i be in a speedo?

[gimpat01]

The gallon challenge was at the 501 shelter in PA. It's in the movie "TREK" and you have to drink a gallon of whole milk within an hour and keep it down another hour. I was lucky to be there that day(in the movie) but we hiked in right after Sheriff lost his cookies. Basketball Jones literally played BBall all night because of the extra calories.

[couscous]

ice-cream.jpg
Many spoons get broken.

[Pedaling Fool]

The 1/2 gallon challenge ain't got nothin on this challenge in St Louis http://www.travelchannel.com/video/a...hallenge-12321


The Crown Candy Kitchen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crown_Candy_Kitchen


Crown Candy Kitchen, is a restaurant located on St. Louis Avenue in the Old North St. Louis neighborhood of St. Louis, Missouri. The restaurant was founded in 1913 by two Macedonian^[1] immigrants, and is still run by the three grandsons of Harry Karandzieff, Andy, Tommy, and Mike.^[2] This Saint Louis landmark is the oldest operating soda fountain in the metro area, and one of the oldest in the country. The restaurant has an old-fashioned decor with a Coca-Cola memorabilia from the 1930s. It offers a simple menu with sandwiches and is best known for its desserts, most especially for its handmade malts or malted milkshakes. It is popular as a lunch destination with office workers in nearby Downtown St. Louis.

The restaurant offers a challenge to daring consumers of their trademark malts. Should a person drink five 24-ounce malts or shakes within 30 minutes, they receive the malts for free and have their name inscribed upon a plaque in the store.^[3] The Crown Candy Challenge was attempted on the Travel Channel's television series, Man v. Food, by the show's host, Adam Richman, on an episode that aired on 25 February 2009.^[4] Adam was only able to finish about four of the five malts.^[5] The record for the five malt challenge is 2 minutes, 29 seconds by Randy Santel.^[6] For seven malts, the record is six minutes, by Ben Monson.^[7][8] Since 1913, only about 30 people have successfully completed the Crown Candy Challenge, while several attempt it each week.

In 2012, it was featured on another Adam Richman-hosted show, Best Sandwich in America, for its "Heart-Stopping BLT" sandwich, which uses 14 pieces of crispy, kettle-cooked bacon.

[Grampie]

The only true thru-hiker tradition is to start at one end of the AT and walk to the other in one calender year. All others are just a bunch of crap.

[Old Hiker]

Ya'll ain't from the South, air ye? It be "swee-tea".

[jimmyjam]

I thought I saw somewhere-maybe someone's journal?- that there was a place that had like a 2 pound hamburger challenge??

[Dogwood]

Thru-Hiking Traditions.

FINISHING.

[on_the_GOEZ]

How about the Vermont Maple syrup challenge: chug a quart of maple syrup in 15 minutes.. Some NOBOs (who are all a little coo coo ) though of this one in 2011.

There is another food challenge in Vermont somewhere, I believe north of the Maine junction: 15 egg omelette, loaded with all the fixings.

Most impossible food challenge: At BeauJo's in Idaho Springs, just east of the CT/CDT in Colorado - Do you have what it takes?

Otherwise, what Dogwood said: FINISHING!