Helpful vs. Non-helpful Trail Magic

[Gray Blazer]

you just don't understand. no need for name calling

He didn't call you a name. He said you're butt is grouchy and hurt.

[coach lou]

Last hot July I was walking with Texas pete and his mom, well, we were chasing him, in New Jersey. Late in the afternoon we came out to the road @ Mashipacong shelter and there was Snorz, and Octo, beers in hand. man that hit the spot. My first trail magic experience!

[HikerMom58]

Being rude on the internet is like a picnic and ants: It's gonna happen.

Now, you don;t have to like it..but you can ignore the user. Censoring people because they are sarcastic and rude? Well..that would eliminate half the people I grew up with..and me at times.

Mags... I'm not buying it. I get banned from a thread for not answering the OP's question. Wasn't even warned. WM gets away with saying something so bizarre and NOTHING is done about it? He has the nerve to say that a trail angel was helping Capt. Nat quit his hike? You've got to be kidding me. He stays in my face. I have tried so hard to be nice to him. He won't give up. I don't want to put anyone on ignore. Sometimes following the "rules" of conduct ,on this site, doesn't cut it... this would be an example.

[Drybones]

I was hiking between Davenport Gap and Hot Springs and there was a big tent setup, a grill with smoke pouring off it and a crowd of hikers around it. As I hiked by someone shouted, "Hey, don't you want something to eat?"

I said no thanks I wasn't hungry and kept on going. It wasn't that I had anything against them or thought they shouldn't be there - it just didn't interest me and I generally don't eat if I'm not hungry.

Similar experience, was approaching Trey Gap and said the hiker with me, "Man I'd love a greasy cheeseburger and fries", within 60 seconds I hear a loud shout, "anybody want a cheeseburger", I was out of fuel and did stop, best burger I've ever had, don't believe I could have made it up the next mountain without it...great couple of guys serving...the meal was much, much appreciated.

[MDSection12]

I always wondered why some hikers would rather miss out on a supper feast than hear a few words with that religious tint you mention, it's not like it'll cause any permanent physical or emtional damage. One of the best meals I've been served was in a home on the NC border, and I do mean served, you sit at a large dinning table and the couple takes your order and waits on you, one of the best meals I've had anywhere in the world, even if I hadn't been hiking. I told a lady about it as I was heading back onto the trail and she would not go because she had heard it had that religious tint. The gentleman only asked for 5 minutes to deliver his brief message, small price for a fantastic meal when you're starving.

Because the implication is that they know something I don't or that I need to know. I deal with that every day in my normal life, I go to the trail to escape it.

Besides, that's not 'trail magic' that's someone with an agenda using your hunger to their advantage. How would you feel if they had done the same, and then tried to sell you something?

[FatHead64]

Mags... I'm not buying it. I get banned from a thread for not answering the OP's question. Wasn't even warned. WM gets away with saying something so bizarre and NOTHING is done about it? He has the nerve to say that a trail angel was helping Capt. Nat quit his hike? You've got to be kidding me. He stays in my face. I have tried so hard to be nice to him. He won't give up. I don't want to put anyone on ignore. Sometimes following the "rules" of conduct ,on this site, doesn't cut it... this would be an example.

You're right - just remember - trail magic, or whatever, given selflessly is a reflection of the giver, regardless if the recipient is in need, or not, whether well received, or not. Outward focus v. inward focus. Not everyone needs to like it or approve of it.

[Gray Blazer]

Similar experience, was approaching Trey Gap and said the hiker with me, "Man I'd love a greasy cheeseburger and fries", within 60 seconds I hear a loud shout, "anybody want a cheeseburger", I was out of fuel and did stop, best burger I've ever had, don't believe I could have made it up the next mountain without it...great couple of guys serving...the meal was much, much appreciated.

I think it was Steve Miller.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIQ3sn0hgtg

[Mags]

Mags... I'm not buying it. I get banned from a thread for not answering the OP's question. Wasn't even warned. WM gets away with saying something so bizarre and NOTHING is done about it? He has the nerve to say that a trail angel was helping Capt. Nat quit his hike? You've got to be kidding me. He stays in my face. I have tried so hard to be nice to him. He won't give up. I don't want to put anyone on ignore. Sometimes following the "rules" of conduct ,on this site, doesn't cut it... this would be an example.

It's just a message board. Easier to move along IMO. If you don't want to put Winged Monkey on ignore, then you must be willing to read his words. That's the breaks...

In the end, is it really that important?

IF you are still not buying it, feel free to talk to the sellers (Alligator or Troll).

[Drybones]

What's up with the one regular looking toe?

That's was Malto's problem, that one regular toe threw his nbalance off.

[IrishBASTARD]

I always wondered why some hikers would rather miss out on a supper feast than hear a few words with that religious tint you mention, it's not like it'll cause any permanent physical or emtional damage. One of the best meals I've been served was in a home on the NC border, and I do mean served, you sit at a large dinning table and the couple takes your order and waits on you, one of the best meals I've had anywhere in the world, even if I hadn't been hiking. I told a lady about it as I was heading back onto the trail and she would not go because she had heard it had that religious tint. The gentleman only asked for 5 minutes to deliver his brief message, small price for a fantastic meal when you're starving.

IM AWARE of Hercules issue is, Christ wouldnt take your time, rather he would give food and an ear, for that he would be thanked, you cannot give a carrot, and take it back, thats at ISSUE, not how it was served, but that had other motives, pleading in the name of Christ, all the while he would eat with whores, bath the feet of lepers not because he felt he had to, but it was his calling, never condemning ppl who didnt agree with him.

[The Ace]

Being rude on the internet is like a picnic and ants: It's gonna happen.

Now, you don;t have to like it..but you can ignore the user. Censoring people because they are sarcastic and rude? Well..that would eliminate half the people I grew up with..and me at times.

2. Offensive posting is not allowed. That includes use of illegal substances, racism, sexism, or posts that ridicule, belittle, taunt, mock, or assault the character of other members. Our policy does not protect people that choose to verbally assault other members that may disagree with them. In essence members can disagree but should remain respectful of the person they disagree with.

[Drybones]

That's was Malto's problem, that one regular toe threw his nbalance off.

For those who would criticize my spellin, I don't heat the office and type in gloves....balance...hummm, maybe it should have been spelled that way.

[Gray Blazer]

I feel sorry for the guys who want to give trail magic. There's nowhere left to do it. There's a trail feed at every gap in GA.

[aficion]

2. Offensive posting is not allowed. That includes use of illegal substances, racism, sexism, or posts that ridicule, belittle, taunt, mock, or assault the character of other members. Our policy does not protect people that choose to verbally assault other members that may disagree with them. In essence members can disagree but should remain respectful of the person they disagree with.

Thems the rules. For some anyway.

[Drybones]

Attention to anyone who hasn't hiked the trail before, lest you think that these are commonly held viewpoints. They are not. 99% of hikers will stop, eat, and be exceedingly thankful when free, fresh food is offered by strangers, especially if it's in large quantities. These two men are old curmudgeons who can't accept the trail for what it has become and prefer to hate on anything that isn't representative of their unrealistic values of self-sufficiency.

You will be out on the trail one day in the future, you'll be hungry like always, and you will come upon someone cooking hot dogs and serving fresh fruit and cold drinks. Your reaction will be, approximately, "This is awesome and it's the best thing that's happened to me all day." You'll chat with strangers you would have never met otherwise, and relax with your new trail friends for an hour or two. And then later you'll remember that there are grouches on the internet who actually frown on this sort of thing. You, like me right now, will wonder what in God's creation they were on about.

Agree with all said here, would make one modification: "This is awesome and it's the best thing that's happened to me In my life." You obviously was not as hungry as I.

[BirdBrain]

I have changed my signature in honor of the trail angels. I do not know if I will ever meet any. I hope to, not so I can get free stuff, but so I can thank them. It is part of why I am taking as light a saw as I can on my walk. I will remove a couple fallen obstructions from the trail. I hope to in a small way say thank you to those who do this as their mission.

And now a personal message to HM. Don't give the other guy that kind of power over you. If he meant it as a slam, you are feeding his fuel. You are not hurting him, he is hurting you. If he meant it as a joke, he needs help with his humor, not opposition. You have had my back. I hope you see this as having yours.

[HikerMom58]

I have changed my signature in honor of the trail angels. I do not know if I will ever meet any. I hope to, not so I can get free stuff, but so I can thank them. It is part of why I am taking as light a saw as I can on my walk. I will remove a couple fallen obstructions from the trail. I hope to in a small way say thank you to those who do this as their mission.

And now a personal message to HM. Don't give the other guy that kind of power over you. If he meant it as a slam, you are feeding his fuel. You are not hurting him, he is hurting you. If he meant it as a joke, he needs help with his humor, not opposition. You have had my back. I hope you see this as having yours.

Thanks BB.. It's just not fair. His truly hurtful remarks are tolerated.....why? How can a person joke about a trail angel assisting someone in quitting their hike, when that clearly was not the case at all?

[Drybones]

I have changed my signature in honor of the trail angels. I do not know if I will ever meet any. I hope to, not so I can get free stuff, but so I can thank them. It is part of why I am taking as light a saw as I can on my walk. I will remove a couple fallen obstructions from the trail. I hope to in a small way say thank you to those who do this as their mission.

And now a personal message to HM. Don't give the other guy that kind of power over you. If he meant it as a slam, you are feeding his fuel. You are not hurting him, he is hurting you. If he meant it as a joke, he needs help with his humor, not opposition. You have had my back. I hope you see this as having yours.

HM...good advice here. "It is to one's glory to overlook an offence"...easier said than done.

[Drybones]

Because the implication is that they know something I don't or that I need to know. I deal with that every day in my normal life, I go to the trail to escape it.

Besides, that's not 'trail magic' that's someone with an agenda using your hunger to their advantage. How would you feel if they had done the same, and then tried to sell you something?

I'd eat thier food and move on. It's like you're drinking poison to hurt someone else and it's only effecting you.

[Mags]

2. Offensive posting is not allowed. That includes use of illegal substances, racism, sexism, or posts that ridicule, belittle, taunt, mock, or assault the character of other members. Our policy does not protect people that choose to verbally assault other members that may disagree with them. In essence members can disagree but should remain respectful of the person they disagree with.

We have a different version of verbal assault.

Mind you, Winged Monkey and I have had our issues and often have verbals slings back and forth. But we don't feel the need to get the 'powers that be involved' and quote TOS as if it were holy writ. What we both agree with (I suspect) that it's just a online forum and does not mean much. He says things I ignore and visa-versa I'm sure.

What WM is doing is boorish, rude and possibly not nice..but verbal assault? Cripe..... You should see how my friends and I talk to each other.

STill don't agree? Log a complaint with the little "!" mark thingy. THat's what it is there for. OR better yet..ignore the flying simian!

...and now, more trail magic: