Thruhiker Vandalism

[dukakis]

I am currently South of the NOC. There are two thruhikers writing their names in black permanent marker on everything imaginable. We have to stop every few miles to scratch the graffiti off. We approached them about it a few nights ago, but it seems to have gotten worse. If anyone knows a "Blu" or a "Waffles", can you please discourage them from continuing this behavior?

[peakbagger]

Hopefully you have contacted ATC ? . They can approach the appropriate managing agency to deal with them

[Bronk]

If any of their graffiti survives it will be considered an historic landmark in a few years. I found an old rusty Budweiser can near Wayah Bald...it was old enough that you needed an old fashioned can opener to open it. It looked nearly identical to a modern beer can, but because of arbitrary rules about its age its not considered litter, so I pitched it back in the creek where I found it.

[Montana Mac]

Fools names as faces are often found in public places! It will be this type of BS that will eventually force landowners to close their land.

[treesloth]

If any of their graffiti survives it will be considered an historic landmark in a few years. I found an old rusty Budweiser can near Wayah Bald...it was old enough that you needed an old fashioned can opener to open it. It looked nearly identical to a modern beer can, but because of arbitrary rules about its age its not considered litter, so I pitched it back in the creek where I found it.

Awesome! I've been looking to get rid of this antique gun case in my office that an old roommate left behind. I didn't know what to do until I read your info.. so, I figure today, I'll take it and pitch it in the Wekiva river. You know, since it's an antique and not considered litter. What a great idea to get rid of all your old unwanted stuff!

[The Cleaner]

There are some real ***holes on the trail this season.....

[capehiker]

If any of their graffiti survives it will be considered an historic landmark in a few years. I found an old rusty Budweiser can near Wayah Bald...it was old enough that you needed an old fashioned can opener to open it. It looked nearly identical to a modern beer can, but because of arbitrary rules about its age its not considered litter, so I pitched it back in the creek where I found it.

What dafuq?

[treesloth]

What dafuq?

I had a similar reaction. Bronk seems to have been on here in a while and I don't think he's trolling, but c'mon. That sounded a little odd. It's like.... why??

[zukiguy]

Think of it this way....in years past you had folks on the trail that were in transition and had an adventurous spirit. I'm guessing the most common demographic would be folks that just graduated or at least terminated college and were in the process of finding employment. Now just imagine how many more people we have these days that are "finding employment" or in many cases unemployment. These folks are basically just homeless people living a nomadic life on the trail. I doubt many of them have the same respect for the trail or their fellow hikers.

[Wise Old Owl]

I am currently South of the NOC. There are two thruhikers writing their names in black permanent marker on everything imaginable. We have to stop every few miles to scratch the graffiti off. We approached them about it a few nights ago, but it seems to have gotten worse. If anyone knows a "Blu" or a "Waffles", can you please discourage them from continuing this behavior?

You are an adult - their actions are like children, give them a choice hand over the markers or else... (you figure out the rest)

[tiptoe]

Last time I checked, "leave no trace" meant just that.

[shakey_snake]

"Tagging" is just generally an obnoxious behavior.

Unfortunately, participants seem to think they are engaging in some sort of tagging subculture that only fellow taggers can appreciate their "handstyle" and what not. That said, the fact that all of the thousands of people attempting a thruhike aren't of the same mindset about everything shouldn't come as a surprise to you.

But "HYOH" has it's limits and we should most certainly draw the line at destruction of our natural environment, which we, in the greater tradition of Muir, presume everyone on the AT is there to experience--to some degree. But is tagging shelters really destroying the "natural environment?" Does someone ****tily playing their ****ty steelpan in a shelter destroy the "natural environment?" Do we kick snorers out?

If someone is tagging trees, report them to the ATC. If it's something else, then **** those people, but really, understand you are on a hike with a lot of other people, who each have annoying habits, just as much as they have good about them. Embrace the good in people.

[aficion]

"Tagging" is just generally an obnoxious behavior.

Unfortunately, participants seem to think they are engaging in some sort of tagging subculture that only fellow taggers can appreciate their "handstyle" and what not. That said, the fact that all of the thousands of people attempting a thruhike aren't of the same mindset about everything shouldn't come as a surprise to you.

But "HYOH" has it's limits and we should most certainly draw the line at destruction of our natural environment, which we, in the greater tradition of Muir, presume everyone on the AT is there to experience--to some degree. But is tagging shelters really destroying the "natural environment?" Does someone ****tily playing their ****ty steelpan in a shelter destroy the "natural environment?" Do we kick snorers out?

If someone is tagging trees, report them to the ATC. If it's something else, then **** those people, but really, understand you are on a hike with a lot of other people, who each have annoying habits, just as much as they have good about them. Embrace the good in people.

Naah...just turn em in.

[Sarcasm the elf]

"Tagging" is just generally an obnoxious behavior.

Unfortunately, participants seem to think they are engaging in some sort of tagging subculture that only fellow taggers can appreciate their "handstyle" and what not. That said, the fact that all of the thousands of people attempting a thruhike aren't of the same mindset about everything shouldn't come as a surprise to you.

But "HYOH" has it's limits and we should most certainly draw the line at destruction of our natural environment, which we, in the greater tradition of Muir, presume everyone on the AT is there to experience--to some degree. But is tagging shelters really destroying the "natural environment?" Does someone ****tily playing their ****ty steelpan in a shelter destroy the "natural environment?" Do we kick snorers out?

If someone is tagging trees, report them to the ATC. If it's something else, then **** those people, but really, understand you are on a hike with a lot of other people, who each have annoying habits, just as much as they have good about them. Embrace the good in people.

Go and spend some time volunteering with a trail maintenance crew an then let us know what you think when someone defaces/destroys the things that you have worked hard build.

[Astro]

Defacing someone else's property is not a value neutral activity. They can call it tagging, but it is still vandalism, which is wrong and a crime.

Yes people on the trail can have "different" value systems, but that does not make them right. No more than them thinking "2 + 2 = 5" makes it 5 instead of 4.

[realdeal64]

Stupid people are unfortunately everywhere.

[Wise Old Owl]

Defacing someone else's property is not a value neutral activity. They can call it tagging, but it is still vandalism, which is wrong and a crime.

Yes people on the trail can have "different" value systems, but that does not make them right. No more than them thinking "2 + 2 = 5" makes it 5 instead of 4.

You should take the train from Philadelphia to Maine...Tagging everywhere.

[BZ853]

I am currently South of the NOC. There are two thruhikers writing their names in black permanent marker on everything imaginable. We have to stop every few miles to scratch the graffiti off. We approached them about it a few nights ago, but it seems to have gotten worse. If anyone knows a "Blu" or a "Waffles", can you please discourage them from continuing this behavior?

I cant believe no one else caught this. For anyone curious go look up "blue waffle" and select images. Also dont do this in front of children.
I sorry.

[Wise Old Owl]

Blue Waffles is widely considered in two theoretical aspects. There are people who would never believe of anything called as the “Blue Waffle” while some who do, already know that there is no such thing officially called as the name already hints. The name of the disease comes from a slang name mainly because the disease involves blue coloring of the human genitals. We’ll discuss both sides of the disease since its spreading very widely. People must remember that the disease has not yet been claimed by any medical institution so we’ll just be explaining what we’ve heard about it. If you believe you’re somehow related to the disease, you must consult a physician or an expert doctor to help you out with your cure. You may find related information about this disease on other websites as well but as a blogger, I’ve seen a lot of false information mentioned and being spread on other websites by unauthentic people. This current article will provide you with some brief details about it.

Details of the Blue Waffles Disease

The Blue Waffles disease appears closely related to ‘vaginitis’ disease as the symptoms are seen to be the same. This can surely be considered as the worse form of vaginitis. A general overview of the disease would make us conclude a few facts about it. Some symptoms of the disease include but are not limited to,

• Burning Feeling inside the vulva
• Irritation around the lower body parts
• Feeling of Abdominal filling
• Discoloration of affected parts
• Sore genitals
• Skin getting dry

[No Directions]

Jay Bird 2011 is a name I have seen carved in many signs along the AT in GA. What an @$$.