It always irritated me when people said to use the search function, which I think is totally useless. But then someone suggested I go to google and type Whiteblaze and then the search terms I wanted. It seems that google categorizes the posts here better than the forum's own search engine and by putting the word "Whiteblaze" in front of your search term on google it will return all the posts from Whiteblaze that are relevant to your search.
Bronk, the numbers you are quoting are likely a bit outdated, inflation in the prices of food, gas, and bandwith have increasesd the amount needed in the last few years. While I've never done a thru hike myself, I do a lot of posting in Connecticut/Massachusetts ( miles 1400-1550) and each summer I run into a lot of the NoBo's as they pass through the area. Those who have only budgeted $1.50-$2.00 per post are very often financing their hike with credit cards by this point in the trail. The ones that are still financially well of when I see them are the ones who budgeted $2.50-$3.00 per post.
That said, I'm sure you'll agree that one of the most valuable things people can do is to have a shakedown hike where they try at least 100 posts in a row prior to starting a thru. This will let them work out a lot of issues and also let them know if cyberhiking is really for them.
Colorless green ideas sleep furiously.
While rude replies are somewhat typical on some internet forums, what is atypical is that so many of the troll-like/rude/condescending replies come from people who have been on White Blaze a rather long time.
On many other forums, senior members** are expected to exhibit leadership, restraint, and kindness toward new members. Lately, on White Blaze some of the senior members** have decided that their role on the forum is to provide judgments as to the adequateness or appropriateness of other members posts.
So I just gotta ask:
Who died and left you senior members** (AKA, self-proclaimed forum experts) in charge?
**I use the term "senior member" synonymously with high post count member.
You May Be S l o w...But You Are Ahead Of Me!
putrid colors, dude!
This ain't McDonalds. NO, you can't have it your way all the time. It's a largely opinion based free internet forum. People aren't paying to receive expert answers in a sugar coated fashion so it's unreasonable to expect that ALL THE TIME. And there are NO EXPERTS HERE just people opining.What the heck is an expert anyway? People called experts are wrong sometimes. When you ask questions or offer opinions in a forum like this you have to expect all sorts of possible things - kind, right, not applicable, wrong, not nice, confusing, what the f$%#, opposing views, RUDE, etc. It happens. BTW, even at Mickey Dees you don't always get it your way.
the moderators do a pretty good job of keeping things somewhat civil, but as its a public forum, you're gonna get some wisea** remarks.
hyoh is the most overused phrase in backpacking as everyone thinks their way is not just the right way but the only way to hike.
personally, i reserve the right to be wrong occasionally.
ive also learned to filter out the responses i dont care for.
perhaps we should get a list of these senior members, so they can be put on ignore by the offended parties.
LOL i cant beleive this has gotten to 5 pages and no yelling or screaming, i think everybody deserves an icecream cone!!! HikerMom buying?????
Look around you..... RUDE, SELFISH, and ARROGANT is the new "black"......... it's everywhere
sad
YOURSELF Find, Know, Be
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That is what sucks about the internet... everyone wants to be an ass to each other.....
You know... in the name of Trolling
-Jason
Wow - thanks "attraildreamer" for a long (somewhat) POSITIVE post ! For those of you that have been on Whiteblaze for a while - how many times have we heard THIS ? I know a lot of folks that actually stopped getting on Whiteblaze for this reason and now discuss matters via the plethora of AT Facebook pages. BUT ... it's not the tech - it's human nature in a day and age where folks don't feel heard. Put them behind the anonymity of a keyboard and an avatar and many people get downright ornery ! Try to realize how some things can be taken when you type them folks. Without face to face expressions, tones, etc - many things are taken the wrong way. ALSO - many of the folks that have seemed rude online were very pleasant in person ! (PS - they are just as rude on Facebook). "Hike your own Hike With An Open Mind" .... don't be the "know it all" of the shelter or the thread (I call those folks "Mayor McCheeses")
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Not new to hiking/backpacking, but certainly new to WB - I consider myself nonjudgmental, but how long can you patiently field questions like:
Will my feet hurt?
Do I need to bring a tent or shelter?
Should I expect to get wet?
etc.
The restraint and tact most of you use to answer the same questions for the upteenth time borders on the Divine! js