Bpitt quickly steps into the foray to shout out 'thanks' for recognizing the local churches! Woot!Originally Posted by Lone Wolf
Okay, bpitt now leaves the room.
"You hiked up a mountain? Why would anyone want to do that?"--question posed to me by friend
Ya know, accountability of public funds from a public event is such a bad ideal. And wheres my manners. I want the politicians to love me!A plan w/ everyone on the same page? What were we haters thinkin???
From now on I'll be bad mouthing anyone w/ a suggestion and twisting things back to 5 bucks. I'm smart like that.
I don't think that is a fair assessment of hikers in general. I'm sure not in that crowd. But that don't bother me because I don't think you are a qualified judge.
i am a very qualified judge. especially since i've lived in a trail town for 8 years and see the daily crap these thru-hikers pull. you have no idea
I don't come to Damascus for 3 or 4 days a year and then bitch and complain. I have come through town several times a year for the past few years. I always stop for purchases in MRO and Dot's. I have been to 18 TD's counting this year. I have ALWAYS spent a good amount of money in Damascus, always been thoughtful and kind to the residents and thanked them for all of the good times and I have always had fun. My complaint isn't about fees but the lack of improvements over the years and the inconsistancy of regulations.
BTW, I have only been to Damascus one time as a Creeper Trail rider. I was in a group of about 30 riders...we finished our ride and was driven to Abingdon for supper and motel rooms...that trip was the least amount of money that I had ever spent in Damascus. I have been around the bicycling community for 25 years as my son used to race mountain bikes professionally...bicyclers as a whole are pretty ignorant of peoples feelings and couldn't compare to the generousity of hikers.
geek
I definetly will agree with that, some in that group come across as elitists..........
My 2 cents worth. What we do affects everyone......
Maybe I took it too personal. I apologize. I know that you see all the crap that goes on in D and from what I've read a few people do step out of line and make us all look bad. But I think you are letting that bias your opinion. If you look at the broader picture I think hopefully you will agree that there are a lot of very nice, polite, well mannered hikers who walk the streets of D. I saw them last year. People like The Lady and the Tramp, Steady-on, Willing & Abel and a host of others who's names I can't remember passed thru your town practically unnoticed, but they spent money there. I spent over $100.00 myself and stayed for free with Roy.
Here's something I think about: Maybe, just maybe, the good news of D being a pro-hiker friendly town causes a lot of the problem. Looking at it from a hikers perspective, I think that a lot of thru-hikers who have been on the trail for several weeks are tired, worn out and have been subsisting on meager trail food. A lot of them do not have a lot of money. They are looking for respite, rest, and letting themselves go for 24 hours. They've heard about D and are anticipating it. It's easy for me to see those people getting a little too loose. They are mostly young, like we were once, and they tend to forget their manners.
And about being cheap. Yeah, the trail does that to you. It made me frugal, but not cheap. LDH'ers are used to getting a lot of free stuff compared to what they get in their normal life and it's only human nature to begin to look for that. The Trail magic, free rides into town for resupply spoils us. Me included. Sometimes in our search for free stuff we get too bold and we rub 'normal' people the wrong way. That shouldn't happen but it does.
I think if I could give advice to the younger hikers it would be to say that remember.....when you are away from home you need to always be aware that you are a guest of someone, and not always an invited guest. Use manners, be polite and be thankful. These towns that the AT or any other trail passes thru was not put there for your convenience. The towns are there because the local people built it for their use, convenience and safety. The trail just happens to go there. You are a guest. Act like it, because when you leave town you are not forgotten. The impression you make, good or bad affects us all.
Always think of yourself as an ambassabor for your home, community, state, country. We are all judged by what you do. And I don't like someone making me look bad. So do good. It's important.
Now I have to leave to go the Chatt. to see my grandson for a couple of days.
Have a great day.
I do not share the same view totally with Lone Wolf, however I understand where he is coming from.
On the whole, and I can only speak from my corner of Damascus, I view the hiking community as a pretty good bunch of folk. But what really stands out amongst those few that I have encountered here are the ones that want a free ride so to speak.
What I have come to realize is that these people are regulars, I mean they come here every year or they have since I have lived here. There is one chap that since I have put the phone out has been here for the last three TD's that gets on the phone and just stays on it. This year he would not get off when it was obvious that there were others wanting to use the phone, not until I told him too. And then when I was not around he would be right back on it.
Then being the person that I am I do get a lot of the homeless hikers, and I mean the real homeless hikers, they come to me looking for help like work, money, food and so on. And for the most part I help them, however there are only two that I do not.
Lone Wolf has been here longer than I, but there is no way that I view hikers as a whole as being free loaders. I can tell you numerous stories where I hae reached out a hand of friendship only to have one extended back to me more awesome than I could have given. And to listen to some of these youngin's tell me of their adventure is just pure pleasure, I love a good story. In fact here is a good story that I think all of you should enjoy, plus the young man is an excellent photographer........http://drewslongwalk.tumblr.com/
This is what I look for in others. We all have BS about us and there are only a tiny few that come here and expect us to wait on them head, hand, and foot. No, I see most who come here who want to be a part of this unique community for a day, maybe three and who want to give to us.
Anyway............
LW does have a point....
Not long ago I read a editorial from an org out west. Seems anyone who walks, or once walked, just must be, has to be, a good person.The sand is really soft out there.
There are plenty of not so good people who hike or have hiked and if your around hikers all the time (instead of a couple of weekends a year)...its easy to remember and pick out the self serving jerks that tend to stand out and stick in your mind.
I'm not impressed by the ability to walk, anywho.
After all, the trail is the real world too.
it IS JUST walkin' except for the occaisional stunt hiker (blind, deaf, crazy, crippled, etc.) none of them warrant special treatment( I'm not impressed by the ability to walk, anywho.
Yeah and I'm glad I got my walking in when I could.
A couple days ago I could barely manage to hike 9 miles per day for two days. Not sure what's up but it's not pretty. Hopefully, I'll do better this week.
Sly. please go get some tests done
Seriously, please Sly!
I suppose I should, but I'm not sure how to go about it. I've been to the doctor like twice in my life. Once for the Vietnam draft and once for a check up when I had health insurance for a year a couple years ago.
PS I did see a naturopathic doctor in AZ about a month ago but didn't get any good answers. I do have a list of the tests he suggested.
Last edited by Sly; 05-24-2009 at 20:33.
Don't a lot of us meet that criteria?
just 50% this year are freeloaders at least from bob peoples prospective. he said only half the hikers left the measly $4 in his box this year. they needed to save the $$$ for beer in damascus
Yes Sly - gotta take care of yourself.
no. walkin' is hardly crazy. god gave us big ass legs with muscles for that reasonDon't a lot of us meet that criteria?
Trying. I did quit smoking for a month but slipped the past two days. Back to no smoking later tonight.
I ditto that, Sly. Go get the tests done. Find a free clinic if you don't have insurance
Mary from Duncannon, PA
http://www.facebook.com Mary Trailangelmary Parry
www.YouTube.com/user/trailangelmary
www.youravon.com/maryparry
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
