Bearpaw
01-15-2008, 23:13
I’m sorry that this post is long, but after seeing lots of discord and rancor on WhiteBlaze recently, I just wanted to offer up a few thoughts to prospective hikers in 2008 and beyond.
To begin with, a parable:
A Civil War veteran walked with his pack containing his few possessions into a small town. He stopped on the edge and asked an old man if this was a decent place where he might find work and settle down since his family and his little town were destroyed in the war.
The old man asked what people were like in the soldier's home town. The veteran replied “They weren’t worth a lick. They only gossiped and cared about themselves and you couldn’t trust any of them to look out for you or help you out. I’m almost glad the whole town is gone.”
The old man replied, “Well, I hate to tell you, but you may want to move on, because you’ll find the folks around here are pretty much the same.”
A couple of days later, another veteran entered town the same way, again looking for a new life after leaving a shattered home. Again the old man asked what the young soldier’s home town had been like.
The young man replied, “Well, every body there was pretty nice. Always a smile when you said hello, and folks were willing to help out when you really needed it, just like I would help them out. I truly miss the place. Before the war, we were truly blessed.”
The old man replied, “Well, I’m glad to tell you that you’ll find the folks around here are pretty much the same.”
The point to be gained? The AT is pretty much the same.
For folks who haven’t hiked the AT, you’ll likely hear at least a dozen different opinions about how hard the trail is, whether a certain practice is the way to go, or what hostel or outfitter or service one should spend their money on.
Here on WhiteBlaze, you can hear much the same. Sometimes differences of opinion can reach the point of vitriol. My advice would be to maintain an independent view and a positive attitude and much of this negativity (which can drain tremendous energy) can be avoided.
Examples:
Slackpacking vs. carrying a full pack. Some insist slackpacking is “weak”. Others insist it is one of a thru-hike’s greatest joys, to walk 15 easy miles with no pack and return to town or a hostel to relax and enjoy the company of friends. You might be amazed at the heated debate this can cause. Why? I honestly don’t know. But you’ll save a great deal of energy by avoiding such a brawl and remember you are blessed to have the chance to hike a long trail like the AT.
Similar controversies swell around blue-blazing, yellow-blazing, retro-blazing, hiking “pure”, flip-flopping, etc, etc, etc.
Which hostel? Because this involves money, there can be intense partisan politics. I know that on my thru-hikes, there was much heated debate between Kincora Hostel, Laurel Creek Hostel, and Braemar Castle in the Hampton, Tennessee area. Many perennials (those who hike all or big chunks of the AT each year) had very firm opinions on where folks should stay. I understand their loyalties to folks they had known for much time. But the truth is that all three places had great reviews from hikers who stayed there.
The truth, in my experience, is that there just aren’t many bad places to stay or service options on the AT. The hiker grapevine grows quickly and truly bad places get outed very quickly. I even had very good experiences at places that since have had bad reviews. Again, with a good attitude, the AT becomes a community where great things happen with remarkable frequency.
Even the Whites, which you may hear is the stronghold of the Gestapo known as the AMC, turns out to be a fantastic experience. With a good attitude, I found the hut crews and campsite caretakers to be remarkably friendly, taking in many more hikers for work-for-stay than they were supposed when weather was bad, and offering me AYCE leftover soup and bread for a dollar one afternoon when I stopped in to sign a register.
So when you’re out there, smile. You are one lucky human being to have the time, health, inclination, and other resources necessary to attempt a thru-hike. There are very few bad deals on the trails. Listen to the perennials. They are the guardians of tremendous experience and joy. But when you hear conflicting information, remember one little secret……..
With an open mind, good attitude, and some basic common sense, it’s really hard to go wrong on the AT. Even on those days when the suck factor on the trail is high, you really are blessed to be there.
To begin with, a parable:
A Civil War veteran walked with his pack containing his few possessions into a small town. He stopped on the edge and asked an old man if this was a decent place where he might find work and settle down since his family and his little town were destroyed in the war.
The old man asked what people were like in the soldier's home town. The veteran replied “They weren’t worth a lick. They only gossiped and cared about themselves and you couldn’t trust any of them to look out for you or help you out. I’m almost glad the whole town is gone.”
The old man replied, “Well, I hate to tell you, but you may want to move on, because you’ll find the folks around here are pretty much the same.”
A couple of days later, another veteran entered town the same way, again looking for a new life after leaving a shattered home. Again the old man asked what the young soldier’s home town had been like.
The young man replied, “Well, every body there was pretty nice. Always a smile when you said hello, and folks were willing to help out when you really needed it, just like I would help them out. I truly miss the place. Before the war, we were truly blessed.”
The old man replied, “Well, I’m glad to tell you that you’ll find the folks around here are pretty much the same.”
The point to be gained? The AT is pretty much the same.
For folks who haven’t hiked the AT, you’ll likely hear at least a dozen different opinions about how hard the trail is, whether a certain practice is the way to go, or what hostel or outfitter or service one should spend their money on.
Here on WhiteBlaze, you can hear much the same. Sometimes differences of opinion can reach the point of vitriol. My advice would be to maintain an independent view and a positive attitude and much of this negativity (which can drain tremendous energy) can be avoided.
Examples:
Slackpacking vs. carrying a full pack. Some insist slackpacking is “weak”. Others insist it is one of a thru-hike’s greatest joys, to walk 15 easy miles with no pack and return to town or a hostel to relax and enjoy the company of friends. You might be amazed at the heated debate this can cause. Why? I honestly don’t know. But you’ll save a great deal of energy by avoiding such a brawl and remember you are blessed to have the chance to hike a long trail like the AT.
Similar controversies swell around blue-blazing, yellow-blazing, retro-blazing, hiking “pure”, flip-flopping, etc, etc, etc.
Which hostel? Because this involves money, there can be intense partisan politics. I know that on my thru-hikes, there was much heated debate between Kincora Hostel, Laurel Creek Hostel, and Braemar Castle in the Hampton, Tennessee area. Many perennials (those who hike all or big chunks of the AT each year) had very firm opinions on where folks should stay. I understand their loyalties to folks they had known for much time. But the truth is that all three places had great reviews from hikers who stayed there.
The truth, in my experience, is that there just aren’t many bad places to stay or service options on the AT. The hiker grapevine grows quickly and truly bad places get outed very quickly. I even had very good experiences at places that since have had bad reviews. Again, with a good attitude, the AT becomes a community where great things happen with remarkable frequency.
Even the Whites, which you may hear is the stronghold of the Gestapo known as the AMC, turns out to be a fantastic experience. With a good attitude, I found the hut crews and campsite caretakers to be remarkably friendly, taking in many more hikers for work-for-stay than they were supposed when weather was bad, and offering me AYCE leftover soup and bread for a dollar one afternoon when I stopped in to sign a register.
So when you’re out there, smile. You are one lucky human being to have the time, health, inclination, and other resources necessary to attempt a thru-hike. There are very few bad deals on the trails. Listen to the perennials. They are the guardians of tremendous experience and joy. But when you hear conflicting information, remember one little secret……..
With an open mind, good attitude, and some basic common sense, it’s really hard to go wrong on the AT. Even on those days when the suck factor on the trail is high, you really are blessed to be there.