View Full Version : Tm
Gray Blazer
03-24-2008, 07:57
There seems to be a condescending attitude by some here towards a few posters on WB. It just seems to me that some people get flamed for having a good idea or good intentions to help hikers in whatever way and then these good people are told to take their money and time and donate it to the ATC or a food bank or it is intimated that they are less of a person/hiker if they don't do Trail Maintainence.
Often I see on this site a person being asked, "How many times have you thrued the AT?" or "Have you ever thru-hiked the AT?" or "How much Trail Maintainence have you done?" or "I've hiked more miles by accident than you'll ever do on purpose" as if that is supposed to stop the discussion right there because the asker holds all the moral high ground.
I admire the thru-hikers and respect the H*** out of Trail Maintainers. I personnally don't do TM (I do try to leave every place I camp in better than I found it, etc.) and I'll prolly never be a Thrubee, but, I love the AT and want to remind everyone that this is a site for AT enthusiasts.
For everyone out there who wants to tell everone how much they have done for the AT (can anyone say validation?) remember that people everywhere in all walks of life do all kinds of wonderful things that are never mentioned. They don't have to or want to be validated.
To all you thrubees, bless your soul, to all you maintainers, THANKYOU (I personnally love the AT and notice everything you do) and all you AT enthusiasts, keep on truckin"!:sun
Shepherd
03-24-2008, 08:08
Amen Brother
Lone Wolf
03-24-2008, 08:10
i've never seen trail magic performed. i've seen dances with mice juggle
Gray Blazer
03-24-2008, 08:51
TM in this thread stands for Trail Maintainence.
bloodmountainman
03-24-2008, 10:03
I have gotten the feeling if you are not a thru or a maintainer, you don't belong to the "Trail Community".:(
Lone Wolf
03-24-2008, 10:09
I have gotten the feeling if you are not a thru or a maintainer, you don't belong to the "Trail Community".:(
then i'm not part of the "community". oh well
bloodmountainman
03-24-2008, 10:14
then i'm not part of the "community". oh well
I don't much care about the "Community" myself; I'm just a hiker who likes to hike! I don't have anything to offer the "Community!":D
Cookerhiker
03-24-2008, 10:21
My experience has been different from your's. As a section hiker who took 28 years to complete the AT and who never hiked more than 50 miles per outing until 4 years ago, I've been sensitive to this subject and I must say that I have not detected any condescension or bias against non-thru hikers. On both the WB forums and at face-to-face encounters, I've felt nothing but welcoming acceptance and respect.
Re. maintenance, I only started doing any kind of TM a few years ago, feeling it was about time I gave back to the Trail. I'd be the last one to preach that "eveyone should do it" in light of my own inaction the last 30 years and the realization that factors like family, career, geographical distances, and other things limit one's ability. Likewise, I have not observed a bias on WB or pressure that those who don't do TM are somehow lesser beings.
I agree that a lot of WB forums and discussions are oriented to thruhikers but IMO not to the detriment or derision of non-thruhikers.
warraghiyagey
03-24-2008, 10:44
Excellent thread GB.
:sun:sun:sun
i think part of the problems lies in distinguishing what kind of hiker you are (thru, weekend warrior/ dayhiker)... i'm under the impression that most thru guys respond to posts as if everyone else is doing a thru also (OMFG YOU'RE REALLY GOING TO CARRY THAT? IT WEIGHS 3 OZS AND YOU CAN MAKE DO W/ THIS AND THAT) - not realizing that maybe that person is car camping and wants to use that big ass queen sized mattress b/c they won't have to take it any further than 20 ft from their car. the needs of a hiker change dramatically IMO, based on how far they are going...
i have yet to experience the negativity directed towards myself but have seen it towards others and know at least 1 person whom i've talked to who said they were really turned off by the attitudes here. good post
Gray Blazer
03-24-2008, 11:38
My experience has been different from your's. As a section hiker who took 28 years to complete the AT and who never hiked more than 50 miles per outing until 4 years ago, I've been sensitive to this subject and I must say that I have not detected any condescension or bias against non-thru hikers. On both the WB forums and at face-to-face encounters, I've felt nothing but welcoming acceptance and respect.
Re. maintenance, I only started doing any kind of TM a few years ago, feeling it was about time I gave back to the Trail. I'd be the last one to preach that "eveyone should do it" in light of my own inaction the last 30 years and the realization that factors like family, career, geographical distances, and other things limit one's ability. Likewise, I have not observed a bias on WB or pressure that those who don't do TM are somehow lesser beings.
I agree that a lot of WB forums and discussions are oriented to thruhikers but IMO not to the detriment or derision of non-thruhikers.
That's cool.
Bulldawg
03-24-2008, 11:43
Email me Bloodmountainman?? Long Time No See.
It has been my observation that some people would get flamed for anything they post regardless of how much they've hiked or whether it's good advice or not. The political forums are even worse.
envirodiver
03-25-2008, 13:42
It has been my observation that some people would get flamed for anything they post regardless of how much they've hiked or whether it's good advice or not. The political forums are even worse.
That is true OSU, but if you look at those flame threads, chances are that you will see the same folks involved most of the time.