View Full Version : Where's the hiker bubble now?
Just wondering..I would imagine they're hitting SNP pretty hard by now.
Lone Wolf
06-02-2008, 08:52
what's a hiker bubble
Kerosene
06-02-2008, 09:04
what's a hiker bubbleIt's the "irrational exuberance" of thru-hikers who invest substantial resources in the form of Snickers calories to achieve the heights of the Big K. The hiker bubble has an annual seasonality that typically bursts around mid-October. :D
dessertrat
06-02-2008, 09:07
what's a hiker bubble
He means the northbound thru-hiker crowd.
The fastest one are in northern PA and NJ right now.
Panzer
bigmac_in
06-02-2008, 09:28
He means the northbound thru-hiker crowd.
I'm guessing LW knew that.......:D
The fastest one are in northern PA and NJ right now.
Panzer
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the fastest ones have actually finished already. ;)
jersey joe
06-02-2008, 09:59
Sorry to burst your bubble, but the fastest ones have actually finished already. ;)
Sorry to burst YOUR bubble but the fastest one hasn't even started yet. Karl starts August 1st.
Sorry to burst YOUR bubble but the fastest one hasn't even started yet. Karl starts August 1st.
Touche! :sun
Geez. Everyone is a smart **S. It was a simple question.
My buddy, who now lives in Blacksburg, reported seeing 50 NoBo thru-hikers over Mem. Day weekend around the HWY42 area. Add ~100 miles or so to that estimate.
There is also a surprising late-start crowd. From Sunday through Wednesday last week, from Clingman's Dome south to Fontana, we passed over 20 NOBO's who confirmed they were attempting to go to Katahdin. I was amazed there were so many starting so late.
Not that I'm anywhere near there, but from all of my "hard research" I'd assume the bulk is between Pearisburg and Waynesboro now, while the front of the crowd is up in NY/NJ with a few folks in New England.
I think I read there were 50+ hikers at a feed just north of Pearisburg, so there you go.
I believe what I'm reading leads me to believe NOBO hikers are starting and finishing at a variety of times. This strikes me as good. It means hikers have options are making full use of them.:)
Hardy hikers who don't mind the cold can start early. Fit, faster hikers who have faith in their experience can start later. Others who want to "walk with spring" can do that. It's all good.:-?
Alligator
06-02-2008, 13:38
I believe what I'm reading leads me to believe NOBO hikers are starting and finishing at a variety of times. This strikes me as good. It means hikers have options are making full use of them.:)
Hardy hikers who don't mind the cold can start early. Fit, faster hikers who have faith in their experience can start later. Others who want to "walk with spring" can do that. It's all good.:-?That's just wrong. I read recently that NOBO hikers should start on the same day and do a preset number of miles every day.
Which day was it and how many miles? That information might come in handy.:-?
Alligator
06-02-2008, 14:06
Which day was it and how many miles? That information might come in handy.:-?You'll have to buy the book. It's in HIKE MY HIKE, DAMN IT! by Paul Mags
I'm too tight. Maybe, if I bring enough mircos, I can get him to tell me at The Gathering.
I'm too tight. Maybe, if I bring enough mircos, I can get him to tell me at The Gathering.
You can read all about how to be a REAL HIKER (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=37459) on this thread.. :sun
HIKE MY HIKE, DAMN IT! : Seven Lessons about the real way of hiking
Should be available for the Fall gathering.
johnnyblisters
06-02-2008, 14:53
Seen lots of early nobo's in CT/MA. My last count was 15 and going strong!
Blissful
06-02-2008, 15:04
There is also a surprising late-start crowd. From Sunday through Wednesday last week, from Clingman's Dome south to Fontana, we passed over 20 NOBO's who confirmed they were attempting to go to Katahdin. I was amazed there were so many starting so late.
??? Wow, Guess they will be jumping up north come Harpers Ferry.
I heard if you haven't done at least 7 thru hikes you are absolutely forbidden to give anyone advice on hiking of any kind.
My buddy, who now lives in Blacksburg, reported seeing 50 NoBo thru-hikers over Mem. Day weekend around the HWY42 area. Add ~100 miles or so to that estimate.
The NOBO's were at Rendezvous Inn three days ago. Yes, a big feed Saturday, I believe.
Patchfoot
06-02-2008, 17:27
I just visited my friends in Pearisburg for Machete's birthday, there was quite a crowd of Nobo hikers there. After getting pretty thoroughly inebriated with me Saturday night I think they may finally be doing some real hiking today.
I'm glad they are taking their time, the longer they dawdle the more money I can bank before continuing on with them in Harper's :D
I just visited my friends in Pearisburg for Machete's birthday, there was quite a crowd of Nobo hikers there. After getting pretty thoroughly inebriated with me Saturday night I think they may finally be doing some real hiking today.
I'm glad they are taking their time, the longer they dawdle the more money I can bank before continuing on with them in Harper's :D
You might want to give yourself a bit of time to ramp up to their daily mileage. Just sayin'.
Patchfoot
06-02-2008, 20:02
You might want to give yourself a bit of time to ramp up to their daily mileage. Just sayin'.
Oh I'll be the albatross for quite a bit, but they keep insisting they don't mind slowing down for a while. Though that assumes they maintain a better hiking:drinking ratio then they had in May.
Taking it slow after getting my trail legs probably would've annoyed me the year I was trying to thru, but for some dumb reason I was a bit of a mile monkey at times.
orangebug
06-05-2008, 22:14
I just realized that this was quantum mechanics applied to long distance hiking.
Since the bubble is everywhere, no particular hiker is anywhere.
Saw a load of thru hikers in Maryland this week. Not sure if that is the "bubble".
I just realized that this was quantum mechanics applied to long distance hiking.
Since the bubble is everywhere, no particular hiker is anywhere.
How can you be in two places at once, when you're not anywhere at all? :-?
Hikers who are one place in their mind and another on the ground could end up headed somewhere they hadn't intended their feet to take them.
For northbounders, Hanover in mid-July/early August would be my guess.
Jack Tarlin
06-22-2008, 11:01
Newb:
I just got out of Shenandoah National Park. It was full of hikers. So is Harpers Ferry, where I am now. Right now, I'd say your "bubble" is between Waynesboro and Duncannon right now. Most hikers are thru Harpers by the 4th of July or close to it, and they pretty much have to be here by the 15th unless they want to hike fast, skip a section, or flip-flop somewhere up North and start walking South.
Hope this answers your original question.
River Runner
06-24-2008, 23:08
Newb:
I just got out of Shenandoah National Park. It was full of hikers. So is Harpers Ferry, where I am now. Right now, I'd say your "bubble" is between Waynesboro and Duncannon right now. Most hikers are thru Harpers by the 4th of July or close to it, and they pretty much have to be here by the 15th unless they want to hike fast, skip a section, or flip-flop somewhere up North and start walking South.
Hope this answers your original question.
Just hiked the lower 11 miles of Shendandoah National Park on Saturday, and only saw one long distance section hiker and a few day hikers.
Alligator
06-24-2008, 23:14
Just hiked the lower 11 miles of Shendandoah National Park on Saturday, and only saw one long distance section hiker and a few day hikers.Right on, clear 'em out:banana, that's where I'm heading. I need room for my Megalite and I sleep late.:jump
Jack Tarlin
06-24-2008, 23:27
Don't know about a bubble, but a lot of very cool people are a day out of Front Royal. Should be very festive in Harpers Ferry by Friday.
Alligator
06-24-2008, 23:34
Too bad, I have that section to do but can't rearrange the itinerary:(.
Johnny Thunder
06-25-2008, 10:41
Don't know about a bubble, but a lot of very cool people are a day out of Front Royal. Should be very festive in Harpers Ferry by Friday.
Amen to that.
Jason of the Woods
07-02-2008, 17:30
I am thinking of hopping in up north next month and walk to K. Are there still a bunch of dopers that occupy the shelters at night or is it safe to sleep there these days?
Jack Tarlin
07-02-2008, 20:25
Gee, with a friendly attitude like that it sounds like you'd be welcome just about anywhere. :D
All sorts of folks are on the Trail, and all sorts of folks use the shelters. Not all of them use drugs. If this is a serious concern for you, there's a simple remedy:
Pitch a tent.
Are me and my hiking mates the only ones who used the term "bubble" in the exact opposite way it is being used in this thread. No judgments, just wondering.
Whenever we would walk for a day or so without seeing another thru we would always comment "Man, we're in the bubble" We simply referred to the mass of thrus as the "crowd".
Just wondering if anyone else used the opposite usage.
Jack Tarlin
07-02-2008, 21:24
Actually, the phrase I've heard most often by hikers to describe being in the middle of crowds but not being crowded oneself is to be in a "pocket" and not a bubble. And I hear the phrase "pack" used more than "crowd", as in "The pack is in Pine Grove right now and will be in Duncannon around the 4th."
Actually, the phrase I've heard most often by hikers to describe being in the middle of crowds but not being crowded oneself is to be in a "pocket" and not a bubble. And I hear the phrase "pack" used more than "crowd", as in "The pack is in Pine Grove right now and will be in Duncannon around the 4th."
"Pocket"? "Pack"? Are you sure the the hiker you heard did not go out of "pocket" and have the man slack his "pack" from Pine Grove to Duncannon? :D
Just teasing, no offense meant. So, does the trail slang article need an update to match the times? What other terms need an update? Here's the link to the "trail terms and slang" article as posted on the home page, left column...
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=8115
"So, does the trail slang article need an update to match the times? What other terms need an update? Here's the link to the "trail terms and slang" article as posted on the home page, left column...
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=8115
"Bubble" and "crowd" as quoted earlier aren't listed here. Probably not as important to list as other terms. Sort of self-explanatory.
Anyone use this article to get started? When I was fairly new, I recall browsing it a few times.
"Bubble" is easier than saying (for example) the peak of the spatial distribution... but anyway, the meaning was fairly clear from the context. ;)
It's kind of interesting picturing it as a moving distribution... or as a wave, or a set of wavelets.
Still not sure I get this. Applying logic, a dangerous endeavor indeed, being in a bubble means you are within a ball of nothing surrounded by something. If I am in a bubble, I do not expect that I am joined by my 15 favorite hiking buds.
Definitely, "the pack" is the large number of hikers. But does this mean that "the pack" and "the bubble" are synonomous? I must remain on the minority on this one. A bubble is an absence of hikers.
saimyoji
07-03-2008, 08:13
So where is the bubble now?
So where is the bubble now?
heading to duncannon to feed?