View Full Version : any news on karls next attempt
Squeaky 2
01-25-2009, 15:21
just wondering if there was any talk about karl giving it another go this year. i had a look on his website but nothing was posted.
Nope. How about you? I'd like to see an unassisted unsupported backpacking attempt. As far as I know Ward Leonard may have that record at 60 days.
CrumbSnatcher
01-25-2009, 16:26
nope. How About You? I'd Like To See An Unassisted Unsupported Backpacking Attempt. As Far As I Know Ward Leonard May Have That Record At 60 Days. Ward 60.5 days
Squeaky 2
01-25-2009, 16:28
yeah as far as i know 60 is the best as well. i would love to have a shot at it again, maybe even actually start this time:rolleyes: got alot to sort out but maybe this year:-?
jersey joe
01-25-2009, 17:13
Ward 60.5 days
Crumb, you still looking to do a 60-90 day thru this year?
CrumbSnatcher
01-25-2009, 17:31
Headin' North Late May. get there when i get there? wish me good fun:D
If Karl trys again, I hope he leaves out the hype and shameless self promotion that turned off a lot of people. From his website:
"But when he does it, he’ll rule the AT as the guy who conquered it, all of it, the fastest on two feet. This is going to be Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Self, Man vs. Clock – and it’s going to be good."
Ick.
Hoop Time
01-25-2009, 17:51
He does not have any definite plan for another try, as of last I asked him about it. What he was sure of though, was he would would not be back this year.
If Karl trys again, I hope he leaves out the hype and shameless self promotion that turned off a lot of people. From his website:
"But when he does it, he’ll rule the AT as the guy who conquered it, all of it, the fastest on two feet. This is going to be Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Self, Man vs. Clock – and it’s going to be good."
Ick.
Sounds like someone else wrote that.
Hoop Time
01-25-2009, 18:08
Absolutely. The backcountry.com folks were trying to hype his effort for marketing. Yes that prose did turn off a lot of people, but it should be noted that to the best of my memory, nobody who actually met Karl along the way has anything but kind words about him.
Johnny Thunder
01-25-2009, 18:20
Absolutely. The backcountry.com folks were trying to hype his effort for marketing. Yes that prose did turn off a lot of people, but it should be noted that to the best of my memory, nobody who actually met Karl along the way has anything but kind words about him.
Actually, lots of people had problem with him and his team this summer. My personal favorite was when they pulled the van into a parking area only to find a hiker tented out in the rain because it was to muddy to put a shelter down anywhere else. They woke 'em up and told them to move. What a joke. Best part was that one of the guys in the van....his mother was thru-hiking this summer.
Sounds like someone else wrote that.
I don't know who wrote it, but Karl has the quote at the top of the first page of his website:
http://whereskarl.com/
If Karl trys again, I hope he leaves out the hype and shameless self promotion that turned off a lot of people. From his website:
"But when he does it, he’ll rule the AT as the guy who conquered it, all of it, the fastest on two feet. This is going to be Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Self, Man vs. Clock – and it’s going to be good."
Ick.
Sounds like someone else wrote that.
Absolutely. The backcountry.com folks were trying to hype his effort for marketing. Yes that prose did turn off a lot of people, but it should be noted that to the best of my memory, nobody who actually met Karl along the way has anything but kind words about him.
So many folks got stuck on those words they lost sight of:
a) don't like it, don't follow it
b) he finished what he started, even post injury, when he knew the record was not going to be his
c) he hiked his own hike, which many say and few let be
sheepdog
01-25-2009, 19:56
So many folks got stuck on those words they lost sight of:
a) don't like it, don't follow it
b) he finished what he started, even post injury, when he knew the record was not going to be his
c) he hiked his own hike, which many say and few let be
Yep!!
I,for one, have accepted Karl as the new "ruler" of the AT. Since Wingfoot has retired there has been an awful void. All hail Karl the Conqueror!
Tipi Walter
01-25-2009, 22:13
If Karl trys again, I hope he leaves out the hype and shameless self promotion that turned off a lot of people. From his website:
"But when he does it, he’ll rule the AT as the guy who conquered it, all of it, the fastest on two feet. This is going to be Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Self, Man vs. Clock – and it’s going to be good."
Ick.
Self promotion is one thing and most of us do it. I wouldn't have my trail journals online if I didn't want to share backpacking with the world. And even I sometimes think my own stuff is shameless. But there's another category which the above quote typlifies, maybe it's called hype or shameless hubris, but it feels weird.
On my last backpacking trip I thought about it in more detail as I walked back to camp from the spring carrying a full pot of water: "While I was hiking back to camp from the spring with a full pot of water and not trying to spill a drop, I thought of the futility of a certain group of AT hikers who attempt silly stunts like carrying a tuba the whole way or hiking barefoot or the craziest of all, the ultralight speed hikers. Why not do it carrying a full pot of water the whole way w/o spillng a drop? Or here's a good one--do the whole thing as fast as possible with a 100 pound pack. Get some of the hotshot speed demons signed up with a 100 pound GoLite and then shoot for the speed record."
"Or roll an upright piano while every hour stopping to sit down and play a Chopin etude or one of the Godowsky variants. Or hike while playing the Paganini Caprices for violin. Or hop on one foot. Or worse still, NOT going at all but staying in town working 40 hours a week and being a couch potato for 6 months. This would be the hardest one of them all."
Sounds like someone else wrote that.
This sounds a bit like defensive deferral, as in let's attempt to deflect those words away from him.
So many folks got stuck on those words they lost sight of:
a) don't like it, don't follow it
b) he finished what he started, even post injury, when he knew the record was not going to be his
c) he hiked his own hike, which many say and few let be
Touting the 'hike your own hike' philosophy is not an instant escape or immunity from criticism from other backpackers. A 'forum' is a meeting place for open discussion and therefore criticism. Is doesn't have to be a place for personal attack, but a thread can be followed by posters who "don't like it" but still want to follow it(and render comments).
Touting the 'hike your own hike' philosophy is not an instant escape or immunity from criticism from other backpackers. A 'forum' is a meeting place for open discussion and therefore criticism. Is doesn't have to be a place for personal attack, but a thread can be followed by posters who "don't like it" but still want to follow it(and render comments).
thereby proving the point that there is no such thing as 'hike your own hike'
Self promotion is one thing and most of us do it. I wouldn't have my trail journals online if I didn't want to share backpacking with the world. And even I sometimes think my own stuff is shameless. But there's another category which the above quote typlifies, maybe it's called hype or shameless hubris, but it feels weird.
On my last backpacking trip I thought about it in more detail as I walked back to camp from the spring carrying a full pot of water: "While I was hiking back to camp from the spring with a full pot of water and not trying to spill a drop, in toI thought of the futility of a certain group of AT hikers who attempt silly stunts like carrying a tuba the whole way or hiking barefoot or the craziest of all, the ultralight speed hikers. Why not do it carrying a full pot of water the whole way w/o spillng a drop? Or here's a good one--do the whole thing as fast as possible with a 100 pound pack. Get some of the hotshot speed demons signed up with a 100 pound GoLite and then shoot for the speed record."
"Or roll an upright piano while every hour stopping to sit down and play a Chopin etude or one of the Godowsky variants. Or hike while playing the Paganini Caprices for violin. Or hop on one foot. Or worse still, NOT going at all but staying wn working 40 hours a week and being a couch potato for 6 months. This would be the hardest one of them all."
This sounds a bit like defensive deferral, as in let's attempt to deflect those words away from him.
Touting the 'hike your own hike' philosophy is not an instant escape or immunity from criticism from other backpackers. A 'forum' is a meeting place for open discussion and therefore criticism. Is doesn't have to be a place for personal attack, but a thread can be followed by posters who "don't like it" but still want to follow it(and render comments).
If a person wants to do the trail on a pogo stick it ain't nobody's business but theirs!! And aren't we being just a little hypocritical here by even mentioning personal attacks?
Get a life.
Tipi Walter
01-25-2009, 23:47
If Karl trys again, I hope he leaves out the hype and shameless self promotion that turned off a lot of people. From his website:
"But when he does it, he’ll rule the AT as the guy who conquered it, all of it, the fastest on two feet. This is going to be Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Self, Man vs. Clock – and it’s going to be good."
Ick.
Bears repeating. I'm not the only person who feels it to be hype and "shameless" self promotion. Why not tell Arizona to "get a life?"
If a person wants to do the trail on a pogo stick it ain't nobody's business but theirs!! And aren't we being just a little hypocritical here by even mentioning personal attacks?
Get a life.
If it isn't anybody's business but theirs, why this thread and a hundred others like it about speed records? Why not go for the speed reocrd but tell no one? Make it a personal and private goal with very few witnesses, and without having to display such phrases as "he'll rule the AT as the guy who conquered it" or "man versus nature." As Arizona said, by leaving out the hype he might not turn off so many people.
Squeaky 2
01-26-2009, 03:24
same $$$$ different day on here still then
sherrill
01-26-2009, 09:49
My unleashed snoring AT shelter dog is going to carry a gun on his next blue blaze van assisted speed record attempt....:p
jersey joe
01-26-2009, 10:18
If Karl trys again, I hope he leaves out the hype and shameless self promotion that turned off a lot of people. From his website:
"But when he does it, he’ll rule the AT as the guy who conquered it, all of it, the fastest on two feet. This is going to be Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Self, Man vs. Clock – and it’s going to be good."
Ick.
If Karl does give it another go, I hope he puts the same exact quote on his website so I can listen to all of you people whine about it some more.
Tipi Walter
01-26-2009, 10:44
same $$$$ different day on here still then
I think I understand this sentence--same $$$$ different day. It could be turned around, Same nonsensical speed attempts, different day.
If Karl does give it another go, I hope he puts the same exact quote on his website so I can listen to all of you people whine about it some more.
Not everyone supports speed hiking, or supports the highly promoted aspect of speed hiking, and calling this non-support "whining" probably comes for those who most support it. You could say "if you don't like it, don't follow it", and for the most part this would be true with threads like "what's the best shelter?" or "can I stay warm in a hammock at zero degrees?" or "should I wear merino or polypro?"
But when it comes to hiking stunts like going with a tuba or racing along the trail to catch a speed record, well, setting up a thread to go along with such a stunt does not have to be supported by everyone. Not all trail behaviors are applauded, and for all the voices for speed hiking there should be voices against. Balance it out. Don't encourage the thing. Except for the websites quotes, this is not a commentary on one particular individual but to the sport itself and to the group as a whole. My beef comes not with speed hiking itself, really, but with the public self-promotion and hype, and then the subsequent groupies keeping tabs on every forward inch moved.
As Arizona said, by leaving out the hype he might not turn off so many people.
I have a feeling even if the hype were left out some would find a way of criticizing speed record attempts.
I'll explain it the best way I know how. When I started long distance hiking, I could barely do 8 miles per day and thought anyone doing 15 could not be enjoying themselves or be smelling the roses. I kept hiking and 15 turned into 20's with more enjoyment then the miserable 8 mile days. People that attempt speed records do so because they can.
You have a comfort level that permits you hiking in extreme cold weather. Others may call it gimmick or insane.
Pedaling Fool
01-26-2009, 11:26
I have a feeling even if the hype were left out some would find a way of criticizing speed record attempts.
I'll explain it the best way I know how. When I started long distance hiking, I could barely do 8 miles per day and thought anyone doing 15 could not be enjoying themselves or be smelling the roses. I kept hiking and 15 turned into 20's with more enjoyment then the miserable 8 mile days. People that attempt speed records do so because they can.
You have a comfort level that permits you hiking in extreme cold weather. Others may call it gimmick or insane.
That's a good analogy.
Lone Wolf
01-26-2009, 11:38
Karl WILL do it again. soon
Nice analogy Sly. Personally, I'd go crazy with Tipi Walter's approach. I go crazy sitting around in camp. In fact, I have come to the conclusion that I hate car camping for that very reason. I need to move. I go stir crazy at a campsite, and prefer to walk into one at the end of a long day, setup, cook, read and then sleep. Wake up, break it down, walk all day, and do it again. In the middle I like to fish, swim, nap, take photos, or marvel at the scenery surrounding me.
That's not to say that Tipi Walter's approach is wrong. But the same applies to speed hikers. Respect the places you hike and the people that you meet there, and I could care less how slow, fast or far you hike.
Gray Blazer
01-26-2009, 11:50
and then the subsequent groupies keeping tabs on every forward inch moved.
You have groupies, too. There are enough to go around.
You have groupies, too. There are enough to go around.
Here's his little trip blog.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=45474
If I didn't know better, I'd call it self promotion and a gimmick.
Lone Wolf
01-26-2009, 11:56
just a stunt hiker
Tipi Walter
01-26-2009, 13:04
I have a feeling even if the hype were left out some would find a way of criticizing speed record attempts.
I'll explain it the best way I know how. When I started long distance hiking, I could barely do 8 miles per day and thought anyone doing 15 could not be enjoying themselves or be smelling the roses. I kept hiking and 15 turned into 20's with more enjoyment then the miserable 8 mile days. People that attempt speed records do so because they can.
You have a comfort level that permits you hiking in extreme cold weather. Others may call it gimmick or insane.
I guess going out in any way could be considered a gimmick--a hammock camper is doing a stunt, a bivy sacker performs a gimmick, staying out in the winter and sharing it could be considered hype and self-promotion, but then agan, maybe not. I think the self-promoted speed hikers take it to another level. My only point is that not everyone supports and encourages it. Ok, I've made my point, so why go on? I guess because additional posters didn't see the point Arizona raised and instead now try to turn around all backpacking and backpackers as being as self promoting as the speedsters. But a few agree with me, otherwise I would never have started these posts.
Nice analogy Sly. Personally, I'd go crazy with Tipi Walter's approach. I go crazy sitting around in camp. In fact, I have come to the conclusion that I hate car camping for that very reason. I need to move. I go stir crazy at a campsite, and prefer to walk into one at the end of a long day, setup, cook, read and then sleep. Wake up, break it down, walk all day, and do it again. In the middle I like to fish, swim, nap, take photos, or marvel at the scenery surrounding me.
That's not to say that Tipi Walter's approach is wrong. But the same applies to speed hikers. Respect the places you hike and the people that you meet there, and I could care less how slow, fast or far you hike.
I don't really see my approach as much different than yours as I nearly always move every day by waking up, breaking it down, and walking to my next camp, though my next camp might be 2 or 5 or 7 or 12 miles away. Like I said before, it's not speed hiking per se I have a problem with, it's the hype and self-promotion of setting up the All-Important Event and then having the whole world watch. The one or two readers following my backpacking trips are not keeping a constant website tally of my every move, thank god. And even if they were, they would have the common sense to keep it to themselves.
Record breaking attempts seem to captivate a small audience of the backpacking crowd here on Whiteblaze, and yet I find it hard to see where such activity fits in with the AT, thruhiking or backpacking in general. Just like I find it hard to see where hiking the AT with a tuba or hiking backwards or all the rest has any place here for discussion. Why encourage the fringe crowd? And normal winter backpacking is not considered a fringe activity or a stunt.
Alot of people keep trail journals and backpacking reports, but most of them are not criticized as being self-promoting and full of hype. My quandary is, why the fascination and endless website tally here on Whiteblaze of the speed hiker's every move? And if the inevitable tally is kept here on Whiteblaze, then too will come the inevitable criticisms and commentary. This is just a light-hearted discussion anyway, nothing to get hung about.
This is just a light-hearted discussion anyway, nothing to get hung about.
Now that's funny. :)
Tipi Walter
01-26-2009, 13:16
Now that's funny. :)
Had to beat you guys to it before someone said to "lighten up!"
My quandary is, why the fascination and endless website tally here on Whiteblaze of the speed hiker's every move? And if the inevitable tally is kept here on Whiteblaze, then too will come the inevitable criticisms and commentary. This is just a light-hearted discussion anyway, nothing to get hung about.
Minnesota Smith was one of the slowest hikers and his thread got more hits than Karl's. Various Trail Journals get 100,000 hits or more.
Since all previous record setting attempts didn't have the following as Karl's, I assume they were OK with you?
Minnesota Smith was one of the slowest hikers and his thread got more hits than Karl's.
Speaking of stunts... :rolleyes:
In a few years when I get a better budget I plan to attempt to beat the 60 day record for unsupported backpacking. I feel like as long as I had the money to constantly have new socks, shoes and the lightest weight gear, I could have a chance.
Its what a 39 mile a day average. Pretty intense.
Squeaky 2
01-26-2009, 14:31
60 days is about a 36 mpd average. i was beating that average for 90% of the trail in winter but due a savage noreaster at the begining it blew my chances. so chances are good to beat it in summer. i was about 48 days from me/nh border to springer with 5 days in the smokies
Gray Blazer
01-26-2009, 15:20
Had to beat you guys to it before someone said to "lighten up!"
"Gentlemen, there will be no fighting here.....This is the War Room!!"
Tipi Walter
01-26-2009, 15:26
"Gentlemen, there will be no fighting here.....This is the War Room!!"
Ah, General Buck Turgidson and the War Room.
In a few years when I get a better budget I plan to attempt to beat the 60 day record for unsupported backpacking. I feel like as long as I had the money to constantly have new socks, shoes and the lightest weight gear, I could have a chance.
I venture to say a 60 day hike is a lot cheaper than a 180 day hike and could be done for less than $1000 for on trail expenses. Add about a $1000 for gear.
I venture to say a 60 day hike is a lot cheaper than a 180 day hike and could be done for less than $1000 for on trail expenses. Add about a $1000 for gear.
I'd imagine one could spend a ton of money or do it on a shoestring, but to break a sub-60 day unsupported would need much mental perseverense over any amount of money.
Hey Sly and the Squeaky Man.
Yes, we all do promote each other. It is good for our soles. We smile and enjoy all when we meet hiking legends knowing that we too slog out the one foot in front of the other as well.
The first time Squeaky and I met is when I opened the door of Miss Janet's House and there in the dark was this thin guy with smiles a plenty. Janet and I had been waiting several days for the speedster so the encounter was a relief and a blessing at the same time.
hikingtime
01-26-2009, 16:12
just a stunt hiker
That is what I think Karl is.
I wish he would just hike his own hike the way the rest of us do. :)
Hey Sly and the Squeaky Man.
Yes, we all do promote each other. It is good for our soles. We smile and enjoy all when we meet hiking legends knowing that we too slog out the one foot in front of the other as well.
The first time Squeaky and I met is when I opened the door of Miss Janet's House and there in the dark was this thin guy with smiles a plenty. Janet and I had been waiting several days for the speedster so the encounter was a relief and a blessing at the same time.
Speaking of Miss Janet she just left. On her way south to warmer weather.
Speaking of Miss Janet she just left. On her way south to warmer weather.
Well yah.
That is what I think Karl is.
I wish he would just hike his own hike the way the rest of us do. :)
I think the point is no one hikes the same as everyone else. While your 10 miles per day may be good for you, others like to walk all day and can do 30+ a day.
Some like music, some like towns, some like getting up early, others late, some like poles, some like cast iron frying pans, etc. That's the essence of HYOH where it only effects the person doing it.
Lone Wolf
01-26-2009, 18:10
That is what I think Karl is.
I wish he would just hike his own hike the way the rest of us do. :)
nah. he's hardly a stuntman
CrumbSnatcher
01-27-2009, 00:47
is there seperate records for nobo hikes and sobo hikes? besides unsupported & supported. i keep hearing sobo is easier? any thoughts on that? ward was northbound wasn't he?
RITBlake
01-27-2009, 01:34
Here's his little trip blog.
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=45474
If I didn't know better, I'd call it self promotion and a gimmick.
Owned.
That is not even close to being "owned". Just a run of the mill trip report. Nothing on there says he conquered winter. Nice pics, too.
Tipi Walter
01-27-2009, 09:13
Owned.
That is not even close to being "owned". Just a run of the mill trip report. Nothing on there says he conquered winter. Nice pics, too.
It's a normal human tendency to misdirect and deflect--pointing out one of my usual backpacking trips as an attempt at self-promotion--while not addressing the hype and record setting mania of the speed hikers along the AT. There's a difference on the one hand between regular backpacking and a trip report resulting from such an endeavor, and on the other the incessant fascination and obsession over record-breaking along the Appalachian Trail. When someone sets up a situation to break a certain record like speed hiking the AT or walking all three big trails in a year, and advertise their attempts on forums like this and on their own webpages, then by design they open themselves up to criticism.
I guess the question could be, "Does record breaking attempts have a place on the AT?" The answer of course is yes, but then this would also include hiking with a tuba, walking backwards, carrying 100 pounds, hopping on one foot, carrying a pot of water and not spilling a drop, wearing only a jockstrap, or a hundred other record breaking stunts. And anyway, had Karl not written his blurb on being the only man to conquer the AT, I probably wouldn't even be writing any of this. That can of worms got opened and ZAP! so comes the comments.
jersey joe
01-27-2009, 09:20
Tipi, my guess is that you weren't very into athletics. What Karl wrote on his site is pretty normal talk in athletics and really is just a metaphor for completing his athletic endeavor.
Headin' North Late May. get there when i get there? wish me good fun:D
If you got time when you get to Damascus a big calorie filled meal is waiting for you, all I need is a heads up before you arrive....
I,for one, have accepted Karl as the new "ruler" of the AT. Since Wingfoot has retired there has been an awful void. All hail Karl the Conqueror!
Well Lone Wolf what have you got to say about this? Them thar is fighting words Yazoo, whoops I mean Yahtzee......:D
same $$$$ different day on here still then
see what you started.......a darn good thread! :D
But when it comes to hiking stunts like going with a tuba or racing along the trail to catch a speed record, well, setting up a thread to go along with such a stunt does not have to be supported by everyone. Not all trail behaviors are applauded, and for all the voices for speed hiking there should be voices against. Balance it out. Don't encourage the thing. Except for the websites quotes, this is not a commentary on one particular individual but to the sport itself and to the group as a whole. My beef comes not with speed hiking itself, really, but with the public self-promotion and hype, and then the subsequent groupies keeping tabs on every forward inch moved.What this reminds me of is when i was telling friends and family that I was hiking on the AT they would ask me "Why are you doing such a thing, what's the point?" And now I am the one asking why does one attempt to speed hike, what's the point?
Everyone has their own lives to live and their own way of doing a thing.
jersey joe
01-27-2009, 10:51
What this reminds me of is when i was telling friends and family that I was hiking on the AT they would ask me "Why are you doing such a thing, what's the point?" And now I am the one asking why does one attempt to speed hike, what's the point?
Very true Wanderer. I had a lot of people asking me what the point of thru hiking was, they didn't understand at all. It seems to me to be the same thing when people question Karl's hike.
Alligator
01-27-2009, 11:02
People have been fascinated by the limits of speed and endurance for thousands of years. It's hardly a minority interest.
And anyway, had Karl not written his blurb on being the only man to conquer the AT, I probably wouldn't even be writing any of this. That can of worms got opened and ZAP! so comes the comments.
LOL... amazing how a few get totally bent of of shape over a few words. Did Karl conquer the AT? No, but he hiked it in it's entirety which is more than most can say.
If you look at the words, it appears they were speaking about the record.
On August 5, 2008, uber ultra-runner Karl Meltzer set off on the biggest race of his life. His challenge: to run the entire length of the 2,174-mile Appalachian Trail in less than 47 days. Definitely daunting. Absolutely grueling. Probably insane. But when he does it, he’ll rule the AT as the guy who conquered it, all of it, the fastest on two feet. This is going to be Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Self, Man vs. Clock – and it’s going to be good.
Gray Blazer
01-27-2009, 11:26
One of my very first posts on WB was about the speed hikers and I told them that if they really wanted to get some miles, they should hike the interstate system. I was told there was no hope for me.
I must admit I got a thrill when Trail Dog (was that Squeaky?) passed my son and me in 2006 while we were hiking in the Nantahalas.
To tell you the truth, I will get that same thrill when I run into Tipi somewhere in the middle of no wheres.
I must admit I got a thrill when Trail Dog (was that Squeaky?) passed my son and me in 2006 while we were hiking in the Nantahalas.
No Trail Dog is, Andrew Thompson, the current record holder.
Tipi Walter
01-27-2009, 11:42
UNCLE FUNGUS!!
The most powerful hiker in the world, will soon attempt to stay outdoors and NEVER COME BACK IN!! Follow his journey night by night by night by logging onto his website, "Holding Nature Hostage", and increasing the all-important webpage hits by clicking on his day-to-day accounts.
In 2009, uber idiot and miscreant Uncle Fungus will start off on his greatest trip yet, setting up a tent and staying in one spot FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! Can it be done? Can he do it? His challenge is to do this while only wearing a jockstrap and sleeping every night with his tuba. Definitely misguided. Absolutely pointless. Probably incredibly boring. Man vs Tuba, Man vs Jockstrap, Man vs A Calendar.
Use a SPOT to record his every move, look! He went from the tent to squat by a cathole! He's back! He went down to a creek to wash his jockstrap! And after he does it, he'll be known as the guy who conquered a series of tents by simply wearing them out.
CrumbSnatcher
01-27-2009, 11:43
If you got time when you get to Damascus a big calorie filled meal is waiting for you, all I need is a heads up before you arrive.... very kind of ya TOW, your on. after the first dinner, maybe you and LW will join me for beer/pizza at quincy's.
Gray Blazer
01-27-2009, 11:57
UNCLE FUNGUS!!
The most powerful hiker in the world, will soon attempt to stay outdoors and NEVER COME BACK IN!! Follow his journey night by night by night by logging onto his website, "Holding Nature Hostage", and increasing the all-important webpage hits by clicking on his day-to-day accounts.
In 2009, uber idiot and miscreant Uncle Fungus will start off on his greatest trip yet, setting up a tent and staying in one spot FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! Can it be done? Can he do it? His challenge is to do this while only wearing a jockstrap and sleeping every night with his tuba. Definitely misguided. Absolutely pointless. Probably incredibly boring. Man vs Tuba, Man vs Jockstrap, Man vs A Calendar.
Use a SPOT to record his every move, look! He went from the tent to squat by a cathole! He's back! He went down to a creek to wash his jockstrap! And after he does it, he'll be known as the guy who conquered a series of tents by simply wearing them out.
Please warn me next time before you write something funny that is going to make the milk come out my nose!!
Pedaling Fool
01-27-2009, 12:01
I don't get why people are so offended when someone says they are going to "conquer nature". So what, nature doesn't care, because nature is not a living being. You're just challenging the obstacles in nature and your own limits.
It's no different than an athlete attempting to jump over a wall. Is he challenging the wall -- of course not -- he's challenging himself to scale the wall.
Did the athlete conquer the wall if he jumped over it -- NO -- he just jumped over it.
If the athlete failed to jump over the wall did the wall conquer him? --NO-- the wall was just there, just like nature is just there.
I don't get why people are so offended when someone says they are going to "conquer nature". So what, nature doesn't care, because nature is not a living being. You're just challenging the obstacles in nature and your own limits.
It's no different than an athlete attempting to jump over a wall. Is he challenging the wall -- of course not -- he's challenging himself to scale the wall.
Did the athlete conquer the wall if he jumped over it -- NO -- he just jumped over it.
If the athlete failed to jump over the wall did the wall conquer him? --NO-- the wall was just there, just like nature is just there.
Exactly, it's just poor grammar. And nothing gets us hikers' netted swim trunks in a bunch like inexact English which makes it seems as if someone besides ourselves is doing something different or better than we did. It would have been more correct if he said, "Karl will be attempting to hike the AT as fast as he can". Which is, in fact, exactly what he did.
Some people are turned off by self-promotion while others see it as just part of the game. I'm the first type. The only reason I have fun at Wingfoot's expense is that on the back of his guidebook his refers to himself as "the expert". If it had said "an expert", I would have been fine with it. The word "the" got my goat. I'll acknowledge that's picky but the concept of declaring oneself "the expert" on anything smacks of hubris. Just as the idea that the person who hikes the AT the fastest has somehow "conquered" the trail. If anything, they have conquered the previous record holders' endurance capabilities.
All that said, I hope Karl is successful in breaking the record if he attempts to do it again. If that is "his hike", than I hope he "hikes it".
I think Tipi Walker down deep inside resents his lack of competitiveness. This world thrives on it. If he didn't care what people thinks he wouldn't have journaled his recent 9 day hike. I think he likes the attention. So lets give him some.
I am 62 years old and I hereby challenge TipiWalker to a hike race. We will start at I-40 and end at the Fontana Dam Hilton. Nobody but he and I will be on the trail to see what goes on. This will be totally on the honor system. No assistance will be provided from anyone. No caches of supplies will be allowed. This will be a no-holds barred race, which means carry or don't carry whatever you want. But you can't drop or pick up anything once the gun sounds.
Ron Haven knows what a No-holds barred match is, right Ron.
Lets get it on baby!! A nice clean race.
Waiting to hear from you. :sun :banana
This is just a light-hearted discussion anyway, nothing to get hung about.
Strawberry fields forever. :sun
neighbor dave
01-27-2009, 14:08
UNCLE FUNGUS!!
The most powerful hiker in the world, will soon attempt to stay outdoors and NEVER COME BACK IN!! Follow his journey night by night by night by logging onto his website, "Holding Nature Hostage", and increasing the all-important webpage hits by clicking on his day-to-day accounts.
In 2009, uber idiot and miscreant Uncle Fungus will start off on his greatest trip yet, setting up a tent and staying in one spot FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE! Can it be done? Can he do it? His challenge is to do this while only wearing a jockstrap and sleeping every night with his tuba. Definitely misguided. Absolutely pointless. Probably incredibly boring. Man vs Tuba, Man vs Jockstrap, Man vs A Calendar.
Use a SPOT to record his every move, look! He went from the tent to squat by a cathole! He's back! He went down to a creek to wash his jockstrap! And after he does it, he'll be known as the guy who conquered a series of tents by simply wearing them out.
:-?ya gotta admit,that's damn funny!:D
Gray Blazer
01-27-2009, 15:10
Strawberry fields forever. :sun
My Man!! (Is he dead, yet?)
Tipi Walter
01-27-2009, 15:33
I think Tipi Walker down deep inside resents his lack of competitiveness. This world thrives on it. If he didn't care what people thinks he wouldn't have journaled his recent 9 day hike. I think he likes the attention. So lets give him some.
I am 62 years old and I hereby challenge TipiWalker to a hike race. We will start at I-40 and end at the Fontana Dam Hilton. Nobody but he and I will be on the trail to see what goes on. This will be totally on the honor system. No assistance will be provided from anyone. No caches of supplies will be allowed. This will be a no-holds barred race, which means carry or don't carry whatever you want. But you can't drop or pick up anything once the gun sounds.
Ron Haven knows what a No-holds barred match is, right Ron.
Lets get it on baby!! A nice clean race.
Waiting to hear from you. :sun :banana
It seems to me that a bonafide challenger would at least get my name spelled right. And I'm not so sure the world revolves around competition and survival of the fittest. It might just be all about cooperation. Any attention I generate is in no way related to a stunt or a race or a manly showdown or some record breaking nature-conquering desire twitching in a my apparently testosterone-starved scrotal sac.:banana
"Once the gun sounds" could be problematic as I believe Kanati is the hunter I offended on a recent dead coyote post, and so I bow out from the dangling bait. And really, after all I've written on this subject about how it's not about speed or a race, and here I am asked to race! I guess if I kept a series of Jogging Journals I might show more interest. You win by default.
It seems to me that a bonafide challenger would at least get my name spelled right. And I'm not so sure the world revolves around competition and survival of the fittest. It might just be all about cooperation. Any attention I generate is in no way related to a stunt or a race or a manly showdown or some record breaking nature-conquering desire twitching in a my apparently testosterone-starved scrotal sac.:banana
"Once the gun sounds" could be problematic as I believe Kanati is the hunter I offended on a recent dead coyote post, and so I bow out from the dangling bait. And really, after all I've written on this subject about how it's not about speed or a race, and here I am asked to race! I guess if I kept a series of Jogging Journals I might show more interest. You win by default.
Actually I was just kidding. Don't take me serious. But I do have to do some prep hikes before I return to ME to finish my hike. I thought a GSMP sobo to the NOC would be good. Not sure my wife would let me be gone any longer than a week or so since I will be gone about 3 weeks to finish the AT. Take Care.
Happy hiking. :sun
I'd camp with Tipi anytime, as long as it was above say, 25* and he brought the mutt.
Kerosene
01-27-2009, 19:28
The word "the" got my goat.Oh oh, them sounds like fightin' words to WhiteBlaze's own "the goat (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/member.php?u=6329)"! ;)
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/customprofilepics/profilepic6329_1.gif
Hoop Time
01-27-2009, 21:50
Actually, lots of people had problem with him and his team this summer. My personal favorite was when they pulled the van into a parking area only to find a hiker tented out in the rain because it was to muddy to put a shelter down anywhere else. They woke 'em up and told them to move. What a joke. Best part was that one of the guys in the van....his mother was thru-hiking this summer.
May be so for all I know, but I do find it curious that no negative encounters of this type were reported anywhere that I know of during Karl's hike. And frankly, having met Karl and his team, and having had numerous conversations/interviews with him during the hike, I'd have to say what you describe seems very out of character.
Again, his effort was discussed quite comprehensively here. There were plenty of detractors. Especially folks upset about the verbiage on the Web site. Yet I never saw a single negative post from someone who encountered Karl on the trail in person.
Not saying the run-in you describe didn't happen. Just that it seems mighty queer that the report never surfaced back then.
Hmmm...hard to believe they couldn't find a suitable place but if someone is tented in a parking area maybe they ought to move if a vehicle pulls in.
Johnny Thunder
01-27-2009, 22:37
Any port in a storm, Sly...any port in a storm.
Hmmm...hard to believe they couldn't find a suitable place but if someone is tented in a parking area maybe they ought to move if a vehicle pulls in.
Anyone tenting near a road (or in a parking lot!) has no business complaining about vehicles.
Anyone tenting near a road (or in a parking lot!) has no business complaining about vehicles.
most places that probably get one busted
Anyone tenting near a road (or in a parking lot!) has no business complaining about vehicles.
or getting run over! :eek:
Someone should contact Johnny Thunder to see who that hiker tented in the parking lot was so we can report that person to the proper authorities. Trying to avoid tenting in water, how could they?!
RITBlake
01-28-2009, 02:29
So much fuss over a website header. Get over it. It's NBD.
Karl will be back and will break the record and then some.
I challenge all of you to break my record of hiking the entire width of the trail that intersects with a busy highway in less than 4 seconds........
I challenge all of you to break my record of hiking the entire width of the trail that intersects with a busy highway in less than 4 seconds........
Did the AT crossing at Newfound Gap a couple of months ago in 3.2!
Honor system, you know? ;)
Someone should contact Johnny Thunder to see who that hiker tented in the parking lot was so we can report that person to the proper authorities. Trying to avoid tenting in water, how could they?!
Camping in a parking lot instead of the woods in order to avoid tenting in water. Think about that for a few minutes.
Gray Blazer
01-28-2009, 13:20
Camping in a parking lot instead of the woods in order to avoid tenting in water. Think about that for a few minutes.
Kinda like camping on the beach instead of a sand dune to avoid sand?
Camping in a parking lot instead of the woods in order to avoid tenting in water. Think about that for a few minutes.
What am I supposed to be thinking about? I assume the suitable camping spots in the woods were covered in water and the parking lot was on a slight tilt, which alot of them are, and was thus dry or was dry for some other reason. The decision to camp in a parking lot under those circumstances isn't bizarre. Rain comes. It happens. To not try and make the best of it would be nuts. So now a car comes. I really can't argue that a car has more right to a parking lot than a tent, nor did I, but you can be damn sure that if I was woken up in the middle of the night by a car so it could park there and those people could sleep there instead of me, I would most certainly have had some words for them. But, again, this was a "special hike" and, from the gist of that story, they acted like it.
All I'm sayin' is, if I were the driver of that van, supporting a thru-hiker and I pulled into a parking lot on a rainy night and saw a tent camped out, I would have tried to find another place to park the van. If I knew how to start a poll, I'd ask "Would you attempt to find another place to park or wake the thru-hiker up and make them move?" I don't think it's as black and white as you have made it sound, Mowgli.
But, hey, takes all kinds. No biggie in the grand scheme.
Lone Wolf
01-28-2009, 14:10
an intelligent hiker would have stuck his thumb out at the road next to the lot and hitched a ride to a motel.
Tipi Walter
01-28-2009, 14:11
What am I supposed to be thinking about? I assume the suitable camping spots in the woods were covered in water and the parking lot was on a slight tilt, which alot of them are, and was thus dry or was dry for some other reason. The decision to camp in a parking lot under those circumstances isn't bizarre. Rain comes. It happens. To not try and make the best of it would be nuts. So now a car comes. I really can't argue that a car has more right to a parking lot than a tent, nor did I, but you can be damn sure that if I was woken up in the middle of the night by a car so it could park there and those people could sleep there instead of me, I would most certainly have had some words for them. But, again, this was a "special hike" and, from the gist of that story, they acted like it.
All I'm sayin' is, if I were the driver of that van, supporting a thru-hiker and I pulled into a parking lot on a rainy night and saw a tent camped out, I would have tried to find another place to park the van. If I knew how to start a poll, I'd ask "Would you attempt to find another place to park or wake the thru-hiker up and make them move?" I don't think it's as black and white as you have made it sound, Mowgli.
But, hey, takes all kinds. No biggie in the grand scheme.
Yeah, it's no biggie, really. I slept under an 18 wheeler once outside of Sacramento--kept thinking it was going to start up and move. The ONLY reason I wouldn't consider sleeping in a parking lot(even with a tent up), would be someone driving in and crushing me. Otherwise, have at it.
an intelligent hiker would have stuck his thumb out at the road next to the lot and hitched a ride to a motel.
that or find the high ground, how freaking hard can that be?
What am I supposed to be thinking about? I assume the suitable camping spots in the woods were covered in water and the parking lot was on a slight tilt, which alot of them are, and was thus dry or was dry for some other reason. The decision to camp in a parking lot under those circumstances isn't bizarre. Rain comes. It happens. To not try and make the best of it would be nuts. So now a car comes. I really can't argue that a car has more right to a parking lot than a tent, nor did I, but you can be damn sure that if I was woken up in the middle of the night by a car so it could park there and those people could sleep there instead of me, I would most certainly have had some words for them. But, again, this was a "special hike" and, from the gist of that story, they acted like it.
All I'm sayin' is, if I were the driver of that van, supporting a thru-hiker and I pulled into a parking lot on a rainy night and saw a tent camped out, I would have tried to find another place to park the van. If I knew how to start a poll, I'd ask "Would you attempt to find another place to park or wake the thru-hiker up and make them move?" I don't think it's as black and white as you have made it sound, Mowgli.
But, hey, takes all kinds. No biggie in the grand scheme.
Parking lots - unlike the forest - usually have an impermeable surface, or something close to that. They are also hard as hell - unlike the forest. A hiker should be able to find a campsite in the woods in all but hurricane conditions. That was my point.
Like you said - no biggee. I just don't accept the premise that the parking lot was the answer to the problem. It was the easy way out.
Gray Blazer
01-28-2009, 14:43
If I were to camp in a parking lot, I would try to camp on the edge so as not to get run over. I camped in the parking area at Tray Gap and he people who pulled in later gave me beer. Doh!
The story doesn't make sense (not that I don't believe it). The term "lot" makes me think of a large area big enough for small circus tent. Maybe it was a parking "space".
Tipi Walter
01-28-2009, 14:59
Has anyone camped in downtown Greeley, Colorado? I set up a tent there once and was crushed not by a car but by the terrible stink that is Greeley. What a place. One big town full of cow turds.
That's cuz you were on that side of town.
You can always tell when it is going to snow in the Ft. Collins area. The wind shifts, the clouds go low and you can smell the odor from Greeley (seriously).
(In the Boulder area, you get a similar effect from the still very agricultural Longmont)
In all fairness, one of my favorite Thanksgivings was in Greeley.
My girlfriend at the time was a grad student at CSU (Ft. Collins). Her friend's family lived in nearby Greeley and invited the "orphans" to dinner. Not only was it a wonderful dinner, but we even played touch football on the lawn of UNC. The friend's family lived in the (relatively speaking) older section of Greeley near the university with its distinctive homes.
A bit like a Thanksgiving Norman Rockwell painting. :)
It was my first Thanksgiving spent away from Rhody. And, not by coincidence, it was my first Thanksgiving that did not involve a family argument. :D
(As usual, went off on a tangent!)
...anyway, I am sure there was a MUCH better place for this mysterious AT hiker to camp than in a fricken parking lot. :)
...anyway, I am sure there was a MUCH better place for this mysterious AT hiker to camp than in a fricken parking lot. :)
There is always the floor of a restroom. :)
Pedaling Fool
01-28-2009, 17:24
If I were to camp in a parking lot, I would try to camp on the edge so as not to get run over. ...
True, you never know, Karl may just have saved that guy's life. Parking lots are for parking cars not tents.
Slo-go'en
01-28-2009, 17:45
A hiker should be able to find a campsite in the woods in all but hurricane conditions. That was my point.
Maybe he got there after dark, was tired and didn't want to trash around in the woods to find a spot - who knows what the reasons were, none of us were there. No doubt it seemed like a good idea to him at the time.
This thread has drifted quite a bit, eh?
Maybe he got there after dark, was tired and didn't want to trash around in the woods to find a spot - who knows what the reasons were, none of us were there. No doubt it seemed like a good idea to him at the time.
This thread has drifted quite a bit, eh?
Tired? Didn't want to night hike? Like I said. He prolly took the easy way out. Simply put, you don't complain about a car waking you up when you choose to camp in a PARKING LOT. :p
Tired? Didn't want to night hike? Like I said. He prolly took the easy way out. Simply put, you don't complain about a car waking you up when you choose to camp in a PARKING LOT. :p
Kind of like you can't complain about mice and snorers when you sleep in a filthy wooden box. :)
I have crawled into the back of the truck a number of times in odd spots, but have never been asked to move by a civilian. Woken up sure.
Have you ever noticed that if you get more than one person doing something, one of them will do something stupid?
I took a side trip off the PCT to Bucks Lake Lodge where we got totally drunk. When the bar closed the only placed that looked good to sleep was on a dock.
About 5AM a guard came by and told us to "take a hike" I thought that was funny, but moved on.
About 5AM a guard came by and told us to "take a hike" I thought that was funny, but moved on.
He could have told you to take a swim. :)
Tipi Walter
01-28-2009, 19:12
I took a side trip off the PCT to Bucks Lake Lodge where we got totally drunk. When the bar closed the only placed that looked good to sleep was on a dock.
About 5AM a guard came by and told us to "take a hike" I thought that was funny, but moved on.
One time I went to the cess pit that is Charlotte, NC, and went to a friend's house and asked if I could sit in their back yard and do a little late afternoon yoga. I was under some trees in the back of their property and wouldn't you know it but the nanny state next-door neighborhood watch potatoes called the police then I heard a police radio and then a middle-aged cop broke me out of my mood and started asking questions. I pointed to the house and we talked. He said, "You don't wanna be around here, the people around here are touchy. Go deeper into the woods." And then he asked me about my nice -40 degree Chippewa boots, just purchased: "Sure are nice," he said.
Moral of the story? If you're gonna do stealth camping in the big cities, go in at night and come out before dawn. Oh, and avoid Charlotte.
Sounds like you met my kind of LEO.
Slo-go'en
01-29-2009, 11:37
We need a new thread "the strangest place I've steath camped at"
I was stuck at the Charlotte, SC bus station for 24 hours couple of years ago on the way to Springer. I ended up steath camping next to a giant power transformer, hidden behind a privacy fence next to a church near the bus station. Except for the buzz from the transformer, it worked out well and actually got some sleep, which would have been impossible at the bus station.
Lone Wolf
01-29-2009, 11:57
We need a new thread "the strangest place I've steath camped at"
I was stuck at the Charlotte, SC bus station for 24 hours couple of years ago on the way to Springer. I ended up steath camping next to a giant power transformer, hidden behind a privacy fence next to a church near the bus station. Except for the buzz from the transformer, it worked out well and actually got some sleep, which would have been impossible at the bus station.
the post office loading dock on top of bundles of newspapers in cornwall bridge, ct.
Bumshandler
01-29-2009, 18:38
Why encourage the fringe crowd?
Dude, you didn't just say that on THIS board, did you? Maybe you'd better define 'fringe'.
fiddlehead
01-29-2009, 19:58
We need a new thread "the strangest place I've steath camped at"
Talk about hijacking a thread. (that's been beaten to death anyway)
Ok:
In a staircase landing at a closed down youth hostel in Lictenstein that had one of those motion lights so that everytime i moved, (even just a little) the 2 big spotlights would light up most of the country.
Got good at turning over without any sudden movements.
Catnapping at Cats - the musical. :)
neighbor dave
01-29-2009, 21:06
goat pen island of corfu greece
horse stable port of spain trinidad
Gray Blazer
01-29-2009, 22:01
Catnapping at Cats - the musical. :)
Ha Ha. The Glass Menagerie did for me. Embarrassed the hell out of my wife by snoring. Woke up with a start when they broke the glass.
I stealthed in a broom closet at the Port Authority in NYC after a Dead show in 1981. What a long strange trip that was! :D
I'll add that my seats for the show were FRONT ROW. Nassau Coliseum. Spring Tour. Amazing Estimated Prophet. :banana
buff_jeff
02-02-2009, 22:46
I got kicked out of an airport in Hawaii and had to sleep on the concrete floor of some rental car pavilion.
Speedgoat Karl
06-07-2009, 14:10
For those who may still read this thread. I may go for the AT record again in 2011. We all know how complicated it can be to have perfect support. I will not use the same type of support on this second attempt. I will go more stealth...the same way I race 100s. It's also pretty safe to say if I fall behind, and the record is unattainable, I'll abort the attempt. Although it would be great to finish. I've now done that. It's hard to say if 2011 will work out, but I'll be back eventually. Having unfinished business there kind of erks me.
For those who didn't like the "header" on Whereskarl.com, let me say I did not write that, and did not approve that before it went live. Not even the picture I like to call "Arrogant Karl". It's far from the truth. And remember some mention "shameless promotion". For the record, making durrogatory comments only drives the bus, promoting it even more. If you don't want to see promotion, then leave it alone.
Homer&Marje
06-07-2009, 14:15
Look forward to seeing you attempt it again. Don't worry about the "bus" drivers online.....Idle hands are the devils workshop as they say:D Good luck in 2011!
Met your dad in Manchester, Vt....very nice guy and quite proud of you.
Best of luck whenever the next attempt may be.
modiyooch
06-07-2009, 17:40
I ran 5 steps with you in the wilderness and than you leaped the creek with a single bounce and was gone. Enjoyed your food at the road crossings. Have you thought about NOBO this time? If I could hike/run with a comfortable bed, I wouldn't knock it. It's perfect for recovery. Who cares what knuckleheads think.
I'll be out there looking for ya. ;)
Let me know what you'll need.
JJJ
Hoop Time
06-07-2009, 18:10
Speaking of Karl, was at a graduation party last night for a friend's son and ran into a guy wearing a Where's Karl T-shirt, which made for an interesting conversation. We both got a kick out of meeting someone who knew what it meant. Much of our conversation was about when Karl might be back to try again, so it's nice to see his post about a possible 2011 attempt.
And by the way, Karl is too modest ... failed to mention he won the MMT 100 (http://www.vhtrc.org/mmt/2009/results.htm) a few weeks ago by a margin of about 2 hours over the second place finisher. Next up the Bighorn 100 (http://www.bighorntrailrun.com) in two weeks. As they would say in O Brother Where Art Thou, the dude is bionafide.
Homer&Marje
06-07-2009, 18:27
Peaking of Karl, was at a graduation party last night for a friend's son and ran into a guy wearing a Where's Karl T-shirt, which made for an interesting conversation. We both got a kick out of meeting someone who knew what it meant. Much of our conversation was about when Karl might be back to try again, so it's nice to see his post about a possible 2011 attempt.
And by the way, Karl is too modest ... failed to mention he won the MMT 100 (http://www.vhtrc.org/mmt/2009/results.htm) a few weeks ago by a margin of about 2 hours over the second place finisher. Next up the Bighorn 100 (http://www.bighorntrailrun.com) in two weeks. As they would say in O Brother Where Art Thou, the dude is bionafide.
Unreal athlete. From what I have heard very modest too. Keep bangin out them 100's and get ready to blow through Shenandoah in 2011:D We can hope cant we:D
RITBlake
06-07-2009, 19:31
Someone refresh my memory... why did Karl wear gloves when hiking/running?
Someone refresh my memory... why did Karl wear gloves when hiking/running?
To protect his hands during the falls that occur and he also keeps things tucked under them like electrolyte capsules, etc...
For those who may still read this thread. I may go for the AT record again in 2011. We all know how complicated it can be to have perfect support. I will not use the same type of support on this second attempt. I will go more stealth...the same way I race 100s. It's also pretty safe to say if I fall behind, and the record is unattainable, I'll abort the attempt. Although it would be great to finish. I've now done that. It's hard to say if 2011 will work out, but I'll be back eventually. Having unfinished business there kind of erks me.
For those who didn't like the "header" on Whereskarl.com, let me say I did not write that, and did not approve that before it went live. Not even the picture I like to call "Arrogant Karl". It's far from the truth. And remember some mention "shameless promotion". For the record, making durrogatory comments only drives the bus, promoting it even more. If you don't want to see promotion, then leave it alone.
Karl,
Congrats on the MMT victory! I was curious, since I'll be running it, if you might make an appearance at the MMTR and log some "Horton miles" in November? Maybe a sub 6:40 would be in the works?
at my rate I'll do it in 5840 days :banana
jersey joe
06-08-2009, 08:45
Great to see Karl is thinking about attempting another record AT hike. Sure was entertaining following the first one.
Lone Wolf
06-08-2009, 08:49
For those who may still read this thread. I may go for the AT record again in 2011. We all know how complicated it can be to have perfect support. I will not use the same type of support on this second attempt. I will go more stealth...the same way I race 100s. It's also pretty safe to say if I fall behind, and the record is unattainable, I'll abort the attempt. Although it would be great to finish. I've now done that. It's hard to say if 2011 will work out, but I'll be back eventually. Having unfinished business there kind of erks me.
cool. let me know if you need some support
Darwin again
06-08-2009, 08:51
same $$$$ different day on here still then
Yep. Worse now, actually. :rolleyes:
cool. let me know if you need some support
Karl, I second Lone Wolf's nomination for his knowledge and experience. Few know more and none would serve you better.
I hope you don't do it too stealthily, because most of us enjoy cheering you on.
Good luck!
Karl just won Hardrock 100
Hoop Time
07-13-2009, 17:59
Karl just won Hardrock 100
Worth noting, he used trekking poles. Apparently not common among US runners, according to the story I read. I wonder if that came from his AT experience.
Also of note, Billy Simpson (Woodstock), a through hiker who was part of Karl's crew last summer, finished 20th in the Hardrock.
Trekking poles seem to be an ongoing debate in ultrarunning here. I used them for the first time in a race several months ago and I do think they helped my 'form'. Some races have strict rules against them... Hardrock isn't one of those races. Karl's ~24:30 finish this year is one of the better ultra-running performances this year.
Another note, the great John DeWalt finished his 14th Hardrock at the age of 73. He helped crew on the trail w/ Karl last year from Duncannon, PA to Tye River, VA. Incredible.
I feel very humbled to say that I know Karl, Woodstock, and John. 3 incredible performances @ Hardrock.