View Full Version : Ever seen anything weird on the trail?
MikenSalem
07-22-2009, 23:26
The strangest thing I saw was a hiker coming up from Unicoi gap headed south with a red bubble motorcycle helmet on. :-? He was real tall and truck'in up that hill, just howdy'd me and kept on going. :banana I noticed a he had a school pack and a gallon milk jug sticking out of it. Awful lot of work to sip the jug. Whad u see? :eek:
Different Socks
07-22-2009, 23:38
Back in 1992, I was thru'in the trail and stopped for a break on a berm at a forest road crossing in VA.
Across the road from me was a truck with its door open and a guy fiddlin' with his pants. I looked away and the next thing I see is 2 pairs of shoes hangin' out the door!!
The guy knew I was there cuz he looked right at me and still went ahead and did the nasty with his girl--only 25 feet away!!
I kept my head down and a few minutes later got up to walk down the road to pick up the trail again. I look over and these two are now sitting in the cab smokin' cigs.
LMAO!!
Just one of many weird happenings on my hikes.
reddenbacher
07-22-2009, 23:43
while sitting in a creek cooling off,minnows were swarming my feet,when out of nowhere a wolf spider jumped over a foot from a rock and snagged one of the minnows at my feet.my jaw didnt close for some time.two leggs holding the minnow,four dancing on the water,while the other two pulled himself back to his rock with ease. or top hat hiking with a rattan peacock chair on his head
Different Socks
07-22-2009, 23:47
while sitting in a creek cooling off,minnows were swarming my feet,when out of nowhere a wolf spider jumped over a foot from a rock and snagged one of the minnows at my feet.my jaw didnt close for some time.two leggs holding the minnow,four dancing on the water,while the other two pulled himself back to his rock with ease. or top hat hiking with a rattan peacock chair on his head
COOL!!:eek:
sasquatch2014
07-23-2009, 00:11
Out walking my section and my dog who at the time was off leash flushed a hen turkey. I called him abck and he was sniffing around the area where he flushed her. I saw him pick something up off the ground. i told him Drop it and he did and it was a Turkey egg. When I looked at it I saw it had a single hole in it. Just as I was bout to curse him about I heard peeping from inside the egg. It wasn't him that mad e the hole it was the chick. I put the egg back on the nest with the other 6 to 8 eggs and heard them all peeping. I added some brush to hide it from the trail and two days later when i went back by all the eggs had hatched out.
Out walking my section and my dog who at the time was off leash flushed a hen turkey. I called him abck and he was sniffing around the area where he flushed her. I saw him pick something up off the ground. i told him Drop it and he did and it was a Turkey egg. When I looked at it I saw it had a single hole in it. Just as I was bout to curse him about I heard peeping from inside the egg. It wasn't him that mad e the hole it was the chick. I put the egg back on the nest with the other 6 to 8 eggs and heard them all peeping. I added some brush to hide it from the trail and two days later when i went back by all the eggs had hatched out.
Cool story also
:banana
First time I hiked Roan Mt. we were almost to Overmountain Barn. It had just stopped raining and we heard music. It was Tombone with his trombone in the loft of the barn. He actually hiked with that thing. And he played great, he has played with several different symphonies.
Trail Bug
07-23-2009, 06:43
I was at Chatfield shelter in June. It was raining hard and I heard what I thought was a baby crying. A few seconds later here comes a couple thru hiking north with a four month old baby riding in the backpack. Not weird, but was the most unusual thing I have seen so far.
fredmugs
07-23-2009, 10:47
Hike naked day around 2005 I saw (I'm guessing) a 20 y/o with the reddest hair ever carrying a baby blue guitar in front of him. No pack, no footwear, nothing but the guitar.
Cannibal
07-23-2009, 12:05
Do wheelchair ramps on privies count?
Lone Wolf
07-23-2009, 12:10
Do wheelchair ramps on privies count?
yeah that's the dumbest thing i've seen not the weirdest
Jester2000
07-23-2009, 12:12
Tuba Man . . .
Ladytrekker
07-23-2009, 12:55
I was camping on the FT and heard alot of scurrying outside my tent, so I leaned up to peer out the door and saw a hurd of armadillos walking in a tight pack down the FT. I have seen alot of critters in the woods but that was amazing. Another cool thing I witnessed while kayaking was an alligator attack a bird bello and roll that was the call of the wild right there.
Kerosene
07-23-2009, 21:05
Dateline June 5, 2002 (just north of William Bryen Memorial Shelter in New York): On a lovely day of SOBO slackpacking, I come upon a young woman lugging a huge yellow Tonka dumptruck in one hand. She had found it at a flea market in southern Jersey and knew that her 3-year old cousin really liked Tonka trucks, so she bought it for $1 and was lugging it 100 miles to give it to her cousin for a birthday present!
Wise Old Owl
07-23-2009, 21:48
http://www.cryptomundo.com/wp-content/uploads/coonhog.jpg
Uh no but I am working here.....
Ron Haven
07-23-2009, 22:15
I was camping on the FT and heard alot of scurrying outside my tent, so I leaned up to peer out the door and saw a hurd of armadillos walking in a tight pack down the FT. I have seen alot of critters in the woods but that was amazing. Another cool thing I witnessed while kayaking was an alligator attack a bird bello and roll that was the call of the wild right there.I see your signature is Daniel Boone and while on vacation I stopped by Frankfort,Ky and took pictures at Boones grave http://codyhaven.com/?level=picture&id=217
MMMMMMmm not sure old Daniel is buried in Frankfort http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/HISTboone.html
sasquatch2014
07-23-2009, 23:00
Dateline June 5, 2002 (just north of William Bryen Memorial Shelter in New York): On a lovely day of SOBO slackpacking, I come upon a young woman lugging a huge yellow Tonka dumptruck in one hand. She had found it at a flea market in southern Jersey and knew that her 3-year old cousin really liked Tonka trucks, so she bought it for $1 and was lugging it 100 miles to give it to her cousin for a birthday present!
It's the thought and the extra weight that really make that a true gift.
3 or 4 years ago I was dong a day hike on Three Ridges in VA. I saw an older gentleman heading nobo with a large (plastic, I suspect) garden gnome perched on top of his pack.
I was taking a break, and he went by so fast I didn't get a chance to ask him about his companion...
I came across a youth group while taking a rest in Sage's Ravine in Mass. They were all wearing jeans and sneakers with school book bag type packs, carrying gallon jugs of water and full size pillows under their arms.
Skinny Rooster
07-24-2009, 11:41
3 or 4 years ago I was dong a day hike on Three Ridges in VA. I saw an older gentleman heading nobo with a large (plastic, I suspect) garden gnome perched on top of his pack.
I say that guy too!! Same place! Wife and I were heading north. He was heading south. He seemed to be in a hurry so didn't get to talk to him. To bad.
several years ago while hiking in wekiva springs park - a large park several miles outside orlando with 13 miles of pretty wild woods, i came around a turn and thought i saw someone duck down behind the brush next to the trail ahead of me.
i stopped, and a second later, a guy popped out of the brush, dressed in - and i kid you not - a full white wedding dress, bouquet in hand.
he smirked and shrugged at me and said: "oh well, you caught me. a transvestite in his natural habitat."
i was so taken aback, i mumbled something like: "...uh...how's it going?" and kept on hiking.
very, very strange.
to each his/her own.
i have hiked that trail many times and never saw anything out of the ordinary before this happened or after it happened.
TV
Tenderheart
07-24-2009, 12:33
During my thru, I arrived at Chatfield Shelter early in the day and decided to stay for the night. It was probably 3:00 in the afternoon when I heard an engine running overhead. I looked up and saw the Goodyear blimp fly over just above treetop. No kidding!
litefoot 2000
Sobo with a wooden boat paddle sticking out of his pack. I think it had DRIFTER written on it.
Sobo wearing a Top Hat
Nobo wearing a dress tie (Soundcheck?)
A tattered old weather balloon
Happy Birthday ballon bobbing in my face at the top of a short climb
Happy face painted on a slice of tree
Pairs of boots & shoes dangling from high tree branches
Six Pack of Bud Select, with all caps on but all empty
Manure spreader right beside the trail
Unmarked graves
Unspent rifle and pistol cartridges IN a fire pit
Rock that looked like Virginia, in New Jersey
Family size tent inside a shelter (GA)
Large group of folks all dressed in white (TN)
Plane wreckage
One legged Marine (Dragons Tooth)
Three legged dog (VA)
FlyPaper
07-24-2009, 13:31
Saw someone through hiking with a trumpet.
Saw someone hiking with a cat (tucked inside their coat).
Saw a man hiking with no legs. He had prosthetic legs and had tried to through hike, but only made in 1000 miles the previous year. He was trying to do the next 1000 when I saw him.
Kerosene
07-24-2009, 13:44
I looked up and saw the Goodyear blimp fly over just above treetop.At least you heard him coming. When my brother and I were hiking in SNP in late September 1988, a pair of F-15s came screaming over the ridgeline perhaps 200' over our heads. They were moving so fast that we didn't hear the blast of the engines until they were almost on top of us.
Jack Tarlin
07-24-2009, 13:50
Bag 'O Trix and I once saw a guy heading South outta Pinkham Notch, heading up towards Mt. Madison, with this enormous shaded desk lamp swinging from the back of his pack. Thing looked like it weighed ten pounds and it must've taken around 10 "D" batteries. We were laughing so hard we almost fell over.
This was the same day that we overheard a guy ask the resident Park Ranger "What time of year does a deer turn into a moose?"
And no, I am not making this up.
leeki pole
07-24-2009, 15:17
I was hiking up out of Cades Cove to do the Spence Field-Russell Field loop on a day hike (Bote Mtn Trail) and I met a woman near the trailhead who asked me what time the shuttle gets here to go up the mountain. I said I'm not sure, but sit down and I'm sure that they will be here directly. And yes, she was a blonde.
sasquatch2014
07-24-2009, 16:10
There was a 07 SoBo named Sugar, at least until he got to after the NJ line then it was changed to Sugar Blade. He had gone to the Reninassance Festival just south of Agony Grind in NY. While there he bought a replica of a English Broad Sword. Looked real but was made from Fiberglass. He hiked with this sticking out of the back of his pack and has a lot of pictures of him holding the sword on high at over looks the most classic was at McAfee. King Aurthr would have been proud. I think the sword ended up in a fire at a feed somewhere down south.
3 or 4 years ago I was dong a day hike on Three Ridges in VA. I saw an older gentleman heading nobo with a large (plastic, I suspect) garden gnome perched on top of his pack.
I was taking a break, and he went by so fast I didn't get a chance to ask him about his companion...
Maybe it was Eugene from thebackpacker.com:banana
Maybe it was Eugene from thebackpacker.com:banana
Was Eugene with HOI?:)
The Weasel
07-25-2009, 04:20
Two copperheads - each about 4' long - lying motionless side by side, fully extended, in the sun on the road away from Fontana Dam. Gave them a wide detour.
TW
http://www.cryptomundo.com/wp-content/uploads/coonhog.jpg
Uh no but I am working here.....
Did you take that picture?
This was the same day that we overheard a guy ask the resident Park Ranger "What time of year does a deer turn into a moose?"
And no, I am not making this up.
Can I use that one? I would love to see a Ranger or Caretaker's face when asked that. :)
Do wheelchair ramps on privies count?
yeah that's the dumbest thing i've seen not the weirdest
You think that is dumb, check this out...
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_fd2vj3z5SFk/SMdBkDJADCI/AAAAAAAAAb0/HXF9NVBEr78/s512/IMG_1014.JPG
Galehead Hut sign - “wheelchair accessible, but the trail should not be considered wheelchair accessible”. DUH!
My wife and I were hiking in Ramseys Draft and began crossing the river by walking a log. The river had a pooled area and I noticed a large blue gill swimming. Then the blue gill jumped out of the water and 'froze' in mid air. As we stared in disbelief, the fish began moving through the air in a different direction floppying its body. We then saw that a snake had caught the fish in mid air and he swam the fish to the waters edge and dragged it out. We watched for 20 minutes as the snake made lunch of the fish.
I was at Chatfield shelter in June. It was raining hard and I heard what I thought was a baby crying. A few seconds later here comes a couple thru hiking north with a four month old baby riding in the backpack. Not weird, but was the most unusual thing I have seen so far.
Hiked with a couple who had done a good chunk of the AT in 1989 with their very young son:
http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=233291
CrumbSnatcher
07-25-2009, 12:19
i saw one of the LOST BOYS on the rocks of PA. north of PA. RT# 309
MikenSalem
07-25-2009, 23:25
I heard someone barking like a dog, badly. I'm figuring moron encounter shortly, then it starts again and about 15 seconds later a pair of shoats come straight up the trail. They saw me and turned up the hill then about 10 seconds after that a very big black sow comes and I raise my poles and squealed like a hog and she turns and runs up the hill. I ran into a couple of flip floppers about a hundred yards down the trail and they said "did you see the pigs?" - See them you ran them over me. Next time I hear dogs barking badly, I'll be a little more cautious..
hillsidedigger
07-26-2009, 09:22
Just up at the top of the first hill Northeast of Carver's Gap which is the NC-TN stateline and not more than 30' South of the trail about 18 years ago I noticed some old scratching on the face of a rock.
Close examination revealed to say:
"Danniel
Patriack
1766"
I've been back since and it was still there although is nearly weathered away.
Nicksaari
07-26-2009, 17:17
that is a very cool story, i wonder if daniel thought someone would be reading the rock he carved in the 1990s
Darwin again
07-29-2009, 12:26
A few miles south of Damascus in 2005, I was heading into Trail Days, walking in the morning through the sunny, quiet and peaceful woods when suddenly I head a single blood-curdling human scream from somewhere up ahead. This put me on full alert to anything out of the ordinary...
A minute later I passed a snappily dressed day hiker who nodded at me as if nothing was wrong. Another minute later I passed the six-foot black rat snake beside the trail. :D
Funnier than weird, but still weird.
summermike
07-29-2009, 14:14
I was on the Pinhoti in September which is spider time on that trail. I had to constantly swing my poles in front of me because there were large webs stretched across the path every few feet right at face-level.
I was approaching a road when I came upon a particularly large web. I swung my pole at it from the top and my pole came right out of my hand and hung there suspended in the web! The web was about four feet high and probably would have stopped me in my tracks if I had blundered into it.
I followed the web to one side of the trail and there was an enormous vicious-looking red and orange spider sitting at the edge of it. I never was able to find that spider online anywhere. I made a HUGE circuit around it and its freakishly strong web.
I'll never forget the sight of my hiking pole hanging in the air like that.
Last year at Rainbow Springs Shelter there was an old gas mask and crutch
bronconite
07-29-2009, 21:43
I saw this at Eagles Nest Shelter 2 Sundays ago. When I first saw it I thought it was someone's actual hair tied in the tree.
I saw this at Eagles Nest Shelter 2 Sundays ago. When I first saw it I thought it was someone's actual hair tied in the tree.
That's too funny.
saimyoji
07-29-2009, 22:04
my buddy left that there...he likes to take "toys" along to try and spook people when we're camping. i wasn't with him on that hike....i'll let him know where it is. :p
Danger Danjo '08
07-30-2009, 02:37
During my thru in 2008, I was hiking with my friend Site in PA. We were just about to start a climb when I saw a pair of legs coming down the trail through the trees. We couldn't quite make out what it was so I said "that's a turkey", and he responds, "no, that's a person, dude", so I reply "no, that's the biggest ****ing turkey I've ever seen!" But by the the time it got close enough to identify we realized it was an emu.
Nasty Dog Virus
07-30-2009, 10:44
.................:-?
Lone Wolf
07-30-2009, 10:46
The strangest thing I saw was a hiker coming up from Unicoi gap headed south with a red bubble motorcycle helmet on. :-?
the strangest thing i saw was baltimore jack blue-blazing on the creeper trail
Jack Tarlin
07-30-2009, 12:32
Yeah, it was a new experience for me, too. Nice thing about section hiking is that you can pretty much go wherever you want and not feel remotely guilty about it. Took me a long time to realize that a lot of the really pretty stuff that's out there is often very close to the Trail, but not actually ON it, and therefore, most thru-hikers never see it. The number of scenic views, waterfalls, etc. that are MISSED by thru-hikers is staggering, and these are often just minutes off the A.T. Anyway, I remember running into Wolf that day, too......I not only scored a cold beer off of him, but I got a bicycle, too. Made for a very nice passage back to Damascus!
Ok this is not on the trail but it is weird
Driver: Snakes In My Pants Made Me Crash
Slithering Pets Get Loose, Distract Driver before Vehicle Crashes, Overturns
http://wwwimage.cbsnews.com/images/2003/03/11/image543586g.jpg Photo (AP)
(AP) Police say two pet baby snakes escaped from a 20-year-old man's pants pockets as he was driving, leading to a car crash in Hartford, Connecticut.
Police say Angel Rolon, of New Britain, lost control of his sport utility vehicle on Monday when the snakes slithered near the gas and brake pedals and he and a passenger tried to catch them. Police say the SUV veered into some parked cars and overturned.
Rolon was treated at a hospital for unknown injuries. Police say they gave him a summons for reckless driving and other charges.
There is no public telephone listing for Rolon and it was unclear if he has a lawyer.
Police are unsure why the snakes were in Rolon's pockets or what kind of snakes they were. Animal control officers caught the animals.
Plodderman
07-30-2009, 15:16
A few years ago we ran across a hiker in the Smokies who was barefoot and I think everything he had was made out of Teflon.
I think you meant to say tyvek. That was his name and everything was made of it. He wore no shoes either.
Plodderman
07-30-2009, 15:28
You are right Lugnut I thought it was wrong after I typed it. He was fun to talk to and didn't mind just shooting the breeze. He had a Website that he was updating as he was hiking and I kind of lost track of him.
He was hiking to promote awareness for vets with PTSD. He finished at Springer but I can't remember the date. I have a couple pictures of him in my gallery.
Monkeyboy
07-30-2009, 22:24
Tyvek finished in July of 2007. I think it was the first or second day of July. I was a Springer when he finished.
Monkeyboy
07-30-2009, 22:27
Actually, just checked my trail journal. He finished on June 30, 2007 around 10:30 a.m.
The Weasel
08-04-2009, 15:41
If he finished at Springer, that's fascinating. He started at Springer on April 8, 2000, or a day or so plus/minus, and passed me (and disappeared) with his wife just north of Helen, GA.
TW
Plodderman
08-04-2009, 16:39
Parts to a military airplane in the Smokies.
Saw some weirdo (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=52886) using his Big Agness Inflatable Sleeping Pad as a pool toy in a lake
Monkeyboy
08-04-2009, 23:30
Seen someone smearing poop on rocks to dry it out before..........weird, huh?
Guess it makes it lighter when you pack it out! :rolleyes:
Monkeyboy
08-04-2009, 23:54
The rock or the poop.......
I mean, I can understand hiking the rock out, but the poop? That's just plain gross.
I've heard rumors of some over zealous tree huggers doing just that. It seems to be limited to the left coast though.
Jester2000
08-05-2009, 17:08
Seen someone smearing poop on rocks to dry it out before..........weird, huh?
Smearing, or "frosting a rock," is something only recommended in desert environments where the soil doesn't have the kinds or quantities of microbes necessary to break down poo. Because of that it tends to be a western thing.
And yes, it's weird.
The Weasel
08-05-2009, 17:31
Perhaps, but the above comments don't meet the question posed here: "...seen on the trail." But I'll tell you what: MB, LugNut and Jester are invited to come on out to, say, Campo, and I'll give them a real, real, REAL good "up close and personal" demonstration. Even better, you guys can be the "Three Gabachos" and wait for me at the PCT monument. Then we'll show you 'weird.' :banana
TW
Jester2000
08-05-2009, 18:00
Perhaps, but the above comments don't meet the question posed here: "...seen on the trail." . . .
I've already seen it, 'cause I've already done it. Tried to not see it, but made a horrific mess while frosting with my eyes closed.
neighbor dave
08-05-2009, 19:48
:-?state government looking to impose their will and budget faults on the youth of america:-?
Wise Old Owl
08-05-2009, 19:51
Smearing, or "frosting a rock," is something only recommended in desert environments where the soil doesn't have the kinds or quantities of microbes necessary to break down poo. Because of that it tends to be a western thing.
And yes, it's weird.
TMI you think?
Lone Wolf
08-05-2009, 19:54
smearing poo on rocks. how utterly ridiculous and dumb.
neighbor dave
08-05-2009, 20:00
people bickerin' 'bout what "other people" are doin':rolleyes:
THEmapMAKER
08-05-2009, 21:39
I was hiking in PA somewhere, but not on the AT. I came across two snakes doin the nasty while a third snake watched. They were right on the trail.
Chaco Taco
08-05-2009, 21:46
people bickerin' 'bout what "other people" are doin':rolleyes:
would you stop posting, you are really getting on my nerves with you posting and posting and such:D Postie Posterton
B Thrash
08-05-2009, 22:00
A crutch hanging on a A.T. Sign in the middle of the 100 Mile Wilderness.
Perhaps, but the above comments don't meet the question posed here: "...seen on the trail." But I'll tell you what: MB, LugNut and Jester are invited to come on out to, say, Campo, and I'll give them a real, real, REAL good "up close and personal" demonstration. Even better, you guys can be the "Three Gabachos" and wait for me at the PCT monument. Then we'll show you 'weird.' :banana
TW
I respectfully decline. :eek:
Monkeyboy
08-05-2009, 23:26
Perhaps, but the above comments don't meet the question posed here: "...seen on the trail." But I'll tell you what: MB, LugNut and Jester are invited to come on out to, say, Campo, and I'll give them a real, real, REAL good "up close and personal" demonstration. Even better, you guys can be the "Three Gabachos" and wait for me at the PCT monument. Then we'll show you 'weird.' :banana
TW
You actually do poo demonstrations??? Don't you have to be certified to do that???
The Weasel
08-06-2009, 01:43
I'll be glad to show you my certificate, MB, although I'm moderately surprised you actually want to see it. But I'm glad to help. You just trot yourself on down to Campo, sit down by the fence, and I promise you, you'll know when the demo starts. :D
TW
Buzz_Lightfoot
08-06-2009, 06:28
smearing poo on rocks. how utterly ridiculous and dumb.
Makes one want to be a hermit, no?
Monkeyboy
08-06-2009, 09:50
I'll be glad to show you my certificate, MB, although I'm moderately surprised you actually want to see it. But I'm glad to help. You just trot yourself on down to Campo, sit down by the fence, and I promise you, you'll know when the demo starts. :D
TW
Glad to know that you are a certified poo packer.......
Alligator
08-06-2009, 11:09
Looks like the **** is leaking out. Could you folks please confine the ****ty discussion to the poo thread. Thanks:sun.
bigmac_in
08-06-2009, 12:28
I started thinking about this thread and realized this - if you haven't seen anything "weird" on the trail, you haven't hiked much of it.
I started thinking about this thread and realized this - if you haven't seen anything "weird" on the trail, you haven't hiked much of it.
AMEN!:banana:banana:banana:banana:banana
Monkeyboy
08-06-2009, 14:20
Looks like the **** is leaking out. Could you folks please confine the ****ty discussion to the poo thread. Thanks:sun.
Can't.........it was shut down.
ShelterLeopard
08-06-2009, 14:54
Looks like the **** is leaking out. Could you folks please confine the ****ty discussion to the poo thread. Thanks:sun.
It overflowed :D
Chaco Taco
08-09-2009, 07:59
It overflowed :D
It was full
http://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/cousin_eddie.jpg
LMAO!!!
The message you have entered is too short. Please lengthen your message to at least 10 characters.
Once about a year ago four of us were hiking close to Charlie's Bunion on the AT in the Smokys and we saw a peacock, yes, a full grown male peacock walking in front of us just like a scout master with four knuckleheads(that would be us) following close behind. We followed him for about half a mile when he suddenly ran off down the mountain. See attached pic.
notorius tic
08-09-2009, 10:07
A bus in Maine. I took a side trail it must have gotten washed up. Crazy thing was the River was like 5 miles south, Just crossed a bunch of feeder creeks.
Wise Old Owl
08-09-2009, 11:02
Does a fallen superhero count? - This little guy was at least 5 miles from any road.....
http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg275/MarkSwarbrick/Oct08146.jpg
superman
08-09-2009, 11:49
OMG, Spider-man. What happened...did one of those thoughtless hikers break his web?:)
Snowleopard
08-09-2009, 11:55
Not on the AT, but on trails in Worcester, MA:
old stove and refrigerator and other large household items. You'd figure it's just somebody dumping stuff, except it's not accessible to vehicles. It turns out to be debris from the 1953 Worcester tornado. http://islandnet.com/~see///weather/almanac/arc2003/alm03jun.htm
Wise Old Owl
08-09-2009, 12:06
I donno Superman, The web wonder looks quite K'O'ed!
Oh the tragedy!
summermike
08-09-2009, 12:19
Once about a year ago four of us were hiking close to Charlie's Bunion on the AT in the Smokys and we saw a peacock
Several peacocks and hens live up there. I saw two of them when I was at Cold Springs shelter last summer. One of the hens was pretty aggressive and came right into the shelter, it took a lot to shoo her out.
I asked a ranger about them and she said no one knows how they got there but they've been there for several years.
ShelterLeopard
08-09-2009, 12:21
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30178001&id=1467390208
It was a bit odd. But hey, there were costumes and they were cleaner than our clothes.
ShelterLeopard
08-09-2009, 12:22
I'm gonna try that again....http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30178000&id=1467390208
ShelterLeopard
08-09-2009, 12:22
I don't even know if that link worked or not. Sorry if it didn't.
Link is to the Facebook login
Got weirded out one time when I came across a guy who was "hiking" with two heavy duffle bags (like large gym bags) filled mostly with books and some other heavy gear like Coleman propane. He was hiking with one duffle bag at a time, moving one down the trail and then going back for the other and overlapping.
I had come across one duffle bag by itself on the trail, zipper open (busted I guess), where I could see books, propane inside. This was in GA in one of the longer sections between roads and smack dab in the middle of that section. A few seconds after coming upon the first bag, I see the guy coming down the trail with another. Looked like it was filled with books, too, and who knows what else (shotgun, body parts?) I didn't spend much time with questions, I just went about my way trying to put as much distance as possible between us.
Chaco Taco
08-09-2009, 14:23
Got weirded out one time when I came across a guy who was "hiking" with two heavy duffle bags (like large gym bags) filled mostly with books and some other heavy gear like Coleman propane. He was hiking with one duffle bag at a time, moving one down the trail and then going back for the other and overlapping.
I had come across one duffle bag by itself on the trail, zipper open (busted I guess), where I could see books, propane inside. This was in GA in one of the longer sections between roads and smack dab in the middle of that section. A few seconds after coming upon the first bag, I see the guy coming down the trail with another. Looked like it was filled with books, too, and who knows what else (shotgun, body parts?) I didn't spend much time with questions, I just went about my way trying to put as much distance as possible between us.
Met that guy at Standing Bear. Two Pack?
Chaco Taco
08-09-2009, 14:24
Met that guy at Standing Bear. Two Pack?
I mean that i met a guy that did the same thing this year. Not saying it was your guy
slickgoku
08-09-2009, 14:38
Got weirded out one time when I came across a guy who was "hiking" with two heavy duffle bags (like large gym bags) filled mostly with books and some other heavy gear like Coleman propane. He was hiking with one duffle bag at a time, moving one down the trail and then going back for the other and overlapping.
I had come across one duffle bag by itself on the trail, zipper open (busted I guess), where I could see books, propane inside. This was in GA in one of the longer sections between roads and smack dab in the middle of that section. A few seconds after coming upon the first bag, I see the guy coming down the trail with another. Looked like it was filled with books, too, and who knows what else (shotgun, body parts?) I didn't spend much time with questions, I just went about my way trying to put as much distance as possible between us.
Man, you should have offered the guy a hand with the body parts. What's wrong with ya?
summermike
08-09-2009, 14:39
I don't even know if that link worked or not. Sorry if it didn't.
Linked to a photo of a guy trying hard to do a George Michael impression. That was his costume?
ShelterLeopard
08-09-2009, 20:38
Link is to the Facebook login
Darn. Thought that might happen. Well, ignore the link.
ShelterLeopard
08-09-2009, 20:39
Linked to a photo of a guy trying hard to do a George Michael impression. That was his costume?
Wait- did it really? It's supposed to be a photo of a lot of people in costume in Maine...
I mean that i met a guy that did the same thing this year. Not saying it was your guy
Well, I can't imagine its a real popular hiking style, could be same guy for all I know. I know several other hikers saw him and was allegedly camping and making fires directly on the trail at night.
MikenSalem
08-09-2009, 23:24
Last week I ran into a guy called "RV" I laughed out loud he had so much junk. He was double wide and piled above his head and hanging to his knees. He was coming up this hill with his eyes glazed and mouth open and would have moped right past me had I not spoken. Looks like there should be a weight limit to miserable. Anyway I asked him about it and he said he "liked to hike in comfort". Carried all that in Utah... well he seemed nice enough, hope he lives :{D Also muttered something about a party at Albert Mountain.. missed that in the rain..
Last year we passed a guy on the approach trail in a business suit, sweating his you know what off in June. We spoke to him and he never even looked at us or slowed his pace. Needless to say he was weird looking, maybe the heat had got to him, I don't know.
cutman11
08-12-2009, 00:04
Tyvek was certainly unique, but the hiker(s) I found the most unusual were as follows:
I was hiking several miles from any road crossing or shelter, coming up to dusk on a steep uphill going northbound. Coming southbound is a guy, mid-thirtyish, wearing street cloths and dress shoes. He was lugging a suitcase under his left arm, carrying a 2nd suitcase in L hand, and DRAGGING a suitcase (the kind with a handle and wheels) along behind him. Didnt say a word to me, just passed and kept on going....A few minutes later, a female in a DRESS and HEELS comes walking along apparently following him...hmmm...wondered what THAT was about.....
Monkeyboy
08-12-2009, 11:54
honeymoon........
Buzz_Lightfoot
08-12-2009, 13:01
honeymoon........
Followed quickly by divorce I say.
cutman11
08-13-2009, 02:41
Dont think they were married, but wondered if there might just be some cuffs and and whips in the suitcase.....
I've got one except I'm the weird guy this time. I went solo hiking one time last fall at a local spot in NC and I got to thinking about work. We've made some changes lately and it's forced me to have to raise my voice over some machinery that the saftey alarms have been turned on, won't go into detail about that. But I am not a very loud talker or a very forceful shouter so I figured, hey, while I'm out here, maybe I should try my yelling voice a few times. It's not like I'm going to sit in my house and practice yelling louder and getting my voice stronger. So here we go. I'm in the woods absolutley yelling "JACKSON MISS TO MESQUITE TEXAS" "NEWARK NEW JERSEY to 29303 RETAIN" "GREENSBORO GET YOUR SIDES CLEAN" when all of a sudden a voice from behind me yells while laughing wildly "WHAT THE F$#% ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT" Needless to say I wasn't alone in those woods. Somehow I had managed to find a prestine spot.........right across the hill from someone's campsite. I never got my explanation out it they were just laughing to hard I started laughing and we had a laugh and then we went our seperate ways. I work for UPS if you were wondering.
Jaybird62
08-16-2009, 00:25
I've got one except I'm the weird guy this time. I went solo hiking one time last fall at a local spot in NC and I got to thinking about work. We've made some changes lately and it's forced me to have to raise my voice over some machinery that the saftey alarms have been turned on, won't go into detail about that. But I am not a very loud talker or a very forceful shouter so I figured, hey, while I'm out here, maybe I should try my yelling voice a few times. It's not like I'm going to sit in my house and practice yelling louder and getting my voice stronger. So here we go. I'm in the woods absolutley yelling "JACKSON MISS TO MESQUITE TEXAS" "NEWARK NEW JERSEY to 29303 RETAIN" "GREENSBORO GET YOUR SIDES CLEAN" when all of a sudden a voice from behind me yells while laughing wildly "WHAT THE F$#% ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT" Needless to say I wasn't alone in those woods. Somehow I had managed to find a prestine spot.........right across the hill from someone's campsite. I never got my explanation out it they were just laughing to hard I started laughing and we had a laugh and then we went our seperate ways. I work for UPS if you were wondering.
So long as you don't go postal......awwww i know that's bad....sorry couldn't help meself:p
theb1440
08-16-2009, 01:42
I've got one except I'm the weird guy this time. I went solo hiking one time last fall at a local spot in NC and I got to thinking about work. We've made some changes lately and it's forced me to have to raise my voice over some machinery that the saftey alarms have been turned on, won't go into detail about that. But I am not a very loud talker or a very forceful shouter so I figured, hey, while I'm out here, maybe I should try my yelling voice a few times. It's not like I'm going to sit in my house and practice yelling louder and getting my voice stronger. So here we go. I'm in the woods absolutley yelling "JACKSON MISS TO MESQUITE TEXAS" "NEWARK NEW JERSEY to 29303 RETAIN" "GREENSBORO GET YOUR SIDES CLEAN" when all of a sudden a voice from behind me yells while laughing wildly "WHAT THE F$#% ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT" Needless to say I wasn't alone in those woods. Somehow I had managed to find a prestine spot.........right across the hill from someone's campsite. I never got my explanation out it they were just laughing to hard I started laughing and we had a laugh and then we went our seperate ways. I work for UPS if you were wondering.
Now thats some funny fv(k1n $h!+ right there!!!! LOLOLOL
In Pa. once heard bagpipes at sunset from down in a valley. Met a guy in Va. carrying a full size charcoal grill with legs and wheels. Saw him later in N.J. and he still had it. Great guy. Happy, enthusiastic. Met a guy at a campground who was hiking across the U.S. on interstates. He had a 100 lb. pack. No bs. He had a tv and a boom box and stuff people gave him. Walked in high top sneaks. I myself may have presented as an unusual sighting a time or two.
Homer&Marje
08-21-2009, 08:03
I've got one except I'm the weird guy this time. I went solo hiking one time last fall at a local spot in NC and I got to thinking about work. We've made some changes lately and it's forced me to have to raise my voice over some machinery that the saftey alarms have been turned on, won't go into detail about that. But I am not a very loud talker or a very forceful shouter so I figured, hey, while I'm out here, maybe I should try my yelling voice a few times. It's not like I'm going to sit in my house and practice yelling louder and getting my voice stronger. So here we go. I'm in the woods absolutley yelling "JACKSON MISS TO MESQUITE TEXAS" "NEWARK NEW JERSEY to 29303 RETAIN" "GREENSBORO GET YOUR SIDES CLEAN" when all of a sudden a voice from behind me yells while laughing wildly "WHAT THE F$#% ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT" Needless to say I wasn't alone in those woods. Somehow I had managed to find a prestine spot.........right across the hill from someone's campsite. I never got my explanation out it they were just laughing to hard I started laughing and we had a laugh and then we went our seperate ways. I work for UPS if you were wondering.
That reminds me of myself except a little different circumstances....I know a lot of songs but can't sing a lick of any one of them in tune:D
So... when I need a pick me up on a hike I will generally belt out pieces of some of my favorites. If anyone was around they were polite not to say anything:D but I know one of these days someone will be right around the corner.
I know I'm the weird guy on the trail though and full well accept that. pretty sure I have a video in my picassa album from my last hike with some singing tid bits...anyone wanna link?:rolleyes:
Wise Old Owl
08-21-2009, 08:24
Last year we passed a guy on the approach trail in a business suit, sweating his you know what off in June. We spoke to him and he never even looked at us or slowed his pace. Needless to say he was weird looking, maybe the heat had got to him, I don't know.
That was Trail Name "The Gov" Mark Sanford, Working up to thru!
http://blog.nj.com/njv_shenemans_sketchpad/2009/06/sanford-gop.jpg
Wise Old Owl
08-21-2009, 08:26
Really a shame you folks don't have pictures of each other when on the trail with all these camera phones -what?
Homer&Marje
08-21-2009, 08:45
You can take 6 pictures or have 3 days worth of phone call battery on my phone...but it sucks:D
Met a hiker up in southern New Hampshire (we were both heading SOBO) and when he got into the shelter - spent the next hour painting his fingernails pink with sparkles.
I saw myself on the trail, now that was weird.
As for weird stuff on the trail... on the last leg of the 100 Mile wilderness earlier this month I saw a 9 Iron (yes a golf club) leaning against a tree. And not too far from there, a pair of crutches (almost new) hanging from a low limb... yea weird.
Midway Sam
08-28-2009, 10:36
I was hiking southbound from Dicks Creek Gap to Neels Gap. Just shy of Hogpen gap, heading northbound towards me is a guy and a gal pulling what I can only describe as a rudimentary "sled" loaded with all kinds of stuff. Suitcases, pictures, etc. They even had a small B&W TV. I of course had to ask and they said they were moving to Virginia and thought they would just walk there instead of renting a U-Haul.
Buckowens here at WB can verify this to be true...
JennyXoXo
09-16-2009, 10:49
Last year I saw a group of about 12 kids/teenagers walking and they all had paintball guns (http://www.paintballgunswarehouse.com) / paintball equipment outfits. It was ridiculous they just walked right past us but Ididn't even know you could do that on the trail? lol
I camped at a spring on the PCT (Cold Spring near the mid-way point). The spring was a pipe that fed into a cattle trough and had the coldest, cleanest water. It was located near a dirt road. As I camped out there, several times people would drive up, park their cars, come over to the spring, rub their hands under the water, get back in their cars and drive away. It was very odd behavior.
ShelterLeopard
09-16-2009, 22:13
Maybe it was holy water- be baptised into the hiker way.
(Maybe those people don't even know what they've done- now all those people will slowly begin to shower less and eat pasta and freeze dried food, and they'll wonder why.)
Wise Old Owl
09-16-2009, 22:59
Does a Bear Moon at midday count?
As for weird stuff on the trail... on the last leg of the 100 Mile wilderness earlier this month I saw a 9 Iron (yes a golf club) leaning against a tree. And not too far from there, a pair of crutches (almost new) hanging from a low limb... yea weird.
How long did it take to fiqure out the handicap?
Back in the early 80's a guy walked into my camp one night without a flashlight at about 10pm overcast and very dark.
I had come in very late, and had a tiny fire going and just off the trail. It was sort of a large open area. I had just finished eating. This was December and it was very cold.
He spoke and walked over to the opposite side of the opening where I was camped. All I could see was his outline. I asked him if he wanted to come over by the fire and warm up, or if he wanted any food or water.
He said no.
I asked him how in the heck he could hike in the absolute dark, I mean it was pitch black, without a light and he said yours eyes adjust. I thought right !! Not me.
We talked for about 2-3 minutes about what he was doing out there at 10pm without any equipment and where he was going and then he said, well gotto go.
Bye.
and took off down the trail.
I listened intently for a long time expecting to hear him fall into a ravine, but I guess he made it.
Never saw his face.
At the time I remembered hearing multiple stories about ghosts ont he AT so of course that was my first thought. I always tell the story in that manner, but now I just think it was some guy out hiking in the dark with no gear.
Saw a guy rubbing his back end on a tree one time.
Guess he ran out of toilet paper.
FritztheCat
11-23-2009, 17:01
This weekend I saw three folks coming down The Priest as I was heading up. Two girls and a guy. As one of the girls passed me, I swear I saw that she had a suitcase strapped to her back. One of the oddest things I've seen so far!
The strangest thing I saw was a hiker coming up from Unicoi gap headed south with a red bubble motorcycle helmet on. :-? He was real tall and truck'in up that hill, just howdy'd me and kept on going. :banana I noticed a he had a school pack and a gallon milk jug sticking out of it. Awful lot of work to sip the jug. Whad u see? :eek:One of the strangest phenomena I ever experienced along the trail was florescent fungi. I was in northern Virginia back around August 2001 and went to find someplace to let my bladder out one late night and that is when I came across the stuff. There were all kinds of colors too. It was an awesome experience!
Big Dawg
11-23-2009, 18:47
One of the strangest phenomena I ever experienced along the trail was florescent fungi. I was in northern Virginia back around August 2001 and went to find someplace to let my bladder out one late night and that is when I came across the stuff. There were all kinds of colors too. It was an awesome experience!
what were ya smokin that night?:eek: hehehe, couldn't resist:D
ShelterLeopard
11-23-2009, 18:57
One of the strangest phenomena I ever experienced along the trail was florescent fungi. I was in northern Virginia back around August 2001 and went to find someplace to let my bladder out one late night and that is when I came across the stuff. There were all kinds of colors too. It was an awesome experience!
In Jersey I was hiking on a local trail, and there were HUGE icicles that were purple, green, blue and red. I think maybe there was some spray paint on the rocks and it somehow seeped into the ice. ??? Or blue lichen? No idea.
I saw a huge green inflatable alien sitting on the privy at Hogback Ridge shelter in NC back in 2001. I later read in the register that this guy (a sobo) had carried it with him because he had no company in shelters most nights, but decided to leave it at this one as a gift.
Cheers
white_russian
11-23-2009, 20:49
I was camped at Betty Creek Gap in NC and some other people stopped for the night there as well. One of them was telling a story about an experiance on the Long Trail with a friend of his. Months later at Full Goose Shelter in Maine I hear this same story again told by the friend of the guy I met in NC. I never saw either of them before or after the night I camped with each person.
Oooooo, White Russians post just reminded me of a strange coincidence, rather than something totally weird. While hiking the JMT in 2002 i stayed at VVR for a day or two. Had a great time there and met some interesting people. Among them were Luna and Sixstring, AT thru hikers. I think we had been on the AT the same year too, in 2001. Anyway, we never exchanged email address's or anything, but went our seperate ways when it was time to hike out.
In 2004 i was taking a few zero's in Hot Springs close to the start of my 2004 thru. I was sitting down to breakfast at Elmers with a bunch of other folk. In comes this woman who looked really familiar to me. She talked with Elmer for a while then joined the hikers for breakfast. We were glancing over at each other for a while, i guess both trying to figure out where we the knew the other from. Anyway, i'm sure you guessed a while back in this story that it turned out to be Luna from VVR back in 2002. I couldn't stand to not know who she was any longer so i talked above the breakfast chatter and asked if it was her, it was! That little bit of serendipity made my day, and i still think about it. What are the chances huh? I mean, i know the hiking community is pretty close knit, but still, quite the coincidence.
Cheers
ShelterLeopard
11-24-2009, 12:17
Now, this isn't my coincidence, but I thought it was funny:
Last weekend (8 days ago, I suppose) I stayed near a shelter where there was a SoBo thru hiker, who was taking a slow day, and we talked and all. Then it got dark and a couple section hikers walked up, and the thru hiker said something and they recognized his voice, and it turned out that they had passed each other in Maine (when the section hikers had been doing another section), and had stopped and talked for five minutes. Cool coindcidence.
I got a buddy that ran about 100 yards inside of a tent one time. I think he was high as a georgia pine. One of the funniest things I've ever seen.
the goat
11-24-2009, 13:12
I saw a huge green inflatable alien sitting on the privy at Hogback Ridge shelter in NC back in 2001. I later read in the register that this guy (a sobo) had carried it with him because he had no company in shelters most nights, but decided to leave it at this one as a gift.
Cheers
hahahaha! hilarious, i'm glad someone else saw this! me and a buddy carried that alien for a couple of days south of there to keep his hike going.
Many hikers had encounters with the emu that lived on the AT in '98. Somewhere in N. Virginia, if I remember right.
I once saw a guy carrying a piece of luggage over his shoulder hiking down the trail. I tried to stop and talk to him, but he just kept on hiking without even saying hi.
On my thru-hike I met a family of six all carrying their mountain bikes on their shoulders in one of the rockiest stretches of Pennsylvania. They asked me if the trail got "better" further on....I said, "yeah, if you go another 120 miles or so, it does get better." There's no reason to even fuss at them for trying to ride on the AT there!
I saw a huge green inflatable alien sitting on the privy at Hogback Ridge shelter in NC back in 2001. I later read in the register that this guy (a sobo) had carried it with him because he had no company in shelters most nights, but decided to leave it at this one as a gift.
Cheers
hahahaha! hilarious, i'm glad someone else saw this! me and a buddy carried that alien for a couple of days south of there to keep his hike going.
:mad: He was Northbound :D
kayak karl
11-24-2009, 18:34
hiking in new Hampshire i passed somebody going north. HE was wearing a green skirt, white sheer blouse, bra, hair tied back and blue eye shadow and lipstick. i said hi, talked about the heat and moved on.
when the other hikers caught up to me they said, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?
i said i know, blue eye shadow and a GREEN skirt:D
ShelterLeopard
11-24-2009, 21:15
hiking in new Hampshire i passed somebody going north. HE was wearing a green skirt, white sheer blouse, bra, hair tied back and blue eye shadow and lipstick. i said hi, talked about the heat and moved on.
when the other hikers caught up to me they said, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?
i said i know, blue eye shadow and a GREEN skirt:D
:clap:clap:clap
squeezebox
11-24-2009, 22:19
I was thinking about this thread as a I was running errands tonight, and a very stupid idea came to mind. Since I'm starting a solo trip in Apr. what if I carried along a blow up kid's toy, maybe a dino. No make it a blow up porno doll !! Sure to get a trail name with her along. damn!! more batteries to carry.
Just call me KY
hiking in new Hampshire i passed somebody going north. HE was wearing a green skirt, white sheer blouse, bra, hair tied back and blue eye shadow and lipstick. i said hi, talked about the heat and moved on.
when the other hikers caught up to me they said, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?
i said i know, blue eye shadow and a GREEN skirt:D
Wonder what kind of Leki poles goes best with that outfit?
ezfiddlerfreak
11-24-2009, 23:40
I seened a guy with gogels on over his glasses. wonder how he kept them unfogged
ShelterLeopard
11-25-2009, 00:02
Some people wear prescription goggles with no fog lenses while hiking because they're more durable and won't fall off. Not weird enough- come on, you can think of something weirder...
ShelterLeopard
11-25-2009, 00:05
So, this was not on the trail, but I was kinda hiking around a city...
Moscow, RUSSIA- So, I was walking around Moscow, looking for a famous cemetery with a couple friends from my trip, and we see this passed out guy lying behind the bushes about five feet from the sidewalk. When I looked closer, I realized he wasn't passed out, he was dead. NOT kidding. Pale, open eyes, he had been there at least half a day. And the weird part is, he had his pants around his ankles (his bare rear end was sticking up in the air), and this child's pink backpack next to him on the ground. ????????
Guess he never made it all the way to the cemetery. (Seriously, weird. And we didn't know who to call. I didn't know how to say "we found a dead body" in Russian. I suppose that should've been one of the first things I learned...)
Ramble~On
11-25-2009, 00:19
:-? Weirdest thing I saw on the trail was a mirror.
There was a reflection in it of a freak with a gray beard!
Jack Tarlin
11-25-2009, 00:23
Shelter Leopard:
Nice story! Kinda reminds me of something unusual I found one morning in a motel room in Duncannon, but I'll wait and tell you in person. :eek:
I met Tyvek and he was hitting on my girlfriend at the neels gap shelter. He was an odd guy
ShelterLeopard
11-25-2009, 00:37
Shelter Leopard:
Nice story! Kinda reminds me of something unusual I found one morning in a motel room in Duncannon, but I'll wait and tell you in person. :eek:
I'm gonna remember to ask you that one!!!
This isnt too weird but last summer I was hiking somewhere a few miles north of Bake oven Knob in PA and came to a gravel road crossing at a radio tower and i see a truck parked. I sit down on a rock to take a brake and then about 10 minutes later a couple comes stumbling out of the woods with beers in there hands just lauphing and yelling and dont really acknowedge me at all and then get in the truck and speed away.
gravy4601
11-26-2009, 01:18
where they having a goo time sounds like fun to me
Had a deer lick the sweat off my outstretched hand in the Smokies. Hiked three miles with an Emu named "Reba" in Mass. She made a drumming sound the whole time (Found out her name when they caught he in town and she made the local paper)
One of the most interesting characters was the man we dubbed "the psycho lone hiker." Met him on a section hike back around 1989...in the Nantahalas in December. He was hiking southbound from the smokies carrying a cast iron frying pan, a 30 degree coleman rectangular sleeping bag (nights were around 0-5 degrees!), wore blue jeans, a big wool hat that covered his eyes and most of his face the entire time...hiked into the shelter about an hour past dark carrying 5-6 large pieces of firewood since he had no stove and had to have a fire to cook his rice (not instant!) and one of my personal favorite touches...carrying a big salted country cured ham that he threw down on the shelter floor at our feet and proceeded to cut away at it with a hack saw mumbling under his breath the entire time. He kept asking us where Hiawassee, GA was since he was headed there as his aunt had mailed him a carrot cake there that he wanted to get. He had no idea where Hiawassee was at all. Definitely one of the more interesting characters I've met.
Hikes in Rain
11-26-2009, 09:05
The Marlboro Man. Chain-smoked, and all of his equipment, pack, sleeping bag, tent, etc., had been obtained by redeeming coupons from the cigarettes All of it emblazoned with the Marlboro ad/logo.
MintakaCat
11-26-2009, 09:35
A buddy of mine and I were on the Foothills Trail by the Chattooga River last fall. We were near Big Bend falls and found a wheel from a wheel chair right at the end of an overgrown logging road. We couldn’t figure out how it got there but we reference that logging road from then on as “Wheelchair Road.”
I was leading a group with 6 mahattanite wanna be AMC women, and my girlfriend.Garrison NY. Coming down from Sugarloaf,there was this young woman with a white chiffon dress and long dark hair about 50 yards out.
We waved to her, but she just seemed to stare and duck behind trees. She would appear three more times as the trail swithched down. Just staring and seeming territorial, dress blowing with the breeze. I tried to make light of things and mentioned that Stevie Nicks wasn't playing nearby. But it was pretty freaky. Dont think any of those women joined the AMC and they never asked to go hiking with us again
DrRichardCranium
11-26-2009, 10:25
:eek:It was probably a ghost!
ShelterLeopard
11-26-2009, 12:26
Oh, that was me- sorry! :D
He kept asking us where Hiawassee, GA was since he was headed there as his aunt had mailed him a carrot cake there that he wanted to get. He had no idea where Hiawassee was at all. Definitely one of the more interesting characters I've met.
He'd fit in in Maine. Most everyone mutters. Cream cheese frosting on the carrot cake? I'd mutter about that!:)
He'd fit in in Maine. Most everyone mutters. Cream cheese frosting on the carrot cake? I'd mutter about that!:)
lol- indeed. problem is he was not muttering about carrot cake or any other type of rational things one might mutter about! He was a character to say the least. I was in awe that he carried a 20 lb. salt cured ham. Has anyone ever eaten one of those old time salt cured hams? You literally have to cook it about an hour to make it edible!
Johnny Thunder
11-26-2009, 23:45
The strangest thing I saw was a hiker coming up from Unicoi gap headed south with a red bubble motorcycle helmet on. :-? He was real tall and truck'in up that hill, just howdy'd me and kept on going. :banana I noticed a he had a school pack and a gallon milk jug sticking out of it. Awful lot of work to sip the jug. Whad u see? :eek:
Johnny Thunder's Weirdest Trail Sightings
(an apt 1000th post...)
On the approach trail I met a guy named Mike who had spent the night out in the rain after melting his flashlight in a little twiggy fire and sogging up his cigs. He later almost burned down Springer shelter on this THIRD NIGHT OUT trying to put Coleman fuel in an alcohol stove.
I sat at Unocoi gap and watched two locals impress some hiker women by doing front wheelies on their crotch rockets. Only, the guy in front went too slow for the guy in back. Dude laid on the brakes and whipped his bike around on the other one like a door caught in the breeze. Egos were injured.
I heard the Georgian Mountain Monkeys.
I loop-the-looped that road from Gatlinburg up to the gap. Crazy.
I witnessed the day of days at Standing Bear. Details are classified except to Chaco, Jack, and others who experienced it. One year later I had a guy explain to me that in a formed life he was a 30 ft tall blue dragon. But, in his most recent life he was a 60 foot tall red dragon.
I saw a man recite MacBeth's soliloquy to a ham hock at Brown Gap. Ox, you remember that. Thor's crazy.
I hitched a ride in a hearse. True story.
In the shennies I saw a hiker totally lose his ****. Clinically.
I saw trees reach for me like something straight out of the Wizard of Oz whilst trying to hike Maryland in a day. Never did get over that.
I saw a life-size replica of Jester get molested...not once, but twice...by a girl with Dahli tatoos and and a bone fetish. What bone?
I had some woman ask me "Do you know where the car wash is?" while I walked into Wind Gap. Seriously?
I saw my father pass out in New Jersey. That sucked.
When I was 17 I found a 20 ft Blair Witch sign in Harriman.
I almost got run over by a front end loader in New York. And then when the driver loaded up all my friends in the dozer end, I quietly divide up their gear with those left behind. Never found out what happened to Zen.
I was almost killed when a crazed man in Vermont tried to swing a pick ax at me. Lumpy saved my life. Dude is my hero for lots of things, this included.
I saw Gelatin Offramp and the guy who proposed to his girlfriend while they played Rock Lobster.
I saw Minnesota Smith try to debate a Twelve Triber about the existence of God and the dude held his own!!! I also saw a guy compare Minnesota's ad-nauseum lectures to watching a movie on Comedy Central circa 1997....they're always recycling them so you can just watch it repeat and leave whenever you get to the part where you joined.
I hitched from the Canadian boarder back to Keane, NH in two cars including a 3 hour ride with a dentist who was also a home brewer and a shaman. We discussed past lives. My girlfriend slept.
I tracked down mysterious phantom headlamps with the Lake of the Clouds crew drunk on top of Adams at 2 AM after being told that they were cool with me cowboying up there. We aint found ****.
I saw Wak-a-Pak rap "Gangsta, Gangsta."
I went from Millinocket to Times Square in less than 14 hours.
Johnny T
1/4 moon
11-29-2009, 03:50
At least you heard him coming. When my brother and I were hiking in SNP in late September 1988, a pair of F-15s came screaming over the ridgeline perhaps 200' over our heads. They were moving so fast that we didn't hear the blast of the engines until they were almost on top of us.
I had a similar experience in the highlands in2007
In Va in '07, I met Tyvek. He was hiking with all his stuff (pack, sleeping bag, water bottle holders, poncho) made out of Tyvek, the insulation used to wrap buildings before the siding is installed. That was strange, but the strangest thing was that he was hiking barefoot.
He was a good guy. I met someone on the trail last spring who saw him in Key West with the same Tyvek and still barefoot.
DylonHike
12-05-2009, 00:06
this was back around october i believe. Going from Damascus to Watauga Lake. There was a man, i suppose his wife, and a kid who looked like he should be in 1st or 2nd grade. the kid was wearing a school pack and he was trying to tell me and my dad that he had spinal fluid leakage but my mom had it and its unbearable and couldnt survive on a trail. I think he wanted money as he kept saying if only i had some money to take my kid to get something (cant remember) and he was going SOBO but saying he was trying to get to damascus but he was going the opposite way. very strange.
Nearly Normal
12-05-2009, 01:23
A buddy of mine and I were on the Foothills Trail by the Chattooga River last fall. We were near Big Bend falls and found a wheel from a wheel chair right at the end of an overgrown logging road. We couldn’t figure out how it got there but we reference that logging road from then on as “Wheelchair Road.”
Man, a couple of years ago I was there in the area on a fishing trip and I found about 2 miles downstream from burrell's ford a completely stocked cooler with a hachet on top. I mean bacon and eggs and lots of other ****. It was wheeled but that trek couldn't have been easy. Looked around for a while but didn't see a soul. Just left it cause it was so fresh.
Very strange.
Found a heavy coat at beauty spot just up stream from big bend Falls (that you can't get to safely) that had been left there a while back. Just hanging on a branch.
That area in the last 4 years has seen so much traffic you better visit soon if you want any alone time. The accesses down to the river have gone from real bush wacking to common trails. Really sucks.
canoehead
12-05-2009, 17:56
Thin bearded ones I saw..
Wise Old Owl
12-05-2009, 20:42
I was leading a group with 6 mahattanite wanna be AMC women, and my girlfriend.Garrison NY. Coming down from Sugarloaf,there was this young woman with a white chiffon dress and long dark hair about 50 yards out.
We waved to her, but she just seemed to stare and duck behind trees. She would appear three more times as the trail swithched down. Just staring and seeming territorial, dress blowing with the breeze. I tried to make light of things and mentioned that Stevie Nicks wasn't playing nearby. But it was pretty freaky. Dont think any of those women joined the AMC and they never asked to go hiking with us again
a photo would have been great.... just saying...
Johnny Thunder's Weirdest Trail Sightings
........................................
I saw Wak-a-Pak rap "Gangsta, Gangsta."
I went from Millinocket to Times Square in less than 14 hours.
Johnny T
LOL!!! Not too many alive can say they've seen me do that!! :p :o
And i witnessed at least half of that transition from Millinocket to Times Square....wasn't sure if how you'd fare when we all parted ways in Boston!!
One of the weirdest things I've seen was a beetle in Chaco's bellybutton. :eek:
Totally serious on this one!
I had two strange creature encounters:
Back in the 1990s when hiking the southern Vt. section I had orange newts swarming all over my feet at Stratton Pond. Seems they were attracted to the dead skin.
Similarly, in the PUD section between the Long Trail and the NH line I was soaking my feet in a small pool off the trail when a blue crayfish came out from under a rock and began nibbling at my foot. I don't know who was more surprised. :D (I jumped at least two feet off the ground when I felt it).
Shiraz-mataz
12-07-2009, 07:51
Last year at Ensign Cowell Shelter in Maryland, a whole family showed up after dark. They were some combination of the Clampetts and the Addams Family. All of their gear was carried in garbage bags. Their 16 year old daughter was shacking up with some MUCH older dude. The funniest thing was their 13 year old son (who said he had a bullet in his head) was trying to boil water in a tea kettle over the camp fire and we kept telling him the plastic handle was going to melt. He said it would be fine... and then (drumroll...) the handle fell into the fire. He then proceeded to burn his hands on the pot trying to pour water!
It was our third night on the allegheny front trail and it just stopped raining for the first time the whole trip. We where in the valley and if you have ever looked at the allegheny front trail then you know there are mts on all sides. Any way We made camp for the night and right after dusk around 8pm Some one starting blowing a whistle long and hard over and over. Me and my 2 other mates walked for about 2 hours in the dark yelling asking for a response, got nothing(Also We had no cellphone service). The whistle was echoing all over the valley. Went back to camp and went to bed. Had to try and sleep through the whistle until about 10pm it stopped. It made for an eery night and not easy to fall asleep.
Checked all the local papers after we got home 2 days later, Found nothing.
Sir-Packs-Alot
12-13-2009, 18:08
http://www.cryptomundo.com/wp-content/uploads/coonhog.jpg
Uh no but I am working here.....
Is that really a racoon on a boar's back? Where and when the heck is that from?