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Gunner81
04-28-2010, 18:59
I've spent a lot of time reading other people's trail journals and talking with other thru-hikers. Some seem to have drama, and other don't. Seems a lot like high school.

So I'm just curious, does drama seem to be common along the trail?

Spokes
04-28-2010, 19:04
Have you seen Tim Burton's version of Alice in Wonderland yet? It's sort of like the difference between the Red Queen and the White Queen.

You get both extremes on the AT........

garlic08
04-28-2010, 19:14
It's all what you make of it. It's actually quite possible to have a semi-quiet, semi-wilderness experience if you stay out of the shelters and stay out of the towns except to get food. Or you can hang around with tons of people all the time and have some real drama. In my opinion, any one who complains about it either way is doing something wrong.

Toolshed
04-28-2010, 19:39
Where there are people who are into themselves and letting the world revolve around them, there's drama. People into being positive and helping others - no Drama.

Skidsteer
04-28-2010, 19:47
People are people. Everywhere and all the time.

10-K
04-28-2010, 20:42
People are people. Everywhere and all the time.

Yep, and you take yourself and your personality traits with you everywhere you go.

fw2008
04-28-2010, 20:46
I prefer to avoid drama when I hike. One of the reasons I hike is to get away from the everyday drama that civilization and family life creates.
That said, I can imagine it would be hard to find a quiet spot if you're thru-hiking with the pack, except that I personally would stay away from the shelters. I like the privacy and relative quiet of my own tent.

FW

berkshirebirder
04-28-2010, 20:52
I must be reading the wrong journals, unless blisters, catholes, and bad weather count as drama.

Lone Wolf
04-28-2010, 21:21
I've spent a lot of time reading other people's trail journals and talking with other thru-hikers. Some seem to have drama, and other don't. Seems a lot like high school.

So I'm just curious, does drama seem to be common along the trail?

yup. big time

SGT Rock
04-28-2010, 21:40
Start in January. No one around to have drama with.

weary
04-28-2010, 21:45
I've spent a lot of time reading other people's trail journals and talking with other thru-hikers. Some seem to have drama, and other don't. Seems a lot like high school.

So I'm just curious, does drama seem to be common along the trail?
No!!!!!!!!!!

Windcatcher
04-28-2010, 22:07
Soap Operas, Reality Television, Bloods & Crips or is that Democrats & Republicans - I get them confused sometimes - Baby Boomers and Gen X'ers with all the me-me-me tendancies of a society of gotta have it all & gotta have it right now.....

There's too much drama everywhere, at least for me. That's my rant for the day, thanks for letting me sound off!

weary
04-28-2010, 22:13
It's all what you make of it. It's actually quite possible to have a semi-quiet, semi-wilderness experience if you stay out of the shelters and stay out of the towns except to get food. Or you can hang around with tons of people all the time and have some real drama. In my opinion, any one who complains about it either way is doing something wrong.
Well, times may have changed. Could that be? After many millennia, could life suddenly change dramaticaly in a couple of decades? But, regardless, I expereinced no significant drama when I spend six months walking north in 1993.

Well, I did encounter a few interesting folks. There was the self-confessed "failure" who had never achieved any of his dreams, and was about to fail again. He had lost 50 pounds in two months and no longer had the energy to continue north. I suggested he eat more food, but he assured me he was eating as much as people claimed one should need.

Whether he followed my advice, or the advice of anonymous "people," I don't know. But I didn't see him again.

Then there was a lovely 45 year old widow, a former divinity student, -- well she would have been a widow had she and her companion married instead of just living together until his death.

We hiked together, platonically, for two months. She sort of fell in with me because she was nervous about hiking alone. She sensed I was "safe." Was that a compliment? Whatever. A day rarely goes by that I don't think of her and our many conversations about many things.

Interesting, for sure. But drama? You decide.

I could continue. But the judgment is yours. Drama is an individual thing. I've sensed drama, boredom, and a lot of in betweens over many decades -- well quite a few decades, anyway.

Weary

fiddlehead
04-28-2010, 22:28
Seeing as most Americans tend to stay home and watch TV, there's tons of drama, on the AT, in comparison.
At least there always seems to be when i hike.
(except for my SOBO)

Tin Man
04-28-2010, 22:40
limit the drama, hike sobo :cool:

Graywolf
04-28-2010, 22:51
I'll take drama in the wilderness, over drama at home any time...

I remember when I saw a Bald Eagle gliding on the wind...Yeah, baby, that was drama, all the way, my blood began to flow..And the time I came face to face with a Mountain Lion..Yep, that was sure excitement, cant get that walking to 7-11..And how bout the time I saw that triple rainbow over a well watered Utah desert..That was more drama then I have had all that year..

Yes, diffenitly..Drama in the Wilderness anytime over drama in the city..

Graywolf

Tinker
04-28-2010, 22:56
I've spent a lot of time reading other people's trail journals and talking with other thru-hikers. Some seem to have drama, and other don't. Seems a lot like high school.

So I'm just curious, does drama seem to be common along the trail?

Some folks over-dramatize everything in life - writers especially. Aspiring writers may pad their AT adventures with "little white lies" to gain notoriety.
Hiking, in general, is a peaceful pursuit that doesn't have much drama. Peace is not very exciting to the average couch cowboy(woman) adrenaline junkie. :)

Knees
04-28-2010, 22:59
Where there are people there is drama. Some is avoidable and some isn't. Life continues out on the trail--relationships, injuries, family issues, money issues, etc...

Jonnycat
04-28-2010, 23:01
So I'm just curious, does drama seem to be common along the trail?

I don't know. I hike to experience the natural world, so I avoid groupings of people.

stranger
04-29-2010, 00:22
I agree with most of what has been said about avoiding shelters, and towns, or atleast hostels in towns. Motels offer your own room and solitude, plus many thru and long distance hikers along the AT are young, and don't have the budgets to stay in motels.

But like others have said...its what you make of it. There is no reason to hike 12-15 miles every day and stay at shelters with 20 other people unless you want to. There are hundreds of good campsites along the trail, and plenty of places to stay in town that won't be flooded by other hikers.

Drama...of course exists, simply because the AT is very social. That can be both good, and bad...depends on your preferences.

RGB
04-29-2010, 01:03
limit the drama, hike sobo :cool:

Good to hear. ;)

Slo-go'en
04-29-2010, 01:25
I don't know about drama, but there can be occasional moments of panic and shear terror!

ed bell
04-29-2010, 01:41
Why folks refuse to save their drama for their momma these days is really a mystery. I've heard loads of good advice in my life, but one of the best pieces was "Tighten up". Self-reliant has little room for self-centered.

sasquatch2014
04-29-2010, 06:25
I'll take drama in the wilderness, over drama at home any time...

.And the time I came face to face with a Mountain Lion..Yep, that was sure excitement, cant get that walking to 7-11..
Graywolf

I don't know late at night some of the 7-11's I have been to can have a ton of Drama around them in fact they often end up on the 11 o'clock news :D

It's like pretty much anything if you are looking for it you will find it if you choose to avoid it you can it all depends on how important it is for you to have it one way or the other.

Marta
04-29-2010, 06:52
Drama seems to be concentrated towards the beginning of long hikes. It can be terrifying to quit one's job, pack up one's home, say good-bye to one's friends and family, etc., then set off into the great unknown. Many hikers are in quite a state, mentally. Near hysteria.

The other thing that heightens the tendency towards drama is that people lose their perspective (which we all have so much of, sitting here in front of our computers in our comfy homes) because they are tired, cold/hot, dehydrated, hungry, sick, injured, or all of the above. Normally rational people become quite unreasonable. Small difficulties loom like mountains. Actual mountains suddenly become insurmountable. Drama? You betcha!

hellomolly
04-29-2010, 08:58
As a nonthruhiker, what exactly does everyone mean by 'drama?' What sort of drama could develop...? Do you mean drama between hikers? Like clashing personalities? Or drama that people bring to the trail...?

Just looking for examples. :-?

fiddlehead
04-29-2010, 09:11
Well, I remember the time I was hiking late in the day and it started pouring rain.
I really started hurrying to make it to the shelter to cook my dinner with a roof before setting up my tent.
I was going down a steep hill, wondering where the heck the shelter was when i tripped and really did a header right into the mud.
I heard some voices and looked to my right.
Sure enough I was about 20' from the shelter, which was full and they all saw it.
I hadn't even known they were there.
That was some lighthearted drama that comes to my mind.
Again, it wouldn't be the same on a SOBO hike.

hellomolly
04-29-2010, 09:31
I think my definition of drama and "thruhiker drama" is very different, lol. I saw this thread and thought there would be people bitching about each other at shelters or people cheating on their thruhiking boyfriend or girlfriend or something... a la Jerry Springer type stuff, lol.

I like your type of drama, fiddlehead. :D

Jeff
04-29-2010, 09:48
Drama seems to be concentrated towards the beginning of long hikes. It can be terrifying to quit one's job, pack up one's home, say good-bye to one's friends and family, etc., then set off into the great unknown. Many hikers are in quite a state, mentally. Near hysteria.

The other thing that heightens the tendency towards drama is that people lose their perspective (which we all have so much of, sitting here in front of our computers in our comfy homes) because they are tired, cold/hot, dehydrated, hungry, sick, injured, or all of the above. Normally rational people become quite unreasonable. Small difficulties loom like mountains. Actual mountains suddenly become insurmountable. Drama? You betcha!

Good post. Right on the money !!!!

max patch
04-29-2010, 10:04
I think my definition of drama and "thruhiker drama" is very different, lol. I saw this thread and thought there would be people bitching about each other at shelters or people cheating on their thruhiking boyfriend or girlfriend or something... a la Jerry Springer type stuff, lol.

I like your type of drama, fiddlehead. :D

Bitching: Do a site search at trailjournals.com for hikers interactions with Minnesota Smith. You want bitching -- you'll get bitching!

Cheating: Happens occasionally by both the hiker and the stay at home non hiker. On the other hand, a solid relationship can become even stronger.

Also be aware that many journals are embellished by the author to make them more interesting to the reader.

sbhikes
04-29-2010, 10:35
There is less drama when you hike alone but there still is drama, at least for me. I don't know if the AT is like the PCT where you get this "herd" of people who start all around the same time but that's how the PCT is.

I noticed on my two PCT hikes that when I was hiking within the herd, there was more drama. You could see the cliques that would form. I overheard someone say they couldn't figure me out, that either I was a college professor or didn't graduate the 8th grade, they couldn't figure out if I was brilliant or stupid. I thought that was sort of hurtful and funny at the same time. I noticed that when I would complain about things, it would have an effect on other hikers. Nobody likes to have their morale lowered so some people decided they didn't like me and that made me feel bad. That's what I think of when I think about drama.

When I returned the following year and hiked way ahead of the herd the entire time, I spent a whole lot more time alone. I met other solo hikers, mostly section hikers. Things just felt more calm.

Being alone I had to deal with a lot of scary situations all alone. When you are all by yourself it is harder to panic and cause a scene. I had a temper tantrum all alone in the woods with nobody to hear and it was highly unsatisfying. I would take a look at a scary stream, take a breath and work my way across it. No time to think about how scary, just walk through. On the other side, there was nobody to talk about it with, nobody to help ratchet up the fear and the sense of accomplishment. I would step on the other bank and just keep going.

All those feelings were there but they were kept inside. I held it together out in the woods, but in town all my feelings would come out as I cried over my dinner. It was like a release of all that pent up energy. I guess that is drama, but there was nobody to tell any of this to. I couldn't even share the dramatic high points with other people as they would not understand. Internally I could be dancing for joy at something I accomplished but externally there was nobody to share it with. Even that would come out as tears when I got to town.

I sometimes wrote my feelings in trail registers. It was funny because being so far ahead of everyone, there were all these people I didn't know who knew me. They could read some big rant I wrote and I would hear about it later that they read it and thought, oh that Piper isn't having a good time. I felt bad afterward for unleashing my drama on paper to others.

Anyway, all this blah blah blah is just to say that drama is more likely when there are more people. But emotionally, I think I felt things more all alone and the experience was a lot more dramatic internally.

fiddlehead
04-29-2010, 10:42
Sure, there's all different kinds of drama.
How about getting (false) charged by a black bear protecting her 2 cubs?
Here's (http://fiddlehead.wordpress.com/2008/07/16/black-bear-protecting-her-2-cubs/) the story on that one if interested.
Or the hitchhikes in the bible belt where you must say you were saved before they let you out.
Or the girl getting hit by lightning hours after splitting with her hiking companion.
Tons of drama.

Alligator
04-29-2010, 10:53
Here's (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=61526) some for you:rolleyes:.

Two Speed
04-29-2010, 10:54
Adding fuel to the fire there, aren't you?

Skyline
04-29-2010, 11:41
The AT is not that different from any other subculture or community. It's just more tight-knit than some others.

For long-distance AT hikers, those 75 miles north or south of them are their "families" for a long time. Everyone knows everyone and everything about everyone, just about, and there can be drama. Not unlike a group of people at work who see each other every day, or a bunch of college kids living in a dorm who share close quarters for a couple semesters. They can have plenty of drama, too.

I've always wondered why some enterprising reality show producer has not put togerher a "Real World" type series centered around a dozen or so AT thru-hikers. If well done, perhaps Must-See TV. Title suggestions, anyone?

neighbor dave
04-29-2010, 11:56
:-? focus on the tree and you'll hit it :-?

jersey joe
04-29-2010, 12:47
On my thru, I never hiked with any one group for more than a few days so although I occasionally ran into drama, I quickly moved on and left the drama behind.

climber2377
04-29-2010, 13:09
it is an emotional soul searching journey. dont know why humans wouldnt have some type of drama here. if they are willing to share and you are willing to read, then what is the worry?

Chaco Taco
04-29-2010, 22:58
it is an emotional soul searching journey.
What is so emotional about it? The Drama?:rolleyes:

Tin Man
04-29-2010, 23:02
What is so emotional about it? The Drama?:rolleyes:

that's funny coming from a drama queen... :)

ed bell
04-29-2010, 23:34
There is less drama when you hike alone but there still is drama, at least for me. I don't know if the AT is like the PCT where you get this "herd" of people who start all around the same time but that's how the PCT is.

I noticed on my two PCT hikes that when I was hiking within the herd, there was more drama. You could see the cliques that would form. I overheard someone say they couldn't figure me out, that either I was a college professor or didn't graduate the 8th grade, they couldn't figure out if I was brilliant or stupid. I thought that was sort of hurtful and funny at the same time. I noticed that when I would complain about things, it would have an effect on other hikers. Nobody likes to have their morale lowered so some people decided they didn't like me and that made me feel bad. That's what I think of when I think about drama.

When I returned the following year and hiked way ahead of the herd the entire time, I spent a whole lot more time alone. I met other solo hikers, mostly section hikers. Things just felt more calm.

Being alone I had to deal with a lot of scary situations all alone. When you are all by yourself it is harder to panic and cause a scene. I had a temper tantrum all alone in the woods with nobody to hear and it was highly unsatisfying. I would take a look at a scary stream, take a breath and work my way across it. No time to think about how scary, just walk through. On the other side, there was nobody to talk about it with, nobody to help ratchet up the fear and the sense of accomplishment. I would step on the other bank and just keep going.

All those feelings were there but they were kept inside. I held it together out in the woods, but in town all my feelings would come out as I cried over my dinner. It was like a release of all that pent up energy. I guess that is drama, but there was nobody to tell any of this to. I couldn't even share the dramatic high points with other people as they would not understand. Internally I could be dancing for joy at something I accomplished but externally there was nobody to share it with. Even that would come out as tears when I got to town.

I sometimes wrote my feelings in trail registers. It was funny because being so far ahead of everyone, there were all these people I didn't know who knew me. They could read some big rant I wrote and I would hear about it later that they read it and thought, oh that Piper isn't having a good time. I felt bad afterward for unleashing my drama on paper to others.

Anyway, all this blah blah blah is just to say that drama is more likely when there are more people. But emotionally, I think I felt things more all alone and the experience was a lot more dramatic internally.

What a great post! And, it deals with real, hiking drama, not the high school, hiker journal type drama the OP was talking about.

TIDE-HSV
04-30-2010, 01:34
There is less drama when you hike alone but there still is drama, at least for me. I don't know if the AT is like the PCT where you get this "herd" of people who start all around the same time but that's how the PCT is.

I noticed on my two PCT hikes that when I was hiking within the herd, there was more drama. You could see the cliques that would form. I overheard someone say they couldn't figure me out, that either I was a college professor or didn't graduate the 8th grade, they couldn't figure out if I was brilliant or stupid. I thought that was sort of hurtful and funny at the same time. I noticed that when I would complain about things, it would have an effect on other hikers. Nobody likes to have their morale lowered so some people decided they didn't like me and that made me feel bad. That's what I think of when I think about drama.

When I returned the following year and hiked way ahead of the herd the entire time, I spent a whole lot more time alone. I met other solo hikers, mostly section hikers. Things just felt more calm.

Being alone I had to deal with a lot of scary situations all alone. When you are all by yourself it is harder to panic and cause a scene. I had a temper tantrum all alone in the woods with nobody to hear and it was highly unsatisfying. I would take a look at a scary stream, take a breath and work my way across it. No time to think about how scary, just walk through. On the other side, there was nobody to talk about it with, nobody to help ratchet up the fear and the sense of accomplishment. I would step on the other bank and just keep going.

All those feelings were there but they were kept inside. I held it together out in the woods, but in town all my feelings would come out as I cried over my dinner. It was like a release of all that pent up energy. I guess that is drama, but there was nobody to tell any of this to. I couldn't even share the dramatic high points with other people as they would not understand. Internally I could be dancing for joy at something I accomplished but externally there was nobody to share it with. Even that would come out as tears when I got to town.

I sometimes wrote my feelings in trail registers. It was funny because being so far ahead of everyone, there were all these people I didn't know who knew me. They could read some big rant I wrote and I would hear about it later that they read it and thought, oh that Piper isn't having a good time. I felt bad afterward for unleashing my drama on paper to others.

Anyway, all this blah blah blah is just to say that drama is more likely when there are more people. But emotionally, I think I felt things more all alone and the experience was a lot more dramatic internally.

Yep, what you're stating is the old tree falling in the forest conundrum. Define sound as pressure waves, and, yes, there is a sound. Define sound as the effect of the pressure waves on the human ear drum/brain, and there is no sound. If drama is defined as the effect upon an audience, then there is less solo. Nevertheless, I have thrown things, cursed, destroyed inanimate objects, all with no audience. In the end, it did make me feel better...