View Full Version : Would you give your car to a stranger?
Probably not normally, but there seems to be more of a culture of trust on the trail.
Met a 21 year old man on the trail this weekend in NJ and ended up staying at the same hostel in Delaware Water Gap on Saturday night. Sunday morning my hiking partner and I asked him to drop us at a trail head 15 miles north and spot our car back at the gap.
After we were dropped off we were laughing at how we just gave the car to someone we just met the day before and only knew his trail name. Yet, our intuition knew with certainty the car would be there.
I love the physical challenge of the trail, but the people I meet and the cultural experience is what keeps me motivated to come back again and again.
Blissful
11-15-2010, 09:25
I love the physical challenge of the trail, but the people I meet and the cultural experience is what keeps me motivated to come back again and again.
Agreed. The people out there make the trail.
Bags4266
11-15-2010, 09:46
While this is true, how about the article where the guy was robbed at a motel he was suppose to share w/ a thru-hiker! While it might be a long shot the possiblities are there.
fredmugs
11-15-2010, 10:50
I've done it maybe 4 times with people I have met here on WB. I check out their profiles and posts and if they appear to be active hikers I don't worry about it. The last time I became such good friends with the guy that I pretty much hike exclusively with him now and he has my spare car key even though we don't plan to hike again until May.
Spirit Walker
11-15-2010, 10:58
We handed over the keys to a rental car to someone we knew only slightly over the internet.
Several years ago, Jim and I wanted to hike a section of the CDT in southern Colorado. We checked into shuttles and the outfitter told us, "Good idea, but nobody does that here." The journey around the San Juans from the airport in Durango to our starting point took several hours and would have required a two day bus ride thanks to the bus schedule. So we decided to rent a car to get us to our starting point. We found somebody from a hiking forum who was heading out to hike a section of the Colorado Trail with a group. She wanted to go a couple of days early to acclimate. She agreed to drop us off at the trailhead and return the car to the airport for us. The entire time we were hiking, we wondered if she had actually done it. When we finished our hike, we found she had taken an extra couple of days to get the car back, but she did return it in good condition. Only in the hiking community would we risk such a thing.
Probably not normally, but there seems to be more of a culture of trust on the trail.
Met a 21 year old man on the trail this weekend in NJ and ended up staying at the same hostel in Delaware Water Gap on Saturday night. Sunday morning my hiking partner and I asked him to drop us at a trail head 15 miles north and spot our car back at the gap.
After we were dropped off we were laughing at how we just gave the car to someone we just met the day before and only knew his trail name. Yet, our intuition knew with certainty the car would be there.
I love the physical challenge of the trail, but the people I meet and the cultural experience is what keeps me motivated to come back again and again.
I agree entirely. The big failure of Bill Bryson's book was that he failed to see this side of the trail at all. Perhaps his only failure in an otherwise fine account of trail life, and trail issues. That's also why I dislike the cynics who keep sighting the rare contrary incident, and post about the need to trust no one, or no situation. My rule is to do the opposite. To trust all. The contrary incidents are so few as to be insignificant in the overall scheme of things.
The trail community is pretty unique in my experience. Both those that walk the many miles, and the volunteers who keep the footpath open and cleared of brush and blow downs.
I remember vividly the comments of the environmental community when a bright young professor of chemistry took over the presidency of the Maine Appalachian Trail Club 40 years or so ago. "He's wasting his time," was the general consensus. "MATC is dying. The trail won't exist in 20 years."
Instead the trail remains and more vigorous than ever.
Sorry for the rant.
Weary
Slo-go'en
11-15-2010, 12:11
A day hiker once gave me the keys to his car so I could run into town and get some supplies. He just offered to let me use his car out of the blue after chatting with me for a few minutes. This was on one of my first really long AT section hikes back in '88 or '89 and occured in either NC or VA.
A few years ago a motel owner in Hiawassee let a friend and I borrow his van to get something to eat. We were both shocked. Thats unheard of outside of trail culture.
rpenczek
11-15-2010, 12:26
Sort of. Two years ago while hiking South from Hurricane Camp Ground to Damascus with my Indiana Boy Scouts, I contacted a local Boy Scout Scout Master who I had never met or talked to before and asked him to meet us at the trail head, take our three SUVs and gear trailer home with him for the week and then meet us in Damasucs at the end of our hike. Of course he did. We made a donation to their Troop (in the amnount we would have paid a shuttle).
For those places that don't have shuttle service, I recommend you contact the local Boy Scout Council, give them your contact info so they can pass it along to a local Troop and I bet they will help you out, the donation is up to you.
max patch
11-15-2010, 12:45
No way. Don't want exposure to liablity. Thank the lawyers.
Three personal experiences:
1) In 1980 a group of us, backpacking across the country, were given the use of a late model pick-up truck for an all-day excursion 50+ miles north of where we were hiking. Family had just overheard us talking in a restaurant, and volunteered it. This was in Kansas, not really an area where the hiking culture is all that understood.
2) In 2006, made shuttle arrangements here on WB for a trip in PA. I drove to my northern end point, other fellow drove to his northern start point (501 Shelter). He started hiking, I drove his car to Harpers Ferry and left it at the NPS lot for him. I hiked back north to my jeep. Had never met the man before I took off with his car.
3) Later that same trip in 2006. A group of thru hikers I hiked with were attempting to hitch a ride from Pine Grove Furnace to Gettysburg. A woman drove by, asked where they were going. They explained, she told them wait here, went home, got her husband and another vehicle, and brought her Caddy back for them to drive to Gettysburg.
People can be amazingly trusting.
Once I needed a shuttle out of Damascus. I can't remember her name but I talked to a girl who lived there and was a member here. She said she would give me a ride but the problem was that her car was busted. So I let her use my car for the week I was hiking in exchange for her giving me the shuttle. She treated my car just fine. I don't think that I ever did know her name.
The Solemates
11-15-2010, 14:15
on our thru we stopped by the rutland vermont hospital because my wife had developed bad acid reflux which turned into a small ulcer. one of our nurses gave us the keys to her car saying "just pick me up when i get off my shift". then she handed us the keys to her apartment with a map.
we had all day with her car, slept in her apartment the next night, and then went and picked her back up after she got off. we had 1.5 days with her car and access to her place.
insane, yes. would i do that? no. but what a trail angel!
A few years ago a motel owner in Hiawassee let a friend and I borrow his van to get something to eat. We were both shocked. Thats unheard of outside of trail culture. They often let hikers use their car. Miss them, but glad that Ron Haven owns the motel now.
They often let hikers use their car. Miss them, but glad that Ron Haven owns the motel now.
I think Ron was there actually.
fredmugs
11-16-2010, 17:38
2) In 2006, made shuttle arrangements here on WB for a trip in PA. I drove to my northern end point, other fellow drove to his northern start point (501 Shelter). He started hiking, I drove his car to Harpers Ferry and left it at the NPS lot for him. I hiked back north to my jeep. Had never met the man before I took off with his car.
People can be amazingly trusting.
:) Worked out great for me!!!
neonshaw
11-16-2010, 18:26
i dont think i would even with though most people are honest
theres always those few bad apples
After finishing the section of the PCT in 2009 I missed on a 2008 PCT thru-hike because of fire closure I found myself in Mt Shasta City needing a rider to Sacramento AP. Started talking to a VERY NICE lady while gnoshing at Wild Berry's Healthfood Market. She told me she needed her car(her sister's car actually that she borrowed) dropped off at the Sac AP. She said she would pay me gas and $150 to do it. I said, "yeah, I was heading upn that way anyhow!"
Problem solved!
Ox97GaMe
11-16-2010, 19:41
I have done this a couple of times. Having been around the hiking community for a number of years, I can say that it is getting relatively easy for me to spot the good apples from the bad ones. And for every good story you see posted here, or read about somewhere, there are probably a dozen bad stories.
When I did my thru hike in 97, I left my car at the hostel in Parisburg VA with instructions that it could be used by hikers to make runs into town for laundry, resupply, etc, and to shuttle hikers further up the trail. Only stipulation was that when the car was moved, the person contact my parents to let them know where I could pick up the car after my hike was over. I never knew (or even met) most of the folks that 'borrowed' my vehicle that year, but I was constantly kept abreast of its whereabouts. Occassionally, it would be waiting in a trail town for me when I got there. It became trail communal property and was well cared for. The car ended up at Abol Bridge 6 weeks ahead of me. It was a nice way to finish up my trail..... having my own car there waiting for me.
I will say that something of this nature could never have been planned out. Things like this just 'magically' happen on the trail. Ive heard all sorts of stories of similar nature. Boots, jackets, phones, driver's licenses, etc seem to have a way of reuniting with their owners when misplaced or accidently removed. It is a part of the trail community that a lot of folks never hear about or get to experience. It is part of what makes the trail what it is.
I have done this a couple of times. Having been around the hiking community for a number of years, I can say that it is getting relatively easy for me to spot the good apples from the bad ones. And for every good story you see posted here, or read about somewhere, there are probably a dozen bad stories.
When I did my thru hike in 97, I left my car at the hostel in Parisburg VA with instructions that it could be used by hikers to make runs into town for laundry, resupply, etc, and to shuttle hikers further up the trail. Only stipulation was that when the car was moved, the person contact my parents to let them know where I could pick up the car after my hike was over. I never knew (or even met) most of the folks that 'borrowed' my vehicle that year, but I was constantly kept abreast of its whereabouts. Occassionally, it would be waiting in a trail town for me when I got there. It became trail communal property and was well cared for. The car ended up at Abol Bridge 6 weeks ahead of me. It was a nice way to finish up my trail..... having my own car there waiting for me.
I will say that something of this nature could never have been planned out. Things like this just 'magically' happen on the trail. Ive heard all sorts of stories of similar nature. Boots, jackets, phones, driver's licenses, etc seem to have a way of reuniting with their owners when misplaced or accidently removed. It is a part of the trail community that a lot of folks never hear about or get to experience. It is part of what makes the trail what it is.
A great post. Except for the first paragraph. There are not, "for every good story you see posted here, or read about somewhere, ... probably a dozen bad stories."
There are certainly bad stories. But the general society remains good. And the subset hiking society even better. I spend my life these days working on trails, protecting land, and recruiting people and land donations to help in these endeavors.
I'm constantly amazed at how many respond positively. How few negatively. Despite the cynics, most people are inherently good. They are sometimes cripled by ignorance and exploited by those who prey on their ignorance. But whether they are rich or poor, I can always find a predonderance of allies in my efforts.
Weary
:) Worked out great for me!!!
Hey Jeff, how's it going?
Wise Old Owl
11-16-2010, 22:55
how about this....
Hell NO.
what if they commit a crime and up to now you have been duped? you have no idea who you loaned that car to. These
days of fake licenses and fake id's...
I got screwed this year by a Tennant who my son knew some 7 years. His best Friend. I was this close to having my home searched by police for something he did several towns away. I don't care how good you are about character. You need a thick skin and some damn Savy.
I met a past thru hiker at Pinkham Notch this year. She asked if I wanted a place to stay and get cleaned up, I told her I was with two others and she said no problem. She took us to her very nice condo in North Conway. There ended up being about eight of us there. When we got up the next morning, the weather had turned to crap and she encouraged us to take a zero at her place. Not only that, but she went back to Pinkham several times throughout the day and picked up other hikers. The second night there were around 15 of us.
Her car was available to all of us at any time for any reason, as long as the driver wasn't intoxicated.
There are some damn nice people on and around the trail.
Wise Old Owl
11-16-2010, 23:11
Well Pony I understand some people are great like that, and I wish I could accept folks and I generally do... then something like what I posted happens - you get burned in ways we cannot expect.
Well Pony I understand some people are great like that, and I wish I could accept folks and I generally do... then something like what I posted happens - you get burned in ways we cannot expect.
I've been burned by people I trusted before, and I suspect it will happen again. But everytime I think I've lost faith in humanity, somebody does something that amazes me. There are good people out there, you know that. I just hope that one dispicable act doesn't make you want to never trust people.