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lobster
12-28-2004, 19:08
What do you think it is? Also, do thru-hikers have much to do with shaping the public's perception?

SGT Rock
12-28-2004, 19:09
From the perception of most of my non-hiking family it is a wild place no one wants to go. Other than that they don't give it much thought.

The Old Fhart
12-28-2004, 19:14
Gee, Lobster, you've managed to raise inanity to an art form.......

minnesotasmith
12-28-2004, 19:31
80+% of people have never heard of the AT. Most that have heard of it are older and/or better-educated than most, and have zero desire to ever hike it, considering it crazy, pointless, terribly dangerous, and as uncomfortable as being in the infantry in the military in wartime. A few younger (under age 35) people say "That sounds neat!" when they are told about it in some detail, but virtually NONE of them show any desire to actually hike it themselves. The only girlfriends I have had that I told about the Trail that showed some interest in going with me on a thru-hike were ones that didn't want me out of their sight for that long, worrying that hazards on the Trail (or hiking females) would become issues if they weren't there with me.

Footslogger
12-28-2004, 19:37
Out here in Wyoming the general awareness of the AT is pretty low. The local newspaper in Laramie did a feature on my 2003 thru-hike and you would have thought I climbed Everest or something more extreme like that. Not that a thru-hike isn't something to write about ...but if you saw the newspaper article you'd understand.

I'd have to say that perception depends a great deal on awareness and once you start to get further and further away from the Appalachian corridor there are fewer and fewer people who are familiar with the AT and what's involved in hiking it.

Before I relocated to Wyoming I lived in the Atlanta area and I'd have to say that the awareness level regarding the AT was relatively high and most people I know had a positive perception of people who thru-hiked the AT. As evidence of that I would sight the large number of people who live near or around the trail and provide hikers with rides in/out of towns and often even offer them food and lodging.

'Slogger
AT 2003

Lone Wolf
12-28-2004, 19:40
99% of the "public" in the world could give a rats ass about the AT. It's just a walking path.

lobster
12-28-2004, 19:40
Minnesota,

"80+% of people have never heard of the AT. Most that have heard of it are older and/or better-educated than most, and have zero desire to ever hike it, considering it crazy, pointless, terribly dangerous, and as uncomfortable as being in the infantry in the military in wartime. "

This ties in with my other post. If everyone finds out about all the amenities, will they come to hike the whole AT in droves or be turned away from it because they won't perceive the AT as wilderness or a thru-hike as a true challenge or accomplishment?

minnesotasmith
12-28-2004, 19:59
"If everyone finds out about all the amenities, will they come to hike the whole AT in droves or be turned away from it because they won't perceive the AT as wilderness or a thru-hike as a true challenge or accomplishment?"

I'd say that there are fewer purists in the nation (who would be offended by the AT getting easier to thru-hike) than there are soft people who might be more likely to consider hiking the AT if it were easier. However, the hills and distance, the majority of the rain and nights in the woods, etc., will still be there regardless. I would guess that the impact of increased Trail amenities on hiker #s will be minor, but towards more people hiking. The purists can always go do the CDT, one of the little-known trails in Canada, or (as I'm going to) do cross-state hikes in Alaska, if the AT gets too wimpy and crowded for them -- and probably will.

Footslogger
12-28-2004, 20:16
All the amenities in the world aren't going to make a thru-hike of the AT a "wimpy" experience. Sure ...some may be drawn to the appeal of a brief hike followed by a stay in town with showers, TV, bars and restaurants. But no one is gonna convince me that the population of hikers who set out and successfully cover the AT from END TO END is going to increase for that reason.

In my opinion, any real increase in "thru-hikers" will occur due to awareness among the population of those who are attracted to this type of experience. The reasons that people thru-hike the AT will always stay the same for the most part. Any measurable increase in thru-hiker traffic will have nothing to do with the availabiliy of niceties along the trail.

The number of steps, the number of miles and amount of time required will always dictate the relative difficulty of hiking the AT from END TO END ...and not the extra-curricular activities.

Nuff said ...

'Slogger
AT 2003

Grampie
12-28-2004, 20:48
Footslogger you "hit the nail on the head". You have to do it to understand.
Grampie-N->2001 :)

Nameless
12-29-2004, 05:32
It can be the other way too... I'm the girl, i'm the one with a deep want to do the trail, and the boyfriend is trailing along... I'm just a girl, so i'm not good enough to do it alone.

pink


The only girlfriends I have had that I told about the Trail that showed some interest in going with me on a thru-hike were ones that didn't want me out of their sight for that long, worrying that hazards on the Trail (or hiking females) would become issues if they weren't there with me.

Flash Hand
12-29-2004, 05:54
Minnesota,

"80+% of people have never heard of the AT. Most that have heard of it are older and/or better-educated than most, and have zero desire to ever hike it, considering it crazy, pointless, terribly dangerous, and as uncomfortable as being in the infantry in the military in wartime. "

This ties in with my other post. If everyone finds out about all the amenities, will they come to hike the whole AT in droves or be turned away from it because they won't perceive the AT as wilderness or a thru-hike as a true challenge or accomplishment?

I think maybe today, people have easy choices than before. Today, if they want to choose to have their hikes more fun and enjoyable, they can choose AT. If they want their hikes to be more challenging, no trail magic, less hostels, they can choose to hike either PCT or CDT. Obviously, more thru hikers want to hike the AT because they find them more enjoyable with amentities than CDT and PCT. Would it be more boring if all three trails comes with same character?

So, answer to your question, the better media technology have comes today, i.e. internet, satellite dishes, cables, etc., and the more people understand the purposes and uses of AT. A lot of people know more about AT than people during the Earl Shaffer's first thru hike. What we need to feed information to those people are, the benefits, the life before and after, and how safe is it to thruhike. Many people's first react about 2,174 miles thru hike is mainly most about the dangerous of wildlife, and how we can be able to find food along the AT.

The more education comes out, the better understanding will come toward Appalachian Trail and thru hikers.

Flash Hand :jump

Footslogger
12-29-2004, 11:44
I think maybe today, people have easy choices than before. Today, if they want to choose to have their hikes more fun and enjoyable, they can choose AT. If they want their hikes to be more challenging, no trail magic, less hostels, they can choose to hike either PCT or CDT. Obviously, more thru hikers want to hike the AT because they find them more enjoyable with amentities than CDT and PCT. Flash Hand :jump========================================
Gotta disagree with you about the above statement. Can't prove it but I'd submit that a thorough survey of past/present AT thru-hikers would NOT site the choice of hiking the AT over other trails as having been based on the "ease, fun or enjoyment" factor.

If someone wants to hike the AT they tend to hike the AT and if they want to hike out west they choose the CDT or PCT. Then again ...some hikers who complete the AT and still have an urge to distance hike choose the CDT or PCT ...or totally vice versa.

I know and have talked to many hikers who have completed one or more of the above listed trails and I know that none of them chose a trail to hike based on whether or not that specific trail did or did not offer "amenities".

Anyhew ...just a different perspective.

'Slogger
AT 2003

neo
12-29-2004, 13:20
It can be the other way too... I'm the girl, i'm the one with a deep want to do the trail, and the boyfriend is trailing along... I'm just a girl, so i'm not good enough to do it alone.

pink

nameless you are good enough,no body is truely alone on THE TRAIL
every body are more like family,some of my greatest experinces with people
in life have been on the trail,fellow hikers,doesnt matter if they are thru hikers,section,hikers or weekend warriors,our love for the trail is what binds us together,have met so many wonderful people in all the towns,life is good
:sun neo

wacocelt
12-29-2004, 13:48
If anything is going to cloud the publics opinion of the AT it will be them mistaking trolls like you for an actual part of the trail community on sites like this. Your flaming masked as concern for the publics opinion is thinly veiled and rather tiresome.

Toolshed
12-29-2004, 19:52
Most folks I know have no concept of the trail - Many are golfers and think it is a horrible "deliverance" type arena that is flush with hillbillies and wild animals willing to attack at a moments' notice.
My idiot Bank President Brother-in-law on the other hand, deserves a darwin award.
I took him and my 3 nephews (10-14) for an overnight between Fox Gap and DWG. I provided all the gear for them (Yeah I have a lot of extra stuff). The first morning they were repacking their packs and I saw this baggy filled with about $20 in change - It weighed about 2 lbs. (They didn't bring much water that night due to the spigot right at Kirkridge, so it didn't occur to me to check how many water bottles they actually brought, as I told them to bring at least 3-16 oz bottles each)

I asked my BIL why the heck he brought all the heavy change and he said very casually "for the soda machines that we pass today". I questioned him further and he admitted he thought the AT was paved all the way to Maine and that there were vending machines, toilets and water fountains every few miles.
Boy was he in for a surprise!!

SGT Rock
12-29-2004, 19:58
True, I often get asked what sort of gun I carry because of hillbillies, bears, snakes, and brigands at the trail heads. My last hike I was asked if I was going to take a cell phone to call for help if I got snowed in. I had to explain to the guy that there would probably not be any coverage, and if I was snowed in up in the mountains, that a rescue team would have to wait for the weather to clear to hike in, which would be the same weather I would wait for to hike out. My non-hiking friends that have heard of the AT think it is wilderness for sure.

Another thing I have noticed that even in some trail towns like Pearisburg, some of the locals haven't even heard of the trail that goes right throught the town.

wacocelt
12-30-2004, 12:52
In 2000 I was asked several times how much climbing gear I carried and if I was prepared for avalanches, mind you, this was in August/September.

zephyr1034
12-30-2004, 21:20
What do you think it is? Also, do thru-hikers have much to do with shaping the public's perception?======================================= ======================
For most people, the Trail is invisible. Think about it. Unless you know what to look for (white blazes, etc), you could whiz by a road crossing every day for 30 years and never even know it's there.

One misconception the public has is that the AT was an old Indian warpath. The Indians weren't stupid; the path of least resistance was through the valleys, not along the ridgetops.

Another one is that hikers constantly have to fight off wild animals. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my.

And crime, due to a few unfortunate and well publicized murders.

Tom

FatMan
12-30-2004, 21:49
Public's perception of the AT? It's not even on the public's radar screen.

I live within 80 miles of Springer in Metro Atlanta. Maybe 5% of the folks in my town have heard of it and maybe 1% knows that it starts here in Georgia. Less than .05% have ever stepped foot on it. Only those .05% would even know what a through hiker is.

Crash
12-31-2004, 13:00
I had a coworker who did go hikig on the AT because hevthought u had to pay to usebit. lol

weary
12-31-2004, 13:20
If everyone finds out about all the amenities, will they come to hike the whole AT in droves or be turned away from it because they won't perceive the AT as wilderness or a thru-hike as a true challenge or accomplishment?

Neither. The so called amenities if anything are a detriment. But it's silly to suggest that some one is going to make a 2,174 mile hike because someone is likely to be found at trailheads offering a soda or a cup of coffee and a donut. Most thinking people find that an embarrassment, not an inducement.

Nor are hostels a logical deciding factor. We all appreciate a chance for a shower after walking a week. But surely the chance to sleep on bunks in a converted garage, or on the floor of a church or in a shack at Rustys isn't going to figure very strongly in a decision to take six months off from family, friends and job for a walk in the woods.

Weary

LIhikers
12-31-2004, 14:36
I have a funny story about the public's perception of the trail from last years section hike in Pennsylvania. My wife and I were on our last day of a 2 week hike and were headed southbound toward Boiling Springs, PA. At the edge of the farm field we were walking through there was a road that we had to cross. A woman stops her giant SUV as we stepped foot onto the road and asks us if we were hiking on the Appalachian Trail. MY wife told her that yes we were and the woman then asks "where does it go?" I point back over my shoulder and tell her that "in that direction it goes to the state of Maine" and my wife points straight ahead and says "in that direction it goes to the state of Georgia". The driver sat in her car expressionless for a few seconds and then asked us where we were going. We told her that we were on our way to Boiling Springs. She asked us if we meant the Boiling springs with the duck pond. We told her yes, that the trail goes right along the pond. Then she started to carry on saying things like "OMG I cant believe you're going to walk all the way to Boiling Springs" and Boiling Springs is too far to walk to, let me give you a lift". We politely declined the ride and held straight faces until she was gone, then me and my wife burst out laughing at the woman. The idea that you could walk from Georgia to Maine (or the other way around) was so incomprehensible to her that she didn't react when we told her that's where the trail went. But once we mentioned a town that she could relate to the idea of walking there seemed impossible to her. :o

Blue Jay
12-31-2004, 19:10
I like your story as it illustrates exactly how the public would feel about the AT if they knew about it. The average thru walks in 20 minutes what the average American walks in a WEEK.

lobster
12-31-2004, 21:08
Weary,

"Nor are hostels a logical deciding factor. We all appreciate a chance for a shower after walking a week. But surely the chance to sleep on bunks in a converted garage, or on the floor of a church or in a shack at Rustys isn't going to figure very strongly in a decision to take six months off from family, friends and job for a walk in the woods. "

I didn't say the amenities made people attempt a thru-hike. I said that a higher % of those that start a thru-hike wouldn't finish if they had less instances of spirit lifting trail magic or easy opportunities for that soft bed, etc.

Crash
01-01-2005, 23:51
I had a coworker who didnt go hiking on the AT because he thought u had to pay to use it. lol

sorry about that - i was sleepy when i wrote that.

AbeHikes
01-19-2005, 13:01
The only girlfriends I have had that I told about the Trail that showed some interest in going with me on a thru-hike were ones that didn't want me out of their sight for that long, worrying that hazards on the Trail (or hiking females) would become issues if they weren't there with me.
Is that a real problem out there? Hiking females showing interest?

Blue Jay
01-19-2005, 14:06
Is that a real problem out there? Hiking females showing interest?

There is for MS, he's such a stud.

SeaJay
01-19-2005, 14:25
When I recently told my family that I am planning on thru-hiking the AT alone this year, I received a mixed reaction. While my parents were supportive, my brother took it upon himself to try to convince me that it was madness to do this by myself. He posted a thread about it on a survivalist type web site asking their thoughts and there were some pretty interesting responses regarding whether or not they thought I could make it. (Since being alone and female is an obvious recipe for DISASTER!!!:) ) In all fairness to them, he didn't tell them of any of my previous hiking experiences (alone or otherwise) or education. Here are some of my favorite comments that are definitely good for a laugh:

"Buy a life insurance policy on her, naming yourself as the beneficiary."

"...advise her to make sure she leaves her fingerprints, a recent picture, and a DNA sample on file, just in case they're needed to identify her. Not trying to be too gory, but bad things can and do happen, even to people who ignore them(or should I say ESPECIALLY to people who ignore them). Burying her head in the sand won't make reality go away."

"women are strange and sometimes bullheaded creatures..."

"BTW - alone? With all due respect to you and her: Tell her to join the Marines!"

"If she were to carry a gun, I say good for her. But it sounds like she's an idiot, so I would worry if I were you."

While these comments are representative of a very narrow demographic, you can see how much the people that posted these comments know about the AT as well as other subjects.

SGT Rock
01-19-2005, 14:51
That example sort of shows how everyone has their world view and how the trail may fit into it, and often it is based at what point they start from in their everyday life. For these guys it sounds like a great survivalist adventure for those indoctrinated into the lifestyle. For others it involves needing a cell phone to stay connected, a gun to be protected, a dog for companionship, etc. I have actually talked to people that think the trail should be easy and paved so eveyone has the chance to experience it. Some that believe that you would need a fishing pole since just walking in the woods would be boring since he is a fisherman. Another party animal friend of mine only was concerned about how to get as much drinking and party time in while doing a thru.

The Gnome
01-19-2005, 18:13
Quote: “Another thing I have noticed that even in some trail towns like Pearisburg, some of the locals haven't even heard of the trail that goes right through the town”

Recent conversation with a native of Pearisburg (perfectly true):

“So where you’all from?”

“I live about five miles from Dulles Airport” – Blank stare.

“You know, the International Airport for D.C.” – Blank stare.

“Washington D.C. ?” – Blank stare.

“The nation’s Capitol??” – Blank stare.

“About 100 miles north of Richmond???” – “O’h O.K.”

Perhaps it’s a good thing that so few people know about the A.T., otherwise it would be a lot more crowded than it already is!