View Full Version : 2013 LOLz on the trail this year.
Did a ten day hike this year starting at Springer to NOC during the bulk of people. Met tons of amazing people and learned alot. Lots of funny, unprepared and over prepared hikers however.
Interesting things people started with/brought:
1. A Crossbow
2. A BB gun
3. A four person four season tent for a single hiker
4. Nothing but oats, beans, and honey to eat
5. 15 pounds of beef jerky to start
6. A Machette (people going to war on the trail I guess?)
7. Flare gun
Interesting fashion sense/gear choices:
1. Someone was at Springer parking lot in a full Carhart suit and a 50 pound pack
2. Someone at Springer started in shorts and a T-shirt with no rain gear during a torrential downpour where the temps dropped to below 30at night with 35+ mph winds
3. Someone hiking in blue jeans and carrying a guitar
4. Someone hiking in boxer briefs and a T-shirt
5. 70 pound pack
6. Saw someone hiking on a sunny day in Hard Shell pants.....? Didnt see anywhere to ski.....
My vote for early trail MVP:
Grandma Bee and her dog Ghost.... still dont know how the hell she got up Mt. Albert cliffs with her 40+ pound pack and that big white dog.
I'm sure others could add to this list.
I'll admit that a crossbow or a flare gun are a little over the top, but I hiked the whole LT in blue jeans, and saw plenty of guitar-carryin' hippies over the years. Folks make choices, and some like the heavy stuff, ounces be damned. Plenty wear long pants as tick protection, regardless of the weather. Didn't your Mama teach you it's not nice to make fun of people?
Some people need to grow thicker skin if a post like this is going to offend them. I know life on the trail is different than real life, but seriously.
It's just an observation of the trail for all of the cyber-hikers on this site.
I'd have to personally say that I think a pair of wet blue jeans on a below 32 day could turn into a dangerous situation as well. People need to use common sense sometimes and keep the guitars for day hikes, car camping, and back woods bar shows.
treesloth
05-14-2013, 10:45
I'll admit that a crossbow or a flare gun are a little over the top, but I hiked the whole LT in blue jeans, and saw plenty of guitar-carryin' hippies over the years. Folks make choices, and some like the heavy stuff, ounces be damned. Plenty wear long pants as tick protection, regardless of the weather. Didn't your Mama teach you it's not nice to make fun of people?
I'd have taken what the OP said more as observations than making fun of people. He didn't really make mention of anyone's speed or abilities that I can see... just some of their gear choices! So what. I'll just assume that you delete the "People of Walmart" emails as soon as you see them in your Inbox, without looking through them. Right?
fcoulter
05-14-2013, 11:40
Attn Guitar Players:
If you must make music on the trail, and you can't adapt to a smaller (lighter) instrument, then take a look at the following: http://www.guitarcenter.com/Martin-Steel-String-Backpacker-Acoustic-Guitar-100239719-i1167432.gc.
As a keyboard player, I have no such options. Maybe bring my clavichord (http://www.google.com/imgres?q=fretted+clavichord&sa=X&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&biw=1280&bih=819&tbm=isch&tbnid=WHOuVVXRMVKTpM:&imgrefurl=http://zhi.net/showroom/WCS-2007e.shtml&docid=_w2JCLdaQ32DIM&imgurl=http://zhi.net/showroom/WCS-2007e-1.jpg&w=550&h=413&ei=dVqSUbCoA4TW9QTixYFw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=577&vpy=128&dur=3642&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=131&ty=139&page=1&tbnh=146&tbnw=198&start=0&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0,i:92)? Double my pack weight, though. But a lot lighter than either a piano or an electronic keyboard and generator. (No, the picture isn't of my own clavichord. However, it's similar. Mine was a marriage present from my father.)
Some people need to grow thicker skin if a post like this is going to offend them. I know life on the trail is different than real life, but seriously.
It's just an observation of the trail for all of the cyber-hikers on this site.
I wasn't offended, but your "observations" looked an awful lot like judgements to me.
I wasn't offended, but your "observations" looked an awful lot like judgements to me.
You have been judged - and deemed to not have a sense of humor!
HikerMom58
05-14-2013, 17:28
It's interesting how ppl read things. I took it at face value... kinda like ppl watching. It's interesting how different peeps hike and what they decide to carry with them.. Fun thread!
Life would be so boring if we weren't all different & had different ways of doing things. Besides that, we live and learn.
I do worry about some hikers that could put themselves in danger tho....If they were really making poor choices b/c they were clueless. That's not fun or cool to watch.
The Greenman
05-14-2013, 18:21
Wow! After reading this thread I see I need to IMMEDIATELY jettison my 8 jumbo jars of nutella - and make room for that guitar!!
I must be missing something. Other than the four season tent when a three season works fine, whats on the list that is out of place?
hikerboy57
05-14-2013, 19:54
You have been judged - and deemed to not have a sense of humor!
the day i hiked into damascus, i met a sobo who had started last september 21 with a 117 lb pack, now entering tennesee with the pack weight down to around 70 lbs. i asked what he was carrying. he had some camera gear, and he asked me if i carried food?he carried 5 lbs of food/day, more than twice what i carried, but i was also carrying less than half the weight he was. i thought to myself "hes doing it all wrong",then smiled as i remembered he had already hiked some 1600+ miles vs my 450 miles. if he made it that far, well then i guess he can handle it just fine, thank you very much.
You have been judged - and deemed to not have a sense of humor!
the day i hiked into damascus, i met a sobo who had started last september 21 with a 117 lb pack, now entering tennesee with the pack weight down to around 70 lbs. i asked what he was carrying. he had some camera gear, and he asked me if i carried food?he carried 5 lbs of food/day, more than twice what i carried, but i was also carrying less than half the weight he was. i thought to myself "hes doing it all wrong",then smiled as i remembered he had already hiked some 1600+ miles vs my 450 miles. if he made it that far, well then i guess he can handle it just fine, thank you very much.
I thought I was the one doing it all wrong?
hikerboy57
05-14-2013, 20:53
I thought I was the one doing it all wrong?
no that was the skinny guy with the beard
atmilkman
05-14-2013, 21:03
Hey HB, what about the Friars Club? They were a little different. Did you see or hear of them anymore after the last time we saw them?
shucks, I don't have a g-tar to bring, can I cart my fiddle instead!?!? :)
hikerboy57
05-14-2013, 21:06
shucks, I don't have a g-tar to bring, can I cart my fiddle instead!?!? :)
definitely if its a bull fiddle
atmilkman
05-14-2013, 21:07
shucks, I don't have a g-tar to bring, can I cart my fiddle instead!?!? :)
Debbie you rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard.
hikerboy57
05-14-2013, 21:08
Hey HB, what about the Friars Club? They were a little different. Did you see or hear of them anymore after the last time we saw them?
most who started around that time that remebered them told me they were off trail in a few days. we knew that wuld happen, the only other options would have been rescue or death.no shelter no sleeping bags hardly any food, no packs, monks robes,, a machete and an ax?
kinda knew the outcome on that one
You have been judged - and deemed to not have a sense of humor!
I'm laughing on the inside, where it counts.
I'll admit that a crossbow or a flare gun are a little over the top, but I hiked the whole LT in blue jeans, and saw plenty of guitar-carryin' hippies over the years. Folks make choices, and some like the heavy stuff, ounces be damned. Plenty wear long pants as tick protection, regardless of the weather. Didn't your Mama teach you it's not nice to make fun of people?
Hey Deadeye, when did you do the LT? In sections or all at once? I ask this because I was at Congdon shelter one afternoon and was chatting with a few other hikers, when this guy walked through in blue jeans, and I think a flannel shirt, and was headed to Seth Warner if I remember correctly. The hikers I was talking to said they had talked to the guy earlier and he said he was finishing up his LT thru hike and was from VT. Don't know why I ask this, but when you said you did it in blue jeans, and I see that you are from Essex, I just had to ask...
fcoulter
05-15-2013, 10:07
shucks, I don't have a g-tar to bring, can I cart my fiddle instead!?!? :)
Fiddles are lighter than g-tars. Go for it.
Teacher & Snacktime
05-15-2013, 10:49
Didn't your Mama teach you it's not nice to make fun of people?
Truer words were never spoken, and this philosophy seems to be missing in a great deal of today's society, resulting in the
ubiquitous bullying in our schools and pervasive intolerance. But I don't think that it is Trance's intention to insult, but to point out the diversity of opinion and perception of those hiking the trail...a clear representation of the HYOH and "to each his own" philosophy. I see no judgement here, just observation. Not agreeing with another's choice, even good-natured fun-poking, does not necessarily indicate criticism. Viva la difference!
MDSection12
05-15-2013, 11:07
I love the thread! The goal of a thru-hike is to thru-hike, right? So they will be judged, but not on gear, on whether or not they complete. If they don't complete the thru then maybe that 90 lb pack was really 'wrong,' but if they do then it wasn't. I see no reason not to have a little fun conversation about odd choices, and I would love for someone to come in and say 'hey I'm the guy that had the four person tent and I loved the room to stretch out!' As long as he finishes the trail who will say he was 'wrong?'
As a keyboard player, I have no such options. Maybe bring my clavichord (http://www.google.com/imgres?q=fretted+clavichord&sa=X&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&biw=1280&bih=819&tbm=isch&tbnid=WHOuVVXRMVKTpM:&imgrefurl=http://zhi.net/showroom/WCS-2007e.shtml&docid=_w2JCLdaQ32DIM&imgurl=http://zhi.net/showroom/WCS-2007e-1.jpg&w=550&h=413&ei=dVqSUbCoA4TW9QTixYFw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=577&vpy=128&dur=3642&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=131&ty=139&page=1&tbnh=146&tbnw=198&start=0&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0,i:92)? Double my pack weight, though. But a lot lighter than either a piano or an electronic keyboard and generator. (No, the picture isn't of my own clavichord. However, it's similar. Mine was a marriage present from my father.)
What about a melodica?
Water Rat
05-15-2013, 11:12
I would have loved to have seen Tuba Man carry his tuba the length of the trail! Would not have been my personal choice for trail accessory, but everyone has their own idea of items they want with them on the trail. Ya know, that one thing they feel will make their hike that much better!
The sights along the trail definitely make for some great stories. :)
Hey Deadeye, when did you do the LT? In sections or all at once? I ask this because I was at Congdon shelter one afternoon and was chatting with a few other hikers, when this guy walked through in blue jeans, and I think a flannel shirt, and was headed to Seth Warner if I remember correctly. The hikers I was talking to said they had talked to the guy earlier and he said he was finishing up his LT thru hike and was from VT. Don't know why I ask this, but when you said you did it in blue jeans, and I see that you are from Essex, I just had to ask...
Well, when I did it in blue jeans, it was from 1969 to 1972. Almost everyone wore blue jeans then, or too-short cutoffs! I did it again in sections a few years ago, with nylon zip-off shorts (but I still had my frame pack!). A one-shot through hike will have to wait a few years until I retire.
Flannel Shirt? That's just plain wrong.:rolleyes:
...I don't think that it is Trance's intention to insult, but to point out the diversity of opinion and perception of those hiking the trail...a clear representation of the HYOH and "to each his own" philosophy. I see no judgement here, just observation. Not agreeing with another's choice, even good-natured fun-poking, does not necessarily indicate criticism. Viva la difference!
I might buy that, if not for the title of the thread: "2013 LOLz on the trail this year" which would certainly indicate an intent to make fun of or otherwise belittle his subjects, not merely observe them. Now I'm sure that it's all "good-natured fun-poking", just as my comment about his Mama's parenting was good-natured, but the folks on the other end of the poke might not see it that way.
Berserker
05-15-2013, 12:30
Interesting things people started with/brought:
1. A Crossbow
2. A BB gun
3. A four person four season tent for a single hiker
4. Nothing but oats, beans, and honey to eat
5. 15 pounds of beef jerky to start
6. A Machette (people going to war on the trail I guess?)
7. Flare gun
#1 & #6 might come in handy because if the show the Walking Dead is accurate there appears to be quite a few zombies down in GA.
fcoulter
05-15-2013, 15:52
#1 & #6 might come in handy because if the show the Walking Dead is accurate there appears to be quite a few zombies down in GA.
Wouldn't a flare gun also be useful? (I'm assuming that GA zombies are flamable like the ones north of The Wall.)
fcoulter
05-15-2013, 15:55
What about a melodica?
You mean I should blow air out after hiking a long day? I might as well sing!
(If I sang, the LNT people would probably strongly object, though.)