View Full Version : Love on the Appalachian Trail
Well yes, it exists. With fervor.
It's not something I would deny, but it's not something guaranteed. Just like life. And success. Or pleasure. Or....
I witnessed it -- love and being in-love -- on several occasions. People falling in love spontaneously on the Appalachian Trail. It was undeniable when I saw it. Love was plain as day.
You can not imagine the joy I saw from these folks. Overwhelming. Undeniable. Just plain happiness.
As for you, a prospective AT thru-hiker, finding love on the Appalachian Trail?
Certainly it's possible. Instances back that up in my observation.
Possibly the experience of going through something so life-changing together?
It wasn't necessarily that which I'd observed.
It was more of those who were made for each other showing up at the right time in the same place.
Really, not explainable. In a logical, scientific sort of way. Something you would see and say to yourself, "wow, those people have it in for each other."
And then you would see them up the Trail and you would say, "Those people are in love. There's no question."
And then, after the Trail, you would hear they had gotten married. And there would be great joy for them.
As if you knew it was simply inevitable.
Datto
I found love on a two way street
But lost it on a lonely highway
By the way, I don't necessarily equate this with sex on the Appalachian Trail. That, Ha, is certainly plentiful without the love part of the equation.
No, what I mean is something beyond just plain sex.
It's well, a little different to describe.
From the man's perspective I saw this: "I can not get through this without the strength of that woman."
From the woman's perspective I would see an absolute undeniable spark in her eyes about the man.
It seemed to be consistent.
I remember seeing men start their AT thru-hikes very independently and then begin to rely on a woman so whole-heartedly. As if intrinsic strength was gained though the woman.
Hard to tell, from a man's perspective anyhow, how a woman sees the world beyond the delight in their eyes when they are around the man they're in love with.
Whew, such energy I witnessed.
Datto
It6 must be a lonely night in Alpharetta for some.
Ha, no, not lonely at all.
Great freedom in the Trail. That, sometimes, is what I long for.
Datto
Wise Old Owl
09-13-2013, 22:00
http://whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/files/1/1/5/5/2/dscf2997.jpg\
The Amish love the Pinnacle and pulpit in Hamburg Pa - I saw several couples going up this year... I am a bit by the fact that the girls hike it barefoot!
Breaking Amish girls rule. :D
Along that same lines....
I don't necessarily think of women involved with long-distance hiking as being so overtly titillating necessarily (Ha, although that could certainly be debated in the backroads of my mind).
No it's more of a woman being very attractive in a different manner. Quite attractive.
Possibly easy for a man in the hiking community to understand but not so easy for someone outside.
An equal. An admiration as much as an equal as it is for an intrinsic physical attraction.
Example: I once hiked with a very physically attractive woman slightly younger than I who could simply hike me into the ground (with very little effort I might embarrassingly add, Ha). I found her attitude and viewpoints about life (explicit and intended) to be immensely attractive (not just about sex although enjoyment of sex was a major part of her life). She and I had talked quite a bit about that while she and I had hiked together and she and I had immense attraction between each other.
In other cases it was just about physical attraction exclusively and mutually. No commitments, no entanglements at all. The relationship was entirely about satisfaction in one form or another. That was okay too.
Others expected a relationship. I truly understood that viewpoint too. It was just so difficult to keep that alive while you're trying to complete 2,200 mile thru-hike. Not that it couldn't have been picked up after the AT thru-hike, but the "during" part was not going to happen for a man taking on such a challenge.
In any case, there is an immense attractiveness and admiration toward women who are long-distance hikers. Those women extract the essence out of life and seek the greatest experiences one can gain from taking on great challenges.
Datto
One of the most stunningly gorgeous women I've every encountered was a Mennonite woman [single] en bonnet in Berne, Indiana at the Palmer House Restaurant. Not a lick of makeup. Just a spontaneously gorgeous, attractive woman.
Not exactly sure what a Mennonite woman would think of these c7000 blade enclosures sitting here around me right now. The work of someone bad I'm sure -- needs a Mennonite Hadoop multiple choice questionnaire completed pronto. [Graeber, I know you're in there -- I said BEEP anyhow].
Datto
Back to the AT...
I had hiked with an attractive woman who was about 10 year older than I. We were both going through some of the worst heat of Virginia together. Man that was tough going.
She had, unbeknownst to me, flipped up to Katahdin and had headed south and I'd run into here out in the boondocks of New Hampshire on my way to Katahdin and a pancake house.
Quite an attractive woman that I would have like to have gotten to know better had I had the time. Uncoincidently., I ended up meeting her daughter at a United Way meeting sometime later in life. Boy that sure did have not-so-coincidental mental consequences of manly thought consequences.
How 'bout 'dem Bears!
Datto
Along that same lines....
I don't necessarily think of women involved with long-distance hiking as being so overtly titillating necessarily (Ha, although that could certainly be debated in the backroads of my mind).
No it's more of a woman being very attractive in a different manner. Quite attractive.
Possibly easy for a man in the hiking community to understand but not so easy for someone outside.
An equal. An admiration as much as an equal as it is for an intrinsic physical attraction.
Example: I once hiked with a very physically attractive woman slightly younger than I who could simply hike me into the ground (with very little effort I might embarrassingly add, Ha). I found her attitude and viewpoints about life (explicit and intended) to be immensely attractive (not just about sex although enjoyment of sex was a major part of her life). She and I had talked quite a bit about that while she and I had hiked together and she and I had immense attraction between each other.
In other cases it was just about physical attraction exclusively and mutually. No commitments, no entanglements at all. The relationship was entirely about satisfaction in one form or another. That was okay too.
Others expected a relationship. I truly understood that viewpoint too. It was just so difficult to keep that alive while you're trying to complete 2,200 mile thru-hike. Not that it couldn't have been picked up after the AT thru-hike, but the "during" part was not going to happen for a man taking on such a challenge.
In any case, there is an immense attractiveness and admiration toward women who are long-distance hikers. Those women extract the essence out of life and seek the greatest experiences one can gain from taking on great challenges.
Datto
One of the most stunningly gorgeous women I've every encountered was a Mennonite woman [single] en bonnet in Berne, Indiana at the Palmer House Restaurant. Not a lick of makeup. Just a spontaneously gorgeous, attractive woman.
Datto
I understand. You're probably right too that it would take another male long distance hiker to understand where you're coming from. Here's a big part of why I think you feel such admiration for females who also long distant hike or do something similar in the outdoors not only because are you connecting more because of having much of the same goals and lifestyle but because the facades and things we let ourselves be distracted with while in modern civilization as they pertain to relationships largely have fallen away when out long distance hiking. No longer are our relationships and attractions so driven by societal and cultural norms. In other words, things like high heels, face paint, the perfect dress, lingerie, friends, family, money, thickness of a man's wallet or the size of his house or what he drives, what we do for work, etc play less of a role when on a long distant hike. Another way of saying it is we become more authentic typically a lot less driven by egotism. Egos can be a huge hindrance at times.
MuddyWaters
09-14-2013, 03:16
Anytime men and women are together in close proximity, nature takes its course
Whether that be at work
or school
or even on the appalachian trail
stranger
09-14-2013, 05:24
Anytime men and women are together in close proximity, nature takes its course
Whether that be at work
or school
or even on the appalachian trail
Love doesn't have to occur between a man and woman...it's not 1950 : )
Love can exist anywhere between anyone, but for anyone seeking love on the AT, prepare to be disappointed, love comes to you, you can't find it in my experience.
rocketsocks
09-14-2013, 05:27
Back to the AT...
I had hiked with an attractive woman who was about 10 year older than I. We were both going through some of the worst heat of Virginia together. Man that was tough going.
She had, unbeknownst to me, flipped up to Katahdin and had headed south and I'd run into here out in the boondocks of New Hampshire on my way to Katahdin and a pancake house.
Quite an attractive woman that I would have like to have gotten to know better had I had the time. Uncoincidently., I ended up meeting her daughter at a United Way meeting sometime later in life. Boy that sure did have not-so-coincidental mental consequences of manly thought consequences.
How 'bout 'dem Bears!
Datto
Are you saying she had a Adams apple? a guy dressed up like a Sheila? Doot ta doot.
rocketsocks
09-14-2013, 05:32
Love doesn't have to occur between a man and woman...it's not 1950 : )
Love can exist anywhere between anyone, but for anyone seeking love on the AT, prepare to be disappointed, love comes to you, you can't find it in my experience.
oh so true...kinda surprised one of these bleeding hearts has yet to marry the AT.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2356774/Australian-woman-Jodi-Rose-marries-bridge-France--gets-mayors-blessing.html
Are you saying she had a Adams apple? a guy dressed up like a Sheila? Doot ta doot.
No, the women were both women in the truest sense of the word.
Datto
Not intending to offend anyone's sexuality but somehow that's what usually happens. People get so easily offended. Noticed two OBVIOUS cross dressing male hikers. I'm talking hairy legs. One had a mustache. One had a stuffed bra(I saw the tissue hanging out of his top). One in NJ. One in NV. The sighting in NJ was absolutely hilarious. He had the mustache, limped(I don't know why, I'm not going there), wore red pumps and a long dress w/ a flowered pattern - all while wearing backpacks, hiking a rocky trail, and mumbling away to himself. Gave me a big monster smile as I hiked past him and he undressed me with his eyes. Creepy. Se la vie.
Met and noticed(it was quite obvious to me) about 10 different same sex couples who hike. Mostly females. Some have been thru-hikers on the AT, PCT, LT, and JMT. A few of those female couples were some of the most hilarious hikers to be around in that they had great light hearted sense of humors. A few even gave themselves catchy trailnames that hinted at their relationships and sexual orientations.
Train Wreck
09-14-2013, 13:51
oh so true...kinda surprised one of these bleeding hearts has yet to marry the AT.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2356774/Australian-woman-Jodi-Rose-marries-bridge-France--gets-mayors-blessing.html
So far I haven't met any geographical or man-made feature on the AT that I'd care to marry. However, if it's possible, I would like to initiate divorce proceedings against the entire northern half of the Pennsylvania AT, on grounds of cruel, abusive, and unusual punishment.
Noticed two OBVIOUS cross dressing male hikers. I'm talking hairy legs. One had a mustache. One had a stuffed bra(I saw the tissue hanging out of his top). One in NJ. One in NV. The sighting in NJ was absolutely hilarious. He had the mustache, limped(I don't know why, I'm not going there), wore red pumps and a long dress w/ a flowered pattern - all while wearing backpacks, hiking a rocky trail, and mumbling away to himself. Gave me a big monster smile as I hiked past him and he undressed me with his eyes. Creepy. Se la vie.
LOL as you may know, the PCT has its fair share of cross-dressers. I guess that's the west coast for you :D This year there was a guy hiking in strappy white pumps, and last year a guy wearing a wedding dress. The old ladies at Warner Springs community center just loved talking about that one! (looks like wedding dress guy is on the CDT now!!)
http://www.sfbg.com/2013/09/10/pumped
http://hiking26.com/
I think the guy in white pumps on the PCT did it as a goof to draw attention to his cause and raise money. I don't think that person did it as part of his sexual identity.
I notice a fair share of male hikers in skirts but they're called kilts. I've never hiked in one but they look comfortable. I don't get so hung up on people's sexuality anymore but some things they do are pretty damn hilarious and still strange.
Valley Girl
09-14-2013, 23:15
Well that makes me smile! Being that there is hope I may find the love of my life on my 2014 hike-thru makes it even more exciting, hehe. Do what you love to do and love will find you!