Dakota Joe is all right!

**Pages** · 02-28-2014, 10:16

i just drove up to the hostel in hot springs to bring dakota joe and his hiking companion phillip from germany some trail magic. Though younger than i expected, dakota joe struck me as a good guy. i think his heart is in the right place and he tries as much as he can with what he has. he just doesn't have a lot.

he made it to hot springs, through the smokys in february, so he is definitely tenacious and goal oriented, though i think he knows he has a very hard task ahead of him.

if you happen to meet him on the trail or at a hostel, be nice and don't necessarily believe all the negative hype about him.

btw, i will be heading out tomorrow from neels gap going north and hope to meet a lot of you out there!

pages

http://carlflammbooks.blogspot.com

**saltysack** · 02-28-2014, 10:24

Who is dj?

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**sadlowskiadam** · 02-28-2014, 11:01

Good to hear. I read quite a bit of negative posts on this site and others about Dakota Joe. Not sure it was necessary. Like Joe, I definitely was a bit cocky and rough around the edges when I was in my early 20's (who wasn't?), yet I was able to mature and grow as a person. I wish the same personal growth for Joe while on the trail. Thru hiking is a humbling experience, which I'm sure he now knows first hand. He seems like a good guy, and I wish him the best.

**rocketsocks** · 02-28-2014, 11:05

Originally Posted by saltysack

Who is dj?

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Don't cha know? you better axe somebody!

He's just a man.

**mrcoffeect** · 02-28-2014, 11:05

go joe go :-)

**Lone Wolf** · 02-28-2014, 11:24

lookin' forward to meeting him when he reaches damascus. beers on me!

**wornoutboots** · 02-28-2014, 11:30

Nice post Pages!!! Keep on Keepin on DJ!!

**saltysack** · 02-28-2014, 11:38

Haaa now I remember...... Yo Yo Yo this is the vanilla ice of backpackers...I saw his videos on you tube. Very entertaining...

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**Odd Man Out** · 02-28-2014, 12:14

Originally Posted by sadlowskiadam

Good to hear. I read quite a bit of negative posts on this site and others about Dakota Joe. Not sure it was necessary. Like Joe, I definitely was a bit cocky and rough around the edges when I was in my early 20's (who wasn't?), yet I was able to mature and grow as a person. I wish the same personal growth for Joe while on the trail. Thru hiking is a humbling experience, which I'm sure he now knows first hand. He seems like a good guy, and I wish him the best.

The negative posts may not have been "necessary", but if they were referring to some of his previous behavior, then they may have been accurate. It would be great if he does turn things around and unfortunate if others don't give credit for that. For me, I don't like his writing style but I don't hold that against him. He probably doesn't like my writing style and probably doesn't hold that against me, so all is OK.

**Trebor66** · 02-28-2014, 13:16

Go Joe Go!!

**Foresight** · 02-28-2014, 17:42

DJ is the best thing going! Good on ya, Pages.

**bfayer** · 02-28-2014, 20:12

Originally Posted by Odd Man Out

The negative posts may not have been "necessary", but if they were referring to some of his previous behavior, then they may have been accurate. It would be great if he does turn things around and unfortunate if others don't give credit for that. For me, I don't like his writing style but I don't hold that against him. He probably doesn't like my writing style and probably doesn't hold that against me, so all is OK.

If I remember correctly most of the negative post were not directed at Dakota Joe (the person), but at "Team Dakota Joe" (who was not Dakota Joe). The member of "Team Dakota Joe" responsible for most of the pot stirring, has from my understanding been removed from the team.

The few negative posts that were directed at Dakota Joe were mostly referring to his previous adventures in "trail art".

As for whether the remarks were necessary, I guess that is all opinion, but from my point of view if you commit vandalism on public property, negative posts are more than appropriate. All that folks wanted to hear from him was a "My Bad, I'll go clean up my mess". Not that unreasonable of a request if you ask me.

The rest of the posts were mostly advice aimed at trying to keep him safe and hopefully successful. No matter how rough around the edges some of the folks on WB may be (me included), I have yet to see anyone that wants to see anyone get hurt or fail.

There is still some bad weather left to go for this winter, lets hope he and the other hikers out there get through it safely.

**Trebor66** · 03-01-2014, 11:32

Originally Posted by bfayer

If I remember correctly most of the negative post were not directed at Dakota Joe (the person), but at "Team Dakota Joe" (who was not Dakota Joe). The member of "Team Dakota Joe" responsible for most of the pot stirring, has from my understanding been removed from the team.

The few negative posts that were directed at Dakota Joe were mostly referring to his previous adventures in "trail art".

As for whether the remarks were necessary, I guess that is all opinion, but from my point of view if you commit vandalism on public property, negative posts are more than appropriate. All that folks wanted to hear from him was a "My Bad, I'll go clean up my mess". Not that unreasonable of a request if you ask me.

The rest of the posts were mostly advice aimed at trying to keep him safe and hopefully successful. No matter how rough around the edges some of the folks on WB may be (me included), I have yet to see anyone that wants to see anyone get hurt or fail.

There is still some bad weather left to go for this winter, lets hope he and the other hikers out there get through it safely.

I think bfayer is right on the mark with this post. With exception of DJ writing his name on signs and shelters he has never done anything wrong. It's worth mentioning that he has since done what he could to clean that mess up. There was a guy named "Murdock" who was running DJ's Facebook page for a while. He was the one that stirred everything up and had the pissy attitude, not DJ himself. Murdock has since been fired.

**Pedaling Fool** · 03-01-2014, 11:33

Originally Posted by saltysack

Who is dj?

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Same here...

**dmax** · 03-01-2014, 12:01

Well said brayed!

**dmax** · 03-01-2014, 12:02

I hate spell check...

**Trebor66** · 03-01-2014, 12:18

Originally Posted by Pedaling Fool

Same here...

Just search "Dakota Joe" on Whiteblaze and start reading. It's a long story.....

**kythruhiker** · 03-01-2014, 23:32

My personal opinion only, but hiking with a food stamp card (as he freely admits to) is sleazy, and most likely fraud. If you're able to hike the AT, you're able to WORK to pay your own way.

**Toon** · 03-02-2014, 00:07

Originally Posted by kythruhiker

My personal opinion only, but hiking with a food stamp card (as he freely admits to) is sleazy, and most likely fraud. If you're able to hike the AT, you're able to WORK to pay your own way.

My thoughts exactly.

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**kayak karl** · 03-02-2014, 01:00

i don't like seeing people put a hiker on a pedestal (unless it's me

). sure he has over come things in life and trying to do good, but I think there are more deserving hiker to support. there are a few vets out there that have sacrificed a lot for me the country in their lives . they didn't do drugs, jail time or vandalize the trail. i know that DJ is trying a 180 a i wish him all the best in his hike and recovery.
Kind of like the prodigal son's brother sermon

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