Are there 'old school' thru-hikers left?

[raeba]

I'm curious how many old school (some read true) thru-hikers are left out there.

Are any of you still doing it without checking into motels and eating in restaurants?

Thanks.

Raeba

[Gray Blazer]

I'm old and I work in an old school. I don't know if that qualifies me for old school. When I'm on the trail I use an old, old school janssport backpack (I bought it from Winton's antiques and combined it with my sister's old school backpack she carried from FL to OR in the late 70's) and I can't afford to eat out and stay in motels very much.

[Gray Blazer]

Whoops, I just read your post again and I'm not a thru hiker. Bad Music Teacher!!(Slaps own hand).

[Grampie]

I guess I could be considered "old school." I'm 70 years old, use a external frame pack and hike with leather hiking boots. Unfortunately I still like to sleep in an airconditioned motel, take a shower and eat in a resturant every 4-6 days on the trail.

[Lone Wolf]

I'm curious how many old school (some read true) thru-hikers are left out there.

Are any of you still doing it without checking into motels and eating in restaurants?

Thanks.

Raeba

I have never met or known of any thru-hikers that didn't eat at any restaurants or didn't stay in a motel.

[Footslogger]

[quote=raeba]I'm curious how many old school (some read true) thru-hikers are left out there.

Are any of you still doing it without checking into motels and eating in restaurants?
=========================================
I think of myself as "evolved old school". Guess I don't associate "old school" with avoidance of motels and restaurants. I keep em to a minimum but when it feels right I don't fight it.

'Slogger

[Just Jeff]

I'd imagine one of the reasons "old school" hikers didn't frequent motels and restaurants so much is that there weren't so many convenient options. If Earl had a Red Lobster instead of a gas station, he might have partaken.

[raeba]

I have never met or known of any thru-hikers that didn't eat at any restaurants or didn't stay in a motel.

I have. I'm one! This is not to say that I don't do those things now - at times. However, my only thru-hike that I count is the one that I did without any motels, retaurants, rides... It's just a personal thing for me - so I'm not stating this for everyone. I'm a big believer in HYOH and FYOB (Float Your Own Boat).

I really like the fact that I slept on the trail and ate out of my pack for the whole trail. Others don't feel the same way and that is ok. Besides when your tired and starving, the smell of pizza will drive you crazy...

Raeba

[raeba]

I'd imagine one of the reasons "old school" hikers didn't frequent motels and restaurants so much is that there weren't so many convenient options. If Earl had a Red Lobster instead of a gas station, he might have partaken.

That is certainly true for some.

Raeba

[Mags]

I'd imagine one of the reasons "old school" hikers didn't frequent motels and restaurants so much is that there weren't so many convenient options. If Earl had a Red Lobster instead of a gas station, he might have partaken.

I was looking at "The Appalachian Trail: Calling Me Back to The Hills". The text is by Earl Shaffer and it is of his 1998 thru-hike.

In the book Earl complains that the trail does not go through sporting camps or towns like it used to!

So..no Red Lobster, but the first thru-hiker certainly did like his meals at sporting camps and in town!

[Mags]

I have. I'm one!

Well..that makes you "new school" then since the first thru-hikers ate in town.

[raeba]

Well..that makes you "new school" then since the first thru-hikers ate in town.

Well, that's subjective and a matter of sematics, but I'll give you that. Let me explain...

There are literally hundreds of people who have successfully hiked the AT without being in the new groups/circles that have emerged.

They don't appear in books, logs, documentaries, guides, and such. I've hiked along with some in the 70's like this.

There is so much more about AT hikers that is not mainstream. I've know people who have yo-yo'd the AT and don't even have a trailname nor seek or desire any public recognition for it.

I'm a little bit more social than that. But I still consider my thru-hike without the aid of motels and restaurants as my authentic thru-hike (for me). To each their own.

Reaba

[Tabasco]

But I still consider my thru-hike without the aid of motels and restaurants as my authentic thru-hike (for me). To each their own.

Reaba

Just as all those dreaded circle / expedition thru hikers consider theirs as THEIR AUTHENTIC THRU HIKE (for them).

[Moxie00]

Earl is the oldest, he ate in town or in camps. Grandma Gatewood was a world class Yogi. Ed Garvey never turned down a meal so I don't know what you are refering to as old school, Hank has hiked the trail at least 5 times but completed his first thru in 2001 or 2002, Hank doesn't carry a tent and didn't stay in shelters and rarely hostels. He carried a bivy and just walked off the trail and found a flat spot. He didn't eat in town but I don't think he was old school, just a guy with little money and a desire to hike and be left alone. Gary at the Bluberry Patch knows Hank well but most hikers have no idea who he is as he keeps to himself. I know him well and don't feel he thinks of himself as being of any school, just a hiker with a style unlike many others.

[Left Hand]

My goal is to limit my visits to hotels and restaurants; however, I don't expect to complete the trail without partaking in some well deserved zero days.

[Ender]

I'm curious how many old school (some read true) thru-hikers are left out there.

Are any of you still doing it without checking into motels and eating in restaurants?

Well, you're the first that I've heard of. Congrats on that accomplishment! It's a heck of a thing to be able to avoid all that while on the trail, given the fact that it's so easy to get. Not my thing, since I'm a huge (read: largest ever) town food junkie, but I really appreciate the level of difficulty it would add.

As far as the old school thing, I think it's just a semantic matter, and wouldn't get too caught up in that.

[Mouse]

I'm curious how many old school (some read true) thru-hikers are left out there.

Are any of you still doing it without checking into motels and eating in restaurants?

Thanks.

Raeba

Let's see, skimming the very early published journals:

Gene Espy (1951): "Many times I was invited to join the family for supper." "I ordered 10 slices of toast and syrup, a pint of ice cream and a milk shake" "After putting away six eggs, two orders of ham, two waffles, toast, grits, and a pint of milk, I staggered out and hit the trail" "I walked around to the front of the restaurant and went inside"

Dorothy Laker (1957):"I hitched to Hiawassee for a chicken dinner" "The trail descended into Hot Springs, where I arrived at 4:00pm and took a motel room for the night. I went out for supper and then returned to my room..." "I reached Damascus around four o'clock, took accomodations at a private guest house.."

Murray Chism and Edward Little (1959) "Lucky for us, Mrs Little was enthusiastic about the idea of chauffeuring the family car as a supply car...The car could serve another purpose. It could take us off the trail at least once a week. That would mean a hot shower..."

Orwin Allen (1960): "Every town along the trail was an opportunity for a complete restaurant meal" "We decided to live it up and registered for a $12 cabin..OH that shower was good!" "We signed the register in the town hall, then got a room at Mrs. Keebler's. We took all our clothes to the laundromat, ate a big dinner at Corny's, and then came back to the room to read our mail."

James Fox and PAul Gerhard (1963) "When convenient we might stay at a hotel, eat at restaurants, or visit the local laundromat"


Sounds just like now.

[raeba]

Well, you're the first that I've heard of. Congrats on that accomplishment! It's a heck of a thing to be able to avoid all that while on the trail, given the fact that it's so easy to get. Not my thing, since I'm a huge (read: largest ever) town food junkie, but I really appreciate the level of difficulty it would add.

As far as the old school thing, I think it's just a semantic matter, and wouldn't get too caught up in that.

Thanks. I know I'm not the first, and yes I do feel that it was an accomplishment - as do others do about their hikes, whether they eat in town or not.

Yeah, I'm not worried about the terms. People will grab someone's book and use it as the 'facts' in the matter.

VERY little has reached the books about hikers on the AT. Again, not everyone cares to be in them, and some have gone to great lengths to avoid ANY attention.

Raeba

[raeba]

Let's see, skimming the very early published journals:

Gene Espy (1951): "Many times I was invited to join the family for supper." "I ordered 10 slices of toast and syrup, a pint of ice cream and a milk shake" "After putting away six eggs, two orders of ham, two waffles, toast, grits, and a pint of milk, I staggered out and hit the trail" "I walked around to the front of the restaurant and went inside"

Dorothy Laker (1957):"I hitched to Hiawassee for a chicken dinner" "The trail descended into Hot Springs, where I arrived at 4:00pm and took a motel room for the night. I went out for supper and then returned to my room..." "I reached Damascus around four o'clock, took accomodations at a private guest house.."

Murray Chism and Edward Little (1959) "Lucky for us, Mrs Little was enthusiastic about the idea of chauffeuring the family car as a supply car...The car could serve another purpose. It could take us off the trail at least once a week. That would mean a hot shower..."

Orwin Allen (1960): "Every town along the trail was an opportunity for a complete restaurant meal" "We decided to live it up and registered for a $12 cabin..OH that shower was good!" "We signed the register in the town hall, then got a room at Mrs. Keebler's. We took all our clothes to the laundromat, ate a big dinner at Corny's, and then came back to the room to read our mail."

James Fox and PAul Gerhard (1963) "When convenient we might stay at a hotel, eat at restaurants, or visit the local laundromat"


Sounds just like now.

If you read what I said - THE PEOPLE I AM REFERRING TO ARE NOT IN THE BOOKS.

Raeba

[raeba]

Let's see, skimming the very early published journals:

Gene Espy (1951): "Many times I was invited to join the family for supper." "I ordered 10 slices of toast and syrup, a pint of ice cream and a milk shake" "After putting away six eggs, two orders of ham, two waffles, toast, grits, and a pint of milk, I staggered out and hit the trail" "I walked around to the front of the restaurant and went inside"

Dorothy Laker (1957):"I hitched to Hiawassee for a chicken dinner" "The trail descended into Hot Springs, where I arrived at 4:00pm and took a motel room for the night. I went out for supper and then returned to my room..." "I reached Damascus around four o'clock, took accomodations at a private guest house.."

Murray Chism and Edward Little (1959) "Lucky for us, Mrs Little was enthusiastic about the idea of chauffeuring the family car as a supply car...The car could serve another purpose. It could take us off the trail at least once a week. That would mean a hot shower..."

Orwin Allen (1960): "Every town along the trail was an opportunity for a complete restaurant meal" "We decided to live it up and registered for a $12 cabin..OH that shower was good!" "We signed the register in the town hall, then got a room at Mrs. Keebler's. We took all our clothes to the laundromat, ate a big dinner at Corny's, and then came back to the room to read our mail."

James Fox and PAul Gerhard (1963) "When convenient we might stay at a hotel, eat at restaurants, or visit the local laundromat"


Sounds just like now.

By the way, you cannot believe that a person or two from each year speaks for ALL? IT IS WELL-KNOWN THAT MANY PEOPLE ATE IN RESTAURANTS.

I guess you're caught on my use of the term 'old school.' I should have picked a better term that doesn't have such subjective meaning. Old school doesn't always refer to being 'real old.'

So, I apologize for the term, let's move on and understand the overall meaning:

Are there many AT thru-hikers hiking the trail today without the aid of hotels, restaurants...?

Raeba