AT Etiquette and Unwelcome Company

[Moxie00]

It's late and I could go on for pages on this subject. About three months into my thru hike I was about to cross the Mason Dixon Line. I had hiked with a wonderful group so far and thought the world about everyone on the trail. We had become a family and sometimes I woulld have a partner for a week or so, theen we would drift apart and sometimes get together again a couple of hundred miles up the trail. By then everyone knew everyone within 20 miles of each other and as things go on the trail we were sort of a loose family. One very wet night in Md. I stopped at a shelter and Pat from Maine introduced me to "Russ". Russ was about my age and had started in Georgia in the spring. He lasted maby a week then quit and went home. I guess his wife was not pleased and nagged him so much for quitting that he went to Harpers ferry and startted north. I found him annoying from day one. He never left me, hiking about 10 feet behind me. He sang awful songs. I told him to shut up as he was scaring the wildlife so he driopped back to 20 feet behind me and kept singing. I told him to go ahead at one point as I wanted to hike alone. He went ahead but before i got 200 yards, there he was, sitting on a stump. He said,"just didn't want you to be lonely". I picked up my speed, practically running for miles. When we got to PenMar park he was beat and said he needed a break from the trail. I walked up to a couple having a picnic, introduced myself, and asked if they could drop Russ off at a motel. I felt I was rid of him and went on hiking into the night to put miles between us. A day later he was waiting for me at a road crossing, he had hitch hiked ahead to catch up with me. One night at a shelter he went to town and did his laundry. We all gave him money to purchase hot dogs, beer, and soda. One fellow was thirty cents short on his share and Russ had a real hissy fit. By now he had earned a trail name. AM, it stood for annoying man. Nothing changed for several days,I was hiking with a small group of friends and no matter what I did I could not shake AM. At Pine Grove Furnace a bunch of us went to dinner and left him behind, he never took the hint. I managed to get behind him just south of Boiling Springs. All my friends were planning so stay at trail angel, Mother Hen's house but I tented in a corn field rather than spend an evening with AM. Sometime during the night he decided the life on the trail wasn't for him and he went home. In the week or so he stuck to me I was nice and told him I wanted to hike alone, I insulted him, I even got nasty at times, I tried to ignore him and even toul him to ****** off a couple of times but he clung to me like I was a life preserver and he was a non swimmer in a very deep river. I can't give you any advice because nothing worked for me with AM. I'm sure he was no different in life than he was on the trail. He told me that in life he had worked alone in his own partner or secretary and had just retired. I feel sorry for AM because he was just plain lonely and in a strange enviroment but with hundreds of hikers on the trail in 2000 I just don'e know why this A** Hole adopted me.

[peanuts]

dances.... bravo...bravo
that was very funny!!!!

[Bravo]

It's late and I could go on for pages on this subject. About three months into my thru hike I was about to cross the Mason Dixon Line. I had hiked with a wonderful group so far and thought the world about everyone on the trail. We had become a family and sometimes I woulld have a partner for a week or so, theen we would drift apart and sometimes get together again a couple of hundred miles up the trail. By then everyone knew everyone within 20 miles of each other and as things go on the trail we were sort of a loose family. One very wet night in Md. I stopped at a shelter and Pat from Maine introduced me to "Russ". Russ was about my age and had started in Georgia in the spring. He lasted maby a week then quit and went home. I guess his wife was not pleased and nagged him so much for quitting that he went to Harpers ferry and startted north. I found him annoying from day one. He never left me, hiking about 10 feet behind me. He sang awful songs. I told him to shut up as he was scaring the wildlife so he driopped back to 20 feet behind me and kept singing. I told him to go ahead at one point as I wanted to hike alone. He went ahead but before i got 200 yards, there he was, sitting on a stump. He said,"just didn't want you to be lonely". I picked up my speed, practically running for miles. When we got to PenMar park he was beat and said he needed a break from the trail. I walked up to a couple having a picnic, introduced myself, and asked if they could drop Russ off at a motel. I felt I was rid of him and went on hiking into the night to put miles between us. A day later he was waiting for me at a road crossing, he had hitch hiked ahead to catch up with me. One night at a shelter he went to town and did his laundry. We all gave him money to purchase hot dogs, beer, and soda. One fellow was thirty cents short on his share and Russ had a real hissy fit. By now he had earned a trail name. AM, it stood for annoying man. Nothing changed for several days,I was hiking with a small group of friends and no matter what I did I could not shake AM. At Pine Grove Furnace a bunch of us went to dinner and left him behind, he never took the hint. I managed to get behind him just south of Boiling Springs. All my friends were planning so stay at trail angel, Mother Hen's house but I tented in a corn field rather than spend an evening with AM. Sometime during the night he decided the life on the trail wasn't for him and he went home. In the week or so he stuck to me I was nice and told him I wanted to hike alone, I insulted him, I even got nasty at times, I tried to ignore him and even toul him to ****** off a couple of times but he clung to me like I was a life preserver and he was a non swimmer in a very deep river. I can't give you any advice because nothing worked for me with AM. I'm sure he was no different in life than he was on the trail. He told me that in life he had worked alone in his own partner or secretary and had just retired. I feel sorry for AM because he was just plain lonely and in a strange enviroment but with hundreds of hikers on the trail in 2000 I just don'e know why this A** Hole adopted me.

Isn't Russ The Weasel???

[Jack Tarlin]

Mox, that's about the funniest damned thing I've read on WB in days and days!

Having hiked with Mox and knowing his personality, the idea of another hiker, especially a middle-aged guy, developing a rabid crush on Moxie absolutely boggles the mind.

[Trailwind]

Hike in front. Fart. Lots.

All that'll do is get you a trailname...

[hammock engineer]

look em' straight in the eye and tell em' to F CK OFF!

Got to love the simple advice.

If all else fails, get an early start and leave them in the dust. If others are around the shelter ask them to stall the other person for awhile, then tell them that they are killing your hike.

[ASUGrad]

Question: How do you creep someone out so badly, they leave you alone?

[Johnny Thunder]

Question: How do you creep someone out so badly, they leave you alone?

Haven't had to do this to a hiking buddy but sometimes I need to use this stuff on clingy women and constant-line-stepping-friends...

I'm italian-american and often use the mafia angle (also from Northern NJ). See: My Uncle Tiny just killed somebody. He's going to be staying with us for a while.

Sometimes I just flat out hit on dudes so they get uncomfortable and leave. (I'm a dude)

...I just got out of prison...

...the doctor says this flesh-eating disease isn't spreading but I don't buy it...

The last time there was a full moon out here I woke up the next morning covered in grass and my own feces devouring small game...

You get the picture.

If you've ever seen "The Fan" episode from the Tenacious D HBO Series then you'll understand...If someone is going to take the fun out of your woods experience so that they can be comfortable then you should take the comfort out of their experience with a little fun at their expense...Tent ridiculously close to them. Ask to trade sweaty clothing. Just out cling 'em.

Johnny

[sliderule]

Question: How do you creep someone out so badly, they leave you alone?

It's a natural talent that I have.

[Toolshed]

Mox, that's about the funniest damned thing I've read on WB in days and days!

Having hiked with Mox and knowing his personality, the idea of another hiker, especially a middle-aged guy, developing a rabid crush on Moxie absolutely boggles the mind.

Hell.....After reading it, I though Moxie was a smiokin' hot babe!!!!

[sliderule]

Having hiked with Mox.....

Tell us, Jack, how was Mox finally able to shake you?

[grysmn]

First tell the person in privite that the chemistry is wierd and you want some distance without making an issue. If the problem persists (the person claiming some sort of implied attachment, or confused about the change) Repeat step two in front of a third person. At this point you cannot be seen near the person, Others won't know what is going on). If the problem persists call a Ranger and agree to an mutually exclusive scheadule. Afterwards whatever you do never talk to that person or no one will help you. If you are seen around the person you will be thought of as a Drama Queen.

[Hoku]

Now I am totally going to have that song in my head on the trail...

[Ronin]

This is a time where that big Bowie/Rambo knife that everyone says to leave at home could prove useful. Just pull a Crocodile Dundee on their a**!

[smokymtnsteve]

1. Introduce them to your invisable friend.
2. Tell them your walking for all your HIV pos friends.
3. If you're female, tell them your sex change operation is almost finished.
4. If you're male, tell them your sex change operation is almost finished.
5. If you have had a sex change, tell them so.
6. Tell them about the space aliens.
7. Tell them about your super powers.
8. Tell them you're from NYC and they'd better fork off.
9. Pull out your false teeth.
10. Tell them you're John Gotti's daughter.

what is wrong with having HIV+ friends..lots of HIV+ folks hike and ar around U everyday in your life,,,maybe even at your dentist office,,,and certainly working at your local hospital

[Jester2000]

I am outraged! Outraged! That Smokymtnsteve is not offended at the implied insult to invisible friends!

[SGT Rock]

Ask them if you can have some alone time together

[superman]

LOL, it was easy. I just started telling anecdotes and like magic I was alone in the woods again. The very few who stayed on for more anecdotes were very sick puppies and turned out to be good friends.

[sliderule]

I just started telling anecdotes and like magic I was alone in the woods again.

No antidote like a good anecdote!!!

[Moxie00]

Tell us, Jack, how was Mox finally able to shake you?

Mox would never shake Jack, he is a great person to hike with and he has forgotten more long distance tricks than any 5 books on hiking I have read. I am old and slow, and even with burbon and camels Jack is a faster hiker. We started the 100 mile about the same time, he climbed Katahdin and I waved ti the summit from Abol Bridge knowing Jack was that far ahead of me at the end. If you ever get a chance to hike with one Baltimore Jack savor every minute of it. You will learn something.