"Folk happening" "Labor of Love " - I thought it was a hike.
Don't Drink the Kool-Aid!!!!Originally Posted by weary
Come on guys. It's just a walk in the woods for four months, by a group of strangers getting together to train in advance and to share expenses of a van to make the walk in some ways a little easier.
It wouldn't be my first choice. But I can certainly understand why it would be for some people. Better this way, than no way. Whoever goes will almost certainly find it a wonderful experience with some wonderful people.
I have zero experience with hiking with Warren. But by happenstance (well I delivered the lobsters) a couple of times I've had dinners with groups of alumni of a Warren walk at a hostel in East Andover in Maine. They were all great people and all enthusiastic about their trail adventures.
Frankly, I'd love to go along on the new "circle", but I currently have difficulty doing three-mile day hikes. And am pessimistic about doing 25 mile day hikes, even with two years to train.
Weary
Don't try to folking kid me it's an expedition.
"Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
Call for his whisky
He can call for his tea
Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan
Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.
are they roped together, single file, so nobody goes unaccounted for? maybe everybody holds hands while warren stands in as crossing guard at trail junctions and road crossings. i hope so, remember, safety first!
There's more than "just" one way to do the trail. The trade off for having most days slacked is the 25-mile/day thing . (I do not know how this is handled under winter conditions when it's really unwise to be out without all gear.) I sat with a young woman who had done Warren's Circle trek, asking questions, at a Gathering. She could not say enough good things about the experience. I had kinda expected her answers to be otherwise, but she was still under the spell of The Circle. It must be good.--Kinnickinic
You never know just what you can do until you realize you absolutely have to do it.
--Salaun
Of course it is good. It's been going on for years. We are a free country and participating in a reasonably free forum. I don't remember a critical comment on White Blaze from anyone who has participated. Think why that may be. Do you suppose that most may have enjoyed the adventure?
Weary
Whatever, if anything, that silly comment may be suggesting.
Think, maybe, that these have never been "winter conditions" "expeditions."
Weary:
You may not remember a critical comment here at Whiteblaze, but keep in mind not every former thru-hiker spends time here....or on the Internet at all.
I have no doubt that there are folks that have taken part in these "expeditions" who view them as positive experiences. I know this is true because I have met and spoken with people who feel this way.
On the other hand, there are some (and I've met and spoken with them) who feel otherwise.
The fact that Weary hasn't seen any former "expedition" participant make a critical comment here at Whiteblaze signifies very little. The vast majority of thru-hikers, either those who hiked under their own power (and on their own agenda/schedule) or those who did not.....the vast majority of thru-hikers don't post here, Weary. The fact that you've never seen any "expedition" member comment here really means nothing.
I assure you they've commented elsewhere......and frequently.
Jack,
Have you ever spoken to an Expedition Member(s) who spoke highly of their trip? Is yes, how many?
This is not a rhetorical question.
One think that is remarkable (and incontrovertible) about Warren's trips is the completion rate. Its extraordinarily high, and not at all a subjective metric, like 3rd or 4th hand recounting by a person with a very different world view.
Rick B
My conversation with her was in the time context of so much bickering about being "pure," etc., which was especially fostered by someone for whom such stuff was a make-or-break-deal, and I was comparatively new to the scene.
Sorry if my account of the exchange offended you,--Kinnickinic
You never know just what you can do until you realize you absolutely have to do it.
--Salaun
Well folks, this informative thread started out just fine, but is now on its way to hell.
It's sad that Warrens threads are usually hijacked and eventually ruined.
I've said my piece.......and now I'm done.
Hm.
So far it's been remarkably civil, informative, and balanced all things considered.
Skids
Insanity: Asking about inseams over and over again and expecting different results.
Albert Einstein, (attributed)
There's no room for discussion? A difference of opinion ruins it? Maybe you should think about possible reasons the vast majority of people have ready criticism for him.
I would imagine the expeditions have pretty high satisfaction and completion rates because Warren does a very good job of painting an accurate picture of what a thru-hike of the AT will be like, before they start. It's not hard to imagine that he has a pretty good idea of the experience after all the miles. I've talked to a few people who were members and they all had pretty good things to say about it.
The fact is, Warren offers an experience/"service" that is very desireable for a small population of people. It attracts people who may be physically unable to hike with 30-40 lbs on their backs, or people who may not want to rough it, like a traditional backpacker would.
I met their group in 05' in NJ when I was ridgerunning, near Blue Mtn Lakes Rd. I walked by and they weren't very friendly. I walked over to the summer camp and set up near one of the lean-to;s and a storm looked to be blowing in. They all flocked over with their van. They seemed to be like any other sub-sample of people: some very nice and friendly, some not so much. A few of the gents shared a lean-to with me. I do remember (as a ridgerunner of course!) that a few of the gents drank sodas in front of me, didn'toffer one, and then left it on the picnic table.
I did not meet Warren then. I did watch his video at this years Gathering and it seems apparent that they don't all walk together in single file. Seems people form smaller groups and walk together.
Overall, I don't have any issues with the expedition. It's an alternative to traditional backpacking. I think they miss out on the comraderie with other thru-hikers that makes hiking the AT so special, but I'm sure there own group breeds a nice group bond.
Anything's within walking distance if you've got the time.
GA-ME 03, LT 04/06, PCT 07'
It's just a folking joke Weary. You either folking get it or you don't.
"Sleepy alligator in the noonday sun
Sleepin by the river just like he usually done
Call for his whisky
He can call for his tea
Call all he wanta but he can't call me..."
Robert Hunter & Ron McKernan
Whiteblaze.net User Agreement.
I used to think that when I became old and infirm that slacking might be the way to go.
Then I realized that if Bob Barker and Bill Irwin can hike the trail then mere age would not be a barrier.
bob barker?
A 1987 thru-hiker who had MS. There's a photo of him on page 11 of this document.
Roland
Posting Permissions
