Lurkers are cool!

[The Weasel]

This forum has now broken the "200" line in members, but it's obvious that nowhere near that number places messages on line. So to you folks who just read and watch - "Lurkers" - let me tell you that you're pretty welcome here!

I've been one of the earlier members of this forum, and it's a pretty friendly place, albeit with disagreements now and then. It's truly democratic - the guy who started the forum, Admin, keeps trying to make a lot of the rest of us do the "management", although we look to him for guidance - and there is a wide range of experience here: One of our moderators is a high school junior (take a bow, Early!), another is a professional sleep-in-the-woods-eat-bad-food-get-dirty-and love-it Senior Non-com in the Army, and we have a few geriatric weasels, as well. Not a lot of rules, and no "God" who will strike you dead if you have an unusual opinion.

But Lurkers sometimes don't have a lot to say, and just want to learn. I think that's cool, because there is a lot of knowledge being shared here. So don't feel like you have to put a message in somewhere just to be allowed to be a member. If you feel like it, great. If you don't, just keep reading. Maybe we'll meet along the trail.

The Weasel

[Deafsmart]

True enough, I am half-Lurker, but for only time being, and I do create few threads since then. As much I want to do is to response to any posts or create one (like I intend one more thread on Deafness in Safety subtopic), my mind is preoccupied right now, to attend demanding tasks at this moment. Thanksgiving, which is my goal undertaking actual 2nd planning stage, will be turning point to devote exclusively, on AT and hiking training.

Lurker is a good thing, I am sure. To be more involve, moment when one may find their own grip, with confidence: browsing through AT forums, devote on reading literatures, and surfing internet websites, is a catalyst toward rational feedback and question posing back to AT forum like WhiteBlaze.net here. What we Lurker sometime are afraid of, like you once was a stranger to anything that you had encounter for first time, is that their oral statement on printed forums, may be strike out or as to bog down-to receive public critique. It is important for others to to know, we don't make this AT Forum into a place of criticism, to pass judgment on what merit other has to say in their thread.

Simplify this, it takes time to have your say as long you plan to contribute to something is an overlook to us. I am sure you will find your grip to share your insight, opinion, response, or statement.

The Weasel was good to point out, this ratio onsite (AT [email protected]) count-members and visitors alike-does outpace the true tally lines in threads overall. As much I didn't realize this at first, I did noticed such difference on ratio when I return back here to my favorite subjective forum on AT. I did wondered why I didn't see much more members, left alone those active one. participators, so now I know why: there are Lurkers, and you are welcome to post your reaction to any forums.

PS: How did I know about website visitors count? Err, well, I owned DeafSmart . At any rate, it take time for you-knowing as Lurker-to gain confidence with us-as AT Forum members.

[Trailjockey]

I`ve been poking around(lurking)this site for a few weeks now, trying to glean as much info from you experienced hikers as I can. Though I`m in my fifties, I use to hike quite a bit back in the early seventies.(I suppose that makes me part of the geriatric crowd.) My beat was from Ct.to N.H. area. You all seem to be concentrated around the Va.area. I`ve got to tell you that the gear has changed, alot! This is probably the best place for information on hiking I`ve come across. Quite a few little details I picked up on one could easily overlook. Hope to learn more. Everyone seems to have somthing to offer.(I think there`s a hammock in my future.) I got off the trail two weeks ago from my first section hike in 26yrs.Damascus to Mt.Rogers. Luckily, missed the big wind and rain by a day. Alot of windfalls along the way. What a blast though! Had a great time! I believe I`m hooked again! It`s not to late for us geriatric types, is it? Hope to see ya`ll along the trail! I`ll be the one LURKING in the bushes. LOL

[SGT Rock]

Glad you came out of the bushes, please join into the conversations!

[stickat04]

Hi! I am also a Lurker trying to soak up imformation. I plan on attemting the At in 2004 so i am trying to get hints and tips on gear and conditioning. I hiked alot till about 20, being 32 now i want to get back into. so over the next year and 1/2 i will be doing alot of gear buying and weekend trips.

[SGT Rock]

Another lurker out of the bushes.

HEY LURKERS!

Don't be afraid to look stupid - ask questions. Even after years of hiking we can all learn something. The sooner you break that barrier and get into the two way communications with others on this board, the sooner you may get your questions answered. We also get to know each other better.

Who knows? Maybe you will make a friend here that you meet later on the trail.

[The Weasel]

Rock is right...better to ask a stupid question now than to have a really dumb answer for it on the trail!

But if you just want to "lurk", and read, listen and watch the rest of us cavort naked on the summer solstice, that's OK too. Membership here has one one real obligation...to remember we're all friends.

The Weasel

[Jack Tarlin]

Two cents on the subject: The problem with a lot of AT Forums and Mailing Lists is that they tend to be completely dominated by the same 20-odd folks; this is too bad, cuz the more folks chime in with opinions, the better the level of discussion and the greater chance of hearing a variety of opinions. So lurkers, newcomers, etc---don't be shy. There are folks who've told you "Don't be afraid of asking a dumb question." Well, I think that for prospective thru-hikers, there ARE no dumb questions. A lot of previous thru-hikers forget that they were once in the same position, and forget how awesome and intimidating the prospect of planning and preparing a thru-hike was, especially for those prospectives (and that's the overwhelming majority of em!) that have little or no extended experience in the outdoors. Well, don't be intimidated by "experienced" or seasoned hikers; they merely have more miles than you new guys do. Don't forget: Every thru-hiker was a day-hiker or a week-ender once, and don't forget, after their hike is over, every thru-hiker is gonna be a weekender or day-hiker AGAIN.
So, to the lurkers and prospectives: If there's something on your mind, fire away, even if you think it might be perceived as a no-brainer kind of question. Nobody's gonna laugh at you here or make you feel foolish. Whether it's about gear, mileage, weight, conditioning, food, wildlife, or any one of a thousand and one other things, if it's on your mind, let's hear it----the only way for a question to be answered is if someone who's genuinely curious takes the time to ask it.

[Former Admin]

I think everyone should be able to lurk now. We have proved our point and I don't think we did to bad being around only a couple months. So after this post I will open the forum for the general public to read.

[wacocelt]

I'm a former Thru hike atemptee.. and I'm scared as all hell about my plans for a future Thru hike, quite honestly. Perhaps having failed once is more of a demoralizing factor, perhaps not. Fear however should be a motivating factor for us all. It is what makes people inspired to over come challenges and express feelings that are buried furthest inside. As much hiking, walking and physical experience (5 years active duty in the US Infantry) as I may have the AT is still a very intimidating prospect. If I have a question, no matter how stupid I feel asking it... I ask it. For the simple reason that I know the people here will take my question seriously and answer to best of thier ability with honesty and compassion. Be well all.

[Richard W. Jeff]

I've been a lurker for about a month now. I would like to express my appreciation to all of the members for the wealth of knowledge they share with us lurkers. Perhaps in the future I will feel qualified to share some experience or offer an opinion. For now, I'm trying to soak up everything I can in preparation for a Southbound thru hike I plan to start in July 2003. Thanks for a great site and the invaluable knowledge everyone is willing to share.

[SGT Rock]

I just wanted to bring this thread up again. I don't know how many of you ever look at how many people are currently on-line to this site, but I like to look at it occasionally. Up until today (December 28) the most ever on line was 18 or so. It took as a while to get ther, going up about 1 or 2 more than last time every two weeks or so. Now at last look it was 24, 133% of last high, and that was at 0830 CST. But the even better part was this: up until today, the numbers were always about 70%-90% registered users doing the browsing, and 10%-30% guests. Today we had a huge change in that, it was 13 guests and only 11 users!

It has been an important point we made on this board a while back that anyone can come here and look, they don't have to register just to look and just to get our user numbers up like some other boards out there do. To the guests. Thanks for comming, we would hope you register and participate, because that is the best way to use the board - we learn from ya'll, and maybe ya'll learn from us. If you don't want to, we don't mind that either - I just want you to know you're welcome here.

[Blue Jay]

This is a message for Wacocelt. You did NOT fail, you merely took a lot of Zero Days. There is no such thing as as failure on the AT. If it takes years to complete the Trail it just makes the trip up the Big K that much more powerful (I cried the second time and I had only walked 500 miles). Thruhiking is a gift not a success/fail competition (unless that is what you want it to be).

[Easyhiker]

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[Easyhiker]

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[Easyhiker]

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[wacocelt]

Hehe, I ended my hike because of a stone in my kidney. I have experienced bucketloads of pain in my life and can function through most of them. Kidney stone pain is not one of them. I consider my attempt a failure because I didn't pay enough attention to my hydration levels and diet to maintain my health to be able to continue. I'm proud of the miles I walked, but don't regret the mistakes i made. I learn and come back swingin'.
Thanks for the words of encouragement though.

[Blue Jay]

Thoreau said that most men lead lives of quiet desperation. If he were living today, I beleve he would change that to, most men lead lives of active desperation. The sales of antianxiety and depression medication are through the roof. Most people are soooo busy chasing money (most for very worthwhile reasons) they cannot see any hope of being free. Many people have nonmoney obligations and cannot get out. I'd be willing to bet many lurkers (a good thing) are trying to live vicariously through thrus. It may be more clear to say that thruhiking is a blessing and a possible reward for past Karmic goodness (Trail Majic). To voluntarily expose yourself to being cold, wet, bone tired, and very very very hungry and still be sooo happy that you cannot stop singing, is the best gift that I have ever received.

[Easyhiker]

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[SkyKing]

I'm a former AT-L reader..but got tired of all the pissing contests. Seems everyone there are sooo full of themselfs. As Jack said most forams are dominated by a SELECT few. Here I feel I can ask that "stupid" question without being made to FEEL stupid! I KNOW there is a lot of information to be gained from the "experienced" there..but getting it without feeling like an outcast is not worth it for ME!
I guess i'll be a "HALF lurker" (thanks Deafsmart for the term) and try to get to know ya'all and learn something along the way.
Thanks for letting me vent a little steam!
SK

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