Top 10 current AT Legends
In no particular order:
Baltimore Jack
Model T
Wingfoot
Lone Wolf
Ward Leonard
Bryson
Wolf
Weathercarrot
Beorn
Maineak
Bryson??LOL He only hiked about half the trail!! Streamweaver
"Theres is no real hope of traveling perfectly light in the mountains.It is good to try,as long as you realize that,like proving a unified field theory,mastering Kanji,or routinely brewing the perfect cup of coffee,the game can never be won." Smoke Blanchard
Tubaman - 2000 SOBO hiker who hiked the entire trail carrying a 30# tuba.
http://www.restlessadventurer.net/ba...ubaman.jpg.php
Personally
Personally, I have a love-hate relationship with "Trail Legends." I mean, it's fun to talk about a guy who hiked the trail with his Tube, cat, stuffed animal, whatever, or hiked it x-number of times in a row, or whatever. On the other hand, it's kinda annoying to hear people talking about how they know this or that person who is a hiking god, and so we should feel that we are unworthy talking with someone who knows someone.
I guess I like hearing the stories about people who do interesting things, but I don't like it when it turns into a bragging/he's so important thing... I mean, it's just hiking, not the first direction measurement of Gravitation Radiation proving for the first time that Einstein's General Relativity is without a question an accurate theory.
Gravity Man
Earl Shaefer is the only trail legend. He pioneered thru-hiking. Having thousands of AT miles or back to back thru-hikes means you have a lot of time on your hands and hardly any responsibilities.
There are only 2 as far as I'm concerned:
Myron Avery, who got the Trail built, and was the first person to walk every mile; and Earl Shaffer, who led the way for the rest of his. If there was a "Trail Legend Hall of Fame" or anything like it, as far as I'm concerned, these are the only guys in it.
Re. Earl----I obviously meant to say "who led the way for the rest of us"----for this is exactly what he did.
Earl, Ed, Seiko, Jack, L. Wolf, Jester, Ward, Tom, and of course Myron.
Kozmic Zian@ :cool: ' My father considered a walk in the woods as equivalent to churchgoing'. ALDOUS HUXLEY
I'd like to add:
Pirate
Nimblewill Nomad
What about Grandma Gatewood? The first female to complete a thru-hike?
"You're never too old to become what you might have been." - George Eliot
Legend implies a lofty status. Only Myron Avery and Earl Shaffer rise to that level. Avery built and Trail and became the first 2000 miler. Shaffer invented through-hiking.
Teej
"[ATers] represent three percent of our use and about twenty percent of our effort," retired Baxter Park Director Jensen Bissell.
Benton MacKaye too. After all, it was his idea.Originally Posted by TJ aka Teej
A man and his dog
I'd like to add Heald w/ Dog Wonder. They have to be legendary for the amount of time spent winter hiking. Those two are either legendary or crazy. It has to be one of the the two.
without love in the dream it will never come true...
What about the guy that was blind, Bill Irwin I think. Him and his dog. Now that's the stuff legends are made of......
And keep an eye out for Scott Rogers. He'll be hiking the trail with only one leg....
There's an ariticle about him and his hike in The Tennessee Magazine, Feb. edition.
"It was on the first of May, in the year 1769, that I resigned my domestic happiness for a time, and left my family and peaceable habitation on the Yadkin River, in North Carolina, to wander through the wilderness of America." - Daniel Boone
Makes sense to me
Ha!...Pretty good one!...just don't say it applies to the rest of us...my wife might not like the part about not having any responsibilities. I know...if the boot fits wear it.Originally posted by Lone Wolf
Having thousands of AT miles or back to back thru-hikes means you have a lot of time on your hands and hardly any responsibilities.
Lone Wolf,
Speaking for myself, I have neither had a lot of time on my hands nor hardly any responsibilities.
Lone Wolf has been very busy posing for that statue of him they are going to place in front of Dots.
He claimed about 30%. Reading between the lines and doing a little calculating, I suspect 10 or 15% is more accurate -- at least he physically did that much. I sensed he never did get seriously involved in the trail and the trail scene.
The Appalachian Trail has some of the most amazing people one can find anywhere. Bryson somehow missed them all. He compensated by making up a couple of fictional characters that fit his stereotype.
His walk in the woods smacked more of library research than trail research. And yes, it was humorous at times. He imagined some pretty funny scenes and wrote them out well.
Weary
Bryson...how much fact vs. fiction?
Sorry to get a bit off topic here, but has anyone ever asked Wes Wessen (the guy Bryson said shuttled him to Springer) if he remembers Bryson and if he had anyone with him.Weary wrote:
The Appalachian Trail has some of the most amazing people one can find anywhere. Bryson somehow missed them all. He compensated by making up a couple of fictional characters that fit his stereotype.
Baltimore Jack says no one has ever met his overweight partner...what's his name.
I don't think Bryson's a hiking legend, but he introduced the AT to many.
Baltimore Jack says no one has ever met his overweight partner...what's his name.
.[/QUOTE]
Skeemer,
I believe Bryson's Partner Katz was almost definately a fictional character. Bryson is a very good writer. A LOT of the stuff probably never happened.
Would be interesting to ask Jensine Crossman, the old owner of rainbow springs, whom Bryson said such wonderful things about.
I looked often in registers and albums on the Trail and could never find a trace of Bryson. Couldn't even find his sign in or pic in the Neels Gap log from 96'.
Anything's within walking distance if you've got the time.
GA-ME 03, LT 04/06, PCT 07'
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