One Leg needs help

[TJ aka Teej]

This 'bionic leg' device - is it available to our troops who have lost legs in Iraq and Afghanistan?

[chris]

His determination was inspiring so I sent him a few bucks, it didn't kill me.
If you don't want to send him any money that's fine but JUST SHUT UP.

How liberal of you.

[Blue Jay]

This 'bionic leg' device - is it available to our troops who have lost legs in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Yes if they pay for it out of their own pocket. The VA certainly is not handing them out. With all of the Bush cut backs to Vet programs they are lucky to get crutches. The only reason the Democrats are not screaming about that is that they hate Vets just as much.

[smokymtnsteve]

I have a REALLY serious medical condition myself....my son uses my ford escort wagon as our support vehicle....I am back in atlanta today for a doc appointment after walking to Trailfest in Hot Springs....send donations to

SMOKYMTNSTEVE
C/O THE BLUE JAY
POSTENKIL, NY

THANK YOU

[flyfisher]

Thanks for posting this J.O.!
here's "OneLeg"'s last trail journal entry:

04/17/04

When we started, we had funds available for 6 weeks on the trail. We're at 4 weeks, and funds are depleted, but I'm still walking by faith. Anyway, I'm gone for now. Look for the journals to be posted within a week or so.

-Scott

First, all the best to Scott in his journey.

When I read his post on TrailJournals, the 6 week similarity to Bill Bryson's hike struck me right away. It struck me that he had planned for 6 weeks of finances on the trail, and Bryson had planned for 6 weeks of time off for his hike. Bryson made it to Gatlinburg before yellow blazing to middle Virginia. I will be following Scott's story to see how it unfolds.

Oh, though my opinion is not even fully formed, why would a supporter of Scott's ask me and others to shut up? I'll take it as a moment regretted, in charity.

Walk well!

[Jersey Bob]

at least 10 characters

[tribes]

I agree. It would scare the hell out of me if my funds were depleted and I had a family to worry about. I can't fault Scott in asking for financial sponsors and I hope he makes it. Definitely decision time!

One can hike the trail for a couple thousand dollars and live pretty nicely from what I have been told by Weathercarrot, Heald, and Jersey Joe. The right decision if he is out of money is to support his family, which means getting a job and not hiking. I am not sure if it is "one leg" or his supporters pleading for donations but I think I will pass on this one. This is an open forum so I will not "shut up" as someone else has suggested. I think it is irresponsible to plan a six month hike, drag the family along to act as support in an RV, run out of cash, then ask for help with funds from the trail community. If he had two legs we would all probably tell him to "go to hell". I appreciate his endeavor but I cannot sympathize with a poorly thought out plan.

[MOWGLI]

...point is, here are 2 who have the cha-ching, who are obviously intelligent but will not make it for weight reasons.

That's awfully presumptuous of you Medicineman. You have no idea whether they'll make it or not, unless they told you that they were quitting the trail. Believe it or not, 45 pounds is not an unreasonable weight to carry on the AT. Especially during April in the mountains.

Little Bear GA-ME 2000

[Happy]

That's awfully presumptuous of you Medicineman. You have no idea whether they'll make it or not, unless they told you that they were quitting the trail. Believe it or not, 45 pounds is not an unreasonable weight to carry on the AT. Especially during April in the mountains.

Little Bear GA-ME 2000

Many have made it with MUCH more weight but like in investments and poker I would go with the knowledge, research and odds with my MONEY!!!

[Allen66]

Given the fact that I had a "stroke" at 29, One Leg's prosthesis probably functions as good or better than my right leg does. I plan on thru-hiking in 2005, so if someone would like to fund my hike, I'll accept donations from any suckers out there who are willing. (A little sarcasm for ya!) Give me a break, did he really think he could depend on donations to supply an RV and support team for 6 months. Just the cost of the gas will be off the charts.

[Lugnut]

Yes if they pay for it out of their own pocket. The VA certainly is not handing them out. With all of the Bush cut backs to Vet programs they are lucky to get crutches. The only reason the Democrats are not screaming about that is that they hate Vets just as much.

Cheap shot Blue Jay. My son is a 100% disabled vet and I've got nothing but praise for the VA. They have treated him very well; and he's even a right wing Republican.

[attroll]

Yes if they pay for it out of their own pocket. The VA certainly is not handing them out. With all of the Bush cut backs to Vet programs they are lucky to get crutches. The only reason the Democrats are not screaming about that is that they hate Vets just as much.

Yes Blue Jay you lost me on this one. I am also a disable Vet but I think you need to research some of what you just said.

[Mountain Dew]

Iceman made a very good entry. Solid comments !

If somebody wants to thru-hike then they should work and save their money in order to do so just like the rest of us. When you run out of money then you go home or borrow from friends. Before I began my 2003 thru-hike I worked three jobs for a year or more. Asking for money on a website ? I'm not sure what to think about that. I guess it is his website. It's not like he is asking people along the trail....... now that would be a different thing. Personally I would never do that, but I'm not him. I wonder if people would send him money if he wasn't handicapped. I dare say nobody would. Remember......these are my opinions

[Ramble~On]

Helping to support a Thru hiker is one thing...Helping to support a Thru Hiker and Support that Thru hikers Support team is another.
If as people say...this guy is low on funds by the Smokies and needs financial support now...if people give that support ?? It'd take a whole lot of it.
Sounds like a little better planning and maybe using this year to get sponsors would have made for a better attempt next year.
Kudo's to him for the attempt and Kudos to everyone that helps him.

[Blue Jay]

Yes Blue Jay you lost me on this one. I am also a disable Vet but I think you need to research some of what you just said.

I do not need research, I am a vet and know many very well. I have a very good friend who lost his leg in Korea, long ago when that was the "IN" war. He applied for one of those special prosthetics and was flat out denied. Maybe you and others on this forum have not been affected by the VA cutbacks of the past decade, but others, maybe older than you, have been. Consider yourself very fortunate. In my opinion, the treatment of Vets in this country is an abomination.

Smoky the money is just pouring in (NOT).

[Chappy]

Yes if they pay for it out of their own pocket. The VA certainly is not handing them out. With all of the Bush cut backs to Vet programs they are lucky to get crutches. The only reason the Democrats are not screaming about that is that they hate Vets just as much.

You're a beaut! So...Prez Bush AND the Democrats hate Vets! And your statement is based on what? Superior knowledge or your usual knowledge?

[icemanat95]

I'm tempted to weigh in on the VA issue, but I won't, it is WAAAY off topic and prone to create arguments that don't need to be fought here.


I find it amazing that hikers today think that someone cannot make the trip with a 45 pound pack. You all would have been taking bets on when I dropped dead if you saw me at the beginning of my hike. I walked out of Amicolola carrying 73 pounds or more, and didn't get my pack down to around 50 pounds or so full up until Pearisburg. The only physical problems I had were some knee strain around Erwin that went away by Damascus.

In the Army our combat load (the light load we had to be able to move and fight with) was in the 50 pound range including clothing, body armor, helmet, boots, weapon and ammo, water, grenades, protective mask, and a few other items. A marching load WOULD exceed 100 pounds more often than not. You toughen up to it eventually.

Most hikers on the AT in 1995 carried loads in the 35-55 pound range and the percentage of finishers was not too different from today. It ain't in the legs, it's in the head and heart.

[Blue Jay]

You're a beaut! So...Prez Bush AND the Democrats hate Vets! And your statement is based on what? Superior knowledge or your usual knowledge?

It's not like it's a big secret. Veterans benefits peaked in the 50s after WW2. Nixon, in the 70s possibly due to guilt over continuing Nam just to get reelected, reinstated some of the benefits that had been eroded by congress since then. Reagan, Clinton and Bush (and their congressional minions) have all slashed at the VA budget. There were some protests by Veterans Groups but like hikers and the ATC, most veterans do not seem to remain aware of what is going on. Clearly this forums tends to back that opinion. I don't really blame you, I wish I didn't know. I hope I am wrong and you will check on the budgetary figures and protest this travesty. Our troops deserve decent prosthetics, like the one One Leg is supposed to have (I haven't seen which one it is).

Iceman is correct this has gotten way off topic.

[MOWGLI]

Many have made it with MUCH more weight but like in investments and poker I would go with the knowledge, research and odds with my MONEY!!!

The question is, whose knowledge, whose research, and what odds? I have met plenty of people who have dispensed information with an air of authority, both on & off the trail, who did not complete what they set out to do. I have also met light weight backpacking enthusiasts freezing their tails off in shelters. (Before Youngblood calls me out on this one - I too froze my tail off in a 55 degree fleece bag for about two weeks - we all make mistakes. Thank goodness for friends.).

I agree 100% with the Iceman. It's what's in the heart & head. Not what's in the pack. I'm sure there wasn't a soul who met me in Georgia who thought I'd make it as far as the Smokys. I guess I surprised even myself by reaching Katahdin. Just goes to show ya...

Some of the best advice that I ever received (and it was from Wingfoot in late '99) was to take advice from people who have done what I was seeking to do. In other words, I wanted to complete the entire AT in one continuous journey, so I paid particular attention to those folks who had done exactly that.

That's not to say that section hikers don't have anything to contribute. In fact, I admire the stick-to-it-ivness of section hikers much more than I admire the thru hiker.

Little Bear GA-ME 2000

[max patch]

point is, here are 2 who have the cha-ching, who are obviously intelligent but will not make it for weight reasons

45 pounds is not unusual and was the norm when I thru'd.