There are many people who have claimed they have thru hiked in 2008, but we all know that many of those making this claim are bogus. They have deliberately blue blazed or skipped sections (usually the hardest parts). On getting the form to claim thru hiker status they just could not help themselves and filled it in. Just about everyone starts out as a purists, then they take an easy option and do a blue blaze, and they start what becomes a slippery slope towards yellow blazing. They use all types of rationales to explain their actions, they even throw up HYOH as a rationale, when that term was never intended to be used in that fashion. Around the campfire at night they would change their story depending on the company, sometimes it was yep I am a thru hiker, other times nope I am not, and then who cares, even telling us purists to get a life. Yet when meeting day hikers on the trail, they would puff up their chests, give a broad smile and answer with a firm YES if asked if they were a thru hiker. It is time to point out those naughty people. They dminish my efforts, what next, they will be filling out forms to claim a purple heart and even start walking with a limp.