Bryson applied to be a 2000-Miler?

[Lemni Skate]

There's a patch? There's a certificate?

Well, now I HAVE to finish!

[Filadelfia Greenberg]

just explain what a candy ass is and why you think bryson is one. no flame war just a simple question

I believe that his ass is literally composed of gumballs and red liquorish. I hope to meet him some day if I find myself sorely in need of a snack.

[DawnTreader]

Regarding the patch issue: It is just cloth, thread and words. Anyone can get one or make one. Means nothing at all, except to those who want to make it into more than what it is.

I like to think that when I complete the trail, the patch will be a symbol and a memory that I will cherish.. I love patches.. and if I can make 2000 mile status, hell yes I'll apply for and be proud of my patch... I agree it won't mean a thing to anyone but myself, but it will mean a lot to me....

[Lone Wolf]

Candy Ass: a rear end (hopefully female but in Hanover you can never know) that is as "sweet as candy". As in "boy she's gotta candy ass"

hmmm. jack is the only one i know that has a shirt like that. he lives in hanover. if the shoe fits....

[DavidNH]

well I guess anyone can APPLY for the patch. But seeing as how Bryson has not even done 1000 miles of the trail, let alone 2000, there is no way they can give it to him.

Also..yes there is a patch and certificate. I have! you should finish.

David

[superman]

and define candy ass while you're at it

Some day I hope to hear the definition of "sex" according to that fella who said he didn't have any with that woman....but not in a religious, political or economic way.
The only good AT books are the ones you carry for trail information. I'd like to see one specifically for side trails.

[Mags]

• Someone that can’t resist pizza and sodas when the opportunity presents itself.

Change soda to beer and call me a candy-ass. (Hell..that would be an awesome trick. Soda to beer???? On par with that water to wine trick a Jewish carpenter once did) Come to think of it, when people did offer me a cold Coke, I never did turn it down.

Yeah..I'm a candy-ass. But not stupid. Turning down the offer of a cold drink is inconceivable!

Tip of the day: Never get involved in a thru-hike in Asia.

Useful tip of the day: I watched Taking Chance on DVD last night. Powerful movie. Rent it.

[Bearpaw]

Tip of the day: Never get involved in a thru-hike in Asia.

And never go in against Mags when booze is on the line!

[mudhead]

Candy Ass: a rear end (hopefully female but in Hanover you can never know) that is as "sweet as candy". As in "boy she's gotta candy ass"

Now I know I can get away with "finebehind" but I figure this would get me the folded arm death ray look.

[Tin Man]

I like to think that when I complete the trail, the patch will be a symbol and a memory that I will cherish.. I love patches.. and if I can make 2000 mile status, hell yes I'll apply for and be proud of my patch... I agree it won't mean a thing to anyone but myself, but it will mean a lot to me....

that's cool. go for it.

[RAT]

Oh, by the way, he's a writer by trade, not a hiker, though he's probably hiked more than 90% of people on this site.

lol funny but true. There is a big difference between 'hiking' and 'cyber-hiking'.

HAIRNT !

A book about side trails eh,,, hmmmmm Blue Blazing,,, i could write a damn good one, hmmmmm make some $$$$, hmmmm,,,,,,,

[Nightwalker]

I thought Bill Bryson was a candy ass ? http://www.guitar-antics.com/images/billbryson.jpg

Candy ass, morbidly obese ass, what's the difference?

[ShelterLeopard]

I would say that Bryson's 'patch' actually IS the book. He sold tens of thousands of copies under the pretext that it was a book about hiking the entire Appalachain Trail. Even reading the preface you dont know that it isnt about a thru hike. You have to read into the book to find out that it was a shortened hike. He passed himself off as some sort of expert about the AT, when in reality he doesnt really know that much at all except what he himself read or got from interviewing other hikers. That is the issue that a lot of the thru hiker community have with Bryson.

When it all comes down to it, he thru hiked about 250 miles. The rest of the book is about his day hiking along various points of the AT. I attribute this single factor to his having incorrect information throughout his book. One doesnt know how a thru hiker is feeling after 4 or 6 or 8 or 20 consectutive weeks in the woods, or after 8-10 consectutive days of rain, or a week of scorching heat unless you have been there and done that.

Yeah- that pissed me off a little bit. I really like the book a lot, but I expected it to be about a thru hike- and after he goes off trail, the book was just about day hikes. It was still interesting, but not what I wanted to read. After all, 870 non consecutive miles doesn't constitute a thru hike.

(I really liked the book, I just think he should not have made it sound like he finished the hike in the description of the book.)

[hikingtime]

While Bryson did some research on the history of the trail, history of the region, government agencies, the environment, chestnut trees, and the dangers of wild animals, most of the hiking parts are in my opinion fiction. He probably continued with the research and read a bunch of trail journals. I just wish he would have called it a fictional story. There is no reason the patch should be given to an author who drove to a bunch of points on the trail.

[yaduck9]

Candy ass, morbidly obese ass, what's the difference?

I think the polite term is "Front Porch, bought and paid for"

[Ender]

I'm pretty sure this has been brought up before, but I got to talking to a few other hikers, and of course, A Walk in the Woods came up. I was absolutely astonished when one of them told me that Bill Bryson had applied to be granted 2000-Miler status by the ATC, and, even though he admitted to never hiking the entire trail in his book, the ATC was forced to send him a rocker and a certificate.

Does anyone know if this is verifiable? or do I have to call the ATC to check?

Thanks.

Who cares. Seriously.

[Arizona]

I was absolutely astonished when one of them told me that Bill Bryson had applied to be granted 2000-Miler status by the ATC, and, even though he admitted to never hiking the entire trail in his book, the ATC was forced to send him a rocker and a certificate.
Thanks.

Giving Bryson the rocker and certificate would be like giving Clint Eastwood a medal for shooting so many bad guys! (For those of you who don't know, Clint Eastwood is an actor, Bill Bryson is a writer.)

[TD55]

Most of the time a patch is a form of identification. Patchs are worn by people so that when thay are around thier peers they can give a story about who they are and what they have done without actually speaking. They are very helpful when people are at large gatherings, or coming in contact with large amounts of people from the same community. There seems to be an understanding here that patchs are more of a trophy type thing.
In anycase, most of the groups I am aware of or have affiliated with do not take it lightly when someone wears a patch that has not been earned. I can not imagine a guy as well known as Bill showing up at some event with an un-earned patch.

[Lone Wolf]

There is no reason the patch should be given to an author who drove to a bunch of points on the trail.

you know this for a fact or just speculating? you're a bandwagon jumper is all

[Lemni Skate]

I loved the book. I laughed out loud many times. I found it fascinating in other places and learned a little something. I would have liked for him to have finished the trail because I would have had more funny stuff to read. I think the guy is a great writer. I don't care if he's a great hiker. I'm not going hiking with him.

I think we've established he didn't apply for a patch.