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A Complete Appalachian Trail Guidebook.
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  1. #41

    Default reading comprehension=zero

    Wacocelt:-"lobster, if you aren't trying to disparage the people who complete the trail, you could always quit dodging the question and give a clear answer as to why you are so curious about the completion rates and fringe benifits of todays hikers. Hope that logic isn't too vague for you."
    Lobster:- "Wacocelt,What did you want to know?"
    I figured out what the question was without any help...................

  2. #42

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    Quote Originally Posted by Skeemer
    Should have won an Oscar for "The Deer Hunter"
    I hear Walken is playing Wahlen in the film named after the book coming out this year.


    Lion King slowly pulls his double-barrell shotgun out of the Gun Cabinet...loads it with high-octane ballbusting buckshot...and fills this dead horse with a little more lead.

  3. #43

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    Quote Originally Posted by The Old Fhart
    the outside world’s opinion of hikers has actually improved as more stories about the A.T. appear in newspapers and on TV. When I first set foot on the trail people thought all thru-hikers were bums, now it is down to 50%.
    ** TOF: Hope we meet up on trail. Like your philosophy! Of course, then your perception of thru-hikers being bums would increase again.
    Kitty Litter
    Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "HOLY SH#T! WHAT A RIDE"
    author unknown

  4. #44

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    Quote Originally Posted by Kitty Litter
    ** TOF: Hope we meet up on trail. Like your philosophy! Of course, then your perception of thru-hikers being bums would increase again.
    Kitty Litter
    The term is hiker trash not bums. Bums are what happens if hiker trash does not get out of town, kind of like Lone Wolf. Please, I'm just kidding, Lone Wolf and I are clearly hiker trash.

  5. #45
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    I coined the term "hiker trash".

  6. #46
    Spirit in search of experience. wacocelt's Avatar
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    Default lobster

    What did you want to know?
    posted by lobster

    My question relates to your constant request for statistics and otherwise snyde and disparaging remarks about the completion rate of Thru-Hikers. I would honestly like to know the reasoning behind your requests. If there is an even remotely constructive reasoning behind your need for the information then I will personally help you find the information in anyway I can. I sincerely doubt, however, noting your general tone of disgust, that anything you would do with the compiled information would come anywhere near worthy of mine of anyones else on Whiteblaze.net's time.
    I haven't looked at your post history to determine whether you have hiked any of the AT, or hiked anywhere at all for that matter, muchless completed a Thru-Hike and honestly I don't care. If you have then perhaps you need to go out and do it again because you obviously completely missed every possible positive aspect of the trail and need an overhaul on your miserly opinion of other peoples accomplishments.

    I believe that fairly well sums up my question and I look forward to whatever gibberish you reply with trying to candy coat your trolling.
    Everything is exactly as it should be. This too shall pass.

  7. #47
    Spirit in search of experience. wacocelt's Avatar
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    Default lobster

    OK, I finally got fed up with your tripe and after reading your posts that actually talk about your hike, have come to the conclusion that since YOU didn't hike the entire AT and since YOU registered for your completion certificate that YOU carry guilt and embarassment about YOUR lack of accomplishment and inabitliy to complete a Thru-Hike to YOUR standards, the rest of us have to pay the price.
    My question is, do you spam the people you went to high School with about the days they skipped school or didn't turn in thier homework? Or have you focussed completely on the AT community at large to torture with YOUR guilt and lack of self worth?

    Now, all that said, I hope that you can come to grips with the fact that if you even did half the trail that you made a major personal accomplishment that very, very few other people could attain. I give credit to people who merely state a wish to do the trail at all, muchless actually walk miles on it. Please, please give yourself a pat on the back, try and recall the good times and friends you made and let go of this vendetta against yourself through your attacks on people you don't and probably will never know. I wish you the best and hope you can get back outdoors and into the good life soon. Be well.

    Christopher
    Everything is exactly as it should be. This too shall pass.

  8. #48

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    Actually the success rate for the PCT and CDT are close to 50%. For the PCT it depends largely on snow conditions - fewer complete the trail in an El Nino year, for example. On the CDT snow and fires force a lot of folks off the trail at one point or another and as Lynne Weldon said, "Bad luck seems to happen to a lot of CDT hikers." The big difference in completion rates is that AT hikers often have no experience before they start the trail. Because of the shelter system and frequent road crossings they assume that it is easier than it in fact is. Because they have generally never done any real backpacking, when faced with several days of rain or eight hours a day of hiking for day after day after day, they soon give up. Western hikers are more likely to have prior experience before starting on one of the long trails, especially on the CDT. They have done at least a few two week hikes, or longer. Many of the PCT hikers we saw give up and go home in the first few weeks were complete neophytes who had no idea what they were getting into. Same as the AT.

    Having hostels and cell phones and radios and family visits changes the character of your hike, but they don't really make it easier on a day to day basis. You still have to walk 2100 or 2400 or 2700 miles in all kinds of weather. You still carry yourself up and down those mountains. Without shelters there would be fewer hikers out there, because of the AT's constant rain, but they would still be there. Try hiking out west sometime - few if any shelters, and the trails are so packed you have to get a permit to backpack, and in some places even to dayhike.

  9. #49
    ME => GA 19AT3 rickb's Avatar
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    I am thinking a part of why more people complete the AT than in the past is that the really believe that they can.

    Its so dramatic as what happened after Roger Banister broke the 4 minute mile, but since I am prone to hyperbole when it comes to the Trail....

    The internet, books and media and personal example shown by so many different sorts of people have all helped with that.

    Rick B

  10. #50

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    Wacocelt,

    1. I didn't send in for a certificate. That was a joke.

    2. I have yellow-blazed and blue-blazed, sometimes making things easier and sometimes making things tougher. Hitched and walked to Gettysburg and walked around the battlefield, long uphill walk(couldn't get ride) out of Buena Vista to get back to the trail, hitch and walk into Washington DC for the 4th of July, yellow-blaze and then walk up the expert ski trails on Killington to get back to trail, hiked peaks of Otter on a day off, etc. Oh, and also the Creeper out of Damascus.

    3. It is a disturbing trend when more and more folks try to devise ways to make their hikes easier. Slackpacking, etc..... I am of the opinion that the more physical or mental pain, the more gain! Just my experienced opinion! If I was a self-acclaimed purist, I would assume I would be told to HMOH. If I had little AT experience, I could be told that I shouldn't judge without doing. I think I am in a position to state an opinion.

    4. I love "hiker trash", but if everybody becomes "hiker trash", what will be the notoriety(wrong word?) in it? Note, "hiker trash" can also be purists!

  11. #51

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    Quote Originally Posted by lobster
    Note, "hiker trash" can also be purists!
    Only if they use super glue where the sun rarely shines. This could happen but it would be accidental.

  12. #52
    Spirit in search of experience. wacocelt's Avatar
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    I appreciate your candid and as i predicted 'candy coated' reply, yet would like to point out that you have yet again completely avoided my question about why you require the lists of completed Thru-Hikers or any other information. Regardless of what people do to make thier hikes/lives easier, it still doesn't change the fact that they have taken a very sizable amount of thier lives to spend time away from friends, family and the creature comforts offered by not being on or near the trail in the first place, to experience an adventure in the woods.
    It's great that you've endured some hardships on the trail, so have the same people who have slack-packed, yellow-blazed or used hiking poles with cellphones hanging from them. I find it rather redundant that you continually pick at the accomplishments of others because they happened to want a bit of comfort mixed in with thier misery.
    It seems to me that you would prefer the AT to be a Trail of Tears or Batan Death March.

    I will begin my 2005 Thru-Hike attempt January 1st. I'm sure I'll be experienecing more than enough cold weather and bad days to give you wood for a month, so feel free to use the link in my signature and email your complaints and insults about my days at hostels and meals in restaurants which I will be posting about. Perhaps I'll even slack-pack a time or three and REALLY make your day.

    I have tried my best to be civil, but I must give in and say that you sir are an ********.
    Everything is exactly as it should be. This too shall pass.

  13. #53
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    I'm gonna slack waco the very first day!

  14. #54
    Spirit in search of experience. wacocelt's Avatar
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    Yup! Springer to Neel's Gap in one day!


    Erm, maybe not, umm. We'll figure out the logistics later, but Yeah!
    Everything is exactly as it should be. This too shall pass.

  15. #55
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    Springer to Woody Gap, then drive into Dahlonega for a motel & buffet.

  16. #56
    Spirit in search of experience. wacocelt's Avatar
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    Springer to Woody Gap, then drive into Dahlonega for a motel & buffet.


    I bet poor lobster is pounding his face against his monitor right now.











    Now, replace bet with hope and poor with whatever colorful decriptive you prefer.
    Everything is exactly as it should be. This too shall pass.

  17. #57
    Spirit in search of experience. wacocelt's Avatar
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    Default Don't take me seriously...

    I'm never serious, even when I'm joking!
    Everything is exactly as it should be. This too shall pass.

  18. #58

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    Wacocelt,

    I would like to see if there is anyone I know that falsely sent for their certificate. Just curious! I won't call the police unless it was a grievous falsehood!

    Don't hang around with Lone Wolf!! He's a bad influence.

  19. #59
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    Only the weak and timid can be influenced.

  20. #60

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    Your arguement has influenced me, Lone Wolf!

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