Gator Gump wrote a book.

[max patch]

You may or may not remember Gator Gump, a 2007 thru-hiker.

Gator Gump was the middle aged man who put his naked azz on the Springer plaque among other things. Both the thread about him on WB and the comments section of his journal on trailjournals went ballistic. Some people hated him; others thot he was a breath of fresh air. Remember him now?

For the record, based on what I've read on WB and TJ, I'm in the "I don't like him camp."

I also just bought his book which was released last week.

I stopped reading "I thru hiked the AT" books years ago as most of them are variations on the same boring theme. Something tells me this one will be different. Perhaps I'll feel differently about Mr Gump when I'm done. Perhaps not.

Book is available on dead trees or on kindle. Here's a link:

http://www.amazon.com/Sometimes-Appa...chian+trail+is

[Lugnut]

He had the best journal ever! I imagine the book will be hilarious.

[Furlough]

Some of us posted about this yesterday in response to Traveling Teachers "New Book" post. Thread seems to have magically disappeared. Revenge on ole Gator Gump for his Trail Journal? Which by the way was a good read and quite funny. Will order his book. Man I remember how some White Blazers went into a hover over some of GGs antics. Not sure which was funnier, Gator Gump giving a Bare A$$ kiss to the Springer Plaque or reading the sanctimonious and self-righteous attack posts by my fellow White Blazers. I guess humor like beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Furlough

[Rain Man]

My wife downloaded the couple of free chapters on her Kindle for me yesterday. I read them last evening. So far my reaction is "meh."

The author is very judgmental, but then whines about folks who are judgmental. He seems to hike and write with a chip on his shoulder and air of superiority, while giving his hiking partner first one demeaning trail name, then another. Anyone see a theme or two developing?

Unless things improve quickly, this would be an AT book I have to grind through simply to finish, rather than one I enjoy, learn from, and can't put down. We'll see when I get the hardback version. I'll post more then, but first I'm going hiking.

Rain Man

.

[max patch]

Some of us posted about this yesterday in response to Traveling Teachers "New Book" post. Thread seems to have magically disappeared. Revenge on ole Gator Gump for his Trail Journal?

Deleted thread? WB just gave Mr Gump something to talk about in the 2nd edition.

[Furlough]

My wife downloaded the couple of free chapters on her Kindle for me yesterday. I read them last evening. So far my reaction is "meh."

The author is very judgmental, but then whines about folks who are judgmental. He seems to hike and write with a chip on his shoulder and air of superiority, while giving his hiking partner first one demeaning trail name, then another. Anyone see a theme or two developing?

Rain Man.

Fortunately we never see that kind if thing here on WB.


Furlough

[Sarcasm the elf]

Interesting, is the book about his 2007 hike or something more recent? Fiction or Non-fiction?

I read his trail journal last year and thought it was great. I wasn't around on the W.B. or the A.T. in 2007 and therefore missed out on all the internet hiking fun that was caused by his hike and trail journal, when I spent a few minutes today looking around at the Gatorgump posts on this site from back when he was hiking I was shocked at the level of animosity some people felt towards him and his antics. Not trying to start the debate again, I totally understand why some people didn't approve of his hijinks, but after reading a few of those old threads, all I can say is wow.

[HikerRanky]

Chances are the reason that the thread was deleted was due to it being a commercial posting in nature. Unlike this thread where people other than the author of the book are discussing it's merits or lack thereof.

Have a great trip Rain Man!

[Don H]

I read his journal as he was hiking, I thought it was OK. Then I read some of his shelter entries in PA while I was sectioning in Oct. '07. Let's just say his language was extremely rough. I'll pass on is book.

[Lone Wolf]

You may or may not remember Gator Gump, a 2007 thru-hiker.

Gator Gump was the middle aged man who put his naked azz on the Springer plaque among other things. ]

i spoke to him in Damascus as he was coming through here and asked him if he actually touched his azz to the sign. he said no. never touched it.

[Pedaling Fool]

i spoke to him in Damascus as he was coming through here and asked him if he actually touched his azz to the sign. he said no. never touched it.

He Lied Possibly you intimidated him simply with your over-powering presence


Too bad the AT doesn't have an ordinance requiring nudists to place a towel down prior to sitting, like San Fran does http://blogs.findlaw.com/legalground...-proposes.html



I wonder how many have kissed the plague since Glad I'm not the emotional type that sees a need to kiss stuff

[max patch]

i spoke to him in Damascus as he was coming through here and asked him if he actually touched his azz to the sign. he said no. never touched it.

He said he did in his journal.

He said he did in his book.

No doubt in my mind.

[ChinMusic]

I can only take so much junior high prose.

[max patch]

My wife downloaded the couple of free chapters on her Kindle for me yesterday. I read them last evening. So far my reaction is "meh."

The author is very judgmental, but then whines about folks who are judgmental. He seems to hike and write with a chip on his shoulder and air of superiority, while giving his hiking partner first one demeaning trail name, then another. Anyone see a theme or two developing?

Unless things improve quickly, this would be an AT book I have to grind through simply to finish, rather than one I enjoy, learn from, and can't put down. We'll see when I get the hardback version. I'll post more then, but first I'm going hiking.

Rain Man

.

This is funny...

If you go to google images and do a search for gatorgump you get 52 results. The last picture is one of you!!

Do you want to tell us anything?

[Traveling teacher]

Actually I did touch my ass on the plaque, photo was taken down by trail journals as u might recall Wolfe. I enjoyed meeting u in Damascus and u will find that you are mentioned, fondly I might add, in the book. might recall you tried to get me to steal gramma's enshrined shoes.
The ass plant was not meant in disrespect but as a test to see if the weather was too damn cold to depart.
Hope those of you who like juvenile humor or who liked my journal will give the book a chance. Signed GG

[Traveling teacher]

Yea, many of the posts about me were quite nasty. You should have seen the ones left on my journal calling my wife a whore and my daughter a ****. Wife deleted most of them as she knew a long distance hike is one part physical and nine parts mental. But the white blazers came around in the end. Think you will enjoy the book, like my journal it is different.

[HikerMom58]

Mind games, smoke and mirrors & lies...... why can't everyone just be real? Real on the internet?...it might be too much to ask... I think so.

[Karma13]

You know... if the Approach Trail doesn't kill me, I was thinking of kissing that Springer plaque. Now I'm pretty much abandoning that plan!

[Sampson]

Yea, many of the posts about me were quite nasty. You should have seen the ones left on my journal calling my wife a whore and my daughter a ****. Wife deleted most of them as she knew a long distance hike is one part physical and nine parts mental. But the white blazers came around in the end. Think you will enjoy the book, like my journal it is different.

I read your 2007 journal yesterday and found it to be thoroughly entertaining and refreshing. You are an equal opportunist when it comes to poking fun at people and society in general, so I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. Yeah, I'd be a little nauseated if I put my lips on that sign within 24 hours of man-ass being on it, but I think I'd be elated if I found out that Halle berry had done the same thing. The bottom line is it would stop there. The "outrage" that some people feel is bad for their health. Stop taking life so damn seriously and have a little fun. We're only on this merry-go-round once.

[Astro]

You know... if the Approach Trail doesn't kill me, I was thinking of kissing that Springer plaque. Now I'm pretty much abandoning that plan!

While what Gator Gump did was stupid, immature, and inconsiderate, I am sure it has rained a lot since then. I would go ahead and do what ever you want. Try to not let anyone else steal your joy (HYOH).