Norovirus! Creeps! Theft! Getting turned off on the whole idea of a 2014 Thru

[Tuckahoe]

Come on, pull up the big girl undies and stop being silly. Why are you allowing yourself to get worked up by truly minor trail issues; all the while living the life of a modern American... I mean do you avoid driving? Eating I restaurants? Using public restrooms? Do you really think that you'll escape trail issues by heading out west?... where you'll be exposed to the very same issues that you're trying to escape from.

Actually, I am thinking of going west instead.

And it's not a day, or three, of sickness (although the thought of being alone in the woods puking [and otherwise] my guts out does suck, but not enough to stop me) that troubles me most.....it's the thought of all those cat holes (or worse, no cat holes).

And I know enough to know that a pro vs. con list wouldn't work for such an endeavor. So for me, it's coming down to whether I can over come the psychology. Prior to the outbreak, I did think about all the (pardon) crap on the trail, and psychologically moved past it. But now it's more at the fore....and more of it.

I mean really, ALL those hikers, and ALL that crap.

And I can do (or I can convince myself I can do - which is enough for me) things about bears (spray), ticks (permethrin), creeps, etc. But there is nothing at all to be done about others crap. So, maybe I'm not cut out for this, if I can't psych myself out of it.

So, does anyone have any words of wisdom regarding this delicate issue? It seems, at first blush, to be a stupid thing, eh? Don't hike because of crap.

But it's a thing for me. And, I bet many people. How do we (or how did you) overcome the yucky part of hiking? Tell me.

[MuddyWaters]

Dont let the idea that something isnt 100% perfect, dissuade you from it.
Regular life isnt 100% perfect either , is it?

Avoid the bubble and shelters, and you will avoid most of what you dont like.

[fiddlehead]

The world is full of blowdowns and hurdles.
Get over it or stay at home.
Pretty simple.

No place is 100% safe.

[Dogwood]

Darn right. Pull up your big girl undies. If you're waffling over these rather minor trail issues BEFORE you even hit the trail I say that may not bode well for you completing a thru-hike.

[moytoy]

I'm just totally creeped out by the thought of even walking by a shelter, what with all the deposits left around them, and that is on top of (no pun intended) the other things one would be concerned about (creeps, thieves, etc).

I have to say, bears are waaaaayyyy down on my list now. (And education has put mice waaayyy up on the list, though still behind ol' Noro).

I'm actually thinking of NOT "practicing" on the trail this year for my "supposed" thru next year.

Am I alone? Anyone else thinking "ICK"?

I've heard it's the worst outbreak ever, but it's hard to pish-paw about it.

I see you are in Florida. I'm guessing you don't like mosquitos or the smell of swamp gas or drinking out of ponds either.

[Bronk]

it's the thought of all those cat holes (or worse, no cat holes).

The only place I remember running into a problem with this was in the smokies...not all of the shelters had a privy and there is so much traffic on the trail there that the designated toilet areas were a minefield...you felt like the cathole you were digging was bound to unearth something that was deposited there very recently, and the telltale scraps of toilet paper were sticking out of the ground everywhere. Though I will say this was over 10 years ago and things may have changed significantly.

The rest of the trail I never saw any evidence of human waste except in the privy.

[Don H]

I spent almost 6 months on the trail in 2011. The only time I was sick was when I got Lyme in MA. I felt bad for a few days and a 3 weeks of antibiotics solved that.

Back at home in the last 6 months I've had two colds, allergies (which for some reason I don't get on the trail), got in a car accident, and had the Norovirus.

Conclusion, I'm safer on the trail!

[Old Hiker]

+1 on Bronk two posts up. I just did my business before I hit a shelter (1-2 miles out) or after I left in the A.M. Got off the Trail 100 meters or so and had no problems.

I did watch my step going into and out of a shelter area.

[rickb]

+1 on Bronk two posts up. I just did my business before I hit a shelter (1-2 miles out) or after I left in the A.M. Got off the Trail 100 meters or so and had no problems. I did watch my step going into and out of a shelter area.

100 Meters?

That would be an AT record for such an activity.

[Old Hiker]

100 Meters?

That would be an AT record for such an activity.

Can I count that towards my 2000 mile status??

I kept looking back to see if the Trail was visible. If the TRAIL was visible, so was I. It always seemed as if I was alone until I had to............ you know. That's when EVERYONE seemed to show up.

[jburgasser]

The worst thing you can do is let what you read here influence your feelings about hiking. You can read a lot of negative stuff on whiteblaze, but once you get out on the trail, that stuff goes out the window. At least that has been my experience as a section hiker. Good luck!! Ickybod

[coach lou]

Come on Icky....there is alot of positive stuff here to, way more positive........the people for one thing.

[MDSection12]

Susan, you may just be realizing it isn't for you... It can't be for everyone. Better to realize that now than on the trail. This site has talked me out of a thru-hike actually. I'd still consider a SOBO if the perfect opportunity came up, but after reading here for a while I don't think I'll ever do a NOBO. I'll use AT section hikes to prepare, but I've decided to do my 'serious' hiking elsewhere. I just don't understand the 'social aspect' of the trail... It's the opposite of what I go into the woods for. To each their own.

[Pedaling Fool]

Some people just aren't cut out for hiking, at least overnight trips.

Go ahead and go out west, but I think you'll find that there is pretty much the same collateral sh1t out there.

The grass is rarley greener on the other side; it's just different sh1t.

[Venchka]

Not so sure, really.....might head west; avoid the wet too.

Amen, Sister Susan! The East Coast folks seem to be the loudest proponents of "Grin and bear it" when trying to convince someone to hike the AT.
For me, and only me, HYOH begins with the Rocky Mountains. Mew Mexico, San Juan Mountains of CO, Tetons, Yellowstone, Glacier, and of course Canada. Word of caution: PORCUPINES.
Just do it. Go somewhere. But do go.

Wayne

[MDSection12]

Some people just aren't cut out for hiking, at least overnight trips.

Go ahead and go out west, but I think you'll find that there is pretty much the same collateral sh1t out there.

The grass is rarley greener on the other side; it's just different sh1t.

How could you possibly think that? Even in less traveled places in the East like Dolly Sods, WV I see a small fraction of the human influence that I do on the AT. Sure there are catholes somewhere in those types of places, but they're not all deposited just off the same trail, around the same time period, by literally thousands of people every year.

[Traffic Jam]

It's like reading the side effects on a medication bottle. Yes, all those things could happen but they rarely do. I stay in shelters all the time, as I live very close to the GSMNP and only once have I encountered mice and it really wasn't that bad. Only once, have I come across unburied human feces and I have never felt unsafe at a shelter, even as a woman hiking by myself. What I have encountered? Great and interesting people who I would never have met had I not stayed at a shelter.

[Sara]

I'm looking forward to the adventure next year. One main reason I want to do it - is for the challenge.
I think you need to experience some bad to truly appreciate the good.

If you still decide to hike, I hope to see you on the trail in 2014!

[jburgasser]

Come on Icky....there is alot of positive stuff here to, way more positive........the people for one thing.

I agree...but I have never while hiking been bitten by another's dog, been told by hiking snobs that my Kelty Trekker is outdated or too heavy, been pooped on by a mouse while in a shelter, encountered other hikers using drugs or drinking heavily, had to share a shelter with drunk locals partying the night away, etc. Maybe I have just been lucky, but I haven't encountered any of the negative stuff we read about on whiteblaze. I love to hike and I love reading posts by most of the folks here on whiteblaze, and I loved the book that Rocketsocks sent me in lieu of my chicken dinner last year at the N.O.C., and I love the simple straight, honest replies by Lone Wolf. I'm just saying: If you go by what you read on Whiteblaze, a lot of folks may never get out there. Hey, maybe that's a good thing! More space for us Ickybod

[swjohnsey]

Lotsa excuses for not hiking the trail. Any one will do.