Article on the "Ten famous Appalachian Trail Hikers"... Makes me sick to my stomach.

[rickb]

I have nothing against the choices, but let's make it a little longer and add Bill Irwin.

A good choice.

Another name to add would be Warren Doyle. He not only has walked the entire Trail more times anyone history, but will probably hold that distinction long after some of the less significant records have been forgotten.

His commitment is all the more remarkable when you stop to consider that he has completed the AT in each of the past 4 or 5 decades-- and he is not done yet.

But even if he had hiked only 8 or 10 times, the legacy he has left for future hikers as a founder of the ALDHA would suggest his kind of fame will endure more than some others.

[mfleming]

Most FAMOUS hikers, "legendary" thru hikers. If anyone deserves to be included I would pick Warren Doyle

[RockDoc]

Mark Sanford. Oh ha ha ha very funny. How creative. Very imaginative. He's one of the ten greatest!!!!

oh wait...

[litefoot2000]

I never understand your posts

Nor do I!!!

[litefoot2000]

And how about good ole Ward Leonard???

[chief]

I think it would be more interesting, at least as a general news article, to list famous people that have hiked some of the trail. For that list only Bryson and the judge probably qualify, but maybe Ray Lewis will do part of the AT when he gets back from Kilimanjaro.

It seems Lewis gave up his ascent of Kilimanjaro, something about an old football injury and fever.

[Lone Wolf]

I have nothing against the choices, but let's make it a little longer and add Bill Irwin.

Most FAMOUS hikers, "legendary" thru hikers. If anyone deserves to be included I would pick Warren Doyle

And how about good ole Ward Leonard???

none of these guys are known outside the very small AT hiker world. they're not "famous" at all

[max patch]

none of these guys are known outside the very small AT hiker world. they're not "famous" at all

Thats true. Like it or not, the most "famous" AT hiker is Bill Bryson.

[rickb]

none of these guys are known outside the very small AT hiker world. they're not "famous" at all

True.

How about thru hiker John Mackey-- the founder and CEO of Whole Foods.

He has well formed opinions on all manner of things-- too bad he has better things to do that share them on Whiteblaze. Remember his comments on unions? He said they were like herpes -- in that one won't kill you, but it's very unpleasant and will make a lot of people not want to be your lover.

But that is just a start.

[Lone Wolf]

True.

How about thru hiker John Mackey-- the founder and CEO of Whole Foods.

never heard of him. not famous by any means

[rickb]

never heard of him. not famous by any means

I would have figured you subscribed to the WSJ, or at least picke up a Forbes magazine at the dentist.

With 60,000 employees, a best selling book and a company that has 10 billion dollars in annual sales, he is most definitely famous.

[Lone Wolf]

I would have figured you subscribed to the WSJ, or at least picke up a Forbes magazine at the dentist.

With 60,000 employees, a best selling book and a company that has 10 billion dollars in annual sales, he is most definitely famous.

i bet i could poll all 1000 damascus residents and ask then who john mackey is and probably 5 would know him. wall street journal? never read it it in my life. never looked at a forbes mag either. i haven't been to a dentist in 30 years

[Grampie]

I think that the person who came up with this list isn't a member of the AT community. They probably googled Appalachian Trail and used what came up.

[rickb]

i bet i could poll all 1000 damascus residents and ask then who john mackey is and probably 5 would know him.

No worries. I bet if I polled 1000 people in my town and asked then who Jimmie Johnson is, probably even fewer would know him.

You missed a great article in th WSJ on the Robertson Family of Duck Dynasty fame. Now that is real fame-- they are selling (apart from everything else) books by the millions.

[slbirdnerd]

Big difference between a white paper (not this) and literature (this). Lighten up. Or take some Pepto.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

I think it's a JOKE they would add Bill Bryson to that list, if some one is going to put together a list like this atleast they can do is be SERIOUS about it.

Bryson was the first person I thought about when I read the title of the article. To the layman, he would be the only "famous" person to have hiked the AT. I don't understand the contempt with which he's held in the hiking community. No, he didn't thru-hike, but he portrayed very effectively the experience that the larger portion of hikers (sectioners, dayhikers) get from the trail, and he did it with humor and intelligence. I love A Walk in the Woods, along with several others of his works. I imagine this book contributed a great deal to the popularity of the trail as it introduced the idea of hiking it as something anyone could do.

At least, that's what it did for Snacktime and me.

[Rasty]

never heard of him. not famous by any means

I would have figured you subscribed to the WSJ, or at least picke up a Forbes magazine at the dentist.

With 60,000 employees, a best selling book and a company that has 10 billion dollars in annual sales, he is most definitely famous.

His store is famous. 99% of it's customers have no idea who he is nor care.

[stranger]

When I think famous AT hikers...I think of these people, who have been consistently the most 'talked about' hikers during my 1995, 2001 and 2008 hikes. Luckily I've also got to meet half of them.
- Ward Leonard
- Bill Irwin, Orient Express
- Warren Doyle
- Dan Bruce, Wingfoot
- Leonard Atkins, Habitual Hiker
- Mark Di Miceli, Second Wind
- Scott Grierson, Maineak
- David Horton, Runner
- Jack Tarlin, Baltimore Jack
- Sieko

[perrymk]

- Bill Irwin, Orient Express

I'm sorry I left out mention of Orient along with Bill Irwin. My own blinders only let me think of humans when recalling hikers, which isn't necessarily correct.

[MyName1sMud]

You missed a great article in th WSJ on the Robertson Family of Duck Dynasty fame. Now that is real fame-- they are selling (apart from everything else) books by the millions.

The Robertsons are good people.

Live just down the interstate from me.