[pct-l] Responsible Hiker or Knucklehead

Mon Apr 9 12:30:33 CDT 2007

Ed,

You must have been out hiking and missed the posts.  There were reports of trash left and filled to overflowing at the water caches, used toilet paper all over the trail, and no attempt to dig cat holes in some locations. I saw this first-hand in the Sierras between KM and Crabtree -- so it was not JMT hikers, but PCT hikers who did this. A few hikers were obnoxiously rude to the owners of the Tahquitz Inn, and their behavior resulted in the removal of discounts or favors for hikers.  Money disappeared from the Dinsmore's donation can, which was salt in the wound after hikers stayed there for days on end, letting the Dinsmores feed them, but not donating a cent toward the costs.  I got Scott Williamson going off for about 20 minutes on the "Tell It On The Mountain" camera about all the trash he saw, and what a mess he'd encountered hiking behind the 2006 Herd.  I think it's safe to say that he was thoroughly disgusted, and had never seen anything like it.  

Personally, though I've never posted this before, I was appalled by the "B.A. Boys" -- a dozen or so hikers who hung off the Anderson's minivan driving around the campground at Kennedy Meadows with their bare behinds out directly following the No-Way Ray memorial last year.  It would have been a tasteless act any time, any where, but the fact that we had just had a somber ceremony remembering a very classy and loved man was stunning in its lack of consideration and grossness.  As you know, there plenty of non-hikers who were camped there, with their children.  Not to mention the slap in the face to Ray's widow, Alice.  I wanted to strangle them. 

Trust me, there was a element in the crowd last year that we have never experienced before. 

L-Rod

-----Original Message-----
>From: ed faubert <edfaubert at yahoo.com>
>Sent: Apr 8, 2007 10:02 PM
>To: Carl & Judy Rush <elisenme2 at gmail.com>
>Cc: pct-l at mailman.backcountry.net
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Responsible Hiker or Knucklehead
>
>Your right i heard all kind of bad stories about the class of 06 and except for the post about Bama putting griffite all over so/cal not much else was said. I was hoping to see who some of these bad butts were so we can avoid them if they return...
>  Meadoe Ed
>
>Carl & Judy Rush <elisenme2 at gmail.com> wrote:
>  I know that last year there were some big problems with a few hikers on the
>trail , such as skipping out without paying their bill at VV , giving motel
>owners a hard time ,and even arguing with trail angels. There were other
>hikers present who knew about these events, but did and said nothing to
>them. I don't understand why, I believe that we have to police our own, or
>we won't be welcome anywhere.
>Carl
>
>
>On 4/8/07, Hiker97 at aol.com wrote:
>>
>> It is that time of year for this post.
>>
>> One of the reasons we hike is to kick back and enjoy the world without a
>> lot
>> of constraints. We get out of the ordinary and into the
>> extraordinary. We
>> like a little extra freedom out there to do what we want to do and when
>> we
>> want to do it.
>>
>> There are so many rules and welfare in our civilized lives that we like
>> to
>> be on adventure with Mother Nature. The sooner we can get into this
>> rhythm,
>> the better we like it.
>>
>> Each hiker has their way to be on adventure. Some do it with others and
>> some do it alone. Some like big mileage days and others like a more
>> causal
>> pace. There is room for everyone on the trail.
>>
>> But this brings us to an unfortunate human phenomenon. Some hikers think
>> that their hiking freedom supersedes the rights of others. They think
>> that
>> disrespecting others or their property is okay. After all they are on a
>> hike
>> and do not have to adhere to the normal rules of conduct. These are the
>> Knuckleheads.
>>
>> Fortunately, these hikers are a real minority. The vast majority of
>> hikers
>> are a credit to the hiking community. They respect themselves and their
>> abilities, the rights of others, and Mother Nature.
>>
>> The trouble is that it only takes a few bad apples to spoil the
>> barrel. It
>> only takes a few Knuckleheads to give the whole trail community a bad
>> name.
>> Here are some bad conduct things they do:
>>
>> ---- Trashing motel rooms
>> ---- Not paying or offering to pay for services
>> ---- Not saying thank you
>> ---- Not offering to pay for gas
>> ---- Not being helpful
>> ---- Expecting support, instead of being appreciative if it happens
>> ---- Always taking and not giving – selfish
>> ---- Not supportive of other hikers
>> ---- An air of superiority and condescending
>> ---- Not leaving things better than they found them - for example, they
>> don't pick up trash on the trail
>> ---- Not being an example of right conduct or a positive role model
>>
>> What is so frustrating is that doing the right thing on the trail is so
>> easy. It takes a real conscience effort to screw up out there. You
>> almost have
>> to will yourself to be a Knucklehead. It is a premeditated act to be
>> one.
>> It is not an accident.
>>
>> Just because someone is on a hike does not mean they cannot act like
>> ladies
>> and gentlemen. Like they have some class about them.
>>
>> It is the responsibility of every hiker to immediately let those very few
>> hikers know that their conduct is not appreciated. That the sooner they
>> wise
>> up, the better for everyone. Do your part and help us keep the trail
>> community healthy and positive.
>>
>> I thank you. Switchback the Trail Pirate
>>
>>
>>
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