[pct-l] lame, entitlements

[AsABat]

> Is a false sense of
> entitlement aggravated by big hiking budgets?  

I keep writing this response and thinking I shouldn't, but here goes...

During a town stop last year while hiking from Pooh's to Quincy, I heard
a friend was in town. Someone said they thought he was at a motel (not
to be named, but the name includes the word "Butt" in it). I walked down
there. Finding no one in the office, I walked around the complex and was
greeted with "What do you want?" I said I was looking for a friend I
hadn't seen in about a year. The response I got was "friend to say hi
to, or friend you want to share a room with." The clear implication was
I was going to try to sneak in a room without paying. I responded just
to say hi, but I might be looking for a room later. He checked his
records, not finding my friend, and I left.

I went to the old hotel and asked there. No one had checked in, but the
owner graciously called the other places in town for me. (I never did
find my friend that day.) 

Guess where I stayed? 

Sadly, I learned that hikers had been sneaking extra people into rooms
without paying. I got painted with the same brush. I resisted telling
the first owner I could probably afford to BUY his motel and didn't need
to sneak around. I'm guessing that some hiker's sense of entitlement
caused a negative attitude towards hikers, but as a customer I was still
offended.

The twist is that I was later invited to share a large cabin that had
some extra beds (and the contract was for the cabin, not per person) and
I left the old hotel to enjoy the company of others rather than watching
the paint peel. I told the hotel owner that since I had already
showered, washed my clothes, and taken a nap he could keep my $50. He
was pleasantly surprised. Hopefully that will benefit hikers that visit
him in the future.

I noticed more hikers that were not doing it on the cheap this year. IMO
that's good, as it spreads money around the trail towns. I understand
cheap - I'm an accountant - but I'm glad I can enjoy a nice meal or a
soft bed in town.

AsABat