[pct-l] PCT article in the Ashland Daily Tidings: "They're Coming!"

[CHUCK CHELIN]

Good afternoon, All,

If the smell-test at Ashland was the prime criterion I would figuratively
take a day-hiker under my wing and let him/her slide in with me to get a
free beer since I would probably have enough smell for both of us.
Unfortunately,
that scheme probably wouldn’t work: There are just too many other
differences between “hiker-trash” and  “trash-hikers” – oops, I mean
“day-hikers”.

While long-distance hiker aroma is usually pretty strong, it’s likely the
perfumes that day-hikers slaver on in great abundance may be stronger.  Soap,
cologne, conditioner, hairspray, deodorant, mouth wash, and maybe a few
other layers I don’t remember, can be enough to make a real hiker’s eyes
water.  Any hint of that and the free beer is forfeit.

Thru-hikers will probably have that lean, gaunt look while day hikers are
still smooth and nicely rounded.  That gaunt look is the reason that --
when thru-hikers are in the area -- the bears hide their own food in trees.

Legs are a key in indicator:  Thru-hikers have slim, tightly-corded,
muscles, without much extra bulk of anything – fat or muscle.   Those legs
are likely to be well tanned, at least between the bottom of the shorts and
the tops of the gaiters, and the skin will be dirty in spite of the
spit-bath just before arriving.  The ladies’ legs will probably be almost
as harry as the men’s.

Next, a look at the hands.  A thru-hiker will probably show a relatively
un-tanned stripe across the back of the wrist where the trekking pole strap
covers.  On the thru-hiker ladies, any hint of nail polish will have been
long gone while the day-ladies will still be neatly and colorfully
manicured.

A look at their faces is revealing:  The thru-hiker guys will almost always
have a beard, but it will be shaggy while the day-guys will be neatly
trimmed.  The thru-gals will look as though they hadn’t used a cream,
potion, lotion, or any other makeup in months – which will be true.  That’s
much in contrast to the pretty, fresh, peaches-‘n-cream visage of the
day-gals.

As for the cloths, the thru-hiker persons will be shabby, drab, faded, and
mismatched beyond description.  No day-hike person would be allowed to
leave REI in that condition:  The staff would throw a net over them and
drag them back inside for a complete re-do.  Shoes might be the exception:  If
the thru-hiker had just resupplied they may be wearing brand-spanking-new
shoes with all their pretty, bright colors – so bright and conspicuous, in
fact, one would be tempted to call the wardrobe department to tell them
that someone screwed-up big time; the costume just isn’t right.

Finally there can be lots more indicators, but listen to snips of their
conversation:  “…pretty soon…” to a thru-hiker means Cascade Locks, while
“… pretty soon…” to a day hiker means Pilot Rock.

Steel-Eye

-Hiking the Pct since before it was the PCT – 1965

http://www.trailjournals.com/steel-eye

http://www.trailjournals.com/SteelEye09/


On Sat, Jul 14, 2012 at 10:52 AM, Brick Robbins <brick at brickrobbins.com>wrote:

> my favortite quote
>
> ""They can't be day hikers to get the free beer," he says. "They don't
> get it unless they smell bad."
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