[pct-l] [SPAM] Needs to be said

[marmot marmot]

I am so thankful that this problem is getting discussed. After my 2012 hike I wrote a letter to a trail publication concerning the behavior that I saw on the trail. The former editor thought it was too controversial to publish. Therefore,I don't want this thread to stop at this level. The point is to brainstorm solutions. It is way past time to stop this mess.
Whether some hikers are conscious of it or not, they are afraid. That means they use painkiller behavior--drinking,dope,mob/group think activity. It's time to talk about ways to deal with that fear. Just the act of walking reconnects one 's brain. You lose your defenses.  Most of what happens in the non trail world is avoidance activity that kills pain. On the trail the whole process puts you closer to your feelings. That means all of your feelings--the painful and the good ones. 
Each year a certain percentage of hikers actually needs to hear what is considered human behavior. 
Every year I have voted against moving to sites for the Gathering that allowed alcohol.  Last year that was changed. It worked out OK. But, we are dealing with at the most a couple if hundred people. I didn't want it to change into the "Stover Pond" drunken nightmare that ALDHAEAST dealt with. It is clear that the towns a and TA are sick of the behavior.  Do we need a talk at the KO nighttime slideshows about this?  We talked about it briefly at the Women's Trekker's meeting. 
This forum reaches a lot of hikers. Keep talking about it. If nothing else the drunks/stoners/idiots will p***,sh**,leave trash,steal from each other and vomit all over themselves in their tents not at the TA's or in town. Might not stop the sociopaths but we could  reach the garden variety neurotic.   Marmot


Sent from my iPhone

> On May 21, 2014, at 2:10 PM, "Robert E. Riess" <robert.riess at cox.net> wrote:
> 
> We have not yet begun to witness what this year's crop of rookies will try 
> to get away with.  I am expecting litter, graffiti, drunkenness, theft, 
> noise, rudeness and all manner of unsociable behavior.  It is not a private 
> matter.  When it reflects unkindly upon the trail, it reflects unkindly upon 
> all hiker.  You can tell a lot about the people from their note.  Nobody 
> "backpacks" the PCT.  Hikers carry packs.  Middle school kids carry 
> backpacks.  I'll bet they talk about the Sierras, too.  Sierra is plural. I 
> hope there are enough veteran hikers out there to teach the newbies their 
> trail manners, and I hope they are not shy about doing it.  Before folks 
> rail back at me, I freely acknowledge I have almost no long distance hiking 
> credentials.  But I know slobs when I see them.  BR
> 
> -----Original Message----- 
> From: Barry Teschlog
> Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2014 12:20 PM
> To: PCT L
> Subject: [SPAM][pct-l] Needs to be said
> 
> Yes, carry you own damned trash, you lazy jerks.
> 
> 
> http://www.pcta.org/2014/hey-thru-hikers-carry-darn-trash-20557/
> 
> 
> The sense of entitlement of some individuals is totally out of control.
> 
> I'll give props where its due to the PCTA in calling out this BS behavior by 
> the bad apples.  It's in stark contrast to some other user groups that shall 
> remain unnamed where their organizations are silent at best on bad behavior 
> their user communities.
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