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[pct-l] I'm okay, you're a thru-hiker.
- Subject: [pct-l] I'm okay, you're a thru-hiker.
- From: Chris Bailey <hikertrash@earthlink.net>
- Date: Mon, 1 Feb 1999 02:40:00 -0800
Original message:
>Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 16:26:42 PST
>From: "Jeff Thompson" <sierra141@hotmail.com>
>Subject: Re: [pct-l] Re: Room 4 everybody
>...may I comment on the common implication that ThruHikers
are special and even enlightened.
<snip>
>...ThruHiking is not everyone's highest path. I question the
attitude of some ThruHikers, however, towards us non-ThruHikers.
Jeff: Can you provide any examples?
>I'm not only not attached to the trappings and goals of society, I've also let go of my need to achieve the goal of 2600 officially designated miles.
Jeff: This is great for you but I wonder about your motivation for bringing it up? Especially so carefully worded: "2600 officially designated miles." Seems like maybe you're baiting thru-hikers yourself.
>I don't mean ThruHiking is wrong, but it would be for me. A ThruHike
would pass too fast through country that is not all my choice,
simply because it is designated.
Jeff: 4 - 6 months is too fast? Did you ever consider the possibility that thru-hikers return to places along the trail they find particularly special and that their thru-hike is, therefore, not their only opportunity to visit such places?
>Which brings me to John Muir, unquestionably in touch with
spirituality and nature. When 29, after regaining his sight from a
blinding eye injury, he left home and walked a thousand miles from
Indianapolis to the Gulf of Mexico. Later he chose, as I have, to
savor and know the Sierra. Does not ThruHiking mean he got less
enlightened? Would a former ThruHiker be admired, or considered
"fallen", at a Gathering?
Jeff: Where is this coming from? This makes no sense. How could John Muir "not" do something that didn't even exist in anything like the same form it does today? Do you have any evidence to support the notion that a "former ThruHiker," whatever that is, is shunned by, what, non-former thru-hikers? Could you clarify this whole line of thought, please. There appears to be a logical fallacy here, but perhaps I'm missing your point?
>The superior attitude of some ThruHikers is not warranted. For some,
a 2600-mile goal would *deny* liberation. Some ThruHikers might
think I'm missing something, and some might wonder if some of them
are missing something.
Jeff: Again, can you provide any examples of the "superior attitude" to which you allude? Can you clarify this passage?
>If one ThruHikes for the goal, this "conquering" is inherently dualistic; it is impossible to
be one with something at the same time one conquers it. *You* may
not be ThruHiking for the goal; on the other hand, you just may not
yet know that you are.
Jeff: What obliges you to question anyone's motives for thru-hiking? What business is it of yours? Why do you imply that one whose goal is to thru-hike cannot "be one" with that experience? Where is your evidence?
>The attitude of some towards non-ThruHikers seems to be not just
superior, but to wish they weren't on the list, that they aren't
equals. Some describe Gatherings with this same, cultish, angle.
Jeff: I'm glad you're on the list and I could care less whether you're a thru-hiker, a day-hiker or a non-hiker. Why are you hung up on identities?
>This list is for everyone, though, and it is sad that some feel free
to, and are freely allowed to, attack non-ThruHikers on this list
such as Mrs. Jensen with such hateful cruelty. I think she was
right to suggest we not divide and judge each other. If we keep our
ears open, we might continue to grow. "Minds are like parachutes,
they only function when open."
Jeff: I'm not positive, but I think Mrs. Jensen is/was (irrelevant) a long-distance hiker (a thru-hiker?). Without taking sides on the recent posts to which you allude, I will observe that I didn't get the impression that it had anything to do with whether or not she was or is a long-distance hiker. I do find it incredibly ironic that you yourself appear to be promoting the dichotomy you claim to resent. I just don't see a lot of evidence for this superiority that thru-hikers have allegedly displayed. I certainly haven't seen any evidence that thru-hikers wish non-thru-hikers weren't on this list. I think a lot of thru-hikers are on this list (myself included) because we want to share with the PCT hiking community at large, again regardless of experience level or hiking ambitions, and to learn from the experiences of others.
I really don't understand your apparent hostility. One of your themes seems to be that you have a problem with any implication that thru-hikers are "special and even enlightened." Why so uncharitable? Thru-hikers definitely are enlightened about one thing: long-distance hiking. They definitely are special in one sense: they've undertaken a fairly rare journey. What's wrong with thru-hikers embracing their (common) experience and sharing it with others? Why are you so threatened by that? Why can't you live and let live and let people derive whatever sense of satisfaction from their journeys they choose?
I for one was once a non-thru-hiker. I backpacked but had never been out for longer than 4 weeks. In 1995 I thru-hiked a trail and in 1998 I thru-hiked another one. Am I now a former thru-hiker by your definition? If I never do another thru-hike, will I be "fallen"? Your definitions don't really matter to me: I'm happy with my accomplishments and ultimately care not a bit what anyone else thinks of them. But I do care when one subset of hikers is singled out a painted with a broad brush because they, at worst, have justifiable pride about something they've accomplished.
Sure I'm gonna hear about this one....
Chris.
I really don't understand your apparent hostility. One of your themes seems to be that you have a problem with any implication that thru-hikers are "special and even enlightened." Why so uncharitable? Thru-hikers definitely are enlightened about one thing: long-distance hiking. They definitely are special in one sense: they've undertaken a fairly rare journey. What's wrong with thru-hikers embracing their (common) experience and sharing it with others? Why are you so threatened by that? Why can't you live and let live and let people derive whatever sense of satisfaction from their journeys they choose?
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Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 19:37:46 EST
From: ChsyHkr@aol.com
Subject: [pct-l] After YMCA
After that little ditty "fades out" what do you do? Break into " In the
Navy" :>)
Walking on,
Cheesy
Greensboro, NC
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Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 16:47:59 -0800
From: "Hurricane Helen" <hhloth@neworld.net>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Non-Canine Buddy
Joanne wrote - -" I feel the same about dogs........if people and horses
have to be permitted, why not dogs. Dogs do not read, they do not know
about Leave No Trace, in fact they leave a lot of trace around." - - Which
leads to the question of who taught the horses to read?
Seriously Joanne - Do we shit in the woods? Do we pack it out? Do we pack
out our used toilet paper? Do we chase down every scrap of windblown freeze
dried food? Do we leave our insect repellant, sun lotion, toothpaste and
soap at home? Do we lick our plates clean? Do we walk without sound? Do
we never light a fire? Do we never pitch a tent? Do we retrace ten miles
because we left something unimportant at our last campsite? Do we never
walk on, or off, a trail? I recognize existing campsites by looking for
human, not dog, traces. I think we humans, including you and I, leave a
lot of trace around.
As Pogo said - We have found the enemy and they is us.
Helen
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Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 21:31:39 PST
From: "Determined Hiker" <determinedhiker@hotmail.com>
Subject: [pct-l]videos
Stephen -
The video I have is the Tahoe Yosemite Trail by the McVeighs. It's
helpful and beautiful, just that now I'm looking for a fun experience
one rather than just an instructional one. I want one that has comments
from the hikers on their personal experience, what was hard, fun, what
they thought about, etc. For instance, how did the hike effect their
relationship? I have friends who are a couple who just took a three
week backpacking trip down the Calif Coastal Trail (northern part) to
see if they could tolerate each other on such an experience.
Were you tempted to stop at some point, etc.
That's just an example of some of the info I'd like to learn about.
Things also like - what brought hikers to these ideas and goals? What
happened after the hike, etc.
Thanks
Mary
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Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 21:21:25 PST
From: "Determined Hiker" <determinedhiker@hotmail.com>
Subject: [pct-l] Re: Room 4 everybody
Jeff -
Well said! I agree.
Just for the record though, I should warn the list - I have a very dry
(some would say sick) sense of humor. I can't remember the little sign
I'm supposed to use to indicate tongue-in-cheek.
Mary
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Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 23:50:54 -0600
From: "Mike F. Robertson" <bigdaddy290@juno.com>
Subject: [pct-l] Room for everybody
I am new to this forum. I enjoy reading everyones post. To Jeff
Thompson you have hit the nail on the head. I would agree with all you
said. I would also add that even if you are thru hiking it doesn't mean
you have to follow the straight and narrow. i personally get bored with
a purest form of hiking. (not that there is anything wrong with that) I
definately feel each to his own. But to break boredum shaking things up
and choosing a different path for a while can make all the difference for
the soul. Some of my best experinces come from going down that blue
blazed path. The most important thing to remember for the thruhiker is
that no one way is the best and if they somehow feel enlightened and
better because they thruhike than I feel sorry for them. I think then
they miss out on a lot. Peace to all. Mike(bigdaddy)
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