Re: [at-l] Survey of Shelter Ettiquette

["Leslie W. Booher" <lwbooher@evansville.net>]

I don't know which number in the survey that this falls under, but I hate
staying at shelters where there is a large contingent of people in one
group, like kids from a camp, or Boy Scouts, who just take the place over. 
Some offer to share with you, some don't.  But you show up at 3:00 in the
afternoon, and they've already set up and taken over.  Once, at Double
Springs in the Smokies, when we got in early with plans to wash our hair
and relax, someone who's a prominent member of the trail community was
already there and didn't want us to come in because his cronies were coming
along later.  As it turned out, there were 13 people in a 12 person shelter
(those little wooden dividers play hell on the back when you try to scoot
together to make room), so the last one in slept on the floor.

Another thing that really bugs me is when thru-hikers won't talk to us
section hikers.  We want to learn, too.  We want your wit and wisdom and to
share what wonders you saw today.  We're human.  I know that it takes
energy that you may not have to interact with "new" people, but it means a
lot to us.

Leslie

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