Re: [at-l] Avery Awards

[DaRedhead@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/6/00 7:04:19 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
hikeusa@freewwweb.com writes:

<< 
http://www.trailplace.com/cgi-bin/miva?archive_index.mv+control=display&msid
 =id99192 >>

Okay - I am pissed.  I know this was mentioned in passing, but I thought it 
was a joke.  I want to tell the man to GET A (*(*(*(*(*(*(*( GRIP.  There 
already IS a small token of accomplishment for HIKING the AT.  And it is 
small because that association, like most real thru hikers or 2000 milers, do 
not hike for a damn award at the end, not a statue, not a medal, not 
recognition, and NOT god status.  And they don't want people lurking in 
tree's to check on THEIR hike.  So a little tiny rocker, only recognized by 
those who know it's worth, was born.  AND they had the good sense to 
understand that the hiking community was just that - a hiking community.  So 
the idea of coming up with a seperate award for "thru hikers" as opposed to 
anyone else, who might have taken 20 years to hike it, was NEVER born.  
Because the hiking community as a whole doesn't need that kind of 
divisiveness.  Who's to say whats harder - taking 6 months to hike the whole 
thing? Or being a section hiker, and driving maybe 700 miles every time you 
did a section? I know this has been debated before - and I am happy to say 
that people on this list are as happy for the section hiker who finally does 
that last section as they are with the thru hiker who makes it in one effort. 
 I, as most hikers, award a certain respect, a certain prestige, a certain 
admiration, for thru hikers - but it in no way diminishes what I feel a 
section hiker 2000 miler has done.  I don't know what kind of ego needs . . . 
.I am struggling not to cuss here, and I must say, I am more pissed off by 
this than any other issue attributed to that man . . . needs to come up with 
his own award to honor hiking the Trail.  Especially since his award probably 
wouldn't go to more than 12% of the people who THRUHIKE, let alone section 
hike.  

I vowed never to mention that name here again, and I won't.  But the only 
power he has is what he is given.  And if everyone has the good sense to 
ignore this award, and rely instead upon the small token of faith that you 
made it the whole way, whether in weeks or months or years, then it will fail 
- as it should.  I am about tired of one person trying to SAY he is caring of 
the hiking community, when everything he has done lately has done nothing but 
cause discord within it.  I am tired of him proclaiming his own self as the 
only person in the world who is an authority on the Trail, or the people who 
hike it, or the right *&^^&(^(&( way it should be done.  

PLEASE do not forget - while we were busy raising over $5000 dollars for a 
worthy hostel in a worthy hiker cause, thru nothing but SHEER caring of the 
Trail ('cause it wasn't what was auctioned off!) he refused to allow us to 
speak of it on his list.  Meanwhile he was asking for donations to support 
HIM and HIS cause.  Forgive me if I think that HIS cause is clearly no longer 
one that has anything to do with hiking, and everything to do with ego.

And Jack, please notice I called no one any names here.

The Redhead
* From the AT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

==============================================================================