Re: [at-l] look at me stunts

> > Strangers may seem impressed by what they think we've done, but they 
>can't
> > begin to understand what it really was like, so their admiration really 
>has
> > little impact.
> > Ginny
> >
>
>If I didn't know better, I would say that sounded kind of elitist.
>
>I will keep my admiration to a minimum so I don't waste it... :)
>
>Russ

Maybe I am a bit elitist -- but I like hikers best.  When you have someone 
who has never walked farther than from their car to the store and they get 
excited because you are willing to live in the woods for six months without 
a hot shower, or because you know how to use a camp stove - their 
'admiration' doesn't mean as much as the respect of someone who does hike 
who has some idea of what it means to hike all day every day for five or six 
months.  People who don't hike think long distance hiking sounds "fun."  
Backpackers know how hard it is and are a lot more likely to imagine what it 
is really like to do it day after day. Thruhikers understand a bit better, 
because they have their own hikes to compare it to.  I don't hike for other 
people. I hike because I can't live without hiking, not to get the 
admiration of the world -- which is a good thing, since most of the world is 
utterly indifferent and the few who do care think I'm utterly insane.
Ginny
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