[at-l] Why shelters?

[icw39@ncfreedom.net (Clark Wright)]

Having it both ways . . . I thought I was more the solitude type, but
some of the BEST memories I have of the AT this past year are of the
people I met - many of whom I met at shelters . . . I think that hiking
the AT has a significant social aspect that makes it truly unique - and
each person has to develop their own rhythm and set of habits to
modulate the amount of personal interaction that works best for them . .
. for me, going to shelters, socializing, eating and then hiking on to a
quiet spot worked best.

hike on!

thru-thinker

Phil Heffington wrote:
> 
> Shane wrote, "I never understood sleeping in a shelter.  I thought the
> whole idea of
> getting into the great outdoors was to get away from people, not
> socialize
> with them..."
> 
> Perhaps your comment should read, "the whole idea of getting into the
> great outdoors is to get away from certain people..."
> 
> Of course, people hike for all sorts of reasons.  Not everyone is into
> solitude.  I suppose the main selling point for staying in a shelter is
> convenience.  And, if you live with a snorer, then snoring probably
> doesn't bother you.  If mice don't "bother" you, then mice don't bother
> you.  If you are not into solitude, then company doesn't bother you.
> 
> My own personal experience in hiking for the whole month of May for the
> last four years, from Springer to Port Clinton, PA has been that I have
> slowly, but surely, converted from a dedicated shelter dweller to a
> fairly consistent tenter.  It would have been even more so had I not
> hiked through Shenandoah Natl Park this year.  My track record for
> places I've stayed (not necessarily representing the same number of
> nights) has been the following:
> 
> 1998:   Shelters = 15
>         Tenting  = 3
>         Motels, etc. = 7
> 
> 1999:   Shelters = 13
>         Tenting  = 3
>         Motels, etc. = 5
> 
> 2000:   Shelters = 11
>         Tenting  = 13
>         Motels, etc. = 4
> 
> 2001:   Shelters = 14 (6 in SNP)
>         Tenting  = 8
>         Motels, etc. = 7
> 
> Totals:  Shelters = 53
>         Tenting  = 27
>         Motels, etc. = 23
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