[at-l] Purism...to me.

[RoksnRoots@aol.com (RoksnRoots@aol.com)]

In a message dated 3/24/2002 12:44:23 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
AThiker@smithville.net writes:


>  First of all, I think it
> doesn't matter what you do. I think it matters more what you
> say you do. And, to me...if you didn't pass every white
> blaze...you didn't thru-hike. If you don't pass every white
> blaze, you shouldn't get the patch (this allows for
> section-hikers and flip-floppers).


     ***  Sounds like you're saying two things here: 1) That it doesn't 
matter what you do 2) That it does...  If you feel people have been softened 
into cheating their claim by popular sentiments say so. What you are saying 
here is that hikers are cheating yet you're afraid to say it directly because 
of the fear of condemnation for doing so...




 I equate this with
> someone going to college. If you don't get the credits
> (blazes) you don't get the degree (patch/certification).
> People don't get to tack "RN" or "PhD" to the ends of their
> names until they get the degree...why should hikers get to
> sew a patch to their pack before they've done the
> trail...And, they haven't 'done the trail' until they've
> passed every white blaze.


     ***   Yes, but there is a legitimate claim that conscientious 
blue-blazers are doing a better hike involving more Appalachian experience. 
There's obviously a need here for a review of the hike to see if it covered 
the requirements. This review process has become abhorrent to some and drawn 
criticisms of fascism, dictatorial control etc. ATC used to do it, but 
stopped after it became too difficult to cover the increase in hikers. So... 
what has happened is an honor basis has taken over to leave it up the 
individual to describe their hike (which is like asking someone to decide 
their own income). The result has been a laxing off of how people actually 
hike the Trail. People claiming to have hiked it have done anything from 
spending months covering the pure Trail plus extensive blue-blazes, doing 
volunteer trailwork on the way, and promoting a traditional AT philosophy 
to... following a party nomad crowd spending time boozing and partying along 
the way while doing a minimum of hiking and hitchhiking around large sections 
etc. It's become unpopular to point it out that way, but that doesn't mean it 
isn't true...
      I the end it's up to you to claim what you did. Although I encourage 
hikers to try and do it clean in order to get the most out of the 
through-hike challenge and what that means. If you stay in the woods long 
enough it starts to transform you. That is part of the "mystique"...



> 
> Had I missed a hundred feet of trail, I
> would not have gotten the patch. I did not get the patch for
> anyone but me. 

    ***   Shoot Felix, I think even Wingfoot would have let you get away with 
a 100 feet!   ;)


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