Re[2]: [at-l] Re: Pennsylvania Pointed Rocks

[Bob C." <ellen@clinic.net (Bob C.)]

"...So...is there anyway you can blue blaze (or yellow blaze??) PA and still be
considered a thruhiker??" asks Hummingbird.

"Thru hiker" is a somewhat nebulous term that each person has to define for
themselves. Everyone that starts at Springer (or Katahdin) with the intention of
going all the way is a "thru hiker," at least for as long as they stay on the
trail.

Those who quit before reaching their destination or who skip sections are on the
honor system and the only their consciences can tell them whether they are a
"thru hiker" or not.

I tend to feel like a thru hiker, based largely on my six months and three days,
during which I saw the summits of both Springer and Katahdin. Sometimes I even
claim to be one on lists like this as sort of a short cut code to establish my
credentials for giving advice. When I do, friendly folks like Jim tend to point
out my error.

At other times I go into an elaborate explanation of my particular
AT experience and suspect my listeners (yes, Felix they are really readers) eyes
glaze over from boredom.

I understand ALDHA may have posted "rules" for thru hiking, but I've never
bothered to look at them. The ATC talks about thru hiking but officially
recognizes only "2000 milers" which, despite the name, are anyone who has hiked
all 2,160 miles of the trail. ATC allows one to skip sections only for safety
reasons, and then only if one has made a serious effort to do the missed
sections -- or something like that.

My advice is to ignore all the warnings about the rocks in Pennsylvania. Like
the weather in Maine, the rocks in PA have been grossly maligned. It's a great
AT state and no one should miss it.

Weary