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[at-l] re: bad advice

sleeper wrote:

>>I was wondering if any other thru-hikers had received
any bad advice on their hike that proved to be totally
wrong. Mainly someone else's perception of a place
or the way they were treated by locals they met.
  To clarify: In 94 I was warned about Rainbow Springs
Campground from some fellow hikers heading back to
the trail. We were told how the place was a rip off and 
how rude the owners were.<<

i heard all the same things about rainbow springs AFTER i had been there.
they were actually the first trail contact i had outside of new england.  i
had rented a car to drive down to nashville, where i met my brother and we
started the trail together.  on the way down, i swung by rainbow springs to
enquire about shuttles to springer.  they seemed like nice folks, and were
conveniently located where my brother could leave the trail after coming up
from springer with me.

so they shuttled us down.  and shuttled us out of hiawassee after my
brother's knee swelled up.  and i stayed there when i passed thru.  their
stuff is expensive (so was the shuttle) and they do kind of have a "please
buy more" way of talking to you.  but they sure don't put up with any of
the "thruhikers are gods - give us all you have" elitism that some hikers
exhibit, and hence they've gotten this questionable reputation.  i thought
they were fine folks who charged more, so i spent less.

other "advice"...  heard all the nasty stuff about the "appalachian money
club" in the whites, but there again, it's just an organization that is
wise to the wiley ways of thruhikers (debates about high tentsite fees
aside).  the hut system as it currently exists is not capable of handling
lots of thruhikers.  the worst reports were from groups of thruhikers
trying to stay in the huts together and were turned away.  going through
solo, you have a better chance, but always have a backup plan (ie. only
plan on staying at a hut that has a tentsite nearby incase there's no
room).  i find it amazing that thruhikers complain so much after the fact,
when they know full well going in what the rules are (ahh, maybe it's that
word - rules).

most of the complaints i heard were from those that expected the red carpet
treatment and lots of freebies, and were given instead honest services for
very little cost (usually).

plan to do everything for yourself, and you will be pleasantly surprised.
YOU CANNOT EXPECT OR PLAN ON TRAIL MAGIC.  sorry, but that has to be
shouted.  btw, planned trail magic is called "garveying," after the
venerable ed garvey who seems to have planned to meet someone at almost
every road crossing in his 1970 hike, usually with good food and drink.


(please be advised that all my comments regarding my own hike come from the
position that not once was i treated rudely when i did not deserve it and i
suffered no ill will or discrimination at the hands of those in the
trailside community.    i have heard stories, however, of REAL mistreatment
- it does exist.)


mike
ke kaahawe
 .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .    .
/ \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \  / \
   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \/   \

Michael Henderson		mikeh@royalrobbins.com

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. 
	- Helen Keller
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