[at-l] thru hikers, and 2000 miler status

[tmcginnis@ucclan.state.in.us (Thomas McGinnis)]

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: [at-l] Bryson, thru hikers, and 2000 miler status
Author:  DaRedhead@aol.com at ima
Date:    9/29/99 1:36 PM


In a message dated 9/29/99, 12:38:24 PM, tmcginnis@ucclan.state.in.us writes:

<<And while I'm at it, if all WERE right with the world, 2000 Miler status  
would have four classes. >>

Oh, come ON!   Aren't there enough "class" problems in the world without 
trying to divide up hikers by HOW they hiked the 2000 miles, as long as they 
actually hiked it? <snippage of most excellent patch designations, which my 
local embroidary connection is developing as we speak. Write. Read. Whatever.>

****Sloetoe responds to Her Redness with: My point was just to respond to the 
near-universal view that 2000 Miler Throughhikers are somehow more special than 
2000 Miler/NON-Throughhikers. I disagree. I've written as much before: 
day-to-day life on the trail is LOTS easier after a couple of weeks, and 
sectioneers get NO respect for missing out on that bene, as well as all of the 
OTHER added hassles they go through.

I think you get my point. <snip>
they all meet the 
requirement - the entire trail covered from Georgia to Maine.  For that 2000 
mile patch.  The definitions of a thru hiker are a little different, yes? 

****Yes. "throughhiker" is a relative term: you are hiking "through"; 
technically, you could just be hiking farther than me *today*; maybe I'm 
dayhiking at Clingman's Dome and you're hiking Fontana to Davenport. Maybe you 
are *attempting* to hike end-to-end on the AT; maybe you've already done so -- 
in which case you'd be a *former* AT Throughhiker.

And that is a club that is certainly special - which you know, since you 
belong to it. 

****See? You did it too. 2000miler sectioneers are special; there are THOUSANDS 
of 2000miler Throughhikers. 

But in my opinion, there is no direct correlation between that 
intensely personal 2000 miler status and a Thru Hiker.  You can be one 
without being the other (although you can't be the other without being the 
one <g>).

****Nope. You can be a 2000 miler without being a Throughhiker, and you can 
honestly designate yourself a Throughhiker walking into Neels Gap, Georgia, 
whether you're northbound OR southbound. It just means your hiking "through" -- 
perhaps past where anybody else within earshot is hiking. It's an evolved custom
to apply "throughhiker" to someone attempting an end-to-end hike.

Near as I can tell, ole Bryson boy never did claim to be either.  

The Redhead



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