Imagine. If there was an Appalachian Trail ‘Hall of Fame’, and you could nominate someone for it, who would you include. I know that the AT is not about honoring people, I know that the orginal intent was to honor the common person, I know this goes against what the AT stands for. But who are some of the people that kept that AT spirit alive. Maybe it would be nice to let them know, this Thanksgiving.
Bilko
All the noteworthy folks have passed on except for current maintainers of the AT.
lone wolf
Lone wolf is right, if a little depressing. Why thank hikers? I don’t know about all that keeping the “spirit alive” crap, but I do know what keeps the AT possible. Hikers don’t really make much of anything possible. Not even the crazy, triple-crown, thru-hiked-every-year-til-they-turned-60 hikers. They just make us puke. They make me puke, anyway. All hikers are selfish, in one way or another. We get on the trail, expecting rides, food, shelter, listeners, kindness, praise, even the ground on which we walk. The people to thank are the hostel workers, the trail maintainers, the sitemasters, the donors, the angels, and all the brave drivers who dare to stop for squirrely hippies on the side of the road. We can’t even set foot on a trail head without owing thanks to someone. If you want to get all touchy-feely on Thursday, aim it at someone who actually deserves it. Go hug a ridge runner and make out with Miss Janet.
grace
If you re-read my post, I didn’t say a word about hikers. I was thinking more about the people that help out others along the way. grace you are absolutly right. It could be trail maintainers, hostel workers, shuttle providers, trail angels etc. I agree with you, I think Miss Janet would be one on that list. I know the guys that maintain the CMC section of the trail, do a great job. Bob Peoples, Elmer, etc. Just a way to say Thank you at Thanksgiving. Feel the Love.
Bilko
The Shaws, Peg Leg (may he rest in peace), Rusty, Pie Lady, Cookie Lady, The guys at Walasiyi (sp)in Neals gap for mailing all that stuff home, The Blueberry Patch, The church hostels all along the trail. And the list goes on.
Papa Smurf
Miss Janet has the patience of a saint. Imagine the percentage of a-holes she gets through there, as oppose to the percentage of good people, yet she tolerates all. Screw any hikers getting in the hall of A.T fame, the people that make it possible for everybody to hike the trail are the real deal. Imagine a trail without them…
Cheers
Cheers
Grace please, please write a book. Maybe collaborate with Burn, he’s another one who sees the world from a different direction. I miss your stuff sooo much.
Blue Jay
Benton Mackaye (sp?), Myron Avery, & Earl Shaffer are the first three that come to mind when I think of who I had heard of most before hiking the trail. Other than that, I think me. There you go. Just four people in the AT Hall of Fame. The trail could pass right through it. Hikers able to pass by the life-sized statues in a matter of seconds, though i assume they’d stop and admire Statue #4 for a while. Mackaye, Avery, Shaffer, and “Less.” When do we get started on this anyway??
Leki-Less
oh, chris. you’re a mess. anyway, about this whole hall of fame thing. the AT already has one. itself. the point of a hall of fame is to remember those most important to what we hold dear, right? how can we finish a day of hiking without remembering the fact that somebody put their sweat into our ability to do so? i know that we don’t see the name of every volunteer carved into the trees along the way, but a lot of the shelters are named after some of the trail’s parents. and it’s obviously not hard to remember the hostel celebrities. ya know, cuz they feed us and drive us everywhere. and those favorites who’ve past on will always be remembered through the trail’s (very) highly developed network of gossip. it’s sort of a “living museum”, if you will. so yeah, hang a picture of Emma Gatewood on a hut wall in Virginia and one of Benton MacKaye in Vermont but don’t crowd them all into a boring old hall of fame. keep their memories spread out through the experience, where they’d love for them to be. that said, i think i’ve officially turned into a hippy. damnit.
grace
I would like to nominate myself for the hall of fame. I like to consider myself the greatest thru-hiker of them all.:pimp
Rowboat
That’s why I think I should be #4. My thru-hike was the only right way to do a thru-hike.
Leki-Less
Rowboat: The only honor earning you entry to The Hall would be the fact that you threw up in all fourteen states. Maybe Amodium AD can sponser your PCT trek.
Have a swell turkey day ya phat duda.
Officer Taco
Taking a dump in all 50 states would be an even greater achievment. I’m up to about 16 so far.
Cheers
Cheers