please try and keep your body odor down, try spung bathing every evening or every other day, Not pretty when you got 12 wet and smelly hikers in a shelter built for 8 please try.
RED-DOG
Trail Hygene - Appalachian Trail
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#2
Ya! That trail, so dirty, especially when it rains. You’d think a shower would help but no it just makes the trail all muddy and stuff. I mean, the trail is made of dirt and rocks and stuff; all sorts of bugs and twigs on it. Very un-hygenic. We should get volunteer groups to shampoo all trails and give them a good pumice stone rub down to boot.
And it needs guard rails too. And animal crossing signs. Maybe turtle bridges and tunnels cause I almost stepped on one once.
Seriously people, dirt is not good. We can’t allow our trails to have so much dirt. Take a rag with you when you hike and dust of the trail for pete’s sake. Do your part.
Jason
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#3
Hey Red-Dog. Since Springer Mountain fever is starting to rise in me, I’ve been dropping in here to answer the itch which I’ll be unable to scratch. However, I’ve notice a few of your “instructional” post of how others should consider conducting themselves…whatever. I think you’ll find, if this is your first experience with the AT, that the famous slogan Hike Your Own Hike speaks universally to all. Frankly, in my two hikes, I’ve never been fond of those who celebrate the fart or the belch, but it makes sense to them, so KaSaRaSaRa (or how ever you spell that Doris Day song?)
I’d prepare yourself to meet a great deal of texture in your hike. What you choose to be around or avoid is wonderfully your choice (a tent or hammock makes this much easier than relying on shelters). Letting go of your own expectation for others and just going rather than getting wrapped up in others can reward you on your adventure rather than possibly becoming frustrated with others and the inconvenience they may cause. Of course it is your choice. The AT for the most part is filled with respectful humans all looking for adventure and don’t mind sharing laughter or the misery of multiple rainy days. Hike Your Hike and hopefully let others hike theirs. Good steppin’ and fun to you if you’re attempting a grand hike this season. One last thought, Stink Happens. You may think you don’t smell after nightly sponge baths, but hug a friend after a day or two, and they’ll surely corrected that false assessment faster than stench can crinkle a city persons nose.
Postcard
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#4
For your info i have hiked the AT twice successfully, HAVE YOU i don’t think so.you are right stink does happen but every body as mature adults can do their part and keep the stink down and YA Mamma why don’t you piss off, as a successful thru-hiker i feel that its my responsibility to teach others. if who ever don’t like it i don’t think you belong in the outdoors, why don’t you try cross stiching instead?
RED-DOG
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#5
Since you are very experienced and are sharing your wisdom, everyone thanks you. Hikers learn from other hikers. You must also know from your past hikes everyone doesn’t does things differently, don’t they? Some shave some grow beards. Some brush their teeth and, well, you know. Being helpful can so easily be misinterpreted as bossy, clearly that wasn’t your intent. Since you asked the question, albeit with anger, I’ll answer you. I did my first AT thru-hike in '04 (a very wet year, 35% of my 4 1/2 months was rain) and yet it was fun…and smelly despite all those showers. My second was in’06 (five months this time while finishing all of Maine having broken my wrist, but it was all good.) Most likely will go again someday when the time is right. Enjoy your day Red-Dog.
Postcard
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#6
Good luck this year. The trailjournal data-bank show this will be your first hike to post entries. I saw that you had to get off the trail in '06, the same year of my second hike. Never a happy moment, but nice to see you’re going again. 2006 was a pretty favorable season for the eastern corridor in terms of rain. My two thru-hikes are listed in there entirety here at trailjournals. Your internet account of your hike, your experience, your wisdoms learned will help others…which I now know is quite important to you.
Postcard
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#7
well first i finished in 2006, it was 2007 i got off,i didn’t think doing a trail journal was important and still don’t.A good hiking friend talked me in to doing one this year and i should have never listened to her. the 06 hike was my second my first was in 96. and yes i do think my trail Knowlege is very important to me. And yes if anybody on the trail this year ask my advice i will give it to them a little bite of friendly advice goes a long ways don’t you agree.
RED-DOG
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#8
Hey guys, enough with all this ‘my hiking resume is longer that yours or I’ve notched my poles with more thru’s than you’ bantering back and forth. A little humility would seem to be in order here. Postcard is right – each of us must hike our own hike in our own way. Yes, mere morality would urge each of us to be considerate of others and fortunately, most that we meet out there try to live up to that expectation. But then, there will be a few (as you find anywhere) who only think of themselves. My advice is to ignore them as best you can. Red-dog, if you’re bothered by the odor of other hikers, don’t sleep in the shelters. One night I had to endure a fellow hiker beside me waking up on the hour, nearly every hour, to relight his pipe – and I’m highly allergic to smoke. It was awful! But I endured and said nothing and made it a point never to put myself in that situation again. I mostly pitch my tent. Perhaps all you with sensitive noses might do the same.
Personally, I too advocate a cat bath each night before climbing into the sack if for no other reason than keeping my bag a bit cleaner and so I can tolerate my own stench a little better. But hey, that’s just my approach. Good hiking to you all!
Woody
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#10
I believe they had this exact discussion, equally juvenile, self-righteous, and pointless but for the ego gratification, while picking nits out of each other’s tresses and banging bongos on the street corner at Haight Ashbury in 1968. History, as they say, is a repeat.
guod-der
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#11
Sort off topic but this thread reminded me:
Quoting hiking resumes is like the cheesy guy who says he “climbed all the world’s major peaks” when it is clear that he paid for over-priced guide services to plop him at base camps where he sat and talked about being in “private equity” while never so much as scuffing his 500 dollar, custom made, 10 lbs hiking boots on a trail. <-- there is a guy like this in my home town who struts around the local bars with a too-tight-white-dress-shirt with the first three buttons undone. I kid you not. When he talks to women, he sways from side to side and rubs his chest. Seriously. Good stuff.
:smokin
I know more than you
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#12
if i offended anybody i’m sorry, my advice is my own personal preference, you can take any way you want to.:cheers
RED-DOG
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#13
I don’t mind smell, although I did have to wash my tent when I got to NH. I tented most of the time. The thing that bugs me, and I try not to this myself while in front of hikers is…flossing your teeth in front of me. Snot rocket is close second. I always floss in tent and I use tissue or handkerchief. But , hey you do your thing, because I’m certainly gonna do mine.
Chef
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#14
My AT hiking experience suggests to me that while one can find people hiking that are your sort of people, it is just like the rest of the world. Some people are to your liking , others are not to your liking. Some people are agreeable and some are not agreeable. Some people operate in a fashion you understand and others do not. If you’re upset by someone’s smell or manner there is nothing like putting a few feet, a few miles, or a few States between you and them.
Flash
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#15
Well said flash, Let’s try a few states i am game. But what really burns my chap is people letting their so called trail dogs climb on peoples gear. i can’t even begin to you how many times i ran dogs off my gear and, the owners just sit back and laugh now that is what really pisses me off.
Mudflap
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#16
Try that with my dog, buddy, and your arm’ll be off in about 10 seconds.
It’s a trail. People stink. Deal with it or get out.
J Delorme
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#17
J Delorme you can kiss my a-- and if your so called trail dog got on my stuff i would kick it’s a-- and yours to, try and take my arm off bud and see what happens BUD.
P.S KISS MY A-S
RED-DOG
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#20
I totally agree with RED-DOG on the subject of dogs on TRAILS. If you can’t keep your “TRAIL DOGS” off peoples gear. And if you can’t give your fellow hikers that much respect then you difenatlly don’t belong on the A.T or any other TRAIL, STAY HOME. " understand" and this goes for any body that hikes with a so called properly trained trail dog. you ever heard of a thing called a “LEASH”:cheers
Mudflap