why cant we as hikers just hike the trail???..Shaw’s in Monson is trying to discredit and slam “Pie Lady” at any cost…why is this allowed to happen??..All we want is a place to lay our head,a meal,shower,and some friendly talk…Matt went to buy some pole tips from Shaws…he was told to leave because he was staying at Pie Ladys…Wingfoots book doesnt reflect this???so what can we do???
greenwing
Welcome to the NEW AT. Hostel and outfitter wars from Georgia to Maine. The AT is big business now.
Wolf
I don’t think it’s a “war”. You are over reacting. Keth Shaw probably did not want to provide hiker services to someone who wasn’t staying at his home. It’s like someone going into a hotel, that they are not staying in, and wanting them to let you use their facilities. Shaw’s offers so much more than his competers in town. Don’t bad mouth him if you have not stayed at his home. Please note, I did not call it a hostel. It’s way above that. He makes you feel like a guest in his house.
Grampie-N->2001
Grampie
Regardless of how he makes you feel when you stay in his hostel(home), this owner’s action was not honorable. This customer was not asking to use the facilities. He was trying to BUY pole tips. Sounds to me like he was willing to pay for what he needed. I think the action was petty, and these kind of actions would make me think before I stayed in such a place. Some people need to grow up!! Its a business, its competitive!! But you can treat customers with dignity regardless of where they are staying!
swallowtail
There is a lot of gossip along the AT. Some of it deserved, some of it not.
But, when there is an incident, there are usually two sides to the story.
If I had believed all the gossip, I would have never stayed in many of the hostels I did. If you treat people with the respect and courtesy they deserve, it was always returned, or at least to me.
Don’t know what happened to Matt at Shaws. While it’s well known that there is no love between Keith and Pie Lady, then why even bring up the subject?
Peaks
No,it’s out right war between those two. I stayed with the pielady and had friends at Shaw’s. Mr. Shaw was nice enough but he did make comments about the pielady and has made accusations about her business. I went to visit my friends at his place and bought from his store which is the only one in Monson. What ever you do just don’t mention them to each other. This situation happens in towns along the trail. Just stay at the hostel and don’t bring up the competetion. There is enough traffic along the trail to make everyone happy.
Darth Pacman
It is called “free enterprise.” It exist in everytown and every business or industry.
Papa Smurf
The Shaw family was very nice to me and had the biggest chicken breast I ever did see!!!
Virginian
Just in case a future thru-hiker misinterprets Darth Pacman’s comments I think he meant that Shaws is the only place in Monson that sells “hiking” supplies (limited range). There is a reasonably well stocked food mart in Monson where hikers can resupply.
Downunda
Thank you Downunda for catching that mistake. I did mean Shaw’s has the only gear shop in the area.
Darth Pacman
I guess if you need to visit Keith’s Gear Shed you need to saty there. Maybe I’ll see if he wants me to add that to the next ALDHA Companion.
There’s another place to stay in Monson called the Lake Shore House. Beautiful backyard to lounge in overlooking Lake Hebron, with canoes for rent. It’s also the laundrymat, but the rooms are more like an upscale B&B, and there’s a wonderful kitchen that hikers can use. “This is the nicest laundrymat I’ve ever seen!” said one hiker. Keith Shaw’s and the Pie Lady’s are both really nice places to stay and get fed, but Keith is a gruff old Mainer set in his ways, and is less than kind toward ‘competition.’ I’m probably one of the few here who have been to all three places, and I can honestly say all three are worth staying at. They are three completely different experiences, truth be told, but all good.
TJ aka Teej
Yogi and I stayed at Shaws on our '98 hike so I can’t really comment on Pielady’s place. He does put on an AWESOME breakfast though. Sometime ya gotta get Baltimore Jack to tell you the story of the kid that ate 16 eggs @ Shaws. Its hilarious as only Jack can tell it. Mr. Shaw may seem gruff at first but once he knows your alright he’s really friendly and will do whatever he can to help ya. Thats pretty typical of New Englandahs. Its one of the things that I liked about that area of the country when I lived there.
BooBoo