My apologies fern feeler I didn’t realize Jen left a note in your mailbox.
Old Man
Women's supported record
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#22
Well good for her! You can read her blog if you are so inclined < http://jenniferpharrdavis.tumblr.com/ > :tongue
While it’s not what many would care to do (I couldn’t do it), she set her goal and accomplished it. Hooray for “uppity women”. I think she’s going to write a book…?
Lady Di
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#23
Curmudgeon calling the kettle black OM.
:boy
“Given clear air,…” sounds like something Guy Waterman would have written. And it sums up my feelings precisely, though I’ll leave the author the extra brownie points for political correctness with the final feel-good sentences. He can have 'em.
fern feeler
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#25
I agree…BIG DEAL!!! What is the rush of completing the trail so fast? I know people hike for their own reasons, but it serves no purpose when you do not enjoy the views, bond with the other hikers, and grow and learn about yourself by getting close to nature and God. There’s more to hiking then just setting records. As far as a book is concern, what would she write about, she had no trail expriences. Personally, I would love for people to stop using the trail just to set a record.
Happy Hiking…
just hikin’
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#26
My first thought was “who cares”. She hiked her own hike, set a record if that is what everyone wants to call it, did it with more support than any 10 people have, carried no pack, small amount of water. She set a goal and accomplished it. Even with all the differences in her hike and a true thru-hike it was a difficult challenge. My thoughts are there will be few serious challengers. Yeah, I agree with what someone else said…there will probably be a book.
poptop
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#27
My first thought was “who cares”. She hiked her own hike, set a record if that is what everyone wants to call it, did it with more support than any 10 people have, carried no pack, small amount of water. She set a goal and accomplished it. Even with all the differences in her hike and a true thru-hike it was a difficult challenge. My thoughts are there will be few serious challengers. Yeah, I agree with what someone else said…there will probably be a book.
poptop
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#28
Yes, of course, she’s going to write a book about her experience. I believe she has indicated as much. The thing is, if you’re interested in her story, you could read about it and if not then you won’t. If it bothers you that she might make money off her endeavor or gain some notoriety than you can vote against this sort of activity with your lack of monetary support and avoiding reading or responding to blogs and discussions about speed hikes. It seems to me that in any case she won’t get to retire on profits from such a project anytime soon. It baffles me how her hike negatively effects anyone else. If anything, I think she will motivate people to be active, to hike, to support the Trail, and to look at how people limit themselves. Also, let’s keep in mind that this is a public place and this resource is available to all of us. Also, I think her hike is less a commentary about or comparison to other hikes, but is simply an amazing display about what is possible. One last point, it seems that all hikes are supported, examples include- rides from the trail into town, the people at home that watch over our homes, our children, our pets, our parents, or the many Trail angels, friends, and family that provide emotional support to us along the way. Flash '02
John Mattes
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#29
Very logical of you, John. Problem is, the issue is more amorphous than that. Either you get it or you don’t. Both sides have validity, both have flaws. Speed hikers / record setters would be naive not to realize the controversy they attract, and indeed, should probably save their breath in the aftermath and let others go at the debate on their behalf. You can’t put yourself out there in that capacity on the AT, of all trails, and not reasonably expect to attract naysayers. For many, the AT is like a second home, an indivisible would-be country, an exercise in utopian democracy, and the better democracies throughout history have been clamorous beautiful messes indeed.
ff
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#30
Can you, fern feeler, or anyone out there explain to me how the complex and amorphous issue of speed hiking conflicts with the notion of the utopian democracy of the AT? Flash '02
John Mattes
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#31
I don’t think that there is any problem with anyone using the AT or any other trail in anyway that doesn’t conflict with the leave no trace principles. Speed hikes, slow hikes, section hikes are all part of the HYOH ethos that I find so appealing. What I do have a problem with is calling this a “hike” as to me it’s a “walk”. I think there should be a clear defining difference between “hiking” where you carry your own gear etc and “walking” where you dont. This doesn’t demean what she has achieved (I believe she fully deserves a 2000 miler recognition) or that people can’t slack pack etc, but that for the purpose of any speed record the time to “walk” it is the record she has achieved and anyone wanting a record for “hiking” it should be a white blaze purist without support (other than lift to town type stuff). Personally I’m not keen on slackpacking but do want to smell the flowers, photograph the views and enjoy the experience, and a blue blaze that is more scenic (not one to avoid a hill) fits my plans well. We all should be concerned with getting what we ourselves want from the trail(s) and accept that others seek different things.
Jacko
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#32
Let’s use Jacko’s post as an example. This post starts off in a way that many can probably agree on, but then it delves into personal opinion on what constitutes a “walk” vs a “hike.” Obviously many would take issue with that, but nonetheless this poster is free to abide by his/her own ethos while on the trail and to think that the trail would “be a better place” if others would do likewise. This type of opinion, like those that are pro/con speed hiking, may seem trivial, but it goes to the idea that the trail has values worth upholding, indeed that the trail has value, worth, and deep personal meaning, differing from person to person but ultimately falling into various camps of thought. One of the most well established camps is that of the traditional thru-hiker who walks with a full backpack (much of the time), travels with other hikers, spends months on the trail, makes lasting connections, spends time in the towns getting to know those who support the trail, perhaps pitching in on trail maintenance with the maintainers they meet along the way. This is a rough personality sketch, but ultimately it forms the backbone of the AT distance hiking community.
The trail is a public place and of course we’re all free to pursue our own calling on the trail in whatever manner is acceptable per the law of the land. But the AT is also a private place, a very personal space that many of its most strident defenders occupy with their heads and their hearts. What some in the trail community see in speed hiking is an irreverence or an indifference toward the traditional recreational, non-competitive use of the trail, and as such a certain disrespect for the trail and its culture. All thru-hikers take something from the trail and community, something that elevates their experience and makes them feel awesome for a time. But by tradition they also give back, they reciprocate for kindnesses received, they spend time in the towns and hostels, they linger and mingle, they “take the trail at its own pace.” But speed hiking is in many ways a different animal, the focus is competitive - me vs the trail or me vs the standing record. The goal is to get started and get done, a surgical strike, very self-focused, with an insulated sphere of support that revolves just around you, Type A rather than Type B personality, not leisurely or laid back the way the trail or the towns are naturally inclined to be, and to finish is to conquer for the sake of self-promotion, and ultimately to take a whole lot more than you gave back.
Speed record hiking will probably continue to attract controversy and condemnation for as long as the traditional ways of the trail community are at odds with what speed records are all about. It won’t be easy to change that, and the record breakers would be wise to understand this, to HYOH certainly, the community should always support HYOH, but just know that what you’re doing flies in the face of long-standing tradition. The naysayers aren’t just jealous, they’re not all narrow-minded hillbillies or pot-smoking hippies. What they are is emotionally attached to the trail, its culture, and a way of life. The speed record hiker may not be a genuine threat to that way of life, but it’s certainly someone that stands out and incites passions. And this is just something that this type of hiker needs to recognize and be sensitive toward. Such is just the cultural reality of the trail.
ff
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#33
A CDT hiker (whose name I forget) stated, in Mark Flagler’s film, that if you are going to hike the trail “try to be the first one on and the last one off. Life goes by all too fast”. (or a close proximity of the quote). That was his hike. In my younger years I was a competitive runner, now I hike in the slow lane. It’s all OK as long as we continue to respect one another and our accomplishments. Amen.
Marti /Swannee
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#34
First of all it was not a speed hike, it was an endurance hike of 15-16 hours a day at 3-3.2 mph. Secondly Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain which is exactly what she did. There a difference between unsupported and supported hikes. Jennifer also holds the Long Trail record for unsupported, which means she hiked the entire trail, with a backpack, in the least amount of time.
Jen is very familiar with the trail, having done a traditional thru-hike (with pack) and another supported hike that set the women’s record in 57 days two years ago. Her backpacking accomplishments also include thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail.
loanedH