trail courtesy

“i have been hiking latley on some trails where i run across people. I say hello as a common courtesy, but they say nothing back? Arn't you suposed to have trail courtesy?”

“Do you look anything like the Yukon Slasher? Maybe they're skeert.”

“Don't be offended, some people just don't want to talk.”

“Are you heading downhill and they are heading up? Just kidding. This is the new world order. Don't look at anyone, don't talk to anyone because that would mean having to give something of yourself. Too much for some people these days...”

“I say "hi" to everyone. And if they want to talk, I'll talk. On the JMT, we spent an hour talking to one guy. He had been out for 12 days, and had a lot of camera equipment. He was from out of state that returns to the Sierras every year. Interesting guy.”

“In my experience, people in a group are more likely to chat to other people in a group, when on a trail. People who are by themselves are sometimes unfriendly and won't acknowledge a salutation. Sometimes they will say Hi back, but not want to have a conversation. I certainly don't want to chat with strangers when I am on the trail by myself, unless it is a family with young kids; that seems safer to me.”

“howdy tveyecandy.. hMMm.. well maybe it's a TEXAS thing?.. *ducks*.. but no.. have never had any problem talking to anyone I cross paths with on the trail.. in fact.. if I am not careful, can stop and talk 30 mins to someone I might not ever see again.”

“I figure these people are out there for the same reason I am. I probably would be more careful in the local (San Gabriel) mountains. But the Sierras are so far out, and most trail heads are 20+ miles off the highway. So far everyone I've met has been nice.”

“I'm a talker.”

“Maybe they have taken a vow of silence.”

“Trail Monks?”

“Too much earwax.”

“I'm shy”

“I like to stop and talk with people on the trail. I like to offer advice on places to camp and fish and I also like to receive the same advice back. Kind of like right here on TT.”

“It's Marvin Gardens and his evil twin Marvim Garden. They already know your thoughts and do not need to converse.”

“I just pass gas as loud as I possibly can.”

“I don't say a whole lot, but I really have to be comfortable in a situation to open up.

Those who have been out with me on the trail know I don't say much unless I have something to say. Then it can be difficult to get me to shut up.

I'll say hi if they do. If they want to stop and converse, I will.
If I think it's starting to hold me up, I'll find some reason to politely break off conversation and continue on my journey. If I'm enjoying the conversation, then I'll talk as long as they want to, or until I'm not enjoying it anymore.

Running into other people on the trail is part of the experience, not a deviation.”

“bitpusher, neither one of us could have opened a conversation with the bird watcher we passed on the way into the needle. He didn't even nod when he went by.”

“After the first 50 or more compulsory hya's on a crowded trail, I just want to scream "STFU and get out of my way!".”

“I had forgotten about that guy chili. Yah he was pretty closed-mouthed. I respect that, but I sometimes wonder if those people are the ones thinking, "Damn people, wish they'd get out of my woods!" when they see me.”

“I'm definitely discouraged if I come across too many damn people on the trail. It's not so bad if they're going the opposite way :)”

“I get tired of the ritual "Hi" and often smile, give a friendly wave and keep the silence. Unless I am in a low use area, haven't seen anybody around, then I'll have a chat.”

“Some guys have no manners. Two years ago a friend and I were hiking in the sawtooths. Temperatures were in the 80’s and it was sunny. We were headed uphill and sweating pretty good. We were down to boots, shorts, sports bra and hat. We meet some guy coming down. He was alone and looked like he had been out a long time. I gave him a big smiley “HI”. He said nothing but just stood there as we passed. Then I looked closely at his eyes, They were fixed on my friend. She has big breasts and likes to flaunt them. Her bra just barely covered her nipples. I don’t think that guy even noticed that I was there. After we were passed we broke up laughing. She shouldn’t do that to guys that that have been in the mountains for a week with no female companionship. I don’t really think he was rude, it is just hard to talk with your tongue hanging out.”

“they have attention gravity...”

“Yeah and gravity gets the big ones. One thing I don’t want between my nipples is my navel. Small breast have some long term advantages too.”

“notice I didn't differentiate Mtn Gal. Boobies are in the same league as pizza and B.J.'s... Even when they are bad they are pretty good!”

“Can't you people just leave me alone?

My favorites are the folks that you can hear fifteen minutes before you see then. Blah, Blah, Blah. Shut up already.”

“Mtngal;

I always figgered most guys wear jockey shorts for the same reasons ladies wear bras. Some objects, especially larger than average ones, don't feel real good when bouncing.”

“Mt. Si is a very popular hike near me. One time last year I got to the trailhead, elevation 750' at 6:30 AM and saw only about 5 other cars in the 200+ car parking lot. I got to the top of the Haystack (4167') by about 9:00 and had the place to myself.

As I descended I started counting people heading up and lost track at 230! I said "hi" to a few, but 230? Let 'em think I was a grouch.”

“230 people? I would find another place to hike.”

“small boobs...large ones are a waste of space. MtGal...I'll check you out anyday...and my tounge does not get in the way...the drool does.”

“small boobs:

The old saying is anything more than a mouthful is a waste.

Does that apply to guys also?”

“Bacpac, I do avoid that place, but it's so close with such good vertical gain in only 4 miles, that it's a great workout. Solitude is the last thing to expect there.”

“I don't know where you hike but I've BPed in tons of places and everybody I've said howdy to has responded with a greeting.”

“If I see people coming I usually hide behind a large rock, snort loudly like a javelina when they pass and watch em scramble!”

“I just tell them I am an advance scout for a logging company planning to clearcut the area.”

“Surprisingly enough I've never been snubbed by a Mt biker. They always say hi. If ya wanna meet some folks on the trail take birch with ya. He's the only one I'd want to be lost in the middle of nowhere cause he can always find someone to meet! LOL! We've met some cool people on the trail. Chuck the Mighty Bubble Man was cool!”

“If it were crowded I probably would just nod and keep going also but geez I've only been on one crowded trail in my life and I've been doing this for a while.”

“I can't think of any really crowded trails, but what are we talking about when we say crowded? are we saying crowded is like 1 hiker every 1/2 hour or so, or are we talking 1 every 15 minutes.”

“More than two groups is crowded where I hike. Sort of like boobs. More than a pair is too many.”

“Le Subtil, Tarabull and I were out hiking a game area a week ago. We ran into some people who didn't fit the "hiker" stereotype - no goretex, some plaid flannels.

Anyway, they headed off down the trail just ahead of us at a pace slightly slower than ours. So, it was inevitable we'd catch up, but took a while - always an awkward situation.

And we were giving each other looks because the guys seemed a little on the scruffy hick side.

Well, we got to talking to them and found them to be very friendly. At the end of the day, we shot back to the trailhead on a little dirt road. Our new "friends" drove by and stopped their pickup to see if we were okay. Good guys in the end, just out scouting turkeys.

Don't judge a book by its cover, eh?”

“Mtn Gal, the guy couldn't think of what to say...all his blood was at the other head.

Sometimes I say, "Hi" to girls wearing sports bras and shorts while looking at their bust....that makes me courteous, right?”

“I have always found that on the trail, people will share with you what they want. So far, the people I have met have been great. I always pull off the trail, if possible, to let on coming hikers pass. Sometimes, the break is very welcomed.”

“Please tell us about Chuck the Mighty Bubble Man.”

“I always say hi and can't remember too many snubs.

When I am wearing my Forest Service uniform in the San Gorgonio Wilderness I just stand in the middle of the trail and people talk to me.

I agree with Snow Nymph about the San Gabriels...you could have anyone from LA out on a day hike. In the Sierras people are more approachable.”

“Thank God for dark sunglasses. That keeps you women wondering, is he looking at my breasts or my eyes.

I'll let you guess the answer to that.

What nice eyes you have my dear. (Remember the Saturday Night Live Skit?)

LMAO!!!!!!!”

“The norms for stranger encounters differ widely from culture to culture. In the deep south (other than in larger cities), people wave and say hi as a matter of course all day, every day--even in cars. Try that in New York City and people think you're a dangerous psycho.

I try to remember this when I say hi to someone on the trail and they just stare back silently; It's probably just another a'hole from NYC. The same people, once they get to know you, can be quite friendly. They just don't do the "hello" thing, and don't understand people that do.”

“I was hiking with some of the kids in the Chic Chocs in Quebec.

We were going up to Lac du Diable'(The Devil's Lake, ooooooo!) near Mont Albert.

I got pretty well "bon jour'ed" out on that trip.

Every one said, "bon jour" and I got to practice the two words I know in French.”

“I found New Yorkers to be very friendly. I guess everyone likes me.”

“The more remote the area that I've hiked, the friendlier the people, it seems. I will say that people who value the wilderness, sometimes value silence. After 6-7 days of little talk and much silence, it is almost painful to get back to the blah, blah, blah.
I do think some would be served by less talk and more awareness of their surroundings.”