corp's nasty problem

“So here's the deal- My friends are non backpackers. This weekend, as we do every summer, we'll be going to stay in some cabins with electricity, a game house with ping pong tables and video games, a basketball and volleyball court- This is their idea of camping. Anyway, I think I have talked about four of them into going hiking in the near future, a simple overnighter. These are the same people who, in order to have energy to climb Bear Mountain, drank nothing but Jolt cola on the way up. What do I do if we're well into the trip, and someone starts whining about something? Has anyone had a similar situation, if so, how did it end up?”

“Corp., I confess that I'm usually the whiner (although I did amazingly well on the Montanapalooza). I think that unless they are flipping out, you should just let them whine a little. Sometimes it just feels good to say when something sucks balls and if they think it does, they might loosen up.”

“someone whines so i don't take em anymore.

get em away from teh car and remind them walking is the only way they're gonna get back. tehres not a whole lot they can do. if they keep it up, leave em in your dust. most of em will thank you later when they finish the hike and realize they actually can do it.”

“Sure, the whining I can deal with, I will be bringing duct tape, but I'm saying what if one of them is like, "I can't walk anymore" or "I want to go home now". They're great people, but I'm not carrying anyone, and I'm wondering what the chances of a trip being ruined are- I really didn't drag anyone into the idea, so I won't feel guilty if they don't like it, but I'm not sure what I would do if someone refused to move, or said they were going back by themselves- I don't think I could leave any of them alone on a trail, they could get lost, silly city folk.”

“I have been in that problem before.The best thing to do is find out before you take them out backpacking if they are even going to like it.Take them out on a day hike or something before you take them out on a overnighter.

You can find alot out by takeing them on a day hike before you take them out where they have to carry a pack.

Just a thought.

8D”

“That makes a lot of sense Mike, unfortunately my friends don't see it that way. They are more excited about the camping part than the actualy hiking, and I'm trying to get it through to them that it's not exactly a walk in the- Waaaaaiiit a minute!”

“Well then all you can do is try it and if it goes bad then its a lesson learned.

8D”

“If whining is such a big deal why do you hang out here? This place has the biggest collection of whiners I've ever seen.

Most of the people are whining about whiners.”

“I don't whine!

I only whine when I can't go backpacking and that does not happen very often!

So speak for you slef!

8|”

“Corp. - If they're gung-ho on doing an overnighter and you can't break them in on a dayhike, make the route as easy as possible. I can help you pick out some easier routes if you're taking them to Harriman (I got the new maps, BTW) or the 'Skills.

Sometimes in the end those kinds of situations can be very positive. I took some buds to climb Hunter Mountain in the 'Skills last Memorial Day weekend. However, I knew they were a bit out of shape and lied to them and said the route we were doing was easy, when it was actually a pretty nice buttkicker. They whined during the tougher sections, and I countered by insulting their manhood. It worked and they shut-up and pressed on and in the end they thanked me multiple times for pushing them and had a great time.”

“Good point Artex!I will remember that one!

8D”

“You been in the military service? You heard whining? What are you SUPPOSED to do? Treat them like hamburger? Or...FILET MIGNON? You know I love you just BECAUSE you been in the military but, gees...treat them like hamburger...then they will try to be MORE LIKE filet mignon...reverse psychology...BTW...you said you served in Alaska?”

“That is exactly right, damanvid- but it doesn't work real well with people who haven't been in the service. Everyone in the army is forced to do things they don't want to do, and they have no choice, but eventually it becomes fun, I think. You have no other way to deal with it other than to learn to love it. Most people who've never been in that situation don't seem to respond the same way- When we're out on this trip, there's nothing stopping any one of them from saying they quit and wanting to leave- I don't think anyone will, but there is that chance. Besides, outside of the army and other such organisations, there is no rank- Which is one of the reasons why I left.
Actually, I didn't serve in Alaska- I served in Georgia, spent a lot of time in the desert in Cali, and went to Egypt for two months.”

“I understand...I tried to get my MOTHER (of all people)to understand the military ways...no such luck...I served in Ft. Jackson, Ft. Ben Harrison, Schofield Barracks, and Ft. Meade Maryland....I am out..had I stayed, would have less than a year left til retirement...#&%!$! Oops...also went to Korea for 45 days...the ways of life over there are unbelievable....”

“check my thread called...... NEVER again


my mistake.....i took her on a trail that was obviously beyond her ability because she was overweight. also i dint stress to her how hard it was going to be.


it got ugly dood....REAL UGLY”

“If you doubt they can do it, don't take em, it'll be just that much worse for you,, if they can't do serious dayhiking there is no way I would trust em further out,, sounds like trouble for you!”

“go dayhiking first. for the overnight, be very clear with them about what to expect and trail conditions. if they still end up whining, give them a good swift kick in the head.”

“I agree with the others. A dose of reality is what is needed. If the know what is expected on the overnighter, they should want to do some dayhike training. If they won't do it, don't take them. I've been in the wilderness with somebody like that and it was not pleasant.”

“Oh. I thought maybe the good Corporal crapped his pants. Of course, if you take these daffodils on a hike and they geek, you probably will. Don't do it unless you make sure they know the risks.”

“Well I have taken people who never backpacked out and they loved it. They didn't whine at all. The first thing I did was tell them truth don't make it sound all sweet and nice. I even made it sound worse than it is just so I could weed out any people who had second thoughts. I help them pack their packs and got the weight down so they could have a good time. If they still wanted to carry something I didn't thing they should I made it very clear I WOULD NOT carry anything for them so if you want it be ready to carry it the distance.
The trip I took them on was not a easy one either.
So put on a smile and have fun.
It will be aok
Barbara”

“CGHiker's advice is good. Map out for them what they will have to do in no uncertain terms. If they still whine, the standby, operative phrase is: "I told you so Sucker!"

I don't think anybody has an inkling what to expect on that first hike. I know I didn't. It was harder than I had expected, and I had wanted to go. But I just kept charging and made it. Make the hike as easy as possible. Let them know afterwards that it was easy, so if they want to go again it will be harder.

I've had a fair share of whiners, but most of them went the distance in spite of the whining. They just didn't have any other choice.

And follow the advice about making it clear you will not carry their gear, period, end of sentence, no appeals to higher, more sympathetic courts.

If they seem really wimpy, I'd get them to sign a waiver, LOL.”

“i took my friend Cheryl who had never been backpacking before on a trip. she totally whined a lot, but i just kept telling her she could do it. on the way out, she actually wanted to pretend that she had twisted her ankle and call for a ranger to come rescue us!! LOL. but now she says it was an awesome adventure, and we laugh about it all the time.”

“Good advice here. Give them some training. Tell them not to pack the camp chairs, or boombox or big flashlight. You know all the heavy stuff newbies are tempted to take. We have pack inspections for the new kids in our Boy Scout troop. Pretend your friends have the wilderness experience of an eleven year old.
Comfy shoes, dry socks = good times!
Bourbon, no beer.
Don't forget Vitamin I.”

“Tell the wimpy ones you need a $500 deposit for the trip. When they look at you funny, tell them that a deposit on the rescue chopper. That'll send 'em packing.

Odd, most threads on here are about how to get people to go backpacking with you...”

“When several of us when to area 51, the hiking was very hot and difficult, not to mention we had to avoid setting off any motion sensors. One of my group (a new woman) used hand signals to indicate that she was unable to continue, due to a blister. We shot her with a silenced pistol.

There's no place for weakness out there.”

“well lyra, if those losers that you were supposed to meet hadn't taken to hiding somewhere they could have joined in your misery. with the weather on the hike back to the cars that weekend i can understand a newbie whining a bit. the wind and rain SURE WERE BLOWING that day. it would have been hard to describe that to someone who hadn't experienced it.”

“LMAO!! i know, we would've loved to have your company in our misery! that was definitely quite an Experience. i always kid HER and say, "I can't believe you took me out to meet some strangers that we couldn't even find, and we hiked for a million miles, and the rain, and the wind...! The nerve." HA! she says she really is glad she went though.

and by the way, i think i'm cursed! it's rained every time i've ever been backpacking.”

“I used to believe that too, lyra. I was 3-for-3 on my first three trips. It wasn't until my first Savage Gulf trip that I had a backpacking trip with no rain.”

“Corporal, unless you pick a hike with a lot of miles, they should be fine. Try to find something with 6-8 miles to camp and that way if the weather won't cooperate, you still won't have much trouble getting to a campsite or a next one if the first one is already claimed.”

“yeah, i've only been like 8 times or so, bitpusher. i'm relatively sure my luck will have to change at some point...
;-)”

“I've only been on 6 trips, so I'm 50%.

Maybe the rain just likes you, lyra...”

“Do like I do lyra. I hire myself out to drought-stricken communities to camp out for a price. I camp out, they get rain, I get money, everybody wins!”

“Took a couple to Rahwah Wilderness, and carefully explained the difficulty and the temperature range. Also gave them a VERY detailed list of what to bring and what NOT to bring. It was a 2 day trip to the trail head. As we were re-packing our packs, I should have known. Their packs were full, I ended carrying most of the community gear. Can we say 70 pounds+ ? Got to the site at 13,000 feet, saw what they had packed. All the stuff I told them NOT to pack! And then they had the gall to complain. Did I learn my lesson!”

“yeah, i've thought about that, Geobeet! LOL!”

“Thanks for all the advice everyone- I think I'm just going to give out some kicks to their heads and call it a day, no hiking for them. J/K- Actually, the trip so far consists of two guys who will probably enjoy it, and one female who probably won't. I have told them that it's going to be rough, so I do have that complex legal defense to fall back on- You know, Tough Noogies. Also, the first person who decides to sit down and not move will be sprayed with honey and shoved in a pic-a-nic basket for whichever bear comes first, Winnie or Yogi. Oh yeah, and if anyone tries to pull the twisted ankle trick, I'll be bringing my twelve pound flashlight along, and tell them that the rangers don't fly anyone out unless at least forty percent of your bones are broken, and what kind of friend would I be if I didn't help them out?
I am definitely going to do the trip, since none of them have ever done it before, they might like it- It'll be interesting to see how some of my regular pals will act out there on the trail...”