The Trail Talk Clans

“Ever get the feeling that we have little clans based on geography? It's pretty cool.. I mean there's a northeast clan, a Michigan clan, a southern clan, and a few other factions. And it's all based on hiking with those that are near us.

Of course, we're not at war with another. We're a loose confederation that joins forces for the occasional battle with that other board.

But anyway, it's my own slightly twisted way of looking at things. Now, should we get mascots and tribal colors, or what?”

“The southern tribe adopts the Hooter Girl as it's mascot.”

“It seems like the clans do intermingle at times, but I see what you mean. I think most groups evolve from people that live within a reasonable drive for weekend trips from each other.”

“I am Switzerland, I'm neutral”

“What do you mean we're not at war? Obviously, the Michigan clan could beat up any other clan!



Just kidding. I actually get jealous of some of the other clans. Wish I could hike/meet them!”

“I'm the mercenary called upon when one of the tribes goes to war.”

“Buddha Bear shows up armed with a 5L bag of wine. He makes a fine mediator.”

“Everyone's ready to mediate after 5Ls of wine!”

“I think the northeast clan should adopt the black bear, since we have the densest populations and also the largest in the lower 48.”

“Here in Dixie, we spell it Klan...”

“Yes, the bear disguised as Gizmo the trail runner or Brian the stalker that almost ate Maple Leaf at Kirkridge!”

“Can I be the one who bangs the coconut shells together?”

“That's an interesting way of looking at it....

I guess I'm kind of like the distant cousin, or mountain people, or something, out here on the fringe. I only appear in case of a major gathering of the clans (palooza), traveling great distances, over land, to meet with my clan brethren, for major battles... He He He”

“So, we have....

Northeast Bears
Midwest Crazy Mountaineers
Southeast Hooters
Switzerland
Buddha the Hessian
The Lords of the Plains
The Western Lamas
The Canadian Mounties

I see a sequel to Gangs of New York in the making.”

“LOL @ Geobeet and Buddha Bear!”

“What about moose? :(

Or can I have my own clan since I'm northeast of the Northeast Bears?”

“So much for the confederacy!”

“Twiggie, you can do whatever your little heart desires! :-)”

“Good one FG.

Hooters! Hooters! Hooters!”

“Well. Twigeater, ya know how Mainiacs are about outsiders who are born outside of Maine. They will always be outsiders. So I say we lie. We say that we were all born in Millinockett and moved away while we were still infants. We are all related and therefore cannot become interrelated. What is our family name, though?

Anyway, you and Mr/Mrs KlimberSkeetah can be of the Northeastern Bears too, if you want to.”

“The southern clan will at least be able to fly in style.”

“Great names BB... but remember, we are all part of the Beer and Strumpets Tribe (even if we visit with other tribes, such as "Tea and Crumpets").”

“ LOL! Lyndy... no, separating the women from the men did not work well for the Shakers.”

“Forgive me for being too darned bold.”

“Let me guess, they died out with fewer and fewer heirs?”

“Go try it now, lyra! Women really love being called that! Especially when you are spanking them!”

“LOL @ Twinkles! Yeah, we should call ourselves The Wendol for short. However, we'll never reach the Halls of Valhalla if we continue the cannibalism. :-P”

“Geobeet...sounds like a personal problem. Ouch!”

“would Tarpy work, bitpusher? i think it's pretty fitting.
:-D”

“I dunno, but you could try it. Good luck on getting him to let you spank him though...”

“Hey, don't forget the Southeast Hooters clan (klan) includes the Florida group. And, when it comes to a battle of the clans, they have me.. And us "gators" eat bear for snacks.”

“gators make nice boots. :)”

“Yep Lyndy, they used to have many thriving communities... I think they now they have about 5 members in their 80s (to be precise: they didn't keep men and women apart socially, they just prohibited sex).”

“So when do we get to start war?

8)”

“I guess I'm on an outpost, too. You can hardly call that a clan.”

“Fritz, that was a reference to Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Terry Gilliam was the guy banging the coconut shells together.

The film was a low-budget movie (literally) and they couldn't afford horses. So to make up for it they waltzed around looking like a kid riding a stick pony with Terry Gilliam riding behind with the coconut shells to sound like horses' hooves.

The effect was quite hilarious and better than if they had ridden horses.

(I tell ya, ya gotta explain everything to these young whipper-snappers these days!)”

“Maine has a shaker village
Shaker village

I think I'll just be a Maineiac Moose until I join some Northeast Bear hikes...I'm so jealous of you guys having such a fun group nearby... :(
(get your butts up here so we can freeze our eyeballs together, lol)”

“Twigeater, perhaps the Mainiac Moose can be considered a splinter faction of the Northeast Bears? I mean, you seem like you're one of us and all.”

“Twig: Is that one of the communities that has started taking on new members?”

“We'll be the distant cousins you only see once a year, lol.”

“LOL!”

“Cool, I always wanted to part of clan. Can the MT clan be sorta' like characters from DUNE!?”

“I don't really know Pedxing. I read an article about the village once and most of them were getting up there in age, although there was one younger man. I know it said conversion is how they get new members and they are having a hard time attracting people. I've driven by and it's a very pretty place, but it was closed to visitors at that time of year.”

“There was a time that they decided not to convert any new members. For a long time, they took in orphans and others in need - and that helped them.

One of my favorite Sunday school hymns was written by Shakers ("it's a gift to be simple...").”

“Hmmm.... distant cousins. By Maine standards, would you still be related closely enough to inter-marry?”

“So, the densest TT'ers all live in the NE? Then they should be the Yogi Bears, he was pretty dense, wasn't he?”