Meet and Greet Horror Stories

“There's been an ongoing discussion on the other side, and somewhat in the media regarding the safety of meeting people "from the internet."

There are several reasons why it makes sense to use a good message board like ours to post upcoming trips and give opportunities for others to meet other backpackers, and (in some cases) to not have to hike/backpack solo.

I'm sure that a high percentage of these "ventures out on faith" have been a good experience for everyone involved, but I know there have to be exceptions.

Without getting into the details of WHO it was, or WHERE it was (to protect the innocent).. do you have any Meet and Greet Horror Stories?

How much credence should we put in all these folks who are constantly posting doom and gloom for anyone stupid enough to go backpacking with total strangers?”

“Hike with a bunch of internet nuts?!?!
That's CrAzY!”

“I think it makes sense to be cautious about meeting someone one on one. But there is safety in numbers e.g. a group outing (provided they are not part of a cult).”

“Greatest meet and greet of all time was Dub hiking with Ohio Hiker.”

“You mean Dub isn't OH?”

“No of course not.”

“You know where I stand on this. I live in west Tennessee, so this message board has been a great resource of information, and good friends to hike/backpack with. I just keep seeing these folks trying to tell the world that it's all dangerous -- and frankly I just don't believe it at the moment.”

“That TownDawg dude is pretty scary. I would watch out for him. ;-)”

“lol, nope it wasn't you TD.

but yes, I did have one, and only one bad experience.
last edited: 8/23/07 10:35:25 AM”

“well i hope your one bad experience wasn't ME Gemini.. but I'm assuming it wasn't.

As for you Stovie.. we are a lot different, but I'd hike with you again anytime.

I think the general perception outside the TT world (and maybe even on backpacker.com) is that you are taking your life into your own hands by doing so.”

“I hiked with moonglo once. That was some messed up stuff.”

“First hike with Crazy Mike”

“btw: where are they discussing this on the other site?”

“Didn't notice the ";-)" did you? ;-)
I'm just picking.

I don't think I've hiked with anyone I wouldn't hike with again. Can't say that about some posters I have not.
last edited: 8/23/07 10:38:33 AM”

“GEM: look at the "find a hiker" topics..

for example: http://forums.backpacker.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/822107219/m/3811067623

SS: I knew you were kidding. No offense here. We have a long history of picking at each other.

:)
last edited: 8/23/07 10:41:38 AM”

“SOME of them over there are masters of the 5TH WAVE...be careful what you post!........”

“I think supertroll is smoking too much of those cow paddies latley. LOL”

“Sarge -- did you actually hike with moonglo?

The guy on the west coast who posted his phone and crap?”

“I've had so many folks ask me that (why you would meet internet crazies) and I can't see much difference in meeting folks on the internet or joining a local hiking group where you know ABSOLUTELY nothing about a person, you just show up at a community building, have cookies and kool aid and then go hiking!”

“I'll never forget Phil telling us how he refused to allow his young daughter to meet up with a group from the internet and then when he was getting ready for his first TT hike she asked where he met the people he was hiking with. LOL!”

“"you just show up at a community building, have cookies and kool aid and then go hiking!”
crazygurl
11:48:43 AM
8/23/07

OH NO, YOU DRANK THE KOOL AID?!!!”

“It was a cold and lonely afternoon at the trailhead. I was waiting for a hiking partner that I had met on the internet but he was running several hours late and the light was failing. I looked at my watch and wondered if I should just call my wife and have her pick me up and call it a bad scene.

Just then a nondescript white cargo/work van pulled into the lot. There was a fellow hanging out the window with a broad smile like a picket fence. An old, busted and stained picket fence. "You HPM?" he says.

I approach the van and say "Yep, that's me."

As he exited the van I caught the sharp smell of quicklime. "Sorry I'm late, I had to stop for some last minute supplies" he said as one eye rolled in opposite direction to it's twin. "Tractor supply had a run on shovels. Had hunt all across the county for one."

He ran a heavily scarred hand through his matted hair. "I rekon we ought to hit the trail before the light fails. Say, you want some corn squeezins? There's a bit left in the bottle." He said as he held up an old battered bottle the size of a milk jug."

My eyes darted around the empty parking lot.

"I shoulda know three wasn't enough. Oh well." He pulled an alarmingly long knife from his waistband and began cleaning his nails.

His eyes glazed over and I thought I heard him mumble something.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I inquired.

He started and looked at me wildly but quickly composed himself.

"Damn, where are my manners. I'm Towndawg, good to meet you"....................
last edited: 8/23/07 10:55:30 AM”

“I think Sarge always hikes with moonglo.
(He's admited moonglo was his troll)”

“Yes, and it was frightening beyond belief.”

“Who knew Dub had a plastic hammer phobia?”

“In all the years that I've been around and all the people I've met...there's only one that I wouldn't want to hike with again and I haven't seen that person around for several years now.”

“So no one has any meat and greet whore stories?”

“Now Marko you know thats sacreligious!”

“NO bones about it, SPAM!”

“I though Crackers were bad 'til I met all those Yankees!

Pinstriped Precip Jackets!!”

“just now saw it HPM... hehe... AWESOME job.

thats bout the way it happened too.. ;)”

“Some of y'all southerners ought to take English As A Second Language courses........Tilt!
last edited: 8/23/07 1:52:10 PM”

“You know what you can kiss Marko!”

“I have to agree with the general concensus here. There Is only one person that I've met that I would have second thoughts about hiking with again, and I haven't seen a post by said person since hiking with them. I would love to tell ya all the story, but that may forfeit my life, therefore only a select group of people know, and will be happy to relate the story in person anytime. You never know who's watching here though...”

“I have already posted my internet stalker story.”

“Marko shouldn't talk about Sarabelle like that ---”

“Hey, I'm just sayin'............

Them Northern New Enlanders are likewise linguistically challenged, Tiltydoo.

Luckily for me I have a pretty good understanding of both Northeastern and Southeastern "English" and with my diplomatic skills I am the "go to" guy when it comes to communicatin' with the savages where ever they may be.

Yo, SPAM!!”

“I don't think I've hiked with anyone I wouldn't hike with again. Can't say that about some posters I have not.
last edited: 8/23/07 12:38:33 PM”
StoveStomper
12:36:17 PM


Opps, forgot one person I met during TCII.
No way I will hike with that a$$hole.
(No TD, it isn't you)”

““Hey, I'm just sayin'............

Them Northern New Enlanders are likewise linguistically challenged, Tiltydoo.

Luckily for me I have a pretty good understanding of both Northeastern and Southeastern "English" and with my diplomatic skills I am the "go to" guy when it comes to communicatin' with the savages where ever they may be.

Yo, SPAM!!”
MarkO
4:26:58 PM
8/23/07

What about Canadian?”

“No super creeps but a few good weirdos and wackos....like the two guys who were cousins. One had his wife with him, and they kept joking how she was both their wife. Uhhuh. And they all slept together in a 3 man tent. Hey, what do I care, eh?

Many of the stories become Posse tales. I have tons of tales...but dang, I need to go pick the husband up at the bus stop from work. Did I mention I met him at the end of a lonely dirt road in the winter at a TH? ;-)”

“Hey-ull yes Zac!@!

The Canadians tend to have better teeth, though.”

“they sing show tunes too”

“Uh huh, whether they can hit a note or not!”

“Then you have the jibbers in my neck of the woods”

“Uh oh, I don't know what "jibbers" is and I'm not sure if I should be skeert or not!”

“ya better grab a pencer to rit thin's down”

“prosecutor and gforce have a great m&ghs. i would never go on a major trip with that person, altho a weekender might be entertaining”

“People from the other side have nothing to worry about since they don't really backpack unless they post here too. In fact, one of their biggest posters (Preacher @ 5,000 posts) first trip in 20 years was with this group. He was a nice guy, wonder what happened to him?

Anyway, I've met around 150 now and my only horror story was with trip number 2 from bp.com with Mr. Oskar. I'll have to see if I can dig that trip report up somewhere...”

“I never with any you, but I know that womens will like me verry much! Especially crazy thing!

I hope I meet Miss Mapleleaf. She dreamy to me.”