Name your hiking style!

“Back whene I started hiking years ago, there were basically two types: Backpackers who went out for a couple of days and carried their gear, and day hikers that just went out for the day.

In the 80's I first heard the term thru-hiker for someone hiking the AT all the way in one shot. As a off shoot there became a term section hiker that ment someone hiking a section of a long trail that others would thru-hike.

Now I hear of lightweight hikers, ultralighters, blue blazers, yellow blazers, purists, etc. I guess we need catagories for ourselves.

Since no two hikers do things the same way, I guess we all need a name for our hiking style.

Dog hikers: Doggers?
Hammock Hikers: Hammock hangers?
Tarp users: tarpers?
etc.

You get the idea. that way we can have a Kingdom, philum, class, order, family, genus, and species of each hiker.

Noncommisionedus Rockus
Kingdom: Backpacker, Philum: Section Hiker, Class: Lightweight, Order: DIY gear, Family: Hammocks, Genus: Noncommissionedus, Species: Rockus
So when people ask my style, I'm a noncommisionedus rockus!”

“Backpacker Overstuffit Gear Hound Trail Ho

Did I do that right? ;o)”

“Hey sunny! how ya been?”

“Slow!”

“LOL! Sunshine you need to come on the Llama Rama. I like your style.”

“woods wanderer”

“Speedwalker”

“What do these terms meen? blue blazers, yellow blazers, purists,”

“Sarge, there are two kinds of people in the the world. Those who divide people into categories, and those who don't.

;-p”

“By the way, what are blue blazer and yellow blazers?

(And you better not say "a jacket you wear to the yacht club" and "a jacket you wear if you're a real estate agent"!!)”

“I was thinking maybe STG is really a chevy sales man, and by him throwing the word "blazer" into his post and having us talk about it is some subliminal (sp?) way for us to by a blazer.”

“I can assure you, T, that is NOT going to happen.”

“What happened to "people who walk and sleep in the woods?"”

“they die!”

“Ice, it is a AT specific term, or set of terms.

Blue blaze trails are side trails to the Appalachian trail, sometimes they are shortcuts, blue blazers are often accused by purists (people that thru-hike the AT and stay on the approved trails) of being hikers that want thru-hike status without doing all the work.

Yellow blazer is also a term, as far as I can tell, that originated on the AT by purists to describe a person that leaves the trails and uses roads instead and also hitchhikes because hiking is too hard.

I think what I'm trying to poke fun at is that if you really care what type of hiker is, and what type of hiker your are, then maybe your a little over anal.

The reason I also bring this up is occasionally I'm acused of being anal because I weigh stuff and test it. Who cares if I do.

Anyway - Sunshine, if you carry half my stuff, I cen be even lighter, you wanna be my trail ho/sherpa? I'll pay you in gorp or something, but you gotta promise to carry it ;^)”

“Hey Sgt. Rock I weigh stuff too, like my pack. Who the hell said that is anal? Probably someone who's never backpacked.”

“The opposite of Anal Retentive is Anal Expulsive.
Now which would you rather be?”

“It was from a guy who claimed to have thru hiked the AT. I say claimed because I have gotten to the point I don't trust everyone who has said they have done a thru hike on the AT, seems kind of like guys who like to brag about being special ops.

Anyway he gave me crap for talking about alcohol stoves because who cares about weight, after x hundred miles your in such great shape you don't care what you carry. IMHO I always care about what I carry, especially after x hundred miles of lugging crap around.”

“Guys who are actually in special ops never, ever brag about it.

I could tell you about my AT thru-hike, but then I'd have to kill you.

;-)”

“Ever tell you the stories about when I was a door gunner on the space shuttle?”

“That's nothing, I helped set up missle bases on the moon!”

“Ya heard of HALO (High Altitude Low Opening) parachute jumps? We did HARO (High Altitude Rappeling Operations).

You gotta use super strong tungsten-carbide rope, about 100 miles of it - with a jungle penetrator. Then you get the shuttle in geo-syncronis orbit above the drop zone...

Anyway, your space suit has to have heat resistant tiles on your @ss and use an asbestos mitten on your break hand.

"Huston, this is Eagle 1, on rappel".

"Eagle 1 this is Huston, on belay."”

“I prefer stealth hiking. When I meet people on the trail I just say hi and move on. If they ask questions I just act stupid, which is not too hard.

The best places are the most popular places so I go when it is cold, wet, and lonely.”

“deathmarcher:
One who moves at a pace resembling a slow run carrying minimal personal gear but enough food and crew gear to last a week. Must go long distances without breaks and cannot break pace going up hills. Motto: Pain is your friend.

Similar to through hiker, but makes the trip back too.”

“I guess I fit into both the day & section hiker categories if you hafta' classify it. I mean, how many of us have *never* backpacked into a place, done dayhikes from a base camp & then backpacked out again?”

“multiday backpacking bk (before kids) and dayhikes, plan to return to backpacking as soon as my youngest son is up to it. We'll try an overnighter this summer.”

“Naked Ape once suggested that maybe Wind Walker was a part of the Flatulent Pedestrian family or genus...hmmmmm I'm not sure.”

“I like short outings, 1 to 6 nights.
Not rich enough to go ultra-light. Usually carry 35 lbs. on an overnighter.
Like to hike slow and take fewer breaks.
Prefer less than 6 miles per day.
Love fishing and layover days.”

“Powerhiking. Things like going Rim to Rim in Grand Canyon in one day. That was fun. When you start out, you look across the canyon and can't believe you are going over there. When you get to the other side and look back, it seems just as amazing.

We also like backpacking. Usually about three days. But we don't do it nearly as often.”

“I assume you "powerhike" in a flaming red tie?”

“Yes, but the tie is made from polypro”

“Well, for those who have hiked with me know that I am a "rosesmeller" I like to absorb the sights, sounds, and SMELLS. I prefer 6 miles a day. I enjoy playing at camp with my gear a nice fire. LIFE can not get better! Yo bear.”

“I got a "just get out there and do it...no matter what it takes" style!”

“Slow and lazy backpacker (slackpacker?) here. Try to include out-of-shape, whiny children on my packing list for most trips, so I won't have to take the blame for the slow pace and short distances.”

“I just like to get out in the woods. I don't care if I'm carrying 20lbs or 75. Being outside is the point.”

“Slackpackerwoodswalkersmellin`the flowersenjoyin`themomenttreehuggin`waterlovin`firebuildin`naturelovin`nut”

“Slackbacker! I like that one.”

“Yellow-bellied blue footed trailhead tramp.”

“Longhaired, short-strided, kitchensink packer.
Multi-day, multi-month, timewaster.
Prime weather, Everclear drinking, comedian.
Llamamamarama.”

“Urban renegade.

I live in an area - SE Michigan - not exactly known for great hiking. Given that I work for a living, probably 80% of my hiking throughout the year is within an hour of my house.

So, I dive into plat books and topo maps to find unpublicized nature preserves, undeveloped local parks - any place where I can get a good couple of hours of hiking in. I've been at it 8+ years and don't feel that I've gotten close to exhausting the possibilities.

The hunt to find new places is as much fun as the hiking itself. Add to that the gleeful feeling of knowing places hidden right under people's noses.

And because I've learned to love hiking in some less than spectacular places, I appreciate the national parks and forests that I visit in the summers and on vacations.

My philosophy: There is great hiking everywhere, if you look hard enough.”

“I like to take my time and enjoy myself. This usually means hiking no more than 7 miles a day, without a rigid itinerary to follow.

It helps if I'm in an area that allows you to camp anywhere, so I can call it a day whenever I feel like it. There's nothing worse than darkness coming on and still X miles to go to the designated (legal) campsite.”

“i'm a grab-my-pack-at-the-last-minute-and-drive-for-a-few-hours-to-walk-and-eat-until-i-feel-like-laying-on-the-ground-and-going-to-sleep-er.”

“I'm a uphill hiking fool! Now where's my Mac-n-cheese!”

“Slow movin, hummas eating, lipstick wearing, overnight camper with dayhiking capabilities.”

“hummus eating huh. ever try kashi or polenta on the trail. Its in the NOLS cookery book. mmmm, mmmmmm Gado Gado spaghetti is good too. ;-)”

“I like to do crazy stuff , I have to find some obstable in my way and find a way over it , like raging rivers and dense ass brush. I love bushwacking , making my own trail.”

“What is hummas? Also what is gorp? Brings to mind pictures of some heavy chokey clay like stuff.”

“Pathman, I'd like to try polenta. One day I'll make it I'm sure. I think I like it plan or with tomato sauce.

steve hiker, hummus is chic peas that are blended with tehini sauce & lemon until it's smooth. Eat it with warmed pitas.

There are other variations like adding garlic for garlic roasted hummus, or pepper hummus etc.

Gorp is a combinations of items that make a trailmix like, m&ms, raisons, peanuts, pretzels & dried fruits, etc. You can make your own gorp.”

“OK, this is fun, I'll take a shot....

Kingdom: Backpac N'westus
Philum: Stormbeachum Stomper - Ridgerun Red-Heather
Class: Not much (ask anybody...)
Order: Tail ender
Family: Son Heavyhauler (the investment pays off - Yes!)
Genus: Slower thanyewum
Species: Todambigpakus Chowyummer”

“sex deprived: "when canna do it next?!"”