Appalachian Trial

“Getting the remaining gear packed. Cant wait to get there and start hiking. Will be attending the ATKO then start my hike. So excited.

Who else will be attending the ATKO?”

“Ok I'm game ...... so what's this ATKO?”

“ATKO=> http://www.atko.info/

BTW: At the Appalachian Trial, I took the fifth.”

“Thanx ped, .... a fifth of likker?

Stargate listen up good, you'll be a complete retard if you start your thru-hike with the ATKO. The sheer number of ppl you will be sharing the Trail with would be unbelievable ..... a Trail trail experience wouldn't be had til sometime up VA ways, unless you're one of the few who hikes in terrible weather. If you live close enough to Amicalola, party up ATKO real good, then go back home for a minimum of 2 weeks..... then return to enjoy a great thru-hike.

Funny, the ATKO group up their chances of failure pretty decently, I would imagine.”

“I was thinking the same thing - about the 5th and the ATKO. Starting with he ATKO group would make it an Appalachian Trial - might get to feeling like a stampede. A 5th of 100 proof Southern Comfort would definitely help (higher proof and extra calories make it more weight efficient).”

“yeah drink the whole fifth of SoCo and you will never want to even smell that s**t ever again”

“Realistically - the way I drink now, a fifth of 100 proof SC would last me a week or two.”

“I started mid-April and there were still so many people beginning their hike.

Good luck,Stargate!
Check in and let us know how you're doing.”

“Me too monkee, April 15. Too late of a start if I had the luxury of doing it again.”

“Be Careful

http://entertainment.msn.com/videopreview/?channelindex=4&from;=en-us_msnhp#/video/c1dcde2d-788b-4e21-b747-ed467615cd56”

“How's the class of 2013 doing. Off to a big start?”

“well they managed to piss off Ron Haven so much that this is the last year that he will be doing shuttles”

“Are there more entitled hikers this year than other years? The ones that think the world owes them because they had the opportunity to thru-hike do sometimes manage to spoil it for the rest who are grateful to be able to get out on the trail.”

“imo it is a problem that has gotten worse over the years - I don't know why this entitled attitude has developed but it is really pissing off a lot of service providers”

“It's sad to read this. I noticed a conversation about Haven on Whiteblaze. I've met so many great people doing (and re-doing) sections in Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine - thru-hikers who are generous, helpful, kind and grateful for everything others do to help, and people who provide services on the trail mostly for the joy of being able to help others on their journey.”

“Are you guys just talking about the younger generations and their screwed up attitudes? Or is there something interesting I've missed?

Yesterday I was in Franklin, NC with a friend and we stopped by the Budget Inn to see if anyone wanted a ride back to Winding Stair Gap, there were about 10 hikers there. Most of them had just gotten there, so no takers ... they be lookin good.”

“HOI probably knows better than I. I just saw what looked the same entitled crap - just maybe more of it.”

“I have used Ron for shuttles and stayed at his motels before. He is a stand up guy that will do anything for you...to bad a few bad apples can ruin it for everyone”

“When I did my thru-hike in 06, I noticed a lot of the entitlement mentality. If someone gave a shuttle and charged a small fee, some hikers would be outraged and they would start talking junk about the person. When I stayed at a motel, almost every time, I would have a hiker or 2, or 3 knocking on my door late at night wanting to sneak in and sleep on the floor for free. After about 3-4 times I finally had to tell them NO, because I was tired of being the one paying for everything, so naturally they got pissed at me.”

“No respect for you or the owner. Out of respect for a fellow hiker, they should at least be chipping in. After all, you were paying to have the room to yourself.”

“And you were paying for a good night's sleep, not to be woken up at 1 am, then 1:30, then 2. I don't blame you at all for telling them to take a hike.”