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  1. #21
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    Last spring I heard of a situation where a church group did a 3 week feed. They took up all the space in the nearby shelter, and all the nearby camp sites, not to mention clogging the privy and not maintaining it. Leaving no place for hikers for a month. Look at Maslov's hierarchy of needs. It's far more important to have a place to poop and sleep and a trail rid of roots etc. to trip over and bust my head open. Than to have a greasy burger to fill my tummy up. The real trail angels are the maintainers, the feeders are more trouble than good. If they want to feed their egos figure out something positive.

  2. #22
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    last year at gooch gap a church took over most of the space for 3 weeks doin' a feed, feeding hikers that ain't hungry yet

  3. #23

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lone Wolf View Post
    last year at gooch gap a church took over most of the space for 3 weeks doin' a feed, feeding hikers that ain't hungry yet
    I'm not one to pass up on a free meal, but really, you'd think these church groups should be spending their time and money feeding the needy in their own communities. I guess it's just easier to feed "needy" hikers and pretend their doing some kind of ministry.
    Follow slogoen on Instagram.

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    I'm not one to pass up on a free meal, but really, you'd think these church groups should be spending their time and money feeding the needy in their own communities. I guess it's just easier to feed "needy" hikers and pretend their doing some kind of ministry.
    Maybe they figure hikers souls are more in need of salvation.

  5. #25
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    me, pirate and wee willy were handin' out beer to the hikers next to the church camp. THAT they appreciated they don't want food yet

  6. #26
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slo-go'en View Post
    I'm not one to pass up on a free meal, but really, you'd think these church groups should be spending their time and money feeding the needy in their own communities. I guess it's just easier to feed "needy" hikers and pretend their doing some kind of ministry.
    AMEN! (Same goes for international "feel-good" mission trips!)

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lone Wolf View Post
    last year at gooch gap a church took over most of the space for 3 weeks doin' a feed, feeding hikers that ain't hungry yet
    I'll bet they didn't do 1 second of trail work including cleaning up after themselves. Trail feeders should be required to get the apppropriate health dept license. 1st clean the trail. Then play with yourself.

  8. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by rafe View Post
    Maybe they figure hikers souls are more in need of salvation.
    Exactly.

    They arent feeding hikers because they believe its charitable.

    They are attempting to make a connection with young people looking for something thats missing in their life.

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Lone Wolf View Post
    me, pirate and wee willy were handin' out beer to the hikers next to the church camp. THAT they appreciated they don't want food yet
    I think it's disgraceful to hand out alcoholic beverages in nature's pristine woods !
    You should be ashamed of yourself!

    Unless it was Sammy Adams, in which case you're forgiven......

  10. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by squeezebox View Post
    I'll bet they didn't do 1 second of trail work including cleaning up after themselves. Trail feeders should be required to get the apppropriate health dept license. 1st clean the trail. Then play with yourself.
    Yeah, private citizens should need a health dept license to give away food at a road crossing. Ridiculous. Yes they should clean up after themselves. If they don't, litter laws already exist.

    Not sure why hiker feeds bring out so much anger in some people. Just hike on. It isn't like anyone will force a soda into your hands. If the groups doing hiker feeds mess up the trail or litter in parking lots, deal with those groups through existing law.

  11. #31

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    Quote Originally Posted by Coffee View Post
    Yeah, private citizens should need a health dept license to give away food at a road crossing. Ridiculous. Yes they should clean up after themselves. If they don't, litter laws already exist.

    Not sure why hiker feeds bring out so much anger in some people. Just hike on. It isn't like anyone will force a soda into your hands. If the groups doing hiker feeds mess up the trail or litter in parking lots, deal with those groups through existing law.
    I agree on the existing laws part. That will vary from town to town, state to state based on what those citizens want. If they don't want noisy festivals, and litter, they'll institute the laws that require permits, fees, law enforcement presence and all that stuff.

    As for why hiker feeds bring out "anger", what's not to understand. People have told you why they have concerns in this very thread.

    They don't want:
    -to be preached at
    - to encourage the party atmosphere on the trail
    - crowds
    - trail erosion
    - reminders of the commercial world
    - feeds taking shelter space for weeks on end
    - the litter caused

    I'm not saying the ministries group that started this thread have or will be guilty of these behaviors. They seem to be setting up off the trail, at a private business and at a picnic shelter (whatever that is.) Maybe they've heard some of these concerns in the past and are being courteous enough to have addressed them already. Maybe they'll read this thread and address them in the present?

    I'm happy this thread exists, as I can now easily avoid this particular feed. I'm happy the original dissenter spoke up, so we could have a civil discussion.

    Here's in imperfect analogy that should at least illustrate why people are speaking up. Imagine someone posted the following trail event.

    Novice Bagpiper Recital at 8:00 pm at McAfee Knob Will be handing out complementary kazoos and confetti. For the benefit of the through hikers!

  12. #32
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    Whether hikers are "angry" or not is beside the point: Hiker feeds, as long as no local laws are broken, is a voluntary association between free people in a free country. If hikers are "angry" about it they can choose to (1) not participate; (2) hike a less crowded trail; (3) promote enforcement of laws that are being violated; (4) propose new laws if existing laws are not sufficient.

    As for complaining about ministries - No one is forcibly preached to. If someone starts preaching, move on.

    Also, I personally like solitude on the trail which is why I would never choose to hike the AT near the southern terminus during peak hiker season.

  13. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by Coffee View Post
    Whether hikers are "angry" or not is beside the point: Hiker feeds, as long as no local laws are broken, is a voluntary association between free people in a free country. If hikers are "angry" about it they can choose to (1) not participate; (2) hike a less crowded trail; (3) promote enforcement of laws that are being violated; (4) propose new laws if existing laws are not sufficient.

    As for complaining about ministries - No one is forcibly preached to. If someone starts preaching, move on.

    Also, I personally like solitude on the trail which is why I would never choose to hike the AT near the southern terminus during peak hiker season.
    You used the word angry. I thought it was very much the wrong word, as it has a negative connotation and tends to diminish the person you're debating with, as if they're illogical and angry children. I don't see that anyone is angry here, thus I gave it the quote treatment.

    I live about two miles from a Jehovah's Witness church, and every single time they go out on one of their rampages, they knock on my door. They ignore the ugly posted sign on my front porch. I call the police, but they don't give a crap. Short of spraying them with a hose, I'm stuck with them. So, I'm particularly sensitive to this issue. I go on the trail to escape this abuse.

    Let me add to your list. 5) Discuss one's trail concerns on a website dedicated to the trail.

    Free people in a free environment and all that. I fully intend to just walk on by them. All I ask is that they don't clog the trail, don't erode the edges of the trail, and not pester me after my initial "no thank you."

  14. #34
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    Too any and all do gooders planning to dispense canned or bottled alcoholic beverages.... I like Tecate. Please do not forget the limes and of course the salt. If Tecates are not available Coronas work. How dare you try to save my soul!

  15. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Puddlefish View Post
    You used the word angry. I thought it was very much the wrong word, as it has a negative connotation and tends to diminish the person you're debating with, as if they're illogical and angry children. I don't see that anyone is angry here, thus I gave it the quote treatment.
    Squeezebox seemed angry to me.

  16. #36
    Getting out as much as I can..which is never enough. :) Mags's Avatar
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    New thread to discuss hiker feed issues..thanks
    Paul "Mags" Magnanti
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    The true harvest of my life is intangible...a little stardust caught,a portion of the rainbow I have clutched -Thoreau

  17. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by Coffee View Post
    Squeezebox seemed angry to me.
    You are contradicting yourself. You brought up the anger issue, then when called on it you say that, quote, "Whether hikers are "angry" or not is beside the point". But now you bring up the anger issue again. So, which is it?
    Lonehiker (MRT '22)

  18. #38

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    Quote Originally Posted by Coffee View Post
    Squeezebox seemed angry to me.
    I try not to project anything beyond what's written. Written communications are tough enough without trying to get into the state of someone's mind.

  19. #39
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    Since Mags split up the threads, my opinion is no longer relevant to the discussion.
    igne et ferrum est potentas
    "In the beginning, all America was Virginia." -​William Byrd

  20. #40
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    I section hike in the south well outside of the bubble and to me trail magic means when someone has left the hose out, or maybe a drink left in a spring. During the bubble time I may do a trail run from Sam's Gap to Hogback Ridge shelter and typically take in a bag of oranges or apples and take out a bag of trash just because. I've seen that shelter camped out with 30+ pretty miserable looking people and judging by their reactions this little surprise is in a lot of ways better than a meal at a road crossing.

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