How underminding the word "Just" can be....

[Traveler]

Interesting thread.

Categorizing things like the type of hike one is on really has no bearing or function on anyone but those who need to pigeonhole others, usually to feel better about themselves.

Day hikers, weekenders, section hikers, or thru hikers are all pretty much doing the same thing in the time they have to do it. If one has 6 months off and no other obligations I cannot think of a better way to use that time than to walk from GA to ME. To the dad who has a day to take young children to see a view they have to work for on a trail, I cannot think of a better way to use that day. Using earned vacation days to repeatedly return to the trail in order to complete it over a lifetime, I cannot think of a better use of time engaged in determined accomplishment.

Claiming one type or another is befouling the landscape with their presence or is not in a "transitionary" experience mode couples well to the notion none of us have the competency to grasp scientific facts unless fed to us in small, single syllable words.

Elitism by any other name would still look the same.

As Wolf is fond of saying, "its just walking".

A.A. Milne had some perspective: "While Eeyore frets ...... and Piglet hesitates... and Rabbit calculates... and Owl pontificates...Pooh just is."

[TexasBob]

Its not that thruhikers are better than section hikers, its just that section hikers aren't as good as thruhikers. Its a subtle difference, but anyone who has been out there knows that thruhikers are more spiritually evolved, and as a result the section hikers stand out.

This is very true, but the evolutionary track is somewhat complicated.
I won't go into all the scientific details (they would beyond the comprehension of most on this list) but WRT spiritual evolution, a thru hike is like a seed.
Like a couple generations of Cicada, this seed lies dormant for 34 years.
Then and only then, is the evolution complete -- with the seed not only bearing fruit of an evolved spiritual state, but also a great wisdom which others should recognize and cherish.

Thru hikers do undergo an evolution - their feet get bigger, they are always hungry and they don't seem to have any meaningful employment - sounds like they change into Hobbits.

[dudeijuststarted]

As a thru hiker, I spend more time demonizing the thru hike and more time praising section hiking when opportunities such as this arise. I can't help wanting to digest long trails all at once, but that is simply gluttony. The section hiker walks the middle, and wiser path.

[BuckeyeBill]

Thru-hiker, section hiker, weekend hiker and over night hiker have one thing in common. They are all hikers. Doesn't matter how long or how far. If you section hike the entire trail, you still get a patch. I've done the PCT twice and the CDT once. I have sectioned hike much of the AT and have set my mind to a thru hike in the future. So because I haven't done a thru hike on the AT, should I be looked down on? I thought I have pretty good credentials. Another Kevin states in all his advice about being "Just a section hiker" but I would trust any advice he has to offer. There are several others whose advice I would trust as well.

To Texas Bob, I trust your advise as well as some others on here, but to say thru hikers don't seem to have meaningful employment was stretching things. I have met quite a few thru hikers that got sabbaticals and leave of absences from their jobs to hike the trail. I personally own my own business and have a great group of people working with me that I trust well enough to leave for either a thru or section hike. Granted not many people can do this but there is some that can. I only say this, as your statement sounded all inclusive of thru hikers.

[rickb]

Edit -- Posted to wrong thread

[yaduck9]

Thru hikers do undergo an evolution - their feet get bigger, they are always hungry and they don't seem to have any meaningful employment - sounds like they change into Hobbits.

I have worked for some of the largest corporations on the planet along with a company that was one of the fastest growing in the state.

I can say that, while the employment was well compensated, in monetary terms...........I would never say that the experience was meaningful

[Dogwood]

[QUOTE=Traveler;2160729}..
Claiming one type or another is befouling the landscape with their presence or is not in a "transitionary" experience mode couples well to the notion none of us have the competency to grasp scientific facts unless fed to us in small, single syllable words.

Elitism by any other name would still look the same.


A.A. Milne had some perspective: "While Eeyore frets ...... and Piglet hesitates... and Rabbit calculates... and Owl pontificates...Pooh just is."[/QUOTE]


You are aware post #51 and #52 were made tongue in cheek? I said so in post #53 and again in post #56 they were ridiculous assertions and we were going down a ridiculous path of debate(kinda what you said , no?) in a misguided attempt to categorize and generalize individuals and groups. Unfortunately, JUST AS so many ridiculous assertions are levied against thru hikers, or for that matter ULers, FKTers, etc, so are also made in attempting to label section hikers.

Indeed sterotyping, some might profiling or a type of reverse discrimination, can happen against thru hikers from others such as section hikers that feel slighted.

A lot to digest then saying this but I liked your Pooh quote.

Interesting thread.

Categorizing things like the type of hike one is on really has no bearing or function on anyone but those who need to pigeonhole others, usually to feel better about themselves.

Day hikers, weekenders, section hikers, or thru hikers are all pretty much doing the same thing in the time they have to do it. If one has 6 months off and no other obligations I cannot think of a better way to use that time than to walk from GA to ME. To the dad who has a day to take young children to see a view they have to work for on a trail, I cannot think of a better way to use that day. Using earned vacation days to repeatedly return to the trail in order to complete it over a lifetime, I cannot think of a better use of time engaged in determined accomplishment...

Yup ^

[BuckeyeBill]

To me elitism borders on bigotry. Just remember we are all section hikers until we start at a terminus and walk to the opposite terminus in a calendar year. "Thru-hikers" out for the first time aren't thru-hikers until they have done a full end to end hike, so should they be entitled to special privileges? It has been said many times before that trail magic should be for everyone, because no one is special. Also "thru hikers" are actually on vacation, as are LASHers. Am I grateful for the trail magic? Yes, but I normally only get the items they have a lot of (i.e. diet sodas and coffee), and I stay away from food as much as possible, but the smell of a greasey cheeseburger makes it hard not to indulge.

[TexasBob]

To Texas Bob, I trust your advise as well as some others on here, but to say thru hikers don't seem to have meaningful employment was stretching things. I have met quite a few thru hikers that got sabbaticals and leave of absences from their jobs to hike the trail. I personally own my own business and have a great group of people working with me that I trust well enough to leave for either a thru or section hike. Granted not many people can do this but there is some that can. I only say this, as your statement sounded all inclusive of thru hikers.

I have worked for some of the largest corporations on the planet along with a company that was one of the fastest growing in the state.I can say that, while the employment was well compensated, in monetary terms...........I would never say that the experience was meaningful

Forgive my poor attempt at humor, no offense intended toward thru hikers. I thought Bronk and rickb were joking as well.

[scrabbler]

It's all relative. I've gotten chastised for saying that our trip was "just 18 miles". For folks that barely walk around the block, "just" can come across as arrogant I guess.

[BuckeyeBill]

Forgive my poor attempt at humor, no offense intended toward thru hikers. I thought Bronk and rickb were joking as well.

All is forgiven. I just didn't want to get into a heated discussion where I lose that little part of my brain that shuts me up before I say something that would p**s someone off.

[Alligator]

Why isn't it generally said section hikers are out on vacation or going through a "transitional phase" as can so easily be the situation or regularly said they too are out just walking? What is a section hiker anyway? Isn't a section hiker most often simply one doing a hike - a hiker? Is section hiker not another hyped up word that might imply greater or a different significance than simply "hiker?" So it seems saying "I'm a hiker" JUST isn't good enough for many section hikers.

...

I use the term section hiker to indicate a person attempting to become a 2000-miler over a period of time longer than one year. It's a term that developed in relation to thruhiker. I don't see it as a hyped up term for a person who hikes. Most of the time, people don't even pick up on the nuance (the 2000-miler goal). Now if you need an example of a word that demonstrates how people just don't find it good enough to be a hiker, consider the word thruhiker as it came first. Thruhiker is so cool it gets abbreviated."Yo I'm a thruhiker not a through hiker." The significance is hyped up too, because, well, we know roughly 75% don't make it but they get the fancy moniker anyway. Section hiker is a practical term as one is a section hiker until you finish or you die, or you quit. Quitting isn't really required though when you can take a twenty year break. There isn't really a lot of boasting by section hikers. Year after year after year, thrus start and finish before you. It's a multi-year exercise in humility. A section hiker reaches their moment of Zen when they realize it's about the journey not the destination.

Every section hiker knows it's a vacation and we use the time to clear our heads. It should also be understood that there is a very good chance a section hiker is transitioning, hiking is the first thing we do in the absence of responsibility.

[Traffic Jam]

Are you just a thru hiker if you've never hiked before, complete a thru hike, and never hike again?

[cmoulder]

I actually prefer it if, right out of the gate, somebody uses the word "just" (or "only" or "merely") in a condescending way because they immediately identify themselves as jerks so I know right away to avoid them.

And as far as having one's personal ego damaged by someone displaying this attitude... seriously, how does this in any way affect your self esteem?

Things like this bother you only if you allow them to.

[Dogwood]

I use the term section hiker to indicate a person attempting to become a 2000-miler over a period of time longer than one year. It's a term that developed in relation to thruhiker. I don't see it as a hyped up term for a person who hikes. Most of the time, people don't even pick up on the nuance (the 2000-miler goal). Now if you need an example of a word that demonstrates how people just don't find it good enough to be a hiker, consider the word thruhiker as it came first. Thruhiker is so cool it gets abbreviated."Yo I'm a thruhiker not a through hiker." The significance is hyped up too, because, well, we know roughly 75% don't make it but they get the fancy moniker anyway. Section hiker is a practical term as one is a section hiker until you finish or you die, or you quit. Quitting isn't really required though when you can take a twenty year break. There isn't really a lot of boasting by section hikers. Year after year after year, thrus start and finish before you. It's a multi-year exercise in humility. A section hiker reaches their moment of Zen when they realize it's about the journey not the destination.

Every section hiker knows it's a vacation and we use the time to clear our heads. It should also be understood that there is a very good chance a section hiker is transitioning, hiking is the first thing we do in the absence of responsibility.

I get that's how you and some define being a section hiker. I have no problem with how you're defining terms. It helps clarify where you are coming from. However, quite often upon asking some questions of those that self identify as section hiker I find the term section hiker being applied to someone who's simply hiking not seeking to achieve the goal of ultimately completing an end to end, the entire trail,...a thru hike.

"A section hiker reaches their moment of Zen when they realize it's about the journey not the destination."

That's nicely stated. I like being around that type of environment no matter how one is currently labeling their hiking. It can also be said about thru-hikers too. Look at what Snorkel said as a thru-hiker: "When each step becomes a thing to celebrate in itself, that’s when the beauty of hiking really shines through." Liz further quotes Robert Pirsig who said of hiking, "You climb the mountain in an equilibrium between restlessness and exhaustion. Then, when you’re no longer thinking ahead, each footstep isn’t just a means to an end but a unique event in itself….To live only for some future goal is shallow. It’s the sides of the mountains which sustain life, not the top.” I can't agree more. It's how I personally approach hiking also. No forced death marches for this hiker.


Making statements like "hiking is the first thing we(?) do in the absence of responsibility" I couldn't disagree with you more. It's a typical misconception of hikers particularly thru hikers that they are not being responsible or lacking or free of off trail responsibilities when they hike. Hog wash. It's as false as saying thru-hikers are lacking FT gainful employment or are Hippies or "druggies." It's because of unfitting misconceptions like these many hikers have to unnecessarily contend with assumptions about their character.

[Alligator]

...

Making statements like "hiking is the first thing we(?) do in the absence of responsibility" I couldn't disagree with you more. It's a typical misconception of hikers particularly thru hikers that they are not being responsible or lacking or free of off trail responsibilities when they hike. Hog wash. It's as false as saying thru-hikers are lacking FT gainful employment or are Hippies or "druggies." It's because of unfitting misconceptions like these many hikers have to unnecessarily contend with assumptions about their character.

You misquoted me. I was answering your why question which was directed towards section hikers.

I harbor no misconception about people recreating. (As opposed to work where you get paid.) I applaud for every hiker (doubly so if you actually get paid to do it). By my own definition, section hikers have a goal in mind. My answer to your question was in regard to transitioning, and my answer was not absolute. A common lament among section hikers is not having as much time to hike the AT as we would like. It becomes difficult to finish sections further away from one's home base. Travel time, cost, available vacation time, and one's personal responsibilities do interfere with the completion goal. I'm not saying a section hiker can't be free all those things, retired for instance or independently wealthy.

None of what I said above is a misconception about anyone's character. All I see is a hiker when I pass somebody on the trail. Unless you spill your life story over the campfire I have no idea whether you are meeting or shirking your responsibilities. It doesn't really cross my mind much. About all that really crosses my mind is whether I expect to see the person(s) at my evening destination and whether I might get the whole shelter to myself or should I find a campsite.

[Dogwood]

The "we(?)" was wondering who are the we to whom you were referring... all hikers, section hikers, thru-hikers. When I reread over your initial post where you said "it should also be understood that there is a very good chance a section hiker is transitioning, hiking is the first thing we do in the absence of responsibility" it now becomes clear that your were referring to section hikers. That was my error for reading too quickly. But, do you not recognize how saying "hiking is the first thing we do in the absence of responsibility" can easily be misinterpreted as hikers lack responsibility - they are irresponsible - leading to such cultural stigmas as hikers are hippies, druggies, drop outs/escapists from that which is expected by society, having questionable anti-social American Dream goals, out having one big party, bums without gainful employment, dark characters, "just" recreating for pure recreational entertainment, entitled behaving, non benevolent, not submitting to authority, not concerned about furthering paid careers or education or, in a sense, market networking, building resumes, gaining meaningful social and biz and LIFE skills, during and after one hikes?

[Bansko]

Thanks to the OP for bringing up this topic, it's obviously an issue based on the number of responses. I remember running into a guy at a hostel in Maine last year who had a great attitude. While everyone else was talking about start dates and projected finish dates he stated that he started out as a thru hiker and then came to his senses. He had skipped some sections, gone blue blazing on others, and really didn't care what anyone thought about it. He was hiking his own hike and doing what he wanted.

[sore ankle]

Most of the thrus I have run into on the trail over the last 13 years say that they have more respect for section hikers than for thrus. The section hikers I meet have more respect for the thrus. Ironic.

[rafe]

Most of the thrus I have run into on the trail over the last 13 years say that they have more respect for section hikers than for thrus. The section hikers I meet have more respect for the thrus. Ironic.

I understand both points of view.