vloggers, bloggers and YouTubers oh my

[Quik]

I'm posting this under humor, it seems to be as good a place as any.
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How did the early pioneers of long distance backpacking complete their hike, whether it be a thru, long section or simple weekend without the aid of a blog, vlog, YouTube, or any one of the other social media outlets? Think about it how did they survive and complete their hikes. Yes I know social media didn’t exist back then. But how did they do it if no one was there to tell them how? How?

I’m not one to spend hours and hours each day lurking around on the web for seemingly novice gear junkies advice on how to hike and what gear I should use. I do have a Facebook account, and I like certain pages to appear in my feed, but lately it has been a daily post sometimes multiple posts of someone(s) version of how to hike the AT or what gear to use before they have hiked it themselves. It’s mind boggling how much they think they know, when actually they don’t. So today I weeded out the pages that fill my page with unnecessary how to content, I will sleep sooooo much better tonight.

I have successfully thru-hiked the AT two times, CDT and PCT, I won't list all the other shorter trails and I hiked them all without the aid of YouTube, bloggers or vloggers to tell me how or what gear to use. This evening I am sitting here with the lights off holding my head down in shame and admitting to doing a lot of research, planning with maps and guidebooks, conditioning hikes and getting familiar with the gear I intended to use long before I began. I did ask questions on WB and of others who had previously hiked the trail I was planning to hike. This leads me to believe I had to be doing it all wrong the whole time...oh my what will my friends and relatives think? I mean I didn't get any "likes" or anything.

[Tipi Walter]

Early hikers?? Just get this set and worry no more---



Beyond all this---we're either outdoors hiking and sleeping or we're not. If some online person asks, "What's it like to winter backpack in the mountains of NC??" Well, add whatever input you feel relevant from your experiences. Otherwise move on to another topic.

The more excited I get about my next backpacking trip---the more I tend to post on backpacking forums beforehand. Logical.

[Deadeye]

Does hiking in the 1960's qualify as "early"? IDK, but we hiked with frame packs, blue jeans and boots. No cell phones, just the crude maps in the guide books, IF we were actually following a trail. We survived just fine and had a ball.

[soumodeler]

Early hikers?? Just get this set and worry no more---



Beyond all this---we're either outdoors hiking and sleeping or we're not. If some online person asks, "What's it like to winter backpack in the mountains of NC??" Well, add whatever input you feel relevant from your experiences. Otherwise move on to another topic.

The more excited I get about my next backpacking trip---the more I tend to post on backpacking forums beforehand. Logical.

I found those on ebay a few years ago and bought them just to see what the trail was like back then. Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to read them yet, but they are on the waiting list.

[rdljr]

i have and cherish a 1969 AMC white mountain guide that my father kept the notes in of my early trips. The first trip being when I was just 4. I was also given a 1959 Guide to the Appalachian trail in New England that is fun to read and look at the changes that have happened in just over my life. The 1959 guide book has list of farms that allow people to sleep at them if they do not want to camp. oh the changes.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

Did you wear an onion on your belt?

[Uncle Joe]

It's about getting information. It's no different than gathering data about a route. Although, there's a lot to be said about old guidebooks, maps, or even learning it all on the trail. There's no doubt a certain satisfaction gained from it. OTOH, some people need the instruction. Like that guy's brother in the "Aagh my brother and future thru hike partner is driving me nuts" thread.

[ldsailor]

This leads me to believe I had to be doing it all wrong the whole time...oh my what will my friends and relatives think? I mean I didn't get any "likes" or anything.

I have a blog. I wrote in it every day of my three LASH's. The blog has never been referenced as "how-to's" - at least in my eyes. And I never wrote the daily entries for others; although others have read the blog and a few commented. I write the blog for myself. It's a diary, which I refer to occasionally and I'm sure I will do so more as I continue to age. I've read other blogs that trend toward a diary rather than a how-to and I find some interesting. I've even offered mine to posters on WB when a question has been ask, such as "What was it like the first 100 miles?"

Not all bloggers are trying to portray themselves as experts. I certainly don't consider myself one. And really, where would we be today if someone hadn't recorded the Lewis and Clark expedition? They were charged with surveying the Louisiana Land the US eventually purchased among other exploits of their expedition, but now I'm rambling .

[DuneElliot]

I have a blog. I wrote in it every day of my three LASH's. The blog has never been referenced as "how-to's" - at least in my eyes. And I never wrote the daily entries for others; although others have read the blog and a few commented. I write the blog for myself. It's a diary, which I refer to occasionally and I'm sure I will do so more as I continue to age. I've read other blogs that trend toward a diary rather than a how-to and I find some interesting. I've even offered mine to posters on WB when a question has been ask, such as "What was it like the first 100 miles?"

Not all bloggers are trying to portray themselves as experts. I certainly don't consider myself one. And really, where would we be today if someone hadn't recorded the Lewis and Clark expedition? They were charged with surveying the Louisiana Land the US eventually purchased among other exploits of their expedition, but now I'm rambling .

I do exactly the same thing. It is a way for me to journal a hike for myself and also to share the experience with my family. I do share the posts and have a few followers but I am no expert. I did have someone come up to me in my hometown about a hike they wanted to do and my blog post was about the only thing they could find about the loop other than the guidebook (which wasn't much help to me).

[Slo-go'en]

Back when there were only books, we read books. Now you can watch videos, the value of which varies considerably.

[AllDownhillFromHere]

Yep. I tell people all the time - you're not going to become Internet famous.
I kept a blog because it was easy to do on my phone, and could link to Youtube and Instagram from there - so my family had just 1 link to remember, with no phone apps needed.

[soilman]

My brother and I used an ATC publication titled "Appalachian Trail Mileage Facts August 1975" along with the ATC guidebooks and maps when we hiked back in 1976-77P1011173.JPGP1011189.JPG. The "Mileage Facts" was about 20 pages and contained 10 "mileage fact sheets" which mainly listed shelters along with some road crossing and town information. A far cry from the guides that are available today. Hiking the AT back then was more of an adventure.

[Dogwood]

They were time travelers from the future who secretly were relying on those resources for no one can be a success at LD hiking without them...or so some assume.

Resourcefulness.

[DuneElliot]

I don't see the difference in using vlogs and blogs for research of the trail and the equipment now, or using books and magazines and doing lots of very bitty research back before these things were around. It all boils down to the same thing...research of the trail and what to expect.

[fastfoxengineering]

I think the primary concern is the amount of misinformation, poor content, and lack of experience in most modern day blogs and vlogs. Dont get me wrong, there are some excellent blogs and vlogs out there. But most of the "famous" youtube hikers are more entertainment than educational. Same with blogs.

There is so much advice out there, but not all advice is created equal.

I have found that published hiking and backpacking books typically contain higher quality content than most of the stuff found online, especially youtube.

Youtube gear reviews are the bane of our existence.

It all depends on what your trying to learn. But myself, if im trying to actual improve as a backpacker and need some advice and or a new resource on a subject matter, YouTube is the last place I look now.

Read books. They make you smarter. Youtube, like television, rots your brain.



Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk

[AllDownhillFromHere]

FastFox nails it. For me, blogging is a one-way push to tell my family what I'm doing. Actual research is either books, maps, or experience.

[D2maine]

tldr:

old men screaming at those damn kids to get off my lawn