Newbie Handling?

[Bootstrap]

I'm a newbie. I've been treated very, very well.

Jonathan

[mtnkngxt]

Lol thank you Marta I suppose I am. I think my generation for the most part is obnoxious. Luckily my dad scared the obnoxious out of me, and replaced it with respect for others.

[norman55]

I just wanted to weigh in -

As a newbie / late-bloomer to backpacking and this site, I would like to say thanks to all you hard-core trekkers. Have no doubt - we newbies may be silent but we are out here reading and learning from your every experience.

I may never do a thru-hike or even complete a sectional but it’s a great way to spend time with my family. For us, my family and me, that ‘s what it’s really all about. We've gotten a lot of tips from a lot of folks that have made things easier and our backpacking more enjoyable and no one even knew we were here.

Personally, I think newbie are somewhat intimidated by their own lack of experience when compared to the general visitor to this site, but, like myself, they will eventually begin to speak up. I have only recently made a few posts seeking specific information. Almost without expectation, the responses have been sincere and informative. Just the having someone take the time to read what they would probably consider a foolish question and help me out is a gift greatly appreciated.

My thanks to you all,

Sambeaux
Unicoi to Standing Indian
Nov 18th to 24th

[Bearpaw]

it's hard to be humble when you're a Marine.

Amen to that!

I'm in a fairly unusual position myself.

By posts, I'm definitely a newbie here.

By join date, I've been here a while. When I joined nearly three years ago, I was somewhat put off by several threads that seemed pretty foul-tempered. I decided folks here were too high-strung to bother with. (After all, if you've already met the likes of Lone Wolf or Baltimore Jack, you don't really feel like you have that much to add). In their case, I understood reasonably well where they were coming from, but my overall first impression just wasn't very positive.

In the last few days, I wandered back onto the site and have enjoyed the experience much more.

Oh, by the way, as far as the AT or MANY other backcountry trails and off-trail routes are concerned, I wouldn't exactly call myself a newbie. So I'll try not to be too intimidated by those with thousands and thousands of posts.......

After all, a Marine isn't easily intimidated, right Lone Wolf?

[Jack Tarlin]

Geez, thanks for the kind words!

But if you go back and read the 4th post on this thread, you might have a better opinion of me.

Whatever.

[Bearpaw]

Jack, I've always had a good opinion of you, from the first time we met.

You probably don't recall, but I first met you at Kincora, and you were cooking away and helping out several thru-newbies who were looking pretty wet and worn at the time. Even in Pennsylvania, when you had walked in on the dead guy at the Doyle, accidentally drunk cherry-flavored Coleman, and banged up your knee pretty severely (all of these in the space of 2 or 3 days), you always had an eye out to help folks who were struggling.

I DID read your post and thought, "That's Jack", able to look gruff with serious 5 o'clock shadow and cigarette hanging out of the mouth, but with a strong and positive paternal streak.

When I said you don't have much to add after Jack comments on it, I meant it as someone who has a LOT of miles and mountains behind me, but still doesn't hold a candle to the perennials.

OK, you've had your backside kissed enough for now.

[Jack Tarlin]

Hey thanx for the kind words, really!

And as for the cigarette thing, I just hit one month without 'em, which I haven't done since, I dunno, the Ford Administration maybe.

And lemme tell you, I can be REALLY unpleasant in the mornings these days as a result!!

[Bearpaw]

And as for the cigarette thing, I just hit one month without 'em, which I haven't done since, I dunno, the Ford Administration maybe.

Congratulations!! Just think how much easier your maildrops can be up north when you don't have to plan a budget around $6/pack smokes.

[Smile]

Way to go Jack

[SGT Rock]

Hey thanx for the kind words, really!

And as for the cigarette thing, I just hit one month without 'em, which I haven't done since, I dunno, the Ford Administration maybe.

And lemme tell you, I can be REALLY unpleasant in the mornings these days as a result!!

OUTSTANDING!

[peanuts]

hip-hip hooray!!!! jack...congrats and hang in there(insert dancing banana here)

[kayak karl]

How do you feel newbies are treated here at WB?

With so many newbies on line this time of year. why not restaet the poll?

[Alligator]

With so many newbies on line this time of year. why not restaet the poll?

Maybe waiting until January would be good. Then the poll would be almost a year later. I could leave it open for about 60 days until March. It might be a reasonable check on how things are going around here.

Good idea Karl.

[The Weasel]

The poll shows that is is closed at the present time. You should restart it. It's a good thing.

TW

[CoyoteWhips]

I are a newbie. From my point of view, there doesn't seem to be any pervasive bias against new posters. I don't think I've seen anybody cutting anybody extra slack for being new, either.

So, all in all, it's teh interweb. There are no dumb questions, but ya can't always same about answers; YMMV. There's lots of useful information on WB and people who answer questions honestly and often from many points of view.

[tazie]

I was warmly welcomed and feel at home here. I did notice one of my posts disappeared, but hey...App State is my team, and we'll hope for a three-peat Championship..Go Mountaineers!

[Alligator]

I was warmly welcomed and feel at home here. I did notice one of my posts disappeared, but hey...App State is my team, and we'll hope for a three-peat Championship..Go Mountaineers!

That's my area. Sorry, I take those down as not AT related news.

[sasquatch2014]

For the most part I have been treated well and see that most others are as well. I did see one situation that I felt was just bad form and that was when a new member went to the hooking up looking for other hikers in the area and someone directed them to Craigs List. I was blown away. Several people jumped in and told them that this was the right place and even extened oppertunities. Still boggels my mind.

[Alligator]

For the most part I have been treated well and see that most others are as well. I did see one situation that I felt was just bad form and that was when a new member went to the hooking up looking for other hikers in the area and someone directed them to Craigs List. I was blown away. Several people jumped in and told them that this was the right place and even extened oppertunities. Still boggels my mind.

Uh-oh that's my forum too. Sounds vaguely familiar, is the thread still up?

For those unfamiliar with the layout, there is a triangle with an exclamation point inside it in the upper right of a person's post. If you click on that, you can flag a post to the mods/admin. Personally, my forums don't generate a lot of discourse, so if you flag something in hooking up, I will get to it relatively fast. Some of the other mods/admin can be very busy though. Flagged posts go through email, a PM may be even faster.

[saimyoji]

For the most part I have been treated well and see that most others are as well. I did see one situation that I felt was just bad form and that was when a new member went to the hooking up looking for other hikers in the area and someone directed them to Craigs List. I was blown away. Several people jumped in and told them that this was the right place and even extened oppertunities. Still boggels my mind.

Thats less a function of treating newbies poorly, and more a function of being a dick in general.