Blind man to thru-hike with talking GPS and no dog.

[Mags]

But I shall wish the gentleman good luck and Gods speed

See.if Programbo can do it, you can too.

[Lone Wolf]

he needs a sighted person to help him hunt, he'll need a sighted person to help him do the trail. bottom line

[Mags]

It's simply that he'll just be a section-hiker when he's done, NOT a thruhiker.

A bit condescending...

I just noticed this statement.

Me? I'm simply a hiker.

[woodsy]

Me? I'm simply a hiker.

Oh yeah? well i'm JUST a hiker, damn proud of it too
I know a guy who takes blind people on wilderness river canoe trips to the North Maine woods for a week at a time, they love it! More power too em.

[MOWGLI]

If you listen to the interview I conducted with him, Mike will welcome help from hikers who are sighted. Especially in some of the sketchier places. My guess is that the positive energy will flow his way. Unlike the internet, the trail seems to work that way.

[warraghiyagey]

If you listen to the interview I conducted with him, Mike will welcome help from hikers who are sighted. Especially in some of the sketchier places. My guess is that the positive energy will flow his way. Unlike the internet, the trail seems to work that way.

Here, here. I second the WB Zenmasters sentiment.

[minnesotasmith]

A bit condescending...

I just noticed this statement.

Me? I'm simply a hiker.

Only an issue to other people if he claims he thruhiked, but skipped entire states he was incapable of hiking. While a 3-day section hike and a completed thruhike of course have different costs and benefits, normally the difference in what a person's hike was to them in the end is a private matter. (Imagine if Warren Doyle, or anyone who only carried a toy pack the whole way along the AT, had the meaning of their hikes completely determined by other people...)

Anyway, if he's getting help from other hikers, then he's just another Bill Irwin, getting led by the hand along the Trail. Yawn. It's been done already, so not a first.

[Tin Man]

Only an issue to other people if he claims he thruhiked, but skipped entire states he was incapable of hiking. While a 3-day section hike and a completed thruhike of course have different costs and benefits, normally the difference in what a person's hike was to them in the end is a private matter. (Imagine if Warren Doyle, or anyone who only carried a toy pack the whole way along the AT, had the meaning of their hikes completely determined by other people...)

Anyway, if he's getting help from other hikers, then he's just another Bill Irwin, getting led by the hand along the Trail. Yawn. It's been done already, so not a first.

It's a first for him. Easy does it big fella.

[Panzer1]

It may not be a "first" but I still think it is exciting to watch someone in his condition prepare for such a hike. I wish him luck.

Panzer

[warraghiyagey]

It's a first for him. Easy does it big fella.

Yeah, someone's very impressed with his own thru hike. So much so that he sees it as leverage against the dreams of others. Sad that that is what he got out of it.

[Mags]

Only an issue to other people if he claims he thruhiked, but skipped entire states he was incapable of hiking. While a 3-day section hike and a completed thruhike of course have different costs and benefits, normally the difference in what a person's hike was to them in the end is a private matter. (Imagine if Warren Doyle, or anyone who only carried a toy pack the whole way along the AT, had the meaning of their hikes completely determined by other people...)

Anyway, if he's getting help from other hikers, then he's just another Bill Irwin, getting led by the hand along the Trail. Yawn. It's been done already, so not a first.

That's nice. I'm still just a hiker.

[Flush2wice]

nope. me and another guy were refused "magic" at fontana dam one year cuz we weren't thru-hiking all the way to maine even though we started at springer the same as the hikers getting fed

Was probably tofu pups and gardenburgers. Sorry you were treated shabbily.

I hope it wasn't beer. That's not allowed there you know.

[MOWGLI]

"What 'makes blindness suck?' It's not just the limitations. In fact, often it isn't the limitations at all. There's a saying that goes around in the "blindness community" about the real barriers being attitudinal. When I go to that restaurant with you and there's no braille menu and you start reading to me, I don't have a "problem" with blindness. If I go to that restaurant with you and there is no braille menu and you read in silence and I am clueless about what's available, then I have a "problem" with blindness, although I'm more likely to think that the problem is you are selfish and insensitive for not reading me the menu. If I fear that you will react to my limitations or differences in a negative way, then I have a problem with blindness."
~Sarah J. Blake~

[warraghiyagey]

. . . normally the difference in what a person's hike was to them in the end is a private matter. . .

. . .Imagine if Warren Doyle, or anyone who only carried a toy pack the whole way along the AT, had the meaning of their hikes completely determined by other people...

Anyway, if he's getting help from other hikers, then he's just another Bill Irwin, getting led by the hand along the Trail. Yawn. It's been done already, so not a first.

Dude you're all over the place. Uuummmmmm. . . well, if you want to go ever your post you'll see the wide scope of contradiction for yourself.
If not, hope you enjoyed your thru, which is well documented, and hope the experience manifests itself for the beauty it brought in each of your days then, and hopefully still brings you now.

[warraghiyagey]

Bowing silently to MOWGLI once again. . .

[Lone Wolf]

I hope it wasn't beer. That's not allowed there you know.

nope. burgers and dogs. when i do feeds it's for SECTION hikers only

[warraghiyagey]

nope. burgers and dogs. when i do feeds it's for SECTION hikers only

I'll be SOBO next year. But the day I'm in your area I'll definitely be a section hiker.
SOBO8 - Katahdin-Wolf's place, Wolf's place-Springer.

[Tin Man]

That's nice. I'm still just a hiker.

Like everyone else, especially those that feel special (referring to those without disabilities).

[dessertrat]

Good luck to him. I think he will have real problems-- it's not a matter of feeling around on the rocks to know where to put your foot next-- it's being able to see 10 feet ahead so you know that where you put your foot next will actually lead to another place to put your foot?

I know the man has been blind since birth, but I'm trying to picture descending the steep talus slope from chairback mountain, or whitecap, without being able to see. That scares the crap out of me.

Not to mention that the trail can change if a tree falls down.

[Tin Man]

Good luck to him. I think he will have real problems-- it's not a matter of feeling around on the rocks to know where to put your foot next-- it's being able to see 10 feet ahead so you know that where you put your foot next will actually lead to another place to put your foot?

I know the man has been blind since birth, but I'm trying to picture descending the steep talus slope from chairback mountain, or whitecap, without being able to see. That scares the crap out of me.

Not to mention that the trail can change if a tree falls down.

Listen to the interview. It sounds like he is hoping for help in the difficult spots.