favorite spots

[mattie]

hi ya'll,
mattie here, previously known as mattie monk...
I am going to be joining those of you hiking in '08 somewhere near Harpers Ferry in May. I had a question and since everyone here is so helpful I thought I'd throw it out here. I was wondering what your opinions might be about must stay at, or must not stay at places heading NB. My time is realitively short this summer, with only a month and a half to enjoy. Plus I am also doing research on women and the AT, so it would be a bonus to be able to stay in places frequented by other hikers. Are there gotta see hostles/hotels/shelters along the trail? Is this information out there already and I'm just not clicking the right links?

best,
mattie

[fiddlehead]

Maine, the whites, Clarendon Gorge (if you catch it on a warm, sunny day)

good hotels/hostels/shelters? what is the real purpose of your trip?

[fiddlehead]

oh, sorry, you want to meet women hikers on the trail, ok
good luck.

[yappy]

what kinda study are ya doing ?

[warraghiyagey]

Shaw's - Monson Maine. Hope you make it there.

[Lone Wolf]

Shaw's - Monson Maine. Hope you make it there.

mattie ain't gonna make monson in 45 days or less

[warraghiyagey]

mattie ain't gonna make monson in 45 days or less

Oops! My B. Reader error.

[mattie]

I'm interested in the way that the space of the trail is concieved. In the US the outdoors is largely concieved as a male dominated space where women are either discouraged from participating in activities or seen as being out of place. i've found that conception to be true outside the hiking community, but within it i have not experienced as much of the, 'oh you shouldn't do that' that i encounter in my discussions with people who don't participate in many outdoor activities. I'm curious how other hikers feel about the trail as a space and how it is experienced by both men and women and to see what differences exist in that experience. Fiddlehead thinks i'm going to need a lot of luck if I'm going to be able to meet hikers. i want to meet and talk to hikers of both sexes. I'm interested in the negoation of the trail as a space and how it is experienced. My research is a mix of cultural geography and anthropology. This statement is only a partial explanation of what I am interested in doing. If anyone would like to further discuss the aims of my research I'd be happy to do that, since its hard to say it all in one sentence.

I am hoping to be able to continue my hike bast 45 days, it is dependent on some different factors, if I get lucky I can continue until August which will greatly increase the ground I can cover. I'm home sick for the mountains, and the trail.

Thank you for your suggestions.

best,
mattie

[Nearly Normal]

I'm interested in the way that the space of the trail is concieved.

Have you read any of the trail Journals kept by women? Most of the ones I've meet seem to like hiking and get along with men just fine.

In the US the outdoors is largely concieved as a male dominated space where women are either discouraged from participating in activities or seen as being out of place. i've found that conception to be true outside the hiking community, but within it i have not experienced as much of the, 'oh you shouldn't do that' that i encounter in my discussions with people who don't participate in many outdoor activities.

What do you mean "outdoors" ?
Who discourages them?
I'll grant you that most outdoor sports are "marketed" to men but there are quite a few women that enjoy the outdoor sports they are attracted to and marketing does include women more all the time.


I'm curious how other hikers feel about the trail as a space and how it is experienced by both men and women and to see what differences exist in that experience. Fiddlehead thinks i'm going to need a lot of luck if I'm going to be able to meet hikers. i want to meet and talk to hikers of both sexes.

Go and hike.


I'm interested in the negoation of the trail as a space and how it is experienced. My research is a mix of cultural geography and anthropology. This statement is only a partial explanation of what I am interested in doing.

Get out and hike with the 2008 crop. You'll see first hand.


If anyone would like to further discuss the aims of my research I'd be happy to do that, since its hard to say it all in one sentence.
I am hoping to be able to continue my hike bast 45 days, it is dependent on some different factors, if I get lucky I can continue until August which will greatly increase the ground I can cover. I'm home sick for the mountains, and the trail.

Thank you for your suggestions.

best,
mattie

You will find all you want to know if you put one foot in front of the other on the trail. You won't miss any of it.
I hope you motive is not some kind of PC thing.

[map man]

mattie,

I don't know when in May you are starting but in that month the largest number of thru-hikers is likely to be just south of Harpers Ferry, in central and northern Virginia, rather than north of it. Places just north of Harpers Ferry where you will be likely to find many thru-hikers in June are:

The Doyle Hotel in Duncannon PA. There is a member here at WB with the user name "trailangelmary" who knows this part of Pennsylvania well. If you send her a pm she may be able to provide some tips.

The Church of the Mountain Hostel in Delaware Water Gap PA.

A lot of hikers take zero days in these two towns and the two places I mentioned have the reputation of being the single most popular hiker lodgings in those towns.

If, as you mention is possible, you do have time to keep going north beyond June, a couple other places in the north where thru-hikers tend to congregate, that have not been mentioned yet, are:

The Hikers Welcome Hostel in Glencliff NH, just before you get to the White Mountains.

"The Cabin" in Andover ME.

Good luck with your research! Seems like an interesting thing to study, to me.

edit: If you are looking for info on lodging and hostels you can go to aldha.org and look at the on-line edition of the "Appalachian Trail Thru-Hikers' Companion" for free. It lists lots of places, but won't tell you which are most popular, though.