100 Hiker Challenge

[Taba]

I am a professional hiker with several long distance trails on my resume. I was the 13th hiker to finish the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in North Carolina last year. It was either last year or the year before that the Appalachian Trail finishers hit the 10,000 mark. I am challenging 100 of those hikers or any hiker to join me on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail this year. It is a wonderful alternative to the Appalachian Trail and about 42.8% of the total distance. Once you have done the AT what's next. Grab your backpack and come out with me. I will be hiking the MST both directions this time from May to November. It will take 3 months to go each way. I have written a thru-hiker's manual for the trail so I know the trail and know where to go in town. Hiking the MST is a different experience that everybody should enjoy.

Help me help the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. I would love to see at least 100 people out for this challenge.

Taba

[theinfamousj]

Can I count if I section hike it around my school breaks? What section do you recommend for a four day/three night trip?

[4eyedbuzzard]

What exactly is a professional hiker?

[Lilred]

What exactly is a professional hiker?

I want to be a professional hiker. Does it pay well?

[cupid]

I think that as long as you think you're good at hiking you are a "professional" hiker.

[Feral Bill]

I think that as long as you think you're good at hiking you are a "professional" hiker.

Nothing wrong with being talented, experienced, etc, but professional means paid.

[Mags]

This out-of-work, slacker, non-professional hiker who has hiked some trails challenges you to all hike the Benton MacKaye Trail if you want. At 300 miles, you can keep your other professional job, go through areas hardly seen by most hikers, and experience the wonderful beauty of the Southern Apps off the beaten path.


You don't have to hike with me..but I hope we can hook up for a beer sometime.



I do not know what my BMT thru-hiker number is..nor do I care.

[Lone Wolf]

I am a professional hiker with several long distance trails on my resume. I was the 13th hiker to finish the Mountains-to-Sea Trail in North Carolina last year. It was either last year or the year before that the Appalachian Trail finishers hit the 10,000 mark. I am challenging 100 of those hikers or any hiker to join me on the Mountains-to-Sea Trail this year. It is a wonderful alternative to the Appalachian Trail and about 42.8% of the total distance. Once you have done the AT what's next. Grab your backpack and come out with me. I will be hiking the MST both directions this time from May to November. It will take 3 months to go each way. I have written a thru-hiker's manual for the trail so I know the trail and know where to go in town. Hiking the MST is a different experience that everybody should enjoy.

Help me help the Mountains-to-Sea Trail. I would love to see at least 100 people out for this challenge.

Taba

what makes you a "professional" hiker? somebody pay you?

[Pokey2006]

And are they taking applications? Cuz I need a job...and I think I'd be pretty good at that professional hiker thing.

[Taba]

Ok I guess I should explain what I mean about being professional. Let's break the word down professional is someone who works a profession. A profession is an occupation. An occupation is something you do to occupy your time. Yes, professional does mean that you have to be good at it and have an impressive resume. I have chosen to occupy my time with light-weight long distance travel since 1988. I have ridden my bicycle over 40,000 miles and have hiked over 4,000 miles on long distance journeys through 36 states and have been to 49 of them. Every year I spend 4 to 10 months traveling somewhere, somehow. I have found a way to use my 20 years of experience to author the "Thru-Hiker's Manual for the Mountains-to-Sea of Trail North Carolina." I have sold a few copies already and with the help of a photo-journalist from the Raleigh News & Observer who created a documentary of my hike, we have helped to bring more attention to a relatively new trail.

"Thru-Hiker" means Goal Achiever. I don't get paid but I get rewarded. I could be the guy too tired from working in the factory to get out and enjoy any part of life. Too worried about paying the bills with the wife and 3 kids. I don't see myself doing that. I get stir crazy if I stay in one place for more than a month because I know there is something I would rather be doing somewhere else. I like to visit places and sometimes I will stop for a few months. I enjoyed Hawaii for 3 months at the end of my journeys of 2007. It is in my heritage to be nomadic. Since the early 1900's my family traveled with the Ringling Bros. as the trapeze performers called "The Flying Ward's." I became a Flying Ward when I learned how to skydive. I now have 75 jumps.

So to answer the question "What makes me a professional hiker?" By occupying over 3/4 of my time to hiking and working other jobs to pay for hiking and by trying to help others by writing books for them to follow that clear up any confusion for long distance trails, I think I am qualified to make that statement. If you don't like "Professional Hiker" how about "Professional Nomad." Either way my resume and the quality of my work is that of professional status. People retire after doing something for 20 years. I am just beginning. This is what I do to sustain my life and like I said I don't get paid but I get rewarded. Maybe someday I will find out how to get paid.

[Taba]

Can I count if I section hike it around my school breaks? What section do you recommend for a four day/three night trip?

Yes, you count. I was the only long-distance hiker on the trrail that I know of last year. Anybody who does any length of the trail counts. I would be happy to see 100 section hikers. At least people are seeing what a great journey the MST is. If you don't mind water crossings the Harper Creek is a beautiful area. You go from Ripshin Ridge to Beacon Heights. It's 25.87 miles and has great water and excellent camping.

Taba

[fiddlehead]

C'mon over to Thailand. I have a great trail that No one has hiked yet.
You can be the first to thru-hike it.

It's in the jungle, we have cobras, wasps that have been known to kill and elephant, monkees, illegal Burmese workers living in the mountains, and, oh yeah, elephants that charge people sometimes. (someone even saw a python they said) Good fun.

You can write a book about it.

ps. i'm sort of joking. the Burmese people have all been friendly, there's more cobras around my house than i've seen in the jungle, the elephant charged me 1,000 miles away from where the trail is.

It's not the AT, but it is good fun.

[Lone Wolf]

So to answer the question "What makes me a professional hiker?" By occupying over 3/4 of my time to hiking and working other jobs to pay for hiking and by trying to help others by writing books for them to follow that clear up any confusion for long distance trails, I think I am qualified to make that statement. If you don't like "Professional Hiker" how about "Professional Nomad." Either way my resume and the quality of my work is that of professional status. People retire after doing something for 20 years. I am just beginning. This is what I do to sustain my life and like I said I don't get paid but I get rewarded. Maybe someday I will find out how to get paid.

nope. nothing professional about walking with a pack. no training needed. it's just a recreational activity. you're a hobbyist is all

[OldStormcrow]

What exactly is a professional hiker?

Hmmmmm......much money in that? Perhaps I've been going about this all wrong.....

[4eyedbuzzard]

If you're selling a trail guide, seems to me that would more make you a professional writer, or an aspiring one. Nothing wrong with writing and selling a book or trail guide. When I hear someone describe themselves as a "Professional Hiker", though, it tends to bring to mind the following image...



Just FWIW...

[McKeever]

Are you an official w/the MST? My understanding is that it is 500 miles of trail, and the rest is road walking which can in no way be compared to 42% of the AT. It's good to bring positive publicity to a trail, but misinformation can cause damage. That also goes for creditability.

[Mags]

Perhaps professional horn tooter?

By your definition ,many of us are "professional hikers". We just don't need to list every mile hiked and ever trail walked.

I guess what we are saying is that it is not what you are saying..it is how you are saying it. "Extreme" (for an earlier thread) and "professional" hiker obviously aren't playing well to the audience.

You may want to re-think how you are packaging your product...

Guess it really doesn't matter. Good luck on your extreme professional hiking!

[sheepdog]

If you're selling a trail guide, seems to me that would more make you a professional writer, or an aspiring one. Nothing wrong with writing and selling a book or trail guide. When I hear someone describe themselves as a "Professional Hiker", though, it tends to bring to mind the following image...



Just FWIW...

Hey is that Willma Flintstone in that pick i nick basket?

[JAK]

Amateur means you do it for the love of it.
Profession means you do it for money.

[JAK]

I suppose the root meaning of professional is that you profess to be able to do it to a certain standard of performance.

An amateur may acheive or exceed those standards, but the essence of the word is that they do it for the love of it.