Hikers

c00per said:
I swear that her breasts had put him in some sort of trance :p
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They always put me in a trance... J/k:foot:


It might have something to do with the amount of people in city parks, and short trails. You pass so many people, saying hello just gets old, and they are probably sick of seeing other people. And most of the people are just regular joes who you don't know from adam.

On the other hand, it might be nice to see a friendly face on longer trails, and usually you know you have something in common with them, for you both to be way out there.
 
For the most part, the people I've met on the trails have been really friendly. Except once. My wife, my daughter and I were coming out of a long dayhike, said "hi" to two people who were inbound. These people were ticked off, and explained to us in an angry tone that there were some potato chip bags, soda bottles, etc. that they had collected in the woods and left at the next bend in the trail and we should think about throwing out OUR garbage. It clicked and I realized that they assumed, since we were a family with a 10 year old, that we must've been the ones to throw the garbage on the ground.

WE WERE PEEVED. we take pride in our strict pack in-pack out policy (to the point that my wife will collect her cigarette butts in a ziplock bag to bring out with us). I was as nice as I could be about it, thanked the people for picking up the litter and that we would be happy to help them pack it out - since they were just starting their hike and we were finishing ours, but that we would never do anything like chucking wrappers in the woods. I got a "yeah, okay, whatever" out of them and went on our separate ways.
 
Some of the through-hikers on the Appalachian Trail are pretty rude. "Coming through" is what you get - not even "excuse me" or "hello". They act like it's their trail, and we're just in the way.

My buddies and I have more fun on the lesser-known trails. The few people we meet are nicer, too.
 
I know from experience being a thru-hiker that sometimes they can be apear to be rude but its also because a lot of day hikers/ short distance hikers dont follow the rules of the trail.

The biggest complaint I have is when a group of hikers dont yield to the person comming uphill. That is just rude. If I have to stop my pace to step off to the side of the trail for someone who is hiking down the hill (although I might smile and say hello) I'm thinking of how rude it is.

Also get out of the way of someone who is moving faster than you as thru hikers generally are.
 
DutchV said:
Some of the through-hikers on the Appalachian Trail are pretty rude. "Coming through" is what you get - not even "excuse me" or "hello".
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I wonder if they really enjoy the trail itself, or just the exercise of rushing through it. That would explain their disdain for anyone actually spending any more time than absolutely necessary, drifting through their natural surroundings. :)

CDRules said:
I know from experience being a thru-hiker that sometimes they can be appear to be rude but its also because a lot of day hikers/ short distance hikers dont follow the rules of the trail.
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What "rules of the trail"? Who sez? :p

THEIR rules are, "Take it slow, smile, stop and chat, be cool, relax - we're all out here for fun, right?"
 
Esav, you're onto it there. We got the feeling that the high-speed guys were just gutting it out, covering the miles and might not even be there to see the scenery.
 
CDRules said:
I know from experience being a thru-hiker that sometimes they can be apear to be rude but its also because a lot of day hikers/ short distance hikers dont follow the rules of the trail.

The biggest complaint I have is when a group of hikers dont yield to the person comming uphill. That is just rude. If I have to stop my pace to step off to the side of the trail for someone who is hiking down the hill (although I might smile and say hello) I'm thinking of how rude it is.

Also get out of the way of someone who is moving faster than you as thru hikers generally are.
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If you find it that rude, perhaps you should hike in places where you won't see anyone. Not criticising, just saying.

A lot of hikers don't know of any rules of the trail (myself included, and I hike A LOT). Yes, if someone is coming quickly, I typically move out of their way, but I don't consider it rude if I have to go a few steps around someone. If they are taking up the whole trail and not being considerate, it's another story, but I've never had this happen.
 
Around here you've got the greenbelt bike paths, where it seems socially optional or even not-preferred t say hi.

Then you've got the preserve paths and the creeks. There's no official parks, but a few of the preserves have old trails built way back when and not maintained. (I cut brush, but haven't spiked new logs in or anything) This is in some spots normal hiking, but in a lot of the putah creek watercourse it's sneak-hiking. And when you run across people you always say hi. I may be out to be alone, and I am not going to go having a 45 minutes conversation with anyone, but if you are out there you are sort of by default part of a special group. So I say hi.
 
Usually a polite hi is well recieved and returned. I don't try to get into much of a conversation normally as, particularly in city park trails, that seems to rightly spook people. That overly friendly and familiar approach is a common one of scum bags and I think most folks have a sense of that. At state parks, I'm usually with family and look like what I am, a harmless middle aged galoot. When I'm out in the National Forest alone I'm usually sporting a canvas daypack, boonie type hat and probably look a little scary to folks, like maybe I'm coming out with some drugs, or live back in there, or sumsuch. I usually run into hunters back in the deep woods though so talk usually turns to that and all is well.
 
On the trail, I don't act friendly with people I don't know. I try to keep my distance.

I don't want to hear their life stories, about their fear of bears, or complaints about blisters or the weather. I am out there to enjoy myself.
 
I live in the NE and the people around me, for the most part, are not nice on the trail.

I've been hiking and camping in the south and a majority of the people that I've come across on the trails (even the short ones) have been nice.
 
Even though I prefer to avoid people I always try to make eye contact and give people a "howdy" as I pass them. I don't mind chatting briefly with other people. Usually it is about what the trail is like and that sort of thing.

If it's a cute girl I'll give her a smile and turn after three paces to check the rear view.
 
I don't know, I've seen all kinds.
I guess it'd be an apt generalization though to say that those that are further out on a trail tend to be nicer. Don't get many thru hikers where I go, so I don't know about them.

By friendly I don't mean they stop and have a warm shower with you, but I'll generally make eye contact and at least nod if not say hello. Firendly to me is when they at elast nod back or say hello back in passing. I don't think anyone that's out far is out to meet new people and pow wow, those that do want to be with people generally bring their own.
 
I find that most folks will move out of your way if you wave a large machete. :cool:

peru10.jpg


With apologies to Mike Perrin. :p
 
ilbruche said:
If it's a cute girl I'll give her a smile and turn after three paces to check the rear view and shout "Who's your daddy?" while grabbing my own crotch.
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Fixed that for you. :p :D

Some folks in city parks are trying to get a quick workout in the least amount of time. That might explain some of them who zip past without a word.
 
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