Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 18, 2019 14:42:48 GMT -8
I watch his videos, I hope he does well.
Out of all the PCTers this year, I like the MaryMansfield VLOG. I like how she expresses her views of the land.
CrunchMaster is already past South Kennedy Meadows.
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Post by Moonshae on May 18, 2019 15:58:41 GMT -8
Just an observation ... This guy is hiking the PCT to work out his health issues as well as find structure and meaning in his life. He vlogs about his experience and has elicited a lot of support financially, logistically, and encouragement. He eagerly accepts this help. Any naysayers are often shouted down by members of the hiking community. Cheryl Strayed hiked 1100 miles of the PCT in 1995 as a way to work out the struggles in her personal life. She did it alone and on her own. Through that journey she found a sort of peace which helped her come to terms with herself. Seventeen years later she published a best-selling memoir of this experience. Her memoir is often treated with scorn by much of the hiking community. There's even an online community that advocates Don't Hike Like Wild, which seeks to denigrate Cheryl Strayed at every chance. So, what's the difference? I have a few ideas but I will keep them to myself as of now. Rumi EDIT: I should add that my remarks about the hiking community mainly applies to the long distance hiking community, though somewhat less to the general hiking community. I'm not familiar with Cheryl Strayed, but any through hike is an accomplishment. I'm going to check out her memoir. I can't comment on why people denigrate her memoir until I read it.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on May 18, 2019 16:27:32 GMT -8
Cheryl Strayed’s book gets a lot of criticism for being what it is: a memoir of a screwed-up person getting her head straightened out. They are bugged that it’s not really about the trail, and she wasn’t a typical through-hiker, whatever that means. The book has some other flaws from a writer’s perspective but that doesn’t seem to be what’s usually carped at.
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on May 18, 2019 20:43:08 GMT -8
They are bugged that it’s not really about the trail, and she wasn’t a typical through-hiker, whatever that means. Most of the chatter that used to surround any discussion of Cheryl Strayed on long distance hikers seems to be mostly sour grapes. That has been my distinct impression from reading and engaging many in the long distant hiker community. Much of the vitriol has subsided as it has been several years since her book came out and the movie has faded from public viewing. It amazed me that the hatred ran so deep against her. The link I provided above for the Don't Hike Like Wild page was a .org page, yet it had no real mission except to denigrate Cheryl Strayed. Really, they don't do anything at all but that. A few years back you could hardly mention her on the long distant hiking boards that didn't bring the cabal forward to flood the discussion with all sorts of ridiculous accusations. How screwed up do you have to be to start a web page just to hate on someone like they did? Regardless of what anyone thinks of the literary worthiness of Wild, it seems odd to me the reaction towards Cheryl Strayed from the hiking community in general and the long distance hiking community in particular. Rumi
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Hungry Jack
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Post by Hungry Jack on May 19, 2019 10:01:18 GMT -8
I checked out Don’tHikeLikeWild and came away scratching my head. It reminded me a bit of the vitriol spewed against Christopher McCandless, who was the subject of Krakauer’s Into The Wild. I think it’s fair to fault the young McCandless for breaking off all contact with his family. I have a harder time criticizing him for the mistakes he made that led to his death in the Alaskan bush.
Cheryl Strayed obviously immersed herself in a long trail baptism by fire. I think we have all pretty much made similar errors on a smaller scale. It’s hard to work up any sense of injustice over that.
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driftwoody
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Post by driftwoody on May 19, 2019 11:30:24 GMT -8
Cheryl Strayed obviously immersed herself in a long trail baptism by fire. I think we have all pretty much made similar errors on a smaller scale. It’s hard to work up any sense of injustice over that. HYOH
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reuben
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Post by reuben on May 19, 2019 11:41:43 GMT -8
Cheryl went out, tried, and succeeded.
Second chance guy is out there, trying, and whether he makes it or not, he's trying.
I fail to see the problem with either one. To the best of my knowledge they're not carving their initials into trees, painting rocks, or otherwise unduly degrading the environment as they pass.
Dave hikes the Sierra in blue jeans. No one else here seems inclined to do so, but that no reason to attack him, which thankfully hasn't happened.
Let them hike their own hikes.
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tomas
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Post by tomas on May 19, 2019 14:38:21 GMT -8
Regardless of what anyone thinks of the literary worthiness of Wild, it seems odd to me the reaction towards Cheryl Strayed from the hiking community in general and the long distance hiking community in particular. I think it's a couple of factors. First off it's either sour grapes (like you mentioned) or just having their noses out of joint because she accomplished what most people trying thru hiking don't. And she did it without training, preparation, and the snazzy cool gear. She literally came up with the idea, sent some packages forward as resupply, bought the cheap gear, and showed up at the trail head. It's like the skinny nerd getting through special forces training while all the jocks drop out. Second, I think people are maligning her because of her drug abuse and supposed sexual promiscuity. The woman had demons chasing her and like many people with demons she self-medicated. Those who have never experienced a chasing demon are usually quick to point out the moral inferiority of those who do. It's a lack of empathy fueled by a superiority complex. She did the hike and wrote a book abouit it. Neither the hike or the book were pretty, but in the end she accomplished what many have tried and most not succeeded.
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Hungry Jack
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Post by Hungry Jack on May 19, 2019 15:35:48 GMT -8
Maybe I am mistaken, but I am guessing spending 6 months on the PCT is a pretty good method to get away from hard drugs and sleeping around
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on May 19, 2019 18:03:56 GMT -8
Maybe I am mistaken, but I am guessing spending 6 months on the PCT is a pretty good method to get away from hard drugs and sleeping around Well back then it was, but now .... not so much. Rumi
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toejam
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Post by toejam on Aug 11, 2019 6:09:28 GMT -8
After 150-something days on the trail. Still in over his head. Says he lost 95 lbs. Having a real adventure. Think he's slackpacking with RumiDude right now.
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on Aug 11, 2019 7:32:16 GMT -8
Think he's slackpacking with RumiDude right now. He borrowed so much money from me and I decided to ditch him. Rumi ~the slackpacker~Dude
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geosp
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Post by geosp on Aug 11, 2019 15:14:38 GMT -8
I've been lucky enough to have experienced a through hike of the PCT. I haven't read Cheryl Strayed's book or seen the movie so can't comment there. Also have no attitude one way or another regarding her personally. But I am aware of the negative attitude towards her by many. I don't think the first of Tomas's points would come into it too much though. I'd say a large percentage of successful PCT thru-hikers have fallen into the category of having no 'cool snazzy gear' of 'sending supply packages forward' and of 'buying cheap gear and turning up at the trail head'. Thinking about it, I know she's often quoted as having 'thru-hiked the PCT (which she didn't) so maybe that has a bearing on why some get a bit scratchy. Link that with Tomas's second points and the reasons for the attitudes of some could be getting close. Thing is regardless of what anyone thinks, or the degree of her accomplishment, she's had a success if her particular hike has sorted out her life for the better. And if she's deserving of that then good on her. Kudos to Second Chance for giving it a whirl. He's obviously changed his life big time regardless of what he does from now on in. At 400lbs, launching off out of your comfort zone and into everything unfamiliar to you takes a bit of metal. At the beginning of his hike he looked like he'd struggle to walk from the sofa to the fridge. Apparently his main mission was not to thru-hike the PCT but to hike on the PCT, lose 200lbs and dodge The Reaper. He's well on his way to that...and has also added a bit of romance to his life. Strong medicine this outdoors stuff.
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reuben
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Post by reuben on Aug 11, 2019 15:42:35 GMT -8
Well, he made it to Oregon, which is probably farther than anyone here thought he'd get. And he lost 95 lbs. Kudos to him.
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on Aug 19, 2019 10:36:40 GMT -8
Just got back from PCT Days at Cascade Locks and witnessed firsthand the hero worshiping of Second Chance Hiker. It was kinda bizarre to say the least. I would hear "Hugs!" and turn to see him hugging one or two people. People wanted their photo taken with him and or have him sign their hat or shirt or something for them. From my first post in this thread: In his first video he was saying something like "nothing is going to stop me from going all the way to Canada". Again I have seen too much of that bravado concerning the PCT and most of the time it turned out to be empty. I truly hope this guy succeeds getting his health in good shape, but there is waaaaaay more to that than just hiking the PCT. Well, something did stop him from going to Canada. Additionally he is still waaaaaaay overweight. If that was his main concern, then that is what he should focus on now rather than being a minor celebrity among some YouTube fans.. Finally, hiking and getting out into the backcountry is almost a spiritual thing for me, which may be why I have difficulty connecting to "stunts" like this. I realize this colors my judgement and I may also be out of line in my comments. Anyway, I still hope he gets his life and health together. Rumi
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