PSA: The Appalachian Trail isn't a race track, slow down

I was at a gear shop in Damascus last weekend and heard this guy bragging about crushing 25 miles a day on the AT like it was some badge of honor. I get it, we all want to push ourselves, but I've seen too many people burn out or miss the whole point of being out there because they're obsessed with mileage. My best days on the trail have been the 8-milers where I actually stopped to watch a sunrise or chat with a thru-hiker. Anyone else think the ultra-light, speed-hiking trend is ruining the experience for beginners?

3 comments

3 Comments

grantthomas2mo ago

Last summer I passed a guy on the Noland Divide Trail who was literally jogging downhill with trekking poles in both hands (which I didn't even know was a thing). He blew past this creek crossing without even looking at the waterfall, just yelling something about making it to the next shelter by noon. Made me want to just sit down on a rock and eat a sandwich right there in protest, you know?

beth_baker692mo ago

Show me the sandwich. Was it something good like a turkey and swiss or just some sad peanut butter? Because I feel like picking the right protest sandwich matters when you're taking a stand against that kind of nonsense.

jade_grant951mo ago

Wait, is nobody gonna talk about how the sandwich itself might be a distraction? @beth_baker69 what if the real protest was just standing there with a sandwich, not even eating it, making people question why you're so chill while they're rushing? Like, I saw this lady at the Grand Canyon last fall with a whole baguette just sitting on a bench, not touching it, just watching the chaos. She said it was her "statement against the hiking industrial complex" or whatever that means. But the sandwich being turkey and swiss vs. peanut butter kinda changes the vibe, right? A sad pb&j says "I'm mad but also unprepared," while a deli sandwich screams "I planned this protest in style.