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wild by cheryl strayed

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    • A.T.Lt wrote:

      Astro wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      If anything, A walk in the Woods motivated people to get out and hike. I've heard people say they started hiking after reading it, including several in the cafe, but I've never heard anyone say they thru hiked after reading it.


      Why would it inspire them to thru hike. Bryson did not come anywhere close to doing a thru.


      Thats like saying being a Ted Williams fan couldn't inspire someone to play baseball because he never won the World Series....


      Ted Williams is the greatest hitter who ever lived, and a mighty good fighter pilot in WW II and Korea too. Bryson is good, but not near the Splendid Splinter level.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • A.T.Lt wrote:

      Agreed I was just using the fact that Bryson's book is immensely popular within the hiking community yet he never completed it like Williams is very popular among baseball enthusiasts and he never win the WS


      I see but Ted Williams was still a baseball player (one of the greatest ever) and might have won a World Series if he had not been so stubborn to ignore the StL Cardinals shift (and of course there was the curse of the Bambino against him).

      Where Bryson is not really that much of a hiker (I along with most of the people on this site have probably hiked more of the AT than he did), just a very good writer who did a little bit of hiking for this particular book assignment (which once again is a very entertaining and well written book that most of us have enjoyed).
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Astro wrote:

      A.T.Lt wrote:

      Agreed I was just using the fact that Bryson's book is immensely popular within the hiking community yet he never completed it like Williams is very popular among baseball enthusiasts and he never win the WS


      I see but Ted Williams was still a baseball player (one of the greatest ever) and might have won a World Series if he had not been so stubborn to ignore the StL Cardinals shift (and of course there was the curse of the Bambino against him).

      Where Bryson is not really that much of a hiker (I along with most of the people on this site have probably hiked more of the AT than he did), just a very good writer who did a little bit of hiking for this particular book assignment (which once again is a very entertaining and well written book that most of us have enjoyed).


      Once upon a time, in another place....just a click away, I said...He was a writer walking not a hiker writing....just sayin'....cool....no worries, mate....chill...... :thumbsup:
      Cheesecake> Ramen :thumbsup:
    • Astro wrote:


      Ted Williams is the greatest hitter who ever lived, and a mighty good fighter pilot in WW II and Korea too. Bryson is good, but not near the Splendid Splinter level.


      with all due respect to ted williams, if we were sitting around a campfire i think i could make a case for babe ruth as the greatest.

      i think we are talking about 1a and 1b.
      2,000 miler
    • max.patch wrote:

      Astro wrote:


      Ted Williams is the greatest hitter who ever lived, and a mighty good fighter pilot in WW II and Korea too. Bryson is good, but not near the Splendid Splinter level.


      with all due respect to ted williams, if we were sitting around a campfire i think i could make a case for babe ruth as the greatest.

      i think we are talking about 1a and 1b.


      I could definitely see that, and the Babe could pitch too.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • max.patch wrote:

      Astro wrote:


      Ted Williams is the greatest hitter who ever lived, and a mighty good fighter pilot in WW II and Korea too. Bryson is good, but not near the Splendid Splinter level.


      with all due respect to ted williams, if we were sitting around a campfire i think i could make a case for babe ruth as the greatest.

      i think we are talking about 1a and 1b.


      If we were sitting around a campfire with Ted Williams I think his head would defrost...
      RIAP
    • hikerboy wrote:

      lets argue some more about meaningless analogies.
      that being said, i loved stephen kings'the girl who loved tom gordon, which happens to take place on the appalachian trail.
      how do you like that for tying in writer ,williams and trail, huh?


      I think the Stand is Kings best hiking book. They hiked from Colorado to Las Vegas twice.
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123
    • Rasty wrote:

      hikerboy wrote:

      lets argue some more about meaningless analogies.
      that being said, i loved stephen kings'the girl who loved tom gordon, which happens to take place on the appalachian trail.
      how do you like that for tying in writer ,williams and trail, huh?


      I think the Stand is Kings best hiking book. They hiked from Colorado to Las Vegas twice.


      his best book.
      its all good
    • max.patch wrote:

      SarcasmTheElf wrote:

      max.patch wrote:

      "wild" is now at redbox.

      i want my buck and a half back.
      The damn DvD won't even play on either of our computers, I think it might have some sort of overly obnoxious copyright software on it.
      fwiw, i just put the rental in my laptop as a test and it played just fine.
      My wife bought the dvd, might be a different version.
      Dogs are excellent judges of character, this fact goes a long way toward explaining why some people don't like being around them.
    • I've read a few blogs and articles about women hikers and noticed that women are pointing out that they were hiking before Wild was published, as if they feel delegitimized because of the book. Here is an example that I read this morning.

      "Whitley, who authored the book Gorge: My Journey Up Kilamanjaro at 300 Pounds, which hit shelves on April 7, 2015, has also noticed a post-Wild phenomenon. "I did all three of my hikes [up Kilamanjaro] before Wild came out, but [Cheryl Strayed] really opened the door to the idea that going outdoors is attainable for women and doing things that are a little more than a day hike is something that other people can do, too," Whitely says."
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      I've read a few blogs and articles about women hikers and noticed that women are pointing out that they were hiking before Wild was published, as if they feel delegitimized because of the book. Here is an example that I read this morning.

      "Whitley, who authored the book Gorge: My Journey Up Kilamanjaro at 300 Pounds, which hit shelves on April 7, 2015, has also noticed a post-Wild phenomenon. "I did all three of my hikes [up Kilamanjaro] before Wild came out, but [Cheryl Strayed] really opened the door to the idea that going outdoors is attainable for women and doing things that are a little more than a day hike is something that other people can do, too," Whitely says."
      I think it's peoples fascination the good vs evil thing..Cheryl had the drug addiction, promiscuous thing going for her, people identify with the bad girl image....I guess.

      ...and she had a Reese in her back pocket saying "Do you know who I am" :D
    • A lot of women who hold nontraditional jobs and women who do nontraditional things often feel threatened by other women who try to do the same. Look at women high up in the corporate world...they often do very little to help other women.

      When a woman makes a point to specify that they were hiking before Wild (and the subsequent increase in women hikers), they are feeling threatened and are looking for validation that they are doing something unique.

      They are actually saying, "Yeah, the book inspired a lot of women to get on the trail but don't forget, I was out there first so I am more awesome." :)

      And in the spirit of reciprocity, women who do nontraditional things often make other women feel threatened, believe me.


      (Sorry for the stupid rant)
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      A lot of women who hold nontraditional jobs and women who do nontraditional things often feel threatened by other women who try to do the same. Look at women high up in the corporate world...they often do very little to help other women.

      When a woman makes a point to specify that they were hiking before Wild (and the subsequent increase in women hikers), they are feeling threatened and are looking for validation that they are doing something unique.

      They are actually saying, "Yeah, the book inspired a lot of women to get on the trail but don't forget, I was out there first so I am more awesome." :)

      And in the spirit of reciprocity, women who do nontraditional things often make other women feel threatened, believe me.


      (Sorry for the stupid rant)
      yup, it is a dog eat dog world for some folks, I never like playing like that, someone does good, I'm happy for em.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      A lot of women who hold nontraditional jobs and women who do nontraditional things often feel threatened by other women who try to do the same. Look at women high up in the corporate world...they often do very little to help other women.

      When a woman makes a point to specify that they were hiking before Wild (and the subsequent increase in women hikers), they are feeling threatened and are looking for validation that they are doing something unique.

      They are actually saying, "Yeah, the book inspired a lot of women to get on the trail but don't forget, I was out there first so I am more awesome." :)

      And in the spirit of reciprocity, women who do nontraditional things often make other women feel threatened, believe me.


      (Sorry for the stupid rant)
      I don't know where the quote came from but here it is.

      "Men should never try to understand women, women understand women and they hate each other"

      Or something like that! :)
      Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.
      Dr. Seuss Cof123
    • Rasty wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      A lot of women who hold nontraditional jobs and women who do nontraditional things often feel threatened by other women who try to do the same. Look at women high up in the corporate world...they often do very little to help other women.

      When a woman makes a point to specify that they were hiking before Wild (and the subsequent increase in women hikers), they are feeling threatened and are looking for validation that they are doing something unique.

      They are actually saying, "Yeah, the book inspired a lot of women to get on the trail but don't forget, I was out there first so I am more awesome." :)

      And in the spirit of reciprocity, women who do nontraditional things often make other women feel threatened, believe me.


      (Sorry for the stupid rant)
      I don't know where the quote came from but here it is.
      "Men should never try to understand women, women understand women and they hate each other"

      Or something like that! :)
      LOL!

      I should not have been so cynical in my post, most of the women I know are awesome. :)
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      Rasty wrote:

      TrafficJam wrote:

      A lot of women who hold nontraditional jobs and women who do nontraditional things often feel threatened by other women who try to do the same. Look at women high up in the corporate world...they often do very little to help other women.

      When a woman makes a point to specify that they were hiking before Wild (and the subsequent increase in women hikers), they are feeling threatened and are looking for validation that they are doing something unique.

      They are actually saying, "Yeah, the book inspired a lot of women to get on the trail but don't forget, I was out there first so I am more awesome." :)

      And in the spirit of reciprocity, women who do nontraditional things often make other women feel threatened, believe me.


      (Sorry for the stupid rant)
      I don't know where the quote came from but here it is."Men should never try to understand women, women understand women and they hate each other"

      Or something like that! :)
      LOL!
      I should not have been so cynical in my post, most of the women I know are awesome. :)
      I didn't take it so much as cynical, more of an observation.
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      we have seen a lot of women out hiking- weekenders, sectioners, and thrus- I would say close to 40%. We have seen 3 women in their 70s who are doing 500+ mile sections- they are amazing.
      I cant tell you how many hikes I have been on where the women outnumber the men. Many, many.
      Changes Daily→ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪♫♪♫♪♫ ← Don't blame me. It's That Lonesome Guitar.
    • When I was on Roan Mountain I stopped to take a break and this group of "country club" style women were out on a day hike and stopped to talk to me. As I took off I over heard one of them say "you can tell he is a hiker, look at his calves".

      Needless to say it made my day. :)
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • jimmyjam wrote:

      we have seen a lot of women out hiking- weekenders, sectioners, and thrus- I would say close to 40%. We have seen 3 women in their 70s who are doing 500+ mile sections- they are amazing.
      I'm pretty old and spent 3 days last week on the AT in NY with my daughter and granddaughter - damn near killed myself! (I haven't backpacked since about 1999, but in pretty good condition for my age.) I kept stumbling on all the rocks and boulders and look like I fought with a bear!
    • gypsy97 wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      we have seen a lot of women out hiking- weekenders, sectioners, and thrus- I would say close to 40%. We have seen 3 women in their 70s who are doing 500+ mile sections- they are amazing.
      I'm pretty old and spent 3 days last week on the AT in NY with my daughter and granddaughter - damn near killed myself! (I haven't backpacked since about 1999, but in pretty good condition for my age.) I kept stumbling on all the rocks and boulders and look like I fought with a bear!
      I bet you had a great time, too!
      Lost in the right direction.
    • gypsy97 wrote:

      jimmyjam wrote:

      we have seen a lot of women out hiking- weekenders, sectioners, and thrus- I would say close to 40%. We have seen 3 women in their 70s who are doing 500+ mile sections- they are amazing.
      I'm pretty old and spent 3 days last week on the AT in NY with my daughter and granddaughter - damn near killed myself! (I haven't backpacked since about 1999, but in pretty good condition for my age.) I kept stumbling on all the rocks and boulders and look like I fought with a bear!
      Those damn rocks...they get us all.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      gypsy97 wrote:

      I swore the whole time out there that I was never going to hike again. At the end of the trip, I told the girls that this was our first annual 3 generation backpacking trip. The trail never lets you go.
      That is true. The misery is soon forgotten, the joy is remembered forever.
      I quit hiking going up every mountain, ask myself why I'm doing this, get to the top and say, well, maybe one more.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • I was on a bus headed home from a hike, driving down the Shenandoah Valley and looking at the string of mountains as far as the eye could see, too far off to discern the trees, got the thinking how small one of my steps was on that ridge and how many I had to take, and I was seeing only part of a day's hike....kinda put it in perspective for me.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.