[pct-l] thrus behaving badly

[Travis Beals]

First of all, I'd like to say I  think it was entirely appropriate for  
Bob to post on his blog a description of what happened with Wheeew at  
Hikertown and mention it on the PCT list. Wheeew made her own decision  
to post her own trail journal, and everyone should know that there's  
no anonymity on the internet (unless you go to great pains). As for  
the decision to name her (using her trail name), Wheeew's "hiker  
identity" was already "blown" from the point trail-name-here quoted  
(without naming her) a piece of her trail journal about the "muffin  
frisbee" incident; I found her trail journal with my first Google  
search, using part of the quote. (I'm not trying to blame trail-name- 
here---just pointing out the lack of anonymity on the internet).

What would be inappropriate is to post her real name on the list. I  
think the boundary between trail life and "everything else" should be  
preserved except in extreme cases.

It worries me how much damage one bad apple can do, both to the  
ecosystem (e.g., feeding bears) and to the trail angel support  
network. On the other hand, I'm aware that a lot of what appears like  
self-centered and reckless behavior is actually just the result of  
ignorance. I'm sure I did stupid things as I was learning about  
hiking, and others were patient with me while pointing me in the right  
direction. That said, there has to be a limit to patience.

Hopefully, some tactful souls will take Wheeew aside at the kick-off  
and gently reminder her about LNT practices and how to be a good  
guest. With luck, it will stick, and we'll all be better off for it.  
If she's still being a bad guest at other trail angels' places, they  
would be fully justified in telling her she's not welcome, and I hope  
other hikers would support that. Also, if she's still blogging about  
chucking food around by the time she hits the Sierras, somebody should  
alert the rangers, as her behavior would then pose a serious risk to  
bears and other hikers. Unlike trail angels and hikers, rangers are at  
least paid to deal with that kind of unpleasant behavior, and have the  
authority to do something about it.