A Shout-out to My Little Boy; Woods Hole Hostel; Past 600 Miles!

Before I talk about the day's activities, I wanted to share a big milestone for my son. Last night was his preschool graduation, and next year he's on to school. I'm so proud of this little guy. Congratulations, buddy!  🎓

Today, we caught the shuttle to Woods Hole Hostel (mile marker 624.9), so I could pick up the resupply package that was waiting for me there. As usual, my chore for tonight is to unpack and repack Forest's and my backpacks to incorporate the new supplies. In addition, it's time for Forest's monthly heartworm and flea/tick medications.

Speaking of Forest, we continue to have issues with off-leash dogs along the Trail. We'll be minding our own business, and then a dog suddenly has his nose all over Forest's butt or worse. I've tried to nicely request that they control their dog, but all I get in return (if the owner acknowledges me at all) is, "Oh, it's fine. He's friendly." All while the dog is being obviously aggressive and Forest is completely distracted and unable to work. I've ordered some NO DOGS patches that should arrive in a week or so, but I'm not really hopeful that they will help.

Dogs aren't the only problem we've encountered. Last night the veterans I had met (I think they were veterans; I didn't really ask) and I were heating dinner over a fire we had built. We were pretty much "stealth camping," which means that the campsite was not one that is used by the majority of hikers. They tend to go to the shelters where they can congregate. Again, we were minding our own business, enjoying the quiet end to the day, when a group of younger individuals came bursting in on us and essentially took over the fire, pitching their tents right next to it and being loud and obnoxious (essentially the human equivalent of the dog that marches in and pees on everything and growls at everyone). Rather than make an issue of it, the other vets retired to their tents, and Forest and I went to our hammocks to try to sleep.

A little while later, we heard a commotion coming from the tents by the fire. Apparently, a log on the fire had broken and sparked, and it burned a hole in one of their tents. The inhabitant of that tent came bursting out of it and started screaming one of the veteran's names. He yelled and cursed, blaming him for not putting out the fire. It was ridiculous. On the Trail, like at any campsite, the last people around the fire are always responsible for taking care of it and extinguishing it before going to sleep. The vet came out of his tent and tried to calmly explain that concept to him, while the other vet went and got water and poured it on the fire for them. The yelling and cursing continued and kept escalating. Finally, I got out of the hammock and suggested that he go back to his tent and try to get some sleep. I don't know if it finally occurred to him that he might not want to start a fight with men who have been trained in physical combat, or if he just exhausted himself like a baby crying himself to sleep, but he finally retreated to his tent. When we got up this morning, they were all gone.

The immaturity and disrespect of the 2018 hikers has been a topic of discussion almost everywhere I've gone on the Trail this year and on a lot of the hiker pages online. From hostel owners to townspeople to other hikers, everyone has noticed an increase in both the sense of entitlement and the amount of trash and destruction left both on and off the Trail. The principle of Leave No Trace is left to those who come behind them—to those who are more conscientious or have no choice but to pick up after them. There is definitely a group that has come to the Trail not to enjoy the beauty and solitude of nature, but simply to party and exert their independence. It is causing many hostel owners to either close their doors to hikers, establish stricter rules or shut down their businesses completely. We are all just hoping that it does not cause the Appalachian Trail Conservancy to likewise adopt stricter rules or even shut down some parts of the Trail to the public as a result. What a shame that would be for the future generations who would pay the price.