After breaking my own rule and going to popular recreation spots the last few weekends I am taken aback by a striking correlation between rude trail behavior and the presence of a Starbucks or otherwise uber-trendy beverage joint container in the offender's grip. A few (subjective) examples follow:
- December 2008, Sweetwater Trail, about 0800: A large woman with a starbucks cup in hand had set her camera gear up in the middle of the trail less than 50m from the trail-head and was completely obstructing its course. She got confrontational when I went around her through the cactus and apparently "ruined her shot."
- December 2008, Finger Rock Trail, about 0900 and then roughly 1115: I arrived near the pass and the popular camping spots only to discover a Starbucks cup with a rock in the bottom sitting in the middle of a fire ring and another nearby where it had apparently blown to; on the way down I was held-up by a woman refusing to yield the trail as she slowly crept down from the first vista above the spring. When she finally did move she screamed: "Are you happy, now?!" rhetorically at myself and another hiker who passed her as she chugged away at her steaming Coffee X-Change cup.
- This last weekend, Telephone Line Trail, about 0900: I was on the ascent when I encountered a group of under-dressed female coeds on the descent who were oblivious to my presence and nearly knocked me into the canyon. (Never mind yielding the trail.) When I greeted them, one responded with a pitiful: "Haaaaaay" in the most sarcastic and obnoxious tone she could muster as though she was talking to her gardener or some other member of the proletariat. They were all carrying Starbucks cups and hopefully one or more painful STDs - just kidding...or, *am* I?
It is clear that they must put meth, steroids, or some form of snobification serum in these products; we must act fast to ban them from our trails!!
The above illustrates why I don't do much near any urban center anymore as far as hiking trails go. I only go there to get some sort of conditioning and get out of the house, not for any solitude or pristine desert/mountain experience. Some sage said " the rougher the road the finer the filter" to get to backcountry 4X4 access, and I think the more difficult and lengthy the access the more you can be assured of some degree of solitude, and if you meet others they seem to have more common sense, and good trail manners.
It sux for those of you with families and need to stay close to town.
That said I was in a southern az mountain range and encountered a couple of young men outside of a cave entrance, with a large sledge hammer, resting with a cup of starbucks in their hands. In the resulting conversation I liberated the sledge hammer from them, at which time they realized this small red headed woman had a weapon in her hands and they only had a cup of coffee. Guess who won??
RedRoxx44 wrote: I was in a southern az mountain range and encountered a couple of young men outside of a cave entrance, with a large sledge hammer, resting with a cup of starbucks in their hands. In the resulting conversation I liberated the sledge hammer from them, at which time they realized this small red headed woman had a weapon in her hands and they only had a cup of coffee. Guess who won??
Were they at a cave with a gated entrance, by any chance?
Jeff MacE wrote: I encountered a group of under-dressed female coeds on the descent who were oblivious to my presence. They were all carrying Starbucks cups
you noticed what they were carrying?! dear god man!
RedRoxx44 wrote:The above illustrates why I don't do much near any urban center anymore as far as hiking trails go.
Amen Letty. If you don't like what you see and hear in overcrowded popular areas, simply quit going there. If you still want to go to these places, suck it up and stop complaining. This state is being overrun with more and more people every year. It is the current trend in society to do what "feels good". We live in a time were self-absorbed selfishness rules. These people are not going to go away and they certainly will not change. No mater how many people continue to fill up this state, there will always be rugged and remote areas to get away from them. That's were quads and four-wheel drive vehicles come in. Don't get me wrong, I see your point, but complaining about it will never change a thing. The only thing you can do is adapt.
RedRoxx44 wrote:The above illustrates why I don't do much near any urban center anymore as far as hiking trails go.
Amen Letty. If you don't like what you see and hear in overcrowded popular areas, simply quit going there. If you still want to go to these places, suck it up and stop complaining. This state is being overrun with more and more people every year. It is the current trend in society to do what "feels good". We live in a time were self-absorbed selfishness rules. These people are not going to go away and they certainly will not change. No mater how many people continue to fill up this state, there will always be rugged and remote areas to get away from them. That's were quads and four-wheel drive vehicles come in. Don't get me wrong, I see your point, but complaining about it will never change a thing. The only thing you can do is adapt.
I was "complaining" in jest to a group of people I knew would relate. Sorry I peed in your Cheerios or whatever.
Mr. Squirrel, as soon as I saw the globular, CD-sized sunglasses all I could think was that I might be on the brink of being abducted by the greys...It was hard to look beyond that. Besides, they were "soiled doves."
Jeff MacE wrote:Sorry I peed in your Cheerios or whatever.
You peed in your own Cheerios. I simply stated the obvious. :roll:
Oh boy, you sure got me there!!! ...wait, what does that mean, anyway? I wasn't angry or distorted in my view, I was just posing a scenario to make light of a situation. I get it...you work for Starbucks, don't you!!!
Seriously, this whole thread was supposed to be a joke. Nothing more. I love how everything on this forum turns to vitriol...
The real question is whether a knife or a gun is the best defense a naked hiker carrying Starbucks. I know a sledgehammer works just fine for RedRoxx, but I'm left-handed and I haven't seen any left-handed sledge hammers at Home Depot.
Route Editor
Route Scout
