Subject: 2000-02-16b-History-of-the-Thru-Hiker-Guides

History of the Thru-Hiker Guide's - msgs captured from a "discussion" on AT-L
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From: WHHAWKINS@aol.com
To: at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: [at-l] History of the Thru-Hiker Guide's
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 01:05:10 EST

In August 1980, four soon to be accomplished Thru-hikers were duscussing the need for a guide to be written for future Thru-hikers.

One of those four, Darrell Maret "The Philosopher" put together such a guide.  it was called "The Bootleg Guide". For two years it was photocopied by volunteers at the Appalachian Trail Conference.

Then in 1983, ATC began to officially print the guide and the name was changed to "The Philosopher's Guide to the AT"

The last year for the Philosopher Guide was 1990. Darrell wanted to go on to other things.

In 1991 Dan "Wingfoot" Bruce started The Thru-Hiker's Handbook. ATC printer the handbook. Sometime after 1993 Wingfoot, started to print the handbook.

After problems with the Handbook coming out on time. ALDHA started the Thru-hikers Companion.

Wildbill
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From: "The Weathercarrot" <weathercarrot2@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: weathercarrot@hotmail.com
To: WHHAWKINS@aol.com, at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [at-l] History of the Thru-Hiker Guide's
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 03:00:25 EST

Bill - some corrections - you write:

>>        Sometime after 1993 Wingfoot started to print the handbook. After problems with the Handbook coming out on time. ALDHA started the Thru-hikers Companion. <<

That is not entirely what happened. Here's the true story (as close to true as one can likely make it):

WF wrote the book and was published by ATC through the 1993 edition.  Throughout that period, both sides in the arrangement became increasingly frustrated with the working relationship (the details of which we don't need to discuss here). Finally, WF came to the conclusion that he could be more successful doing the Handbook project totally on his own, so he split
entirely from ATC sometime in the first half of '93. This roughly coincided with the formation of the "Center for AT Studies."

Meanwhile, ALDHA had wanted to produce their own thru-hiker guide for quite some time, and with ATC suddenly out of the Handbook loop, they quickly turned to ALDHA, and by mid '93, plans were underway for the Companion. Everyone involved generally agreed that it would need to be quite different from the WF version, partly because they wanted to avoid the whole copyright infringement thing, and also because they wanted it to be very distinguishable anyway. Joe and Monica Cook became the primary editors for the first edition, and the format was largely based on their own vision of what they would have preferred the WF book to be when they were thru-hiking in '91: Intentionally more basic, and less info to make "the Companion just that: enough basic information on hiker-oriented services near the trail to enable the adventure of hiking the whole AT to be YOUR adventure" (as stated on back cover of the first edition).

From the 1994 to the 1998 editions of both books, the WF guide significantly out-sold the ALDHA guide, although I believe sales in the latter increased somewhat through the period. And the lateness/absence of the recent WF editions was not a big factor in the original Companion purpose. It's interesting to note that the Companion's initial concept (scaled-back amount
of detail) never quite caught on with most thru-hikers, and over the years it has steadily grown to where now it's precisely the same weight as the WF book, and about 70% thicker than when it began. In the end, and in effect, both guides are now very similar (besides style), and equally useful (IMHO). That's pretty much it. I hope I kept the bias to a minimum.

wc
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From: "Thomas McGinnis" <tmcginnis@ucclan.state.in.us>
To: WHHAWKINS@aol.com, at-l@backcountry.net, weathercarrot@hotmail.com Save Address
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 11:46:00 -0500

And there were things that predated 1980. In DWG, I got a two page mimeographed copy (remember those machines?) of (what I recall was titled) The Philosopher's Guide (though I could be wrong on that one), which listed such items as 18xx miles N.Woodstock,N.H..................... empty house on rt side hwy N out of town w/porch for quick nite.

Don't see much like that now, except in registers, for obvious reasons. Anybody else remember more details? (I've been looking for my copy, which I found in '97, but seem to have relost.)

Sloetoe

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From: "The Weathercarrot" <weathercarrot2@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: weathercarrot@hotmail.com
To: tmcginnis@ucclan.state.in.us, at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [at-l] History of the Thru-Hiker Guide's
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 12:10:06 EST

    >>    And there were things that predated 1980. In DWG, I got a two page mimeographed copy (remember those machines?) of (what I recall was titled) The Philosopher's Guide (though I could be wrong on that one) <<

The Original PG was called the "bootleg guide." The story from the author himself (from the last PG edition):

"In August 1980, four soon-to-be-accomplished thru-hikers were sauntering along a tote road in Maine, discussing the need for a guide to be written for future thru-hikers, on guide with the "inside" scoop on what the AT is really like, and with helpful hints and advice on how best to succeed. The name proposed for this was "The Bootleg Guide." That Autumn, I - being one of the four and somehow elected - put together such a guide. For two years, the Guide was a rough and ready affair, photocopied to order by the volunteers at the Appalachian Trail Conference. Then, in 1983, ATC began formally recognizing and officially printing the Guide, so it ceased being "bootleg." Only the name, however, has changed. I have losened no straps. This is the only ATC publication to admit that it really does rain on the AT. ....." -- Darrell Maret "The Philosopher"
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From: WHHAWKINS@aol.com Save Address Block Sender
To: at-l@backcountry.net Save Address
Subject: Re: [at-l] History of the Thru-Hiker Guide's
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 12:35:59 EST

In a message dated 02/16/2000 12:53:48 PM EDT, tmcginnis@ucclan.state.in.us writes:

<< And there were things that predated 1980. In DWG, I got a two page
mimeographed copy (remember those machines?) of (what I recall was titled)
The Philosopher's Guide (though I could be wrong on that one), which listed
such items as
 18xx miles N.Woodstock,N.H..................... empty house on rt side hwy N
out of town w/porch for quick nite.

 Don't see much like that now, except in registers, for obvious reasons.
Anybody else remember more details? (I've been looking for my copy, which I
found in '97, but seem to have relost.)

 Sloetoe >>

There could have been something before 1980. But it was not the Philosopher's Guide.

1981-1982 - The Bootleg Guide
1983-1990 - The Philosopher's Guide to the AT
1991 - Present - The Thru-hiker's Handbook
199? - Present - The Thru-hikers Companion

The following Info was taken from the 1989 Philosopher's Guide to the AT.

In August 1980, four soon to be accomplished Thru-hikers were duscussing the need for a guide to be written for future Thru-hikers.

One of those four, Darrell Maret "The Philosopher" put together such a guide.  it was called "The Bootleg Guide". For two years it was photocopied by volunteers at the Appalachian Trail Conference.

Then in 1983, ATC began to officially print the guide and the name was changed to "The Philosopher's Guide to the AT"

Wildbill
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From: "Leslie W. Booher" <lwbooher@evansville.net>
Reply-To: lwbooher@evansville.net
To: WHHAWKINS@aol.com, at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [at-l] History of the Thru-Hiker Guide's
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 17:25:48 -0600 (CST)

I still have my 1990 copy of The Philosopher's Guide.  He had such a laid-back, confirming attitude.  "It's tough along there, but go for it."   WF took all of that out.  Now, it's just go...go...go.  No you can do it.  No this is tough. It's all just rah, rah, rah.  I still miss The Philosopher.  Where is he now, anyway?  Leslie

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From: WHHAWKINS@aol.com
To: at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [at-l] History of the Thru-Hiker Guide's
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 18:42:44 EST

In a message dated 02/16/2000 7:25:56 PM EDT, lwbooher@evansville.net writes:

<< I still have my 1990 copy of The Philosopher's Guide.  He had such a
 laid-back, confirming attitude.  "It's tough along there, but go for it."
 WF took all of that out.  Now, it's just go...go...go.  No you can do it.
 No this is tough. It's all just rah, rah, rah.  I still miss The
 Philosopher.  Where is he now, anyway?  Leslie
  >>

I have the 1989 and may have the 1990 PG.

There is a,  Darrell Maret in Marietta, GA and a Darrell J. Maret  in Omaha, NE.

Maret the Philosopher was living in Atlanta, GA when he wrote the 1989 PG.

Wildbill
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From: "The Weathercarrot" <weathercarrot2@hotmail.com>
Reply-To: weathercarrot@hotmail.com
To: WHHAWKINS@aol.com, at-l@backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [at-l] History of the Thru-Hiker Guide's
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2000 18:54:30 EST

Wild Bill wrote:  There is a,  Darrell Maret in Marietta, GA

  That's him. He's been active with GATC since he stopped writing the PG.
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