The Fastest Man to Walk the Trail: A Diatribe

I arrived at a shelter under Graylock for the evening, finding when I arrived a couple of trail aquaintances snacking at the picnic table before heading on to camp out and one man of undertermined age on a lower bunk settled in here.
I acknowledged his presence, introduced myself and inquired as to his name. To this he replied that he wouldnt tell me his because he's got the fastest record of unsupported thru-hikes and he keeps running into trouble because there's people out trying to mess him up. I graciously offered that I haven't signed into registers since Damscus cause I have some hiker guys trying stalk and follow me, so I can understand. (Now the fact that he claims to have the fastest unsupported thru-hike gives all away anyway, but I didn't mention that part).

He mentioned after my aquaintances left that his girlfriend has completed however many thru-hikes of the PCT and the AT so I didnt need to worry about him. I didnt know what that had to do about anything excepth that maybe since I hadnt even completed one yet I certainly wasnt good enough for him. Not that I'm inclined toward anti-social men nearly twice my age anyway.

On the platforms beside the shelter were ATC Trail Crew tents, and soon to arrive to the clearing below were a group of boys with a YMCA camp, neither of whom he cared to greet or acknowledge. But I'll take neutral to the exclusion of antagonistic.

I was kind of surprized and pleased though that he didn't have somthing to say about the amount of things I was carrying or the real foods I was cooking. He was actually affirmative on most points of my nutrition. (It was told to me later that he didnt critique my hike or itinerary or gear because he thought I was obviously beyond hope. And he wouldn't want me to have a chance at breaking his record. I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt on this however. I being highly diplomatic and a listener to just about anyone tend to aviod tension and agression).

He complained about how the ATC won't acknowledge his record setting. I brought up that I see how that could be frustrating for him, but theres really no way for them to validate speed since they can't even truly validate completions (that would be like trying to televise a play-by-play on an orienteering meet) and brought out how messy that would get if anyone else strarted making claims. He said really they just want it to be all about "the experience". I refrained from comment.

While he didnt have good things to say about the woman of the two hikers I that had departed shortly after my arrival, he had especially uncharitable things to say about a very young thru-hiker that both I and two guys south-bound section hiking had spent time with. All 3 of us in our own experiences, and probably even their dog, had to differ on such disparagement of the kid.

Just before dark I was snapping shut my journal for bed at the foot of the shelter and I heard two friends coming down the side trail. I headed them off and gave them the lay off the land, and the high sign that somone was already asleep. They very quietly unpacked and made their way into the loft above the table. He spoke out that he was awake and they didn't have to whisper. This of course was due to the yet energetic though not ill-mannered 14-year-olds below, but he prefered to have the latecoming couple appologize to him for it instead.

Next morning I was up somewhat early as was he a few minutes after me. I was ready to shove off fairly efficiently and he a few minutes before me. The couple in the loft had begun moving about though weren't downstairs yet. Just as he walked off he says to the upstairs, "Hey couple in the loft...(yeah?)...I just want you to know that between me and my girlfriend we have 15 successful completions of the At and the PCT so you have a long way to go to catch up." And he leaves. Hadn't said a thing to them otherwise. No greetings, no good luck, not so much as a nod of acknowdgement that another few human beings existed.

I've already dropped of the bandwagon blasting to Katahdin as fast as possible. I've joined the slow train of Just Say No to 20's only occasionally and accidentally falling off. But if the fastest man in thru-hiker history is this much of a jerk- I'm gonna start hiking even slower.