mila_murphy21•29d agoProlific Poster

Ran into an old timer on the Appalachian Trail near Damascus

I was hiking a section near Damascus, Virginia about 2 years ago when I stopped at a shelter for lunch. An older guy in his 70s was there, doing a thru-hike in sections, and he told me he carries a small sewing kit to fix his pack on the trail instead of relying on duct tape. He showed me how he had stitched up a torn shoulder strap 3 days earlier, and it looked cleaner than any tape job I've seen. It made me wonder if I'm overcomplicating my gear list. Has anyone else picked up a tricks like that from folks you meet on the trail?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_joseph29d ago

My grandfather used to say the same thing about fixing things instead of patching them.

lunaf6729d ago

My grandfather was actually the opposite. He loved quick fixes and patches, said it showed resourcefulness. I remember him patching a hole in his favorite coffee mug with super glue, it held for years. But I see both sides, sometimes a real fix is worth the extra effort.

grantw3229d ago

Wait, you're telling me your grandfather actually said the same thing? That's honestly kind of wild. I mean, my grandpa was the king of patching things up on a budget (he once fixed a cracked window with duct tape and some gum). But the idea that someone else out there was preaching the same "fix it right the first time" mantra is just crazy to me. Makes me wonder if they all had some secret handshake or something, you know?