Travel, Hike and Eat (THE)

Welcome and Group Rules
Travel, Hike & Eat brings people together through adventure, culture, food, friendship, and service. We explore amazing places, build meaningful relationships, experience great food, and give back through volunteer and charitable activities that strengthen the communities we visit and call home.

Welcome!

David, THE Organizer

# Travel, Hike & Eat Community Guidelines & Member Expectations

## Our Mission

Travel, Hike & Eat brings people together through adventure, culture, food, friendship, and service.
We explore amazing places, build meaningful relationships, experience great food, and give back through volunteer and charitable activities that strengthen the communities we visit and call home.
Our goal is simple: Explore More. Climb Higher. Eat Better.
We travel as friends, not tourists.

# SECTION I: OUR CULTURE

## Be Kind, Inclusive, and Respectful

Treat all members, event organizers, volunteers, restaurant staff, guides, drivers, hotel staff, community partners, and local residents with courtesy and respect.
We welcome people from diverse backgrounds, experiences, cultures, professions, and perspectives.
Harassment, discrimination, bullying, intimidation, or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated.

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## Leave Places Better Than We Found Them

Whether we're hiking a local trail, volunteering in our community, or exploring another country, we strive to leave every place better than we found it.
Respect local customs, businesses, communities, cultures, natural environments, and fellow travelers.

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## Support Local Communities

Travel, Hike & Eat believes that meaningful experiences come not only from exploration but also from service.
Through our THE Gives Back initiatives, we support charitable organizations, volunteer projects, community cleanups, food banks, fundraising walks, and other causes that strengthen our communities.

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## Travel with a Spirit of Adventure

Weather changes.
Flights get delayed.
Trails close.
Restaurants get crowded.
Unexpected situations are part of every adventure.
Flexibility, patience, and a positive attitude help create great experiences for everyone.

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## Support Local Businesses

Restaurants, cafes, guides, hotels, transportation providers, and local operators are often an important part of our experiences.
Please be respectful, tip appropriately, honor reservations, and support local businesses whenever possible.

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## Welcome New Members

Many lasting friendships begin at a first event.
Please help new members feel welcomed, included, and comfortable participating in the community.

# SECTION II: COMMUNITY STANDARDS

## Safety Comes First

Every participant is responsible for their own health, fitness, preparedness, transportation, and personal safety.
Members should:
• Understand the difficulty level of each activity
• Bring appropriate clothing and equipment
• Stay hydrated and prepared
• Follow organizer instructions
• Exercise good judgment
Participation in all activities is voluntary and at your own risk.

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## RSVP Responsibly

Event planning depends upon accurate attendance.
Please RSVP only if you genuinely intend to attend.
If your plans change, update your RSVP as early as possible.
Repeated no-shows negatively impact event planning and other members.

### Three-Strike Attendance Policy

Members who accumulate three no-shows or repeated last-minute cancellations within a rolling twelve-month period may lose RSVP privileges, be removed from limited-capacity events, or be removed from the group.
Reasonable exceptions will be made for emergencies and unforeseen circumstances.

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## Respect Event Capacity and Waitlists

Many events have limited space.
Members who repeatedly reserve spots they do not intend to use, block waitlisted members, or cancel immediately before events may lose priority access to future events.

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## Respect Personal Boundaries

Travel, Hike & Eat is a social community, not a dating group.
Friendships and relationships may naturally develop through shared experiences.
However:
• Unwanted advances
• Persistent pursuit after rejection
• Inappropriate comments
• Harassment
• Behavior that makes others uncomfortable
will not be tolerated.
Members should respect personal boundaries at all times.

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## Positive Community Expectations

Members are expected to contribute positively to the community.
Repeated gossip, hostility, clique behavior, online arguments, personal disputes, harassment, or other conduct that negatively impacts the group experience may result in removal from events or membership.

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## Respect Differences

Members are welcome to hold different political, religious, cultural, and personal beliefs.
Travel, Hike & Eat events are not a forum for political campaigning, religious recruitment, ideological confrontation, or divisive behavior.
Mutual respect is expected at all times.

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## Commercial Solicitation and Self-Promotion

Members may not use Travel, Hike & Eat events primarily for:
• Selling products or services
• Business prospecting
• Lead generation
• Recruiting
• MLM promotion
• Coaching sales
• Marketing activities
Reasonable networking and professional conversations are welcome.
Persistent solicitation is prohibited unless specifically approved by the organizers.

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## Alcohol and Substance Use

Members are expected to behave responsibly.
Alcohol consumption should be moderate and appropriate to the event.
Illegal drugs, public intoxication, disruptive behavior, or conduct that creates safety concerns are prohibited.

# SECTION III: TRAVEL, PAYMENTS, AND EVENT COMMITMENTS

## Financial Commitments

Members are responsible for understanding and complying with all published payment schedules, deposit requirements, cancellation policies, and supplier terms.
Travel, Hike & Eat cannot guarantee refunds once supplier cancellation deadlines have passed.
Refund eligibility is determined by the applicable tour operator, cruise line, hotel, airline, restaurant, venue, transportation provider, or event partner.

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## International Travel Expectations

Group travelers are expected to:
• Obtain required travel documents
• Purchase recommended travel insurance
• Meet payment deadlines
• Follow local laws and customs
• Respect guides, drivers, and local partners
• Exercise patience and flexibility during travel disruptions
Travel requires teamwork and cooperation.

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## Group Travel Conduct

Travelers who repeatedly disrupt itineraries, ignore organizer instructions, create conflicts with suppliers or guides, behave disrespectfully toward local partners, or negatively impact the experience of fellow travelers may be excluded from future trips.

# SECTION IV: CARPOOLING AND LIABILITY

## Carpool Courtesy

Carpooling is encouraged whenever practical.
Members participate in carpools voluntarily and at their own risk.
Drivers may request reasonable contributions toward fuel, tolls, or parking expenses.
Travel, Hike & Eat does not organize, supervise, insure, or assume responsibility for carpool arrangements.

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## Photography and Social Media

Photos and videos may be taken during public events.
By participating, members acknowledge that event photos may be used for future event promotion, social media, marketing materials, newsletters, websites, and community storytelling.
Members who prefer not to appear in photographs should notify the event organizer.

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## Community Reputation

Members should avoid posting false, misleading, defamatory, or intentionally harmful content regarding Travel, Hike & Eat, its organizers, volunteers, partners, venues, or fellow members.
Constructive feedback is always welcome and appreciated.

# SECTION V: ORGANIZER AUTHORITY

## Membership Approval

Travel, Hike & Eat reserves the right to approve, deny, suspend, or revoke membership at its discretion in order to preserve the culture, safety, and integrity of the community.

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## Organizer Discretion

Participation in Travel, Hike & Eat activities is a privilege, not a right.
Travel, Hike & Eat reserves the right to remove any member from an event or from the group if their behavior is disruptive, unsafe, disrespectful, inconsistent with the group's culture, or negatively impacts the experience of other members.
Organizer decisions regarding membership, event participation, and community standards are final.

# Our Promise

We welcome newcomers.
We support one another.
We embrace adventure.
We appreciate good food.
We respect the communities we visit.
We give back whenever we can.
We explore with curiosity.
We serve with purpose.
We travel as friends, not tourists.
Explore More. Climb Higher. Eat Better.

Don't hesitate to PM me if you have suggestions and or concerns and have FUN!!

David, THE Organizer