Re: [at-l] Wilderness (was shelters)

In a message dated 11/15/00 10:40:10 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
spiriteagle99@hotmail.com writes:


> But don't talk about wilderness.  It just isn't and hasn't been for at least 
> 150 years.
> 
> 

May I say it's good to have you guys back?  Since I'm not a thru hiker, I 
didn't feel very free to jump in on this at first.  I imagine that thru 
hikers (and you triple crowners <g>) have a better perspective on the Trail 
as it relates to thru hiking, as opposed to us section hikers.  I really 
don't get someone deciding to hike the AT as a "wilderness" experience.  Even 
to the casual day hiker, it has to be obvious that it isn't what one could 
call a "wilderness" experience.  After a few years of trail community and 
trail culture, I've come to the conclusion that it is *really* a wilderness 
experience when there is no trail angel to leave you water when it's dry, or 
one to pick you up and take you to a hotel and pizza.  It's where there 
really isn't anything for days around you, and even a cel phone call won't 
save you, because there are no nearby towers to catch your call and send it 
out.  Where bears aren't habituated to humans - they are secure in the fact 
that they reign supreme, for the most part, and their worst enemy isn't a 
human.

I think the AT is about a lot of things - but I also think too many people 
equate "hitting the trail" for 6 months as "getting away from civilization", 
and it just isn't so.  Yes, it can be a physical challenge.  Yes, you will 
meet people that will become a part of your life long after the hike.  Yes, 
sometimes only sheer mental effort will keep you going.  Yes, you will find 
out that pain is all relative.  Yes, you will discover that you are much 
stronger than you ever thought you could be.  Yes, the majority of people 
come away from a thru hike changed in some way, some obvious, some not.  Yes, 
people go out there for so many reasons, none of them quite the same, really, 
although all familiar in some way.  Yes, we have our moments out there - all 
alone, no sounds of civilization.  That moment when you feel like you're all 
alone in this great big wilderness, all alone in the world, all alone with 
the most beautiful view you've ever seen, and more in touch with nature than 
you have been your entire life.  A place where Legolas would be happy, if 
you're a Tolkein fan.  And it is good.  But you also know that it's not that 
common, and odds are you'll be running into people most of the day, as you 
hike north or south.

The thing is - the Trail isn't so much about wilderness as it is about being 
in the woods.  I think that's what a lot of people don't get.

The Redhead




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To:            Orange Bug <orangebug74@yahoo.com>, at-l <at-l@backcountry.net>