[at-l] For the new members of at-l -- what is at-l?

[kborski@yahoo.com (Karen Borski)]

Jim,

You have read my mind with this very nice post giving
us "new" people a little more information about AT-L. 
I just joined AT-L a few weeks ago after a fairly long
absence from trail e-mail lists.  Before my '98 AT
thru-hike, I was only signed on to AT-L behind the
scenes for a few months, but spent much of my time and
energy on ATML (Trailplace's list) only because that
was where I happened to end up first and that was
where my online journal was going to reside.  In
thanks for allowing me to post my journal there, I
spent my readjustment year after my thru-hike (1999)
contributing to the ATML and Trailplace Forum, which
took my free email time and AT energy.  My personal
impression of AT-L at that time was that it was
somehow more "serious," perhaps because it was older
that ATML.  For no reason other than time limitations,
I decided to remain active in only ATML.  I eventually
grew tired of the bickering and excommunicating, felt
I had given back all I wanted to give back to that
little community, and moved on to pursue the PCT
whereupon I signed off of ATML and all AT related
stuff.  I joined the PCT list for a short time and got
a ton of great info on that trail before my thru-hike
attempt in 2000.

About a month ago, wondering where the only old AT-er
I knew on the AT currently (Baltimore Jack) was and
curious for any trail news, I visited an AT website to
hear the news that Maine Rose had passed away.  This
made me sad and left me feeling out of touch with
trail family.  After finding that Trailplace was off
line, I came to AT-L wanting to know what was new with
the AT, looking for old hiking contacts, and a bit
curious to know how AT-L differed from my past
experiences on ATML.  Of course, I expected that here
I would find none of the pettiness, silliness,
ego-stroking stuff that was sometimes found on ATML. 
Alas, that professionalism I somehow expected was not
100% of the list, but I hold absolutely no ill regard
for the AT-L or anyone on it.  I came here to be more
in touch, learn something and give back anything I had
to offer.  The other stuff can come and go, and I
don't really care either way.  I realize that there
are folks on here that already know one another and
have long histories of communications on past topics. 
I'm going to go give what info I can and enjoy these
nice trail/trip reports that keep coming out.

Anyhow, I apologize for my own ramblings, but I did
want to let you know that I really appreciated that
you took the time to explain to the newer people a bit
of the atmosphere, community and history of this AT-L
community.  I wish there were a way to read a mini-bio
of each person on the list, so I had some idea who is
out there, but I guess that is part of jumping in and
learning.  (As for you, did we get to meet on the PCT?
 I started at Campo on April 25 and ended due to
illness at Independence in late June.  My hiking
partner was Bald Eagle.)

Signed, New but not signing off until I go hiking
again, 

Nocona
AT'98 (PCT'00, LT'00........
.......OT'01, LSHT'02, PCT'03, CDT'04)
;-)

 

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