[at-l] Loss of the AT thru-hiking "mystique"

[hikergrampie@aol.com (Bob Fowler)]

The trail experience you have will be different for everyone. It's what
you want to get out of it. I don't think the trail is any harder or
easier than it was 10 or even 20 years ago. It's different because more
and more people are taking advantage of it. The more it's used the more
services will be offered by those who live in the towns along the way.
No one is forced to spend time in these towns or even stop at them. They
are available for those who want to spend time there. People choose.
Earl hiked his early hike when America was a different place. It will
never be the same. When people hike the AT 10 years from now it will
also have changed. Will we than think it was harder when we hiked it? I
hiked my hike in 2001. I think of the luck I had with the weather
compaired to others who have hiked it. I never had more than one day of
rain in a row. I think I only got soaked three of four times. The
anticipated bugs did not exist. Except for a short time in Virginia. I
only had to hike in snow for two days. I got over the Whites having all
beautiful weather and climbed Katahden on a class I day. I guess that if
everything had changed around, for the worse, I would have had a more
difficult hike. Injuries also figure into how difficult your hike is. I
met people who hiked with all kinds of problems. These physical problems
surely made their hike more difficult. The lack of money, by some, made
their journey more difficult. My point is that indivigual circumstances
reflect on the difficulty of your hike. It doesn't matter if the hike
took place in 1940 or 2001 you still have to propel your body and
equipment along some tough trails for 2180 miles. Having completed my
hike I have to respect and honor anyone who has done it. Grampie-N->2001



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