Re[2]: [at-l] skirting the puddles

[papa_bear_nyc@yahoo.com (Papa Bear)]

----- Original Message -----
From: <rafeb@adelphia.net>
> I'm going to hold my ground here, Weary.  At least for
> this round. <g>
>
> I don't mean to belittle the efforts of trail maintainers and
> designers.  OTOH, if the trail is going to take us to
> dizzying heights, trying against all odds to hold to
> the high ground at every turn, then it seems it ought
> to be routed so as to avoid flat stretches that are
> guaranteed to turn boggy at the first rainfall.

I think the point is the puddles are not caused by routing but they are
caused by use. (Use as in us).  In other words all the little footsteps that
we take compacts the ground and inevitably causes depressions, whether the
trail is on a flat section or not.

I've had a "wildest Dream" idea for some time.  Most would agree that many
problems we have discussed here have to do with overuse.  If we were
traditional farmers we would let our fields lie fallow every few years.
Wouldn't it be nice to do that with the trail?  No, not shut it down for a
year every 3 years or so, but maybe let bad sections recover for a year or 2
every 5  or 6 years by rerouting around them.  I know, this is TOTALLY
IMPRACTICAL since it would involve massive relocations, wider corridors,
etc. etc.  But that's really what the trail could use.

Dreaming on
Pb






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