[at-l] Thoughts of Slackpacking: WAS: Helping a newbie update: Warren's School Report 1

[shane@theplacewithnoname.com (Shane Steinkamp)]

Continued...

I listened carefully and without interruption.  Then he
asked me what I thought.

Now, I know that a similar discussion just went round and
round, but I'm really in trouble here.  If I could get some
comments about this one way or the other from list members
that are sane, calm, and clear, I would desperately
appreciate it.  All of which will go into a folder for Bob's
review, and maybe on the website. (Unless you desire
otherwise...)

So, I said, "I wouldn't do it that way."

"Why?"

"Because you're not going to have the same wilderness
experience."

He became defensive and a little adamant.  He gave me the
DEFINITION of hiking the trail, and said that it's the same
mileage. (This has got to be Warren speaking, because Bob
would never have said such a thing a few days ago.) I backed
down.  I hate to talk on the telephone and prefer to
communicate face to face.  I told him, "YOU have to decide
what kind of experience you want.", which is something that
I believe - it is in the end up to him to decide how he
wants to go about this.  I just don't want him to make
uniformed choices.

I can't repeat what my wife said when I told her about this,
but she's NOT a long distance hiker and she thought that
this was a bad idea.

There are all kinds of reasons that I don't like this idea:

1: Bob won't be dependant on himself, which is - to my
mind - an important part of being free in the wilderness.
2: If his wife gets tired of it, or takes ill... (likely!)
3: There are more...but...

>From my perspective this becomes very simple.  If you
haven't guessed by now, I am a creature of the night.  I
love the night.  I like the night sometimes more than I like
the day.  If you walk around in the sunshine all day, but
are sleeping in a Motel 6, then you are missing at least
half of your experience.  Sleeping under a roof of shingles
and sleeping under a roof of stars are not experiences that
can be compared.

You aren't really long distance hiking.  You're hiking lots
of day trips in a row.

I'm not saying that slackpacking isn't a thruhike, I just
think that the experience is different.

Now, like I said, if I could get some calm and sane comments
both ways I'd appreciate it.  If you have hiked the trail
this way, I'd like your thoughts.  I want to give Bob all
sides because I don't want him to hike MY hike, I want him
to hike HIS - I just want him to be informed.  Something
eloquent and motivational would be nice... :)

I've never really thought about this before, so I'll try to
think of something eloquent and motivational myself...

Thanking you in advance,

Shane