[at-l] Technology....And Intrusive Discourtesy

[rickboudrie@hotmail.com (rick boudrie)]

>I suggest we lay off telling people what they can and can't bring on >the 
>trail, and spend a little more time encouraging people (again, >usually 
>section hikers) to understand what "trail courtesy" means.
>

Good post, Russ.  But there is another dimension to posts on the topic that 
has to do with wanting to share neat it is to do without phones, and GPS's.  
For some reason that doesn't always come through.  Such opinions too easily 
come off as being condecending and judgemental, or coercive when they are 
not ment to be.

Its not easy to articualte how good it feels to know that you are a bit more 
on your own if you screw up (or are screwed unto) without a phone or 
off-trail with no GPS.  Its not easy because it doesn't make sence.  This 
past weekend I was thinking about that as we came down a very icy and steep 
section of a trail on the backside of a 4,000 footer.  If I did more hiking 
in the wilderness of the West, my little adventure would not have ment much. 
  But I don't.  And it would have ment less still if I knew that if 
something did get twisted on that icy trail, a simple call to the 
authorities would be all that it took to make things better.  But how can 
one really articulate that feeling of increased self-reliance?  It makes no 
sense.  So, I think many of the posts we make concerning phones and the like 
don't really convey what we mean to say, and come off like you describe.

I find it interesting that the ATC is struggling with different, but related 
issues of the extent to which the Conference and maintaining clubs should 
aid hikers in face of the predicted drought this summer.  In the "Overlook" 
section of the ATN, they recognize a down side to some things that at first 
blush appear to be 100% positive-- like monitoring water sources, and even 
maintaing water tanks at road crossings.  Its interesting to ponder why they 
are concerned about such intrusions.  On thier face they seem to make all 
the sence in the world.  Like a phone being carried in the bottom of someone 
else's pack.

Deeper down, such things can take something away, however.  It is hard to 
articulate exactly what.  Sort of like cell phones in the backcountry-- 
whether they are in my pack, or in the pack of guy coming up behind me.  As 
a realist I am willing to accept the reality of phones, and will never tell 
anyone what they can and can not bring.

But they suck.

Rick B

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