[at-l] Re: ATN article, 1936 Scout Hike

[rbenhameda@comcast.net (Rami)]

[r]    While I agree that this is a possibility, I don't believe it to =
be a likelyhood either.  In fact, I believe that a casual (sometimes =
accidental) user of the A.T. might not know the history, tradition, and =
culture of the A.T., but anyone who sets out to hike (intentionally) =
over a period of more than a few miles would know about those things.  =
They would most likely come into contact with others and conversations =
would likely occur.



  [r&r]     *** Don't forget there are several factors mitigating this =
Rami. You see, we are tainted by the huge network existing today that =
perhaps did not exist back then. They supposedly hiked the Trail before =
it was even finished, so that culture may not have existed yet. If they =
did do Maine to NY, where was the evidence of run-ins with that network =
from that appreciable hike? Max was 15 years old. There is good reason =
there to believe he didn't pursue the follow throughs an adult might =
have. The second believable insulating factor would be this being an =
inclusive boy scout event. If Max was strictly scout oriented, it is =
possible that he looked at it on those terms, received his recognition =
through boy scout channels and was satisfied with it, and never went =
further as time passed. If the Trail was less of a famous public image =
back then, and Max responded to scout matters above everything else -it =
is possible.=20



[r]    I agree that a 15 yr. old might not find it important, and that =
in '36 the structure of the trail community wasn't there, but my =
comments were in reference to his later (15+ years later) interactions =
on the trail when he would have been an adult with a different =
perspective and awareness, and when the trail community infrastructure =
was most likely a more solid and identifyable thing.



  [r]  At the very least, when arriving at a shelter, such a person =
would, out of curiosity, read all postings on the walls of the shelter =
and would read a shelter log=20

    [r]    if one was available.  This alone would make them aware of =
the ATC and the trail community.  It does not imply that an awareness of =
the trail community would necessarily result in contact or a claim of =
thru hiking, but that awareness would be at odds with his (Gordon's) =
statements of 1994 where he implies no knowledge of ATC or of the =
significance of his claim.  A life long scout not being concerned with =
official recognition of their deeds seems questionable to me.



        *** Remember Rami, Max said "I did not realize ATC STILL =
existed." In other words, he admits that he did know about it at one =
time. I suspect the "Trail community" was a lot more isolated and =
localized back then. Its record in the logs could very well have been =
just names and entries. I would love to get hold of a shelter register =
from 1936. It wouldn't surprise me to find only rubber stamp official =
indication of ATC and Harpers Ferry and find mostly sign-ins and =
comments. The AT was under the NY/NJ Trail Conference in NY. They have a =
much more prominent presence there and would have eclipsed ATC in the =
area. Over all, this would mean little to a 15 year old. Especially one =
who is the youngest of the group while others are probably handling that =
aspect. Even though he performed it on the AT, his marathon was done by =
means of the scouts and could have been contained w      As for official =
recognition, it is possible that the boy scouts were organized enough to =
feel answerable to themselves for recognition. In this case, Max could =
have felt satisfied that he had been adequately recognized by his peers =
and not sought further recognition from people he didn't know existed. =
There was no scout badge for AT through-hiking, so perhaps they took =
credit in the boy scout equivalent. As time went by, these people could =
have forgotten and dropped away from hiking. I'm from the NY area. Just =
like internet sites with the subject of AT history, it would not =
surprise me if Bronx scouts weren't concerned with AT organization...


[r]    Again, I am in agreement that this would be likely in '36, but I =
was thinking about when he was an adult user of the trail and would be =
more interested in talking with like-minded people.  He give evidence of =
this by his story about "test driving" his wife on a 5 mile hike in high =
heels before their marraige.  This was a primary concern in his life if =
we can draw conclusions based on the items (such as this) he offered to =
ATC in telling his story.








    [r]As for the motive behind the claim, I don't have an opinion at =
this point.  The rest, I agree with.  If, in fact, this claim is =
legitimate, than we have certainly missed the boat.  I doubt that to be =
the case and I believe that the historical record will always be tainted =
because of the lack of evidence in either direction.  Conclusive proof, =
either positive or negative, is the only way that this claim can ever =
rest.






       *** At the very least, this hike should be an AT mystery =
deserving of an asterisk. If Max actually did do the entire AT, he =
failed to respond to ATC for recognition in a timely and proper manner. =
If this hike got under the radar and went unreported it would be a shame =
because it would change AT history...=20

       (Btw: It doesn't get down to 9 degrees in Franconia Notch in late =
June does it? I would think this winter temperature would be impossible =
in the first week of summer? Weather records must be available from the =
Mt Washington observatory for say June 21st 1936 to show a night time =
low for that date. If there is nothing near 9 degrees then we have =
established our first verifiable inconsistency and a big crack in his =
story. Although I find 2 weeks for Maine by kids in snowpack to already =
be a big crack. Perhaps he was exaggerating?)=20


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