[at-l] Choosing the best information sources:

[baltimorejack@hotmail.com (Jack Tarlin)]

Warning---this is likely to be a longish post.  Those not interested in the
subject are well advised to skip it.

    That being said, I feel compelled to enter into the on-going discussion
about where folks should go to get the best info on the Trail, and on how to
prepare for a thru-hike.   The following comments are directed primarily to
the folks who are busy planning just that---their first long hike on the
A.T.

    First off, congratulations!  You're embarking on a great adventure, and
it probably must seem to be a very complicated one.  Luckily, there's a ton
more quality planning/preparation advice out there than there used to be,
provided you know where it is.

    Secondly, you've come to a good place.  This List frequently veers off
on some rather odd tangents, and frequently wanders far off the Trail, but
sooner or later it comes back, and when it does, there's a pile of quality
information here---the accumulated mileage of folks on this list, including
untold thousands of miles on the A.T., means that in posting questions here,
or just lurking in the shadows, you're liable to learn a great deal.

    The main reason I hang out here on this List, and on similar sites, is
to help folks with their planning---once upon a time, a great many folks
helped me, and I enjoy returning, or trying to return the favor.  Nothing
makes me happier than to run into someone on the Trail who I've corresponded
with, or someone who's kind enough to tell me that in some small way I
helped them with their planning.

    That being said, I spend a great deal of time on the Internet, almost
all of it on A.T. sites, and I'm frequently asked where people should go to
get quality information.  (Incidentally, I've posted a list of some of my
favorite sites on the General Forum at www.whiteblaze.net under the thread
"Selected Internet Resources."  I encourage interested parties to check it
out, and I further hope other folks add their own favorite sites they think
are useful).

    I'm frequently asked why I don't include Trailplace (www.trailplace.com)
on my lists of suggested useful sites, and why I don't advise people to
check out that address.

    There are many reasons.  Sadly, the fact is that I feel bad about
suggesting a site that I feel has flaws so profound that it crosses out
whatever the benefits might be.  In brief, while I have a great deal of
respect for the vast knowledge of the site's administrator, and while I
freely acknowledge the contributions he's made to the long-distance hiking
community (especially in so far as producing the Thru-Hiker's Handbook,
which was, for many years, the best work available for those planning to
thru-hike), I have regrettably come to the conclusion that there's a
fundamental problem with this site, which is that its raison d'etre is to
spread the thoughts and philosophies of its creator, with little or no
regard for the opinions of others, and that its creator unfortunately feels
that his voice is the only one worth hearing when it comes to speaking
about, or for, the A.T. and the Long-distance hiking community.

    Sweeping statement, I know.  And why do I feel this way?  First off, it
troubles me that the site is anything but interactive; unlike the old
Trailplace, the present incarnation permits no disagreement or criticism
whatsoever of anything said by the administrator; unlike the old site,
comments must be vetted and approved before being posted, and are subject to
editing and censoring; repeated posts that distress the administrator or
ones that have the temerity to question or criticize his opinions result in
the author being banished from the site.  In short, this site exists to
spread the opinions and philosphies of one person and one person only.

    I feel this is a tragic mistake.  Thousands of folks have thru-hiked,
and no two have done it exactly the same way---there's ALWAYS room for an
open discussion or a difference of opinion.  Whatever the issue or
question----gear, scheduling, how to hike or why----there's always going to
be a variety of opinions and they all deserve to be heard.  I find it very
troubling that a site that wishes to be considered such an authoritative one
is so loathe to risk airing the opinions of others.  Without trying to be
insulting or mean, I have to say that this mindset displays both arrogance
and insecurity:  Someone who has conviction in their thoughts and ideas
should be willing to discuss or debate them; an idea that can't be defended
is most likely one that is one that isn't worth much, yet on Trailplace,
which views itself as the most comprehensive site on the web for planning
and preparing a thru-hike, there is simply NO room for debate or discussion.
  Critics and opposing voices are stifled, admonished, warned, and
ultimately banished.  "Editorials" are published, but not rebuttals or
alternative viewpoints.  Links to other sites are given, but not truly
useful ones (such as www.atconf.org or www.aldha.org) that might offer
conflicting or differing opinions, or more likely, are sites belonging to
individuals or organizations that the Trailplace administrator has
quarrelled with in the past.  And this last, to me, is unforgiveable.
Insisting that his site is the only one that people need is extraordinarily
conceited, and purposely NOT informing people about other useful addresses
out of pure spite is an incredible dis-service to people that are anxious to
get the most, and the best information that they can.

    To sum up, I acknowledge that there's a lot of useful stuff on
Trailplace, but it's all information that can be found elsewhere.  Moreover,
if one goes elsewhere, one is much more apt to hear Trail information and
Trail matters debated, questioned, re-worked.  One is much more likely to
hear a variety of voices and opinions, including those of men and women
whose knowledge of the Trail is recent and timely. (In all this commentary
on Trailplace, I find it odd that nobody has pointed out that Trailplace's
founder has done little or no long-distance hiking in something like a
decade and is woefully out of touch with the contemporary Trail:  Half the
places and facilities he visited while hiking no longer exist; half the
places that hikers frequent now are essentially known to him only thru
hearsay and not due to recent, hands-on experience.  In short, the
prospective hiker would do themselves a dis-service by over-relying on this
source in that they wouldn't be hearing the comments and opinions of folks
who've actually done some solid miles since 1992.

    Lastly, the main reason I suggest that prospective thru-hikers be leery
of (or better yet, steer clear) of this site is that it's position as the
authoritative voice on all things thru-hiking is fundamentally flawed at the
outset.  All one need do is check out the introductory page of the site,
where you'll find a gushing autobiography of the site administrator.

    As other folks have pointed out repeatedly, this bio contains any number
of statements that are highly questionable, if not provably embellished or
invented:

    *The first line of the bio states that the Trailplace administrator "is
the guidebook author widely recognized as the leading expert on A.T.
thru-hiking."  This is patent nonsense.  If this were once true, it
certainly is no longer.  Off the top of my head, I can think of half a dozen
folks who know the Trail as well or perhaps better than this man.  His
elevation as "the leading expert" is an entirely self-awarded accolade.

    *The bio continues with statements regarding the Trail mileage and
number of thru-hikes of the administrator; all of this information has been
questioned, and in fact, doubted, by many folks over the years.  It is to be
regretted that "the leading expert" on the Trail feels the need to embellish
his resume in order to maintain his self-appointed position of authority.

    *His number of hours of service to A.T. hikers and organizations is also
highly inflated, as his service to other vital trail organizations (such as
the Appalachian Trail Conference and the Appalachian Long-Distance Hiker's
Ass'n).   His connection with these two worthy groups has mainly consisted
of publicly disagreeing with them and occasionally threatening to sue them.
If he's contributed anything to these groups or their efforts in recent
memory, I'll be damned if I know what it is.

    *In one remarkable paragraph, he makes the remarkable assertion that he
spends half the year on the Trail, and spends other time giving seminars or
serving as a consultant to gear manufacturers.  Well, if anyone out there
has more information on this, I'd love to hear the details, as I wasn't
aware he's spoken publicly or lectured in quite some time, and as far as
advising gear manufacturers, this also occurred while most of today's
thru-hikers were in grammar school.  And as far as spending half the year
(i.e., 6 months) for the past decade and a half "on the Trail", well this is
ridiculous, unless he's counting trips to the convenience store in Hot
Springs, North Carolina, where he used to live.  I, too, am "on the Trail"
constantly, even in winter, but walking to and from work here in Hanover
hardly qualifies as Trail mileage.

    I could go on, but this is getting long enough.  I find it unfortunate
that in its very introduction, this site feels so compelled to say so many
questionable things, things that are said solely to elevate the position and
importance of the site and its administrator.  In closing, my biggest
complaint about this site is that all too often, it's clear that enhancing
the reputation of its creator is just as important as the information the
site contains, and regreattably, the facts stated about ther man and his
accomplishments are simply not all true.

    There are any number of excellent information resources for the
prospective thru-hiker, and the prudent trip planner would do well to check
out as many as possible.  That being said, I personally do not advise folks
to spend time at Trailplace---everything that is available there can be
found at other sites, where the exchange of information and opinion is open
and unfettered, and where the prospective hikers can make judgments and
decisions based on what they hear and learn from a variety of different
folks.   Hearing from a variety of voices makes a very great deal of sense,
for an obvious reason:  Getting the brunt of your information and advice
from one source only is wise only when one can be confident that this
particular source is, in fact, the definitive one.  In this particular case,
one simply can't make that assumption.

                                               Jack Tarlin
                                    A.T. 95-96;97;98;99;2000;2001;2002








_________________________________________________________________
Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online
http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963