[at-l] AT Trail System/ the table

[Snodrog5@xxxxxxx (Snodrog5@xxxxxxx)]

"But, at least for now, EVERYTHING is on the table. Look at the chairman's
column in the current ATN (viewable online at
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/about/pubs/atn/archive/ATN02Nov.pdf), for the
official line. The board could decide to completely change ATC's focus and
structure, getting out of the Trail-maintaining business entirely and leaving
that to the clubs and the feds. Or it could decide to ONLY worry about
Trail-maintaining and working with the feds, and give the job of looking out
for and supporting A.T. hikers to organizations like American Hiking Society
or ALDHA. Or it could decide to recast itself as a more activist
environmental organization. Or it could decide to turn into an educational
organization like Leave No Trace. Should ATC run a visitor center? Should ATC
sell books and publish guidebooks and maps? Should ATC be fighting telephone
towers and windmills? Should ATC be working to protect more land? Should ATC
be awarding 2,000-miler patches and publishing the list in the magazine? Etc.
Etc. It's all on the table."

Nice table, Rhymin'Worm. I think ALDHA would be a good choice to support the
long-distance AT hikers But all the rest -including the recast into a more
activist organization - is exactly what "my" ATC should be about. Even the
damn patches.
TJ