[at-l] Speed Hiking

[nealb@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (William Neal)]

Hey!  Since one of my great days was 1 mile, do you think I got a chance?

William, The Turtle

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob C. [mailto:ellen@clinic.net]
Sent: Tuesday, April 01, 2003 11:05 AM
To: at-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: [at-l] Speed Hiking


Although Anderson's biography costs $42 -- discounted to ATC members -- I
continue to find evidence of MacKaye's insights and prescient wisdom. Many
months ago, for instance, in a discussion of speed hiking, I noted that
Benton
MacKaye had said he would favor the slowest hiker.

 Jim -- or maybe it was Ginny -- protested, "you DID misquote MacKaye - and
while I won't pursue the source of that misquote, I  will at least attempt
to
set the record straight.  "the guy who began the idea of the Appalachian
Trail"
had no opinion whatever about  "speed hikers" because there was no such
animal
while he lived."

 But sure enough, Anderson reports, In the mid 60s Benton wrote to Robert
Wirth,
 "I hope the trail will never become a race track. But if so, I for one
would
 vote to give the prize to the slowest traveler."

 Weary