[at-l] Hiking Poles

[greyowl@xxxxxxx (greyowl@xxxxxxx)]

I deleted the message about poles way too fast.  The simple act of
hikeing a trail adds to trail erosion.  Poles probably no more than
the lugged hiking boots.  I used to hike without poles.  Then I used
one pole (a cross country ski pole) .  Never went back to hiking
without a pole except on short hikes on level trails.  This past year
I used two poles.  How did I hike with just one?  They saved me
from some pretty nasty falls.    I figure that the hiking poles do less
damage than me falling, breaking my neck and having my corpse
rotting in the middle of the trail (except in NJ were I would recieve a
ticket for feeding the bears).

Grey Owl