[at-l] The AT-L Campfire

[charles at uswnet.com (Charles Copeland)]

Jim brought up a good point - we don't post [to the list] as much as we used to about hiking and gear, etc.

Why?

I believe its for a variety of reasons:

1) As my 15 yr-old Scouts say:  "How many times do I have to teach them [the 11 yr olds] how to pack a backpack.  Its soooo boring..."   Anyone that's been on the list for any length of time has probably thought the same thing about posting yet another bit about alcohol stoves, hammocks, poison ivy, ticks, etc, etc..  The tempting response is "check the archives".  Thankfully, someone usually comes through and post answers.  BTW, my answer to the Scout is that they have a responsibility to pass on the knowledge they've gained to the younger scouts just as the older scouts passed it onto them.  I guess something like that could apply here too.

2) Too many posts devolve into pissing contests between combatants.  Its very irritating.

3) Many times I find myself waiting for someone that "knows a lot more than I do" to post a response.  By the time its dawned on me that no one else answered, I've moved onto other posts.  Sometimes I respond off-list to those.

4) Its a lot less "painful" to post off list than to post on the list and risk being jumped on for something you write.  There seem to be those that are just "waiting to pounce".  Before complaining that no one answered someone else's post, remember that the response may have gone off list.  Most of my posts are off list.

5) Kelly, Curtis, Shane, Felix, et al have posts that are a *lot* more interesting than mine.  I enjoy reading them.  I also delete a *lot* of posts now.  I saved everything posted to the list for 2 years but I went back through them and decided to delete them.  Why?  Its the same stuff over and over.  The same arguments, the same combatants, the same stove/tent/pack discussions.  Some have left, others have joined.  Most left because of the seemingly endless battles with RnR - which prompted the formation of the TA list.  The battles continued there until everyone got bored with them. 

6) There's probably more reasons.  I know the list is still informative.  I relay a lot of information I get from here to my boys.  Its kind of cool - they keep asking me how I know this stuff and I keep answering that I have the best sources in the world.  I believe the list is a little sillier now but I think it adds some personality to the "campfire".  However, as we keep saying, we're not hiking enough.  I know I'm not hiking enough - I'm working again!  I plan to hike some more starting this fall though.

Just some thoughts,

Charles


----- Original Message ----- 
From: KellyGoVols@aol.com 
To: spiriteagle99@hotmail.com ; at-l@backcountry.net 
Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 2003 10:14 PM
Subject: Re: [at-l] Keeping it a hiking discussion?


In a message dated 7/9/2003 10:00:56 PM Eastern Standard Time, spiriteagle99@hotmail.com writes:


  Hang in there, Kelly -

  Walk softly,



I think we all, meaning the people currently posting to the list, need to get out and HIKE.  I did, and feel much better, and feel more capable of contributing to the hiking part of the list, and less of the "campfire" mumbo jumbo.  Like I've told others off list, I was just throwing a temper tantrum, and that I had Post Vacation Stress Disorder.  I really, really did NOT want to leave Rogersville.  And I really don't want to leave the list.  

For the record, I read EVERY SINGLE POST and don't respond simply because I feel inadequate to post an intelligent response.  I am learning, though.  Once I do a thru-hike, I'm sure my posts will be way more trail related.  I'm hanging in there, Jim.  Only two more years and I'll be posting journal entries like a deranged writer.  

GoVols 


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