[at-l] Hiking Poles - ARGUABLY.

[ellen at clinic.net (Bob C.)]

>"...What is easily observed by anyone is the most basic effects of dirt washing
>away from a fresh pole implant of a previous person in a rain storm. It does
>not all fall neatly back into the hole. I believe we have seen ample evidence
>that many people have made exactly these observations."

Walt has given us a carefully reasoned report on the facts associated with pole
tip erosion, and the difficulty of hiking pole specific research. However, there
is an enormous amount of soil erosion research dealing with farming activities.
A Google search on "soil erosion" produces 1,400,000 hits.

No. I haven't read them all. But I did spot check a few. Perhaps by happenstance
all that I happened to open at random seemed to think that erosion is caused
mostly by loose soil, slopes and falling water.

One for instance reported, "Raindrops can be a major problem for farmers when
they strike (disturbed) soil. With an impact of up to 30 mph, rain washes out
seed and splashes soil into the air. If the fields are on a slope the soil is
splashed downhill which causes deterioration of soil structure."


Another paper reports, "Regular conventional tillage provides a smooth, unridged
soil surface that can encourage serious runoff and erosion problems on sloping
crop land."

Yes. This research involved soil tilled by machines for crops, not soil tilled
by sharp-pointed hiking sticks to ease passage by hikers.

 But I think the science is the same in both instances. Does anyone truly think
 that rain cares what caused the soil disturbance?

 Weary