[at-l] The Great Pole Tip Test

[sloetoe at yahoo.com (Sloetoe)]

--- Jim Bullard <jbullar1@twcny.rr.com> wrote: I 
> thought perhaps a bit of evidence might resolve this burning
> question so I devoted part of my walk to determining what
level of "damage" my one Komperdell pole does as I walk about.

### Wow! GREAT post. A contribution [!!!] -- the likes of which
we haven't (ever?) seen on this topic. 

1) A criticism: you characterize as 'random' the placement of
poles into the land, when in fact it is quite systematic: it
follows the hikers, who themselves systematically take repeated
paths within the treadway as they proceed up the trail. The
"macrofunnel" of the trail also has an integral "microfunnel"
*within* the treadway, suggesting paths around this boulder,
over that gulley, etc. I think this affects your conclusion on
overall pole impact, but not on comparison of pole tips'
impact(s).

2) Regarding overall impact of poles (and as any good
[grant-shopping] research weenie would), I suggest for further
research that the valid measurement is not in pole tips' impact,
but in the overall impact of the hikers' passage, that should be
the object of interest. Thus, footplant, and *slippage* in
footplant, should be included. Having repeatedly watched unpoled
hikers scrap the crap out of the average muddy step-up/step-down
that poled hikers stepped lightly through, we're still missing
the point.

(I'm thinking this could be worth upwards of $600k-800k from the
Gov'mint, were the right person to write the grant, and put
"Halliburton Hydrology Specialists" after their name.)

Grantoe
(Again, GREAT post, Saunterer)

=====
Spatior! Nitor! Nitor! Tempero!
   Pro Pondera Et Meliora.

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