[at-l] Re: Modern Devices, etc.

[spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

Weary wrote:
>It seems to me that if one is going to the trouble of walking 2,170 miles, 
>one
>would be wise to achieve as much as possible of all that the walk can 
>offer.
>
>I have found that among the more valuable things that the trail provides is 
>a
>sense of remoteness and wildness, attributes that are lost when one carries 
>the
>means of instant communication with the civilized world.
>
>Therefore I choose not to carry such devices, and resent it when others 
>through
>their carrying intrude on my sense of remoteness and wildness.
>
>The issue really gets down to why one walks in the woods. If it is only to 
>have
>achieved a walk in the woods, carry whatever makes that achievement as easy 
>as
>possible. If, on the other hand, one seeks to savor the woods and hills, 
>one
>should not carry things that damage some of the best that the woods and 
>hills
>have to offer.


Y'know - there are times when you and I agree about things.  And too often I 
fail to tell you so.

Well, this is one of those times.

The only difference is that I've given up the resentment because the only 
one it affects (and damages) is - me.  But that's a personal choice we each 
have to make for ourselves.  As long as those who "carry" treat their phone 
time the same way they treat their "toilet" time (by doing it in private and 
not advertising it to the world), I won't fault them.

I'll add this for the cell phone advocates - that I've heard innumerable 
people say all the right words about how they won't use the phone except in 
emergencies, they won't annoy others with it, how it won't affect their 
hike, etc, ad nauseum.  And I've watched all those fine words go down the 
toilet when they actually get on trail and find a place where the pizza man 
will deliver - or the taxi (or shuttle) will come pick them up or --- 
whatever.  So I'll say this as an absolute - if you carry the phone, it WILL 
change your hike from what it would be if you didn't carry it.  Regardless 
of all the excuses about how close to civilization you are - or how many 
others are "carrying" - or anything else.  And you may never know how good 
it could have been.

When we hiked the CDT, we were amazed to find Internet access in nearly 
every town we went through.  And on the PCT as well.  And I can tell you 
that it changed our hike.  But NOT for the better.  Ginny and I have talked 
about this many times, including last night - and we've both come to the 
same conclusion - our next hike will be as nearly Internet-free as we can 
make it.  As well as being cell phone free.  I won't have another thruhike 
distorted like that.  No - our CDT hike was NOT "ruined" - it was, in fact, 
nothing short of wonderful.  But it wasn't quite "all it could be" either - 
it was distorted in ways that are nearly indefinable.  So now we have to go 
back to find what we missed the first time.  Oh, please, please, don' throw 
me in da briar patch, Br'er Bar!!!  <G>

Tell ya what - how about someone - anyone - come up with the name of ANYONE 
who's done multiple thruhikes  who carries a cell phone on the trail.  
Anyone wanta guess WHY most of them (if not all of them) don't ?  And 
"weight" isn't the answer.

Walk softly,
Jim

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