[at-l] Enhancing the AT Blaze

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

Weary wrote:

>  But for the person who sees one for the first time, it is not always 
>intuitive
>that it's the top offset, not the bottom that signifies the new direction.

Y'know - I've heard that before - and it's not true.  The first time I saw 
an offset blaze, I knew exactly what it meant - and so has nearly every 
other hiker I've ever talked to about it.

Remember the "two brain cells" test.  There are always a few who can't pass 
it - no matter how hard they study. <G>


>The ATC vote to allow offset blazes passed by a very narrow margin for this 
>reason
>-- and because some of us are stick in the mud traditionalists.

Yup - now you're talkin' reality.


>Also. Those of us who seek to keep the trail as wild as possible tend to 
>prefer
>the simple, one atop the other blaze. The simpler the blazing is, the 
>better it
>blends into the background.

Then you should be all in favor of the offset blaze - the position of the 
second blaze makes no difference whatever as far as "wildness" is concerned 
- and the offset blaze is less confusing, thereby reducing the incidence of 
"lost" hikers - and extraneous "non-trails" in the woods.


>Finally. As Rick pointed out, there is nothing wrong
>with forcing hikers from time to time to pause and think about the trail 
>and the
>trail environs.

Sure there is - a confused hiker wanders - and makes extraneous "non-trails" 
in the woods - which then further confuse other hikers, who then make those 
"non-trails" even more entrenched.  And reduces your sense of "wildness".  
<VBG>

Niow - remember that I don't usually work on that superhighway we call the 
AT.  I usually work on trails that are a lot harder to find - and follow.  
Some of them get maintenance once every five years.  Sometimes less.

YMMV
Jim

_________________________________________________________________
Get reliable access on MSN 9 Dial-up. 3 months for the price of 1! 
(Limited-time offer) http://click.atdmt.com/AVE/go/onm00200361ave/direct/01/