[at-l] Same old, Same Old---

[RoksnRoots at aol.com (RoksnRoots@aol.com)]

           "  It was meant to be a respite from the 
city but even the original proposal envisioned camps and communities *on* 
the trail which was far more "civilization" than eventually came about. "



           I doubt Saunterer could substantiate that with any proof. MacKaye 
was clear on creating a wild inner Trail corridor. The Project was to be so 
vast that those communities could be built away from the actual Trail. The true 
scale MacKaye intended has been discussed many times. It continues to be 
ignored. As does MacKaye's leaving the Project because this inner corridor was 
violated in the Shenandoahs. MacKaye knew he could only get this scale if he 
proposed a social function and gave it an acceptable purpose for the day and 
funding realities.

         As I see MacKaye's plan it involved a systematic plan to develop 
large planned wilderness parcels. This was to be complimented with CCC type 
woodland communities meant to employ post-WWI, depression era urban workers. But 
these communities did not necessarily negate the overall biosphere/wilderness 
exposure plan overall. 

        If one were to truly investigate what MacKaye had in mind short of 
the "Same Old Same Old" standard, one would find the AT would contain a much 
greater percentage of protected lands than it presently does. It would also have 
a protected inner core for wilderness experience on the footpath itself. I'm 
afraid the popular opinion is satisfied offering this incorrect interpretation 
of MacKaye merely for their own personal pursuit of minimizing the AT's 
wilderness ethic. They really don't know what they are talking about and offer an 
unjust and contrived version of what actually was to be...




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