[at-l] "Human crap"

[jbullar1 at twcny.rr.com (Jim Bullard)]

At 02:35 PM 6/12/2005 -0700, texas12step@nym.hush.com wrote:
>...clip...
>This has to be the most ethically-
>challenged post I've read on this list. ...clip...

Once upon a time, before being invaded by those who insist on discussing 
politics, this was a mostly congenial list of folks who had a common 
interest in hiking. Sure things got a little spirited at times but it was 
generally over trail issues like (dare I mention them) carrying a gun on 
the AT, using a cell phone while hiking or using an umbrella as your rain 
gear. I never understood that one. Grandma Gatewood used an umbrella so it 
should be 'Grandmothered' as acceptable trail equipment. If you don't know 
who Grandma Gatewood is you should do some reading about the AT and the 
history of thru-hiking. I recommend Larry Luxemberg's "Walking the 
Appalachian Trail" if you can find time for only one.

Perhaps it is just a reflection of the extreme political division in this 
country that the list has become so divided recently but I really wish we 
could get off the political threads and back to hiking. Mags keeps trying 
to steer the discussion that way and gives us links to his photos as 
incentive to get our minds into the woods and out of our differences. 
Occasionally someone else posts about a hike. It can be done folks. I have 
a photographer e-friend whom I've been corresponding with for over ten 
years. He and I have very different views on lots of things but whenever 
our conversations start to rankle, instead of calling each other names we 
remember our common interest and mutually agree to avoid those topics that 
we know will press one another's hot buttons. After all we recognize that 
neither of us is about to change the other's mind and we value our 
friendship more than being "right" because it is entirely possible that 
neither of us is. It can happen here too if we try.

So who's been hiking lately? Or bought a new piece of gear? Tell us about 
it. PLEASE!