[at-l] On topic if you carry a cell on the trail... OT if you dont... Imp...

[budjasa at yahoo.com (john sob)]

I don't like having to carry the cell around but I don't look at it as a leash. If I didn't have a cell I couldn't walk in the woods as often as I do, instead I'd be tied to a desk somewhere where someone with a computer problem could reach me. I also turn the thing off in the woods and just check in periodically. Not only for sanity sake but...have to train those end users not to think they can catch you anytime, anywhere.
John

Jim Bullard <jbullar1@twcny.rr.com> wrote:
At 07:02 AM 7/28/2005 -0500, Stephanie wrote:
>On 7/28/05, Slyatpct@aol.com wrote:
> >
> > Personally I've gone from not really caring to hating them, more so in
> > everyday life, than on the trail. It started with never really living on
> > the trail to a constant connection in real life. People walk around my 
> work
> > like robots, always chatting, always getting calls, always checking
> > messages, never really concerned with the person in front of them. Look
> > around you'll see what I mean.
> >
> > I could go on, but I'm packing for a few days in the woods...
> >
> > Sly
>
>Aha, I see what you mean. I have one, but the number is only with my
>close family relatives and a very few friends. I don't really use it
>for chit-chat (I haven't really wanted to do that on a phone since
>high school a billion years ago). Mainly I carry it with me because I
>drive a beat-up pickup truck that's notorious for problems *knocking
>on wood*, and because I have a sick relative. But otherwise, it's not
>going with me on the trail, that's for sure.

I agree with the objection to people being glued to their cell phones. 
Reminds me of a Yoda line from the 2nd Star Wars movie (episode 5) where he 
tells Luke that he isn't a good candidate for training as a Jedi because 
his mind is always somewhere else and never on what he's doing or where he is.

I have a cell phone though. I got it when I was doing network 
administration for a series of offices in 3 counties so that I could reach 
others from the road *if necessary* and it doesn't cost $100/month. It's 
more like $35. It has always been my practice however to leave it turned 
off except when I'm calling others via their land lines. I don't carry it 
to allow others to reach me. The idea of beepers and cell phones as an 
electronic leash does not appeal to me. It does go to the woods with me 
(also turned off) in case I need it. Phone booths are non-existent anywhere 
near trailheads where I hike and I like to let my wife know I'm safely out 
of the woods after a hike so that she doesn't worry. I'd leave it in my 
truck but things left in vehicles are temptations to others to break in so 
it goes with me in the bottom of the pack.

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