[at-l] Insanity Check

[atr3dhead at gmail.com (AT r3dhead)]

Nothing delusional at all. Its just the Trail :)  

No matter how many miles you sweat, curse, vow to take a rocket
launcher to all Trail planners, wonder why the HELL you are doing it
in the first place, decide to revamp that damn GPS and where the hell
was that contour accuracy when you needed it, when it hurts and you
hate life for hours on end. . . does it get any better than that? :)

Truth is, there is NO other saying I've seen posted here in ( how many
years has it been now - 7, 8?) - which is - a day on the trail - no
matter how bad - is better than a day anywhere else. I think I scanned
a post the past day or so who questioned that. Cant' remember exactly.
I do remember thinking well, if you have a better day at work than you
do getting caught in the rain on the Trail - more power to you.  Just
means you are lucky to have a job you apparently love.

The best day of getting the speadsheets right, and your plan of action
is safe on powerpoint, and you're all ready for that monday meeting,
and your boss pats you on the back - and you KNOW that what you just
did to get that pat on the back was like - nothing? just something you
did, for work . . .

Those are things you can prepare for, that stress you out.

The Trail is nothing you can prepare for, really - and it will stress
YOU, but it will NEVER "stress you out" if you aren't a hyper, type a,
gotta plan every second and stick to the schedule type person. 
(because I hate to say it - but planning every second when you're
hiking - unless you are prepared to throw away your plan - is a recipe
for unhappiness.)

I've been lurking for a while now since I've been back.  I remember
this list fondly - I have a lot of friends in real life now because of
it - but hindsight hasn't changed anything. It was always like this -
you just have to read between the lines.

I've even mellowed enough that I can read RnR's posts without
immediately deciding before I read them that I should delete them, and
then writing a 10 page response as to what I thought about what he
posted. I grew up a bit the past year :)

I'm not speaking for Ryan - but I can definitely say that his vision
had more to do with friends and hikers coming together and sharing
knowledge and help and encouragement than the free for alls that
happen sometimes here. With no censorship.

Personally I think he takes that too far sometimes, but to be honest,
its why I love him.  He promised us something - no censorship - and he
sticks to that, even when he doesn't like whats being said or how a
thread is going.

I'd remind everyone we're using HIS time, HIS effort, HIS server, HIS
space for gallery, HIS resources . . . and the next time you hear Ryan
speak up, you know it is because he REALLY wants to say something. And
if thats "can we keep it on topic?" . . . what he really seems to mean
is, talk about itching arms and ice cream and subway and anything else
but - quit the long winded posts that could be better shared between
the person writing it and the person intended to read it, when its
something thats been slogged to death on the channel by now anyhow.

Cell phones? Pfft.  We can get into all the psychology you want on
that one - how you will have a different hike if you can rely on
someone other than yourself.  Once upon a time - RIGHT in the middle
of this same argument years ago on this list  - a guy had his appendix
burst on the trail, and if his buddy hadn't had a cell phone, he would
have died. His buddy was on the list. We heard about it.  Did that
change anyone's minds? No.

That didn't change anyones mind. The people who think cell's are fine
on the Trail said "see??? it saved a life".

The people that don't like cells on the Trail said "See? Why go out
into the wilderness if you aren't prepared to die?"

I find myself agreeing with both camps.

But I also realize that if some guy almost DYING, and would have if
not for a cell phone user - didn't change any opinions here, then
pretty much nothing you say is going to change opinions - and no
matter how well you say what your opinion is, if that didn't change
it, nothing will.

I smoke. I don't even take cigarettes on the Trail with me. I'm damn
sure not going to carry a cell phone, because if the last word I can
say to one of my kids is gasping for air and dying, I don't see the
point.  But thats my individual choice. And I'm not a psychiatrist,
and I don't play one on TV.  My take on it is - carry your cell phone,
pillow, solar shower (Mom is laughing at that one), your radio, your
books, your Tuba - whatever it takes to make your hike YOUR hike, and
one you want to actually do.

If you carry a cell phone, use common sense and courtesy. You don't
use it in a hospital because of the signs.  Well we don't want more
signs on the AT.  So just use common sense and courtesy.

It isn't up to anyone to judge you, or decide your hike is less - or
more - than anyone elses.  And if you have a cell phone and no one
knows - it means you're doing it right.  All that is important about
YOUR hike is that it's yours, and that you like how you're doing it.
As long as you don't let what you are doing impact anyone elses hike. 
That means using common sense and courtesy when it comes to cell
phone, iPod, Blackberry, Bluetooth technology out on the Trail.  No
one wants to hike 9 or 13 hard miles (or 25 if you are Slider), get to
a beautiful vista well worth the effort, and someone start jabbering
on a cell phone to mom or girlfriend or boyfriend or whatever . .
."oh, you wouldn't BELIEVE this sunset".  Yea well, they wouldn't
believe it because they aren't THERE, and they didn't hike the past
grueling hours, and sweat, and curse, and cry, and keep walking and
just about die wishing they got to that point where they met your
friend with a cell phone.

Its a once in a lifetime moment you just messed up with your phone call.

If you can put other people first - the fact you carry a phone will
never be an issue. If you want it as a lifeline, carry it. If your Mom
wants you to carry it as a lifeline, carry it.  If you have kids and a
spouse and they really want you to carry it, carry it. Just bury it at
the bottom of your pack . . .

No one ever said the last item, turned off, in your pack . . . doesn't
count as carrying it. All weight matters ;)

That's all it takes. If you carry a pillow, be careful you don't get
jumped by the rest of the hikers without one at some shelter.  And try
to make it mouse proof  :)  Carry an umbrella.  Do what you want.
Something seems to be lost in this "hike your own hike . . BUT"
lately.  How about hike your own hike - and be courteous to other
hikers, and don't impose your ties with civilization on anyone else?

Lets leave out the Buts.

Just my opinion.

Red