[at-l] Watches on the Trail?

[Bror8588 at aol.com (Bror8588@aol.com)]

In a message dated 8/10/2005 9:05:33 AM Eastern Daylight Time,  
janl2@mindspring.com writes:

The  question is likely far deeper than one about hiking - it could 
veer off  into an examination of the nature of space/time, of all human 
conceptual  constructs -  but like I said, I haven't sorted it out yet.

There  were plenty of moments where time stood still as it did when we 
were kids,  but as far as an overall theme... there it was; the press 
of time. The  slave-driver inside my head. The watch was just the 
symbol of  that.



There seems to be a human need for structure in one's life.  Time is  one way 
to accomplish that.  If we know the moment of the day in which we  walk and 
the desired time that we wish to stop walking a watch can be  helpful.  Of 
course, the destination could be the determining structure  factor and so we would 
have a place in mind and walk toward it without regard to  the time it took 
or will take.  Another factor could be light -- we wake at  first light and go 
to sleep at either first dark or after second light (a  campfire for instance) 
fades.  
 
Having a watch gives the wearer immediate control of his structured  moment.  
Now, if it has an alarm that beeps well, I'm just sayin'...
 
Skylander