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Re: [at-l] Records
At 4:51 PM -0400 6/4/98, Dan Bruce wrote:
>There is no official record for transporting a body from one end
>of the AT to the other.
As we all say, so what's the point...
I wish the human being well on their attempts at whatever. As in all sports one
could put an * on everything. Today in speed skating they have a new
skate that allowed many skaters to break the prior world record, pole
vaulters get new poles of fiberglass to reach new heights, golfers
get new titantium balls and bubble clubs, baseball gets better bats and
better conditioned atheletes, runners and swimmers are analyzed by
computers to improve the technique, bobsleds get better tracks, cars
better aeronamics and engines and tires, and we the hikers get:
better shoes, better liners, lighter tents, better nutriants, better
gortex, better backpacks and other clothing.
Technological improvements always occur and one can have all the * they
want. Yes the AT changes and the gear changes but that is not knew or
novel.
Humans will always gravite to "records" and challenges such a new things
of new generations like snow boarding, new skis, new composites..
this will not change now will the advancement in gear and nutrition
supplements. I would say compared to all those sports, the 2,160 miles
while there maybe some minor changes is compared to all these other
sports the most least impacted by change.
And people being people will always seek to be the fastest.. it's human
nature, like fastest car, highest free fall, biggest... etc..
So I will look upon these people challenges, how they met nature.
One run or hike of the AT could never be the same as the next even if
techonology or a small change in path occurs because Nature changes.
Last year it was hot and muggy in NJ at this time, today the path is the
same, yet the temperature is now 47 at night and only 68 during the day.
That has more effect as last year it was hot and humid.
So go to it humans, seek those challenges whatever they are, some of
us will be cheering and some will wish back the model-T. Onward to
new heights of human achievement.
Good luck and God speed and the best of health. ( Oh yea, medical advancements
have also been made advancements which can greatly assist today "athelete" ).
Time marches on and lets forget all those *. Every one knows technology
and nutrients are better and just because a person is today's record holder
does NOT mean
they would have had a record if during the times of the prior record but one
can NEVER go back.
Sorry so long.. but one should recognize any record of the day is based upon
the days' technology and if outdoors, the weather of the day..or months.
Good luck all, and enjoy life to the fullest.
Tom 'hikenet' Caggiano
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