Re: [at-l] Earl Shaffer on Whaddya Know? Show

[Bucky <mfuller@somtel.com>]

At 01:03 PM 10/31/98 -0500, Landis wrote:

>                            Earl seemed to be making a strong case for blue
>blazing.  Said he wished there were alternate routes to the original trail to
>avoid some of the rocky climbs.   He said "..a challenge involves a choice".
>This is not an editorial comment,  just what I heard him say.  He was not fond
>of the re-routing of the trail over more difficult terrain.

I can understand the reasoning behind routing the trail over
more difficult terrain. Steeper and rockier climbs help ensure
that the trail remains a footpath. It also places the trail in
areas less desirable for development, and were thus cheaper to
acquire. Finally, some of these reroutes were no doubt necessary
to bypass land owners unwilling to sell their property.

Despite this, I have to agree with Shaffer here. Some of the
changes in Maine are simply pointless, such as running the
trail over mediocre Mt. Blue instead of keeping it along
Clearwater Brook, or the long and steep slog over the wooded
Crocker summits. Even worse, some of the Maine reroutes took
the trail away from some durn fine places. Any of you been to
Frye Brook lately?

The more I read about Shaffer, the more I like him. His hike
refuted the seemingly increasing effeteness of modern A.T. thru-
hiking. I like his pith helmet, too. I submitted a question about
it during last week's chat on www.abcnews.com, but apparently
didn't send it in time. I was wondering if it was his standard
backpacking headgear, and whether it served any dual purpose, 
being a solid plastic bowl and all. Anyone know?

--
mfuller@somtel.com; Northern Franklin County, Maine
The Constitution is the white man's ghost shirt.  }>:-/> --->

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