[at-l] Apologies and explanations

[Owen <jrowen@ibm.net>]

First - the "Thruhiking" series was interrupted by the holidays and by
12-18 hour shifts and prep for another spacecraft test next week (which
means I'll be blacked-out for most of next week too).  But I do have one
more "episode" almost ready to go (probably later today) and at least
one more in the works. Hopefully, this will be my day to catch up on
email.  

So - onward.   After I sent the Wingfoot/Jardine post I told Ginny "I
shouldn't have done that."  And I was right.  :-(

So I'll apologize to Jardine, Wingfoot, John Pigott (for upsetting him)
and to the list as a whole for perpetuating this nonsense.  Once again
I've got a foot in my mouth - and like most people, I hate the taste of
dirty socks.  :-)

Although I should have left the subject entirely alone, I don't - and
won't - apologize for the content. Both WF and Jardine have made their
own contributions to the trail community, both of them have an arrogance
that has the potential to damage the community (and in fact, has to some
extent) and both of them can be extremely charming and friendly when it
suits their purposes. There are both similarities - and great
differences between the two. 

Jardine is entirely correct about those who misuse his ultralight
system.  But he can also be downright antagonistic and unfriendly toward
those who adocate "other ways". While I've never met the man, I know a
number of those who have experienced him in what you might call an
"arrogant phase".  Nuff said about that.  I am curtious though, John -
when was his second AT thruhike?  

As pissed off as I am at Wingfoot (I don't like people who lie about
me), I will give him credit for his work with the Thruhikers Handbook
and for having the vision and the energy to start Trailplace.  The basic
Trailplace idea is really good - as a source for thruhiking information
and inspiration.  However, the direction that Trailplace has taken
(toward the automation and depersonalization of the information) and the
apparently forcible imposition of his personal philosophy and biases has
negated much of its value. And that saddens me because Trailplace had
such great potential for good and for education.  I started to expand on
that, but I won't add more fuel to this fire.  

I'll agree with Magaroni - it's time to bury this mess and get on to
other more productive things.  Thruhiking season is coming - Last year
we had friends on all 3 trails (AT, PCT and CDT).  How many of you will
be out there playing with us this year? 

Walk softly,
Jim

PS - I do kinda like the "preadolescent treehouse club" thing - Ginny
keeps telling me that I'm somewhere between 8 and 11 years old when I'm
on the trail.  She's right.  :-))




John Pigott wrote:
> Whooooaaaaahhhh Pahdner. Let take issue with the comparison of Wingfoot to
> Ray Jardine. First, Ray J has earned his stripes: revolutionized rock
> climbing, doubled the AT, and CDT, then tripled the PCT. Second, although
> he has a very specific trekking stlye, he is actually the opposite of
> condescending about other people's hiking stles.  In his words: "it's not
> my fault that some jerks use my book to act like even bigger jerks."  I met
> him on the PCT, having read his book and still hauling my 50-lb pack. He
> was totally cool with it: and more than a little frustrated that his
> contribution to hiking has been contorted by certain arrogant pretenders to
> become this weird pseudo-elite standard.
>         Now Wingfoot on the other hand, is in my opinion a pretender. Sure he's
> done the trail, but he then uses this wonderful experience to draw lines to
> exclude other people and make them feel unwelcome. In a strange twist of
> Groucho Marx's famous line, Wingfoot's theme seems to be "I would never be
> a member of a club that had anyone other than me as a member."
>         Let me put it this way-- while Wingfoot spends his time getting his
> willies off by spending hours each day deciding who to accept/reject to his
> preadolescent treehouse club, Jardine has spent the last year working on a
> new kayak design as he and his wife kayak the entire Alaska coast.

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