Re: [at-l] Byrson & A matter of perspective.

["David F. Addleton" <dfa@wimlaw.com>]

> IMO it is because he claimed to have hiked THE Appalachian Trail. He did
NOT 
> the trail. He hiked some of it, he says about 800 miles. 


When I come back from a week-end section hike I tell folks "I hiked the
Appalachian Trail last week-end."
This is correct English usage and is quite true, even though it's fully
understood I did not hike the entire trail last week-end. Day hikers may
legitimately claim to have hiked the Appalachian Trail last Saturday, which
like wise no one takes to mean the whole darn thing.

In Bryson's case, he hiked the AT and, furthermore, 800 miles or there
abouts of it, which, imho, is pretty darn clear to me that he didn't hike
the whole darn thing.

That cadre of thru hikers who also dream of joining the English version of
the French Word Police, or who like to separate themselves from the rest of
us day, week-end, and distance hikers seem to predominate in the trash
Bryson crowd.

It's like saying I've been to Egypt when actually I've only been to Cairo
and Alexandria. Or, I've done the Grand Canyon, when all I did was drive to
the rim and take a picture. Or, I know some German, when, although I
studied it and passed exams in it years ago, I can hardly speak a word of
it now.

This criticism of Bryson is nit picking to an exteme, IMHO.
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