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Goon
12-27-2004, 19:49
Texas is now offering free wireless internet access at its state parks!

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1227/p03s01-ussc.html

c.coyle
12-27-2004, 20:02
Here we go ......... :datz

Mags
12-27-2004, 20:22
Here we go ......... :datz


The phrase "can o' worms" comes to mind.... :)

Goon
12-27-2004, 20:34
Sorry. Couldn't help myself. But I will enjoy reading whiteblaze from my laptop inside my tent! :)

The Old Fhart
12-27-2004, 21:54
Goon-"But I will enjoy reading whiteblaze from my laptop inside my tent!" You are goung to have a serious weight problem. Go lightweight, go modern, use a Blackberry PDA/phone :)

I didn't have internet on my PDA I've carried for years but I had 23 novels, the A.T. data book, and my journal. Time for me to upgrade!

neo
12-28-2004, 08:26
i love my cell phone,has dopplar radar program,no roaming,no long distance,its my phone i am gonna carry it,i dont give a rats ass about what every one else
carry,s or thinks,each to their own,hike your own hike:sun neo

Bloodroot
12-28-2004, 08:57
I don't have anyone to call :(

Blue Jay
12-28-2004, 09:18
Cell phone users are very spiritual people. Instead of chanting "Ommmm" all day they yell "Hello" over and over and over all day. It is very enlightening. They erect their worship towers on every mountain top, in praise of their God. They never have to face the horror of being alone. Some day I hope to have one of these majic objects.

Lone Wolf
12-28-2004, 09:20
Hey neo, :) whatcha gonna do when some enviro-whacko snatches your cell from you and kicks your ass?

SGT Rock
12-28-2004, 09:22
Call 911, no wait...

orangebug
12-28-2004, 10:07
Neo, have you found a hiking princess to call?

Peter Mossberg
12-28-2004, 10:30
Can you hear me now?

What?

If you can hear me, I need to be rescued now.

What?

Hang on, I'll try and climb up higher on the cliff.

Crap, Only 1 bar.

What?

NICKTHEGREEK
12-28-2004, 10:34
Cell phone users are very spiritual people. Instead of chanting "Ommmm" all day they yell "Hello" over and over and over all day. It is very enlightening. They erect their worship towers on every mountain top, in praise of their God. They never have to face the horror of being alone. Some day I hope to have one of these majic objects.
Which do you hope to have a phone or someone to call?

NICKTHEGREEK
12-28-2004, 10:39
You are goung to have a serious weight problem. Go lightweight, go modern, use a Blackberry PDA/phone :)

I didn't have internet on my PDA I've carried for years but I had 23 novels, the A.T. data book, and my journal. Time for me to upgrade!
How long does your PDA last on a charge? Do you carry spare battery packs? I have an HP IPAC and the 7-10 hrs I can get on a battery just doesn't seem to be enough

neo
12-28-2004, 10:44
hey lone wolf,not worried about environ,wacko kicken my ass,i am the highest ranking cleric in the tetragrammaton:sun neo

Goon
12-28-2004, 11:05
How long does your PDA last on a charge? Do you carry spare battery packs? I have an HP IPAC and the 7-10 hrs I can get on a battery just doesn't seem to be enough
Hmmm. Maybe we need recharging stations in the shelters. :D

lobster
12-28-2004, 12:16
Don't they make small solar chargers? I know it isn't often that the sun comes out on the AT, but we can hope!

SGT Rock
12-28-2004, 12:22
One Leg had a solar charger and considered it useless. I know I have a AA battery pack as a recharger for my PDA at work. I can get a few recharges off a set of four AA. But I don't consider it reliable enough for hiking use.

Kerosene
12-28-2004, 12:27
As a software product developer, what amazes me is that people will put up with something as flaky and unreliable as cell phone technology but go ballistic when a software program can't handle a one-in-a-million situation.

Lion King
12-28-2004, 13:09
I think cel phones allow people to become more careless with thier choices..as in..
"Ummm, ya know, Im here all alone and if I do this, the likely hood of something happening that I may not be able to get out of could happen..maybe I will wait till the (Water level drops, the lightening passes, the avalanche danger subsides, the snow melts a little, the route becomes clearer, The Physcos with Crooked Deer-hoofed daggers leave the sacrificial alter and hike the other way...etc...), then procede"

as opposed to
"Well, I got my phone, and one bar, so what the hell, if trouble happens, a large group of complete strangers can risk their lives to make sure I am ok if i call them"

That is the only problem I see...well, that and rounding a corner on a ncie day to hear someone on a cel phone on a gorgeous view saying.."Sale Sale! My stocks cant go any higher! Dump them noW!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Thats annoying in the outdoors for sure...

If you have one, use it away from others...the same consideration some of you want from hemp-lovers should go to those who choose to go into the wild without a phone. We dont have it, we dont want to hear your conversations...

Blue Jay
12-28-2004, 13:28
Which do you hope to have a phone or someone to call?

Ghostbusters

Tha Wookie
12-28-2004, 14:37
Cell phone users are very spiritual people. Instead of chanting "Ommmm" all day they yell "Hello" over and over and over all day. It is very enlightening. They erect their worship towers on every mountain top, in praise of their God. They never have to face the horror of being alone. Some day I hope to have one of these majic objects.
Damn that's a good one:banana

c.coyle
12-28-2004, 19:20
I think cel phones allow people to become more careless with thier choices..as in..
"Ummm, ya know, Im here all alone and if I do this, the likely hood of something happening that I may not be able to get out of could happen..maybe I will wait till the (Water level drops, the lightening passes, the avalanche danger subsides, the snow melts a little, the route becomes clearer, The Physcos with Crooked Deer-hoofed daggers leave the sacrificial alter and hike the other way...etc...), then procede"

as opposed to
"Well, I got my phone, and one bar, so what the hell, if trouble happens, a large group of complete strangers can risk their lives to make sure I am ok if i call them"


Really? I haven't see much evidence of that kind of thinking.

We've now gone from merely irrational to completely, totally, deliriously hysterical. :bse

Ridge
12-29-2004, 12:26
...I think some people use it for a security blanket. If it gets them out hiking, esp without a dog, then take one, take two. Cells are basically extra weight, but lighter than a gun, so carry one,a cell that is. Personally, I would like to have a cell phone with built in tazer darts for those who carry the mutts instead of a cell.

neo
12-29-2004, 13:02
i dont think there is a thing wrong with carrying a cell phone,is there any body here that has the right to tell me i am irrational,stupid,or any other reason why I
should not carry one,because its thier choice not to carry one,i say every one can make thier own choice i dont care what other people carry,its none of my buisness.:sunneo

Footslogger
12-29-2004, 13:10
Not to worry ...it ain't gonna work anyway. Just one more thing to argue about here at Whiteblaze.

People who feel the need to carry cell phones on the trail are always gonna do it ...despite the need to carry rechargers and the poor/relatively unreliable coverage in mountainous and remote areas.

Oh yeah ...and talking louder on a cell phone when the reception is bad doesn't help !!

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW ????????????????????????????????

'Slogger
AT 2003

Ridge
12-29-2004, 15:01
[QUOTE=Footslogger][People who feel the need to carry cell phones on the trail are always gonna do it .../QUOTE]

This is true, as I said, its extra weight. They will carry them, I may carry one on a short hike, but I consider them useless on long distance hikes. I am one who doesn't really get offended by others using them, mostly kids anyway. I do get peed off by those who litter, fill firepits with cans, bottles, crap/tp around the shelters and trail and as always dogs, that are usally attached or alongside an as..hole who calls themselves hikers. I also oppose stock animals, esp horses on any trail, man when those things take a dump its like a dinosaur dump and all this stuff gets washed into the streams that hikers drink out of. I call it fido or trigger fever, in lieu of beaver fever. I'd rather see someone carry a 70" plazma screen tv complete with religious dvd's or whatever along with a generator to run the stuff than a dog or horse. Call me crazy and don't forget to ask "CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW" when you get me.

Blue Jay
12-29-2004, 15:40
I'd rather see someone carry a 70" plazma screen tv complete with religious dvd's

Will you stop giving them ideas.

weary
12-29-2004, 17:56
i dont think there is a thing wrong with carrying a cell phone,is there any body here that has the right to tell me i am irrational,stupid,or any other reason why I
should not carry one,because its thier choice not to carry one,i say every one can make thier own choice i dont care what other people carry,its none of my buisness.:sunneo
More wisdom from Thomas Sowell:

"A church in Monterrey , Mexico , has installed equipment that jams cell phone calls, so that church services will not be disturbed by phones ringing. This equipment should be installed in every school, restaurant, auditorium, etc. Incidentally, the equipment used by this church was manufactured in Israel . Let's hear it for interfaith cooperation and the Judaeo-Christian tradition."

Now if he had only added trails to his litany.

Weary

Rocks 'n Roots
12-29-2004, 18:43
I saw Wingfoot mention a brilliant idea about cell phones. Apparently the technology exists to limit calls detected as originating from the AT to emergency 911 calls with all others being automatically blocked.

There's one for the "ignore" button!

Jack Tarlin
12-29-2004, 19:59
Rocks:

Glad to see you still arguing about cell phones, but on another thread a few days back, you cited the case of a guy who took unnecessary chances in the Whites because he had a cell phone....and in your words, this ended with "fatal results."

You were asked to provide names, dates, details about this chilling episode.

I guess you're still researching it, eh?

Thing is, Rocks, you're very good at getting upset at folks who disagree with you. What you're NOT particularly good at is responding to direct challenges to some of the things you say.... . explaining to us, for example, how shopping at Wal-Mart, like you advocate, contributes to the urgently necessary battle against urban sprawl, and so on. You never answered that one, either.

But keep fighting the good fight. Someday you'll actually say something that makes sense, or respond to a direct question.

Rocks 'n Roots
12-29-2004, 20:09
Coming from a man who blatantly dodged a "direct question" about Iraq threatening our freedom.


The personal intent of the above is obvious. The Whites incident is well-known and the discussion afterwards was nil...

Pencil Pusher
12-29-2004, 20:18
I saw Wingfoot mention a brilliant idea about cell phones. Apparently the technology exists to limit calls detected as originating from the AT to emergency 911 calls with all others being automatically blocked.

There's one for the "ignore" button!
Oh I'm sure the technology exists for Wingfoot to become our next Fuhrer. I would LMAO if there were these 'anti-cell phone towers' placed strategically along the AT or any such trail, all under the guise of 'keeping technology out of the wilderness'. I do like the good humor mentioned in bringing a toy cell phone to screw with people on the trail :)

Jack Tarlin
12-29-2004, 20:19
1. If the Whites incident is so notorious, how come you can't tell us more about it? I've now asked you three times for more information. Please tell us about where and when it happened....if this incident is as widely and "well-known" as you insist, it shouldn't be too much trouble to give us more information.

2. And we're still waiting to hear about your extensive academic credentials, and in what nationally known newspapers your commentary has been published. You were directly questioned about this as well. Or did you earn so many advanced degrees that you can't remember them all?

3. Gotta run, pal. I still have time to hit Wal-Mart before it closes. I hear there's a sale on fish packets. And I'm SURE it's dolphin-safe fish, thank heavens, cuz they're such an environmentally sensitive and caring company. They MUST be, or our environmental conscience, Rocks, surely wouldn't frequent the place.

4. Keep swingin' for the fences, Rocks. The great thing about spending hours practicing T-Ball is that sooner or later, even a blind guy is gonna connect with the ball. But I don't think your comments are ready for the Big Leagues, at least not just yet.

The Old Fhart
12-29-2004, 20:42
While I carry a cell phone and see nothing wrong with that, there are many people who just don't get it. This in no way negates the proper use of cell phones but I thought you might like to read this. (http://www.petting-zoo.net/~deadbeef/archive/1817.html) I have heard much of this info from more direct sources so I believe it to be correct.

rickb
12-29-2004, 20:51
I think some of the particulars regarding rescues and recoveries in the Whites get mixed up. The best source to read about them is in "Appalachia" which, as I understand it, is the country's oldest mountaineering journal.

I recall a doctor (me thinks) that called for help off Mount Washington, and survived. I think the general thought was that climber was irresponsible in pushing on when others were turning back. I do recall that he avoided getting a bill for the rescue (he made a contribution), but was roundly critisized for his choices. That was a couple years ago. If he didn't make that call he would be dead, but then again volunteers would not have risked thier lives either. Alls well that ends well I guess. God bless those guys. As an aside Rick Wilcox (long-time technical rescue vleader and Everest climber) presented at the last AMC biannual meeting where he expressed his reservations about charges to anyone.

I also remember that one half of a couple got into fatal trouble on the Franconia Ridge this spring, and may not have been as prepared as they should have been, but I don't reall if they had selected a phone over equipment that would have helped.

Used to be that the AMC had a good web site and archive that got into all this. That part has been closed. As for Appalachia, I let my subscription lapse, so I can't help you guys. Its an extra $10 with an AMC membership,. It should be in the library.

SGT Rock
12-29-2004, 20:52
Nice article. In the old days those sorts of people would have to sort it out on their own.

rickb
12-29-2004, 20:58
That was a good link OF.

Any interest in rounding up a band White Blazers and hiking up Mount Monadnock some Saturday or Sunday? I've had the most fun when I leave my instep crampons home and trust my cat-like reflexes.

If no one can bring a phone, I'll wear them.

Rick B

weary
12-29-2004, 21:20
While I carry a cell phone and see nothing wrong with that, there are many people who just don't get it. This in no way negates the proper use of cell phones but I thought you might like to read this. (http://www.petting-zoo.net/~deadbeef/archive/1817.html) I have heard much of this info from more direct sources so I believe it to be correct.
That's a supurb piece that everyone should read. I don't know of any evidence that it has gotten better since the peice was written in 1996.

Weary

The Old Fhart
12-29-2004, 21:34
RickBoudrie-"I recall a doctor (me thinks) that called for help off Mount Washington, and survived."If you'd like to get Dr. Bernhoff Dahl as an inspirational speaker, check here. (http://www.mtwashingtonmisadventure.com/) I personally don't recommend him.

weary
12-29-2004, 21:54
I think some of the particulars regarding rescues and recoveries in the Whites get mixed up. The best source to read about them is in "Appalachia" which, as I understand it, is the country's oldest mountaineering journal.

I recall a doctor (me thinks) that called for help off Mount Washington, and survived. I think the general thought was that climber was irresponsible in pushing on when others were turning back. I do recall that he avoided getting a bill for the rescue (he made a contribution), but was roundly critisized for his choices. That was a couple years ago. If he didn't make that call he would be dead, but then again volunteers would not have risked thier lives either. Alls well that ends well I guess. God bless those guys. As an aside Rick Wilcox (long-time technical rescue vleader and Everest climber) presented at the last AMC biannual meeting where he expressed his reservations about charges to anyone.

I also remember that one half of a couple got into fatal trouble on the Franconia Ridge this spring, and may not have been as prepared as they should have been, but I don't reall if they had selected a phone over equipment that would have helped.

Used to be that the AMC had a good web site and archive that got into all this. That part has been closed. As for Appalachia, I let my subscription lapse, so I can't help you guys. Its an extra $10 with an AMC membership,. It should be in the library.
Back in the AMC's good old days someone at AMC was wise -- or foolish enough -- to give me an honorary lifetime membership, including, you guessed it, a subscription to Appalachia. Twice a year since it has arrived, including what used to be called the December issue (now winter/spring, 2005) yesterday.

The most interesting part of Appalachia to me is always the accident reports, which I read first, luckily, given this topic. I've put off other articles dealing with the sound of silence and John Muir's NE explorations, and a few poems until later.

So which mountain deaths do folks want to hear the details analyzed. There was the park ranger who died on Twin Mountain in minus 45 F temperatures on Jan. 13; a man who died of hypothermia on Garfield ridge on March 21; and a skier who died near Mount Clay about the same time. All had cell phones. All died. Well, the husband of the Garfield Ridge victim survived. It was only the wife that died.

I think RnR was referring to the ranger, but I don't remember precisely. Anyway, the Appalachia reviewer concludes that death was probably inevitable, given the nature of the weather and temperatures and the decision to hike, despite the forecast. One interesting sidelight suggests that if the ranger had been less fit, i.e. had more fat, hypothermia might have come on more gradually, giving the victim more time to respond. He had plenty of gear with him, though his sleeping bag was only rated to minus 20.

The speculation was that after a chilly night, his attempt to escape the next morning ended quickly. Potentially warming gear was discarded almost immediately after he left his campsite, classic evidence of hypothermia.

Weary

Peter Mossberg
12-30-2004, 01:21
Sgt. Bruce Bonenfant at New Hampshire Fish and Game said the incidence of searches in the White Mountains went up with the widespread use of cell phones in recent years

Bonenfant said the law holding reckless victims responsible for the cost of searches has been on the books for years, but only in the past year has the state’s fish and game agency applied it to hikers. In that time, about five hikers have been charged for a search, Col. Ronald Alie said.


Bonenfant said that with more people owning cell phones, there have been more cases where careless behavior has occurred.


“People have a cell phone or a GPS [Global Positioning System] and they have no clue other than that. They are in a situation way over their head,’’ Bonenfant said.


One of the most-publicized incidents occurred when Dr. Bernhoff Dahl of Winterport became lost in a whiteout on Mount Washington in October 1999 when he went up ill-prepared.

http://www.meepi.org/files/29486.htm

hwbout
01-19-2005, 18:22
Hi, I just recently joined this forum and another forum, I think the other was trailplace. I'll be hiking the AT from Vermont to NY this summer, so I have been trying to get as much info as possible, reading lots of message boards and websites. Anyway, the topic of cellphones came up on the other message board, and I contributed my opinion. (This was my second post ever to Trailplace) Anyway, my opinion was that I don't own a cellphone, but that when people talk on their cell phones, it doesn't really bother me. Personally, I'd rather have people talk on their cellphone, then talk to me. Listening to their conversation ALWAYS amuses and interests me, because I am a busy body and a people watcher. Anyway, that's basically all I wrote on the other message board and within 5 minutes of that post, I was completly booted off the forum. So I went to the terms and conditions of the message board and lo and behold, there was this rule that said if anyone agrees with cellphone use, you will be removed. I thought that was hysterical, because I wasn't exactly aggreeing nor disagreeing. I was kind of doing both. I don't own a cellphone but am not against them. So needless to say, I won't be visiting that "other" forum anymore. (I am completly blocked, even from reading messages) Atleast here, it seems that people have more of a sense of humor about the whole cellphone thing, and hopefully, I won't be removed from this forum. I find the people here are a bit more light hearted and hope to see you on the trail.

hwbout
01-19-2005, 18:31
Wait one minute. After reading a bit more on page 2, I noticed Jack being quite angry. That's kind of how they behave on the other message board that I can no longer go to. I think you would fit in very well there Jack, that is if they don't boot you off after your second post.

Jack Tarlin
01-19-2005, 20:21
There was nothing at all angry or unreasonable about my earlier posts on this thread: A frequent Whiteblaze contributor cited an apparently well-known episode in the White Mountains in which a hiker who had overly relied on his cell phone had paid for this mistake with his life.

I asked this poster more than once to provide corrorboration and details in regard to this "well-known" incident.

He never did so, which did not much surprise me.

Asking folks to back up their statements posted here with facts and data does not make one an "angry" person; it merely means one is curious as to the validity of some of the things that are written here. And as far as my being incapable of a "light-hearted" post, well perhaps when hwbout has been here more than three weeks he'll see that on occasion I actually do have a sense of humor.

And as to the other website, I'm not sure how welcome I'd be over there; I prefer to post here, where there are fewer administrative restrictions, a greater opportunity to have open and complete discussions, no "forbidden" or barred topics, and little or no political editorializing by site administrators.

Oh, and this site sees more activity as well. After all, if one is going to contribute to an Interactive Internet Forum, it makes sense to send your posts to where more folks are likely to read them.

orangebug
01-19-2005, 20:47
What Jack said.

You will find that it is tough to get booted off of this list. That is not because it is so light hearted, because we have plenty of pretty outrageous flames here. It is because most of us understand that more than one opinion creates the opportunity for creative energy, education and growth. We are able to suffer fools from time to time, but we also have an "ignore" feature that allows individuals to filter out those we find to only produce burdensome noise.

Welcome to WB.

Mountain Dew
01-20-2005, 02:28
Java Mama...try out the AT-L webpage. I'm thinking you'd find that message board more to your liking. :D

The Old Fhart
01-20-2005, 07:27
hwbout-"I find the people here are a bit more light hearted....

----I noticed Jack being quite angry----I think you would fit in very well there Jack, that is if they don't boot you off after your second post."Interesting that you can first praise people here in general for being lighthearted in one breath and in the next, hurl an insult at an individual-certainly not lighthearted on your part. I thought Jack was quite calm in his post so please tell us, in a “lighthearted” way Java Mama, why you chose to single out Jack for criticism and not keep your comments general and positive like the first part of your post that I quoted. I’d be interested in your answer. Signed-The Lighthearted Old Fhart

hwbout
01-20-2005, 08:34
You have a poiNT there Jack, I am brand spankin new to this forum. I think I can spend a lifetime reading here and still not be able to read every post. Which is why I shouldn't have made a judgement call like that accusing you of being an angry guy. I understand your point completly. I guess my point was that if you posted something like that on the other website, it would probably be deleted. I am also curious as to the fatal incident thing and maybe, eventually he will repond as to what exactly happened. But this "off topic" thread probably doesn't get read as often as some of the other threads.
And now I am off in search of the AT-L thread.

TJ aka Teej
01-20-2005, 08:37
And now I am off in search of the AT-L thread.
http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/at-l
The Internet's original Appalachian Trail forum.

hwbout
01-20-2005, 08:42
I am off to read a few archived threads now.

wacocelt
01-20-2005, 08:57
Welcome to WB JavaMama!

Don't worry about Jack, he's verbose and seems cranky as all Hell, but he's a teddy bear! A teddy bear which smells like ciggaretts, bourbon and funk, but a teddy bear none the less!

Skeemer
01-28-2005, 15:50
Lone Wolf and his buddy were out on the AT one day when his buddy collapses. His buddy doesn't seem to be breathing and his eyes are glazed. LW takes out his buddy's cell phone and calls 911.

LW gasps: "My buddy is dead!! What can I do?

The operator says: "Calm down, I can help. First, let's first make sure he's dead.

There is silence, then a gunshot is heard. Back on the phone LW say: "OK, now what?"

J.D.
01-28-2005, 22:09
Cell phone users are very spiritual people. Instead of chanting "Ommmm" all day they yell "Hello" over and over and over all day. It is very enlightening. They erect their worship towers on every mountain top, in praise of their God. They never have to face the horror of being alone. Some day I hope to have one of these majic objects.
...hehehe! Love'd that...!

HYOH... But, please stay out of ear shot, OK...? Now, at my age, that's not too far away 'cause I can't hear even hear the storms coming.

J.D.
01-28-2005, 22:31
RE: Re-charging batteries

Since it is always raining on the trail, solar panels are useless. However, *FUEL CELL* technology is here NOW. I was amazed to find out that commerically available fuel cell power packs are on the market.

Pricy.... $4,800 for 1 KW that will "run" for weeks - no noise, no pollution.

But, only $134.00 for a unit that weighs 60 grams and puts out .5 volts

Couple more years and they will have the price and weight down to something I can add to my pack and have unlimited power for my microwave, electric blanket....

SGT Rock
01-28-2005, 22:35
As soon as they make AAA fuel cells that run off alcohol we will be set.

Goon
01-29-2005, 10:52
How many potato batteries would you need to run a cell phone?

(For those who don't know what I am talking about: http://www.quantumscientific.com/pclock.html )

The Old Fhart
01-29-2005, 12:42
There may be an easier (and cheaper) way to keep your cell phone battery charged on the trail. My phone can be charged from any supply that puts out about 6 VDC and this isn't too critical. What I used was a 4 AAA cell battery holder with the proper connector and I could charge my phone any time from my spare batteries. Seeing I was using my spare batteries, the only added weight was about 1oz for the battery holder, cord, and connector. Actually, I had 2 different connectors on the pack so I could also charge the lithium-ion battery in my palm computer. One set of AAA batteries was good for quite a few charges. The down side of this method is it won't do you any good if you don't know how to do it properly yourself.

Stuart
01-29-2005, 13:59
Throwing in a couple random thoughts and probably no substance to the discussion...

1. I agree with the notion that for some less experienced hikers the cell phone creates a false sense of security and provides a crutch by which some may enter into situations that they truly have no business in. To me the cell phone allows you to expand your comfort zone, in essence allowing you to take your comfort zone with you. This may decrease the acuity of some when they are on the trail or lead them to take chances otherwise they would not since they are only a phone call away. Personally it takes the fun out of it for me. I want out of the comfort zone, which makes life almost mind numbing to me.

2. But since wireless internet and cell phones, etc. are here to stay.... Last time I was in the Smoky Mtns I meet a fella in the TV industry and he was speaking to upcoming technology. According to him, next BIG think is the flexible LCD. Somewhere around 2008-9 we should be able to have a backpack ready color TV. With the flexible LCD (or maybe LED, I'm not a technology guy)... anyway we will have flat, very thin TV's that we can roll up like a scroll, put in a pack and slap up on the shelter wall. So then we could escape and watch prime time television all at the same time :D :D :D I think there is a safety rationale to be had somewhere if you look at it from the right point of view. We could pick up tips by watching LOST and Survivor and then get the latest weather @ 11:00. Hmmm ;)

orangebug
01-29-2005, 15:48
It will be an LCD TV, with multiuse DirecTV dish (use as a wok for cooking and eating). The problem of battery recharging will still keep this intrusion at a minimum, I hope.

jjmcgo
02-10-2005, 14:45
Trailplace is Wingfoot's web site. He has strict rules, as is his right on his private property. You're not the first to fall afoul of his rules. He doesn't allow for disagreement as I learned early on. I had a disagreement and got kicked off. A few months later I sent him a note saying I understand and will comply with his policies and he restored my privileges. And they are privileges.
Not permitting disagreement perhaps is one of Wingfoot's weaknesses but he surely has his strengths. He has fought for the A.T. and deeply cares about it.
IMHO, cell phones are part of being prepared. Yes, the article used several examples of how tenderfoots substitute failure-prone technology for orienteering skills but a cell phone could come in very handy if a hiker fell and broke a leg.
Tim Seaver is a very skilled and accomplished hiker. On the Views From The Top website, he recently posted a trip report of a traverse of the Presidentials. He repeatedly called a friend to report his locations, the trails he was using and when to come pick him up.
Part of that hike was along the Appalaichan Trail. Wingfoot wouldn't like it but I thought that was a sensible use of cell-phone technology.
We go into dangerous situations sometimes and those close to us hold their breaths until we return. I like the idea of being able to let them know things are going great.
As long as I don't bother someone else. Plenty of room out there so you don't have to bother others.