Technology on the trail article

[Mags]

Interesting article about technology on the trail (with related slides shows)
http://www.providencejournal.com/top...ges-hiking.ece

[Sly]

Resistance was/is futile.

Although they should never replace map and compass, and aren't as quick for reference like a paper guide, if you own one, smart phones are just too versatile to leave behind.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

"Matthew A. Bongiovanni, 46, of West Kingston, who began a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail on March 21 this year in Georgia."

WB member Army Ant !!

[hikerboy57]

army ant is not exactly thru hiking in "purist"mode. he has spent more nights off trail than on. yes, he is heavily reliant on his cell phone.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Is purist mode required? I thought HYOH was the AT philosophy.....

[hikerboy57]

Is purist mode required? I thought HYOH was the AT philosophy.....

not at all. I saw him last week in ny had lunch with him and the aussies.i hiked with him in ga. he can hike any way he wants, just pointing out that the phone was essential for him to stay on the trail. I don't believe he would have made it this far without it.theyve labeled it gray blazing

[Mags]

re: smart devices too versatile to leave behind

I suspect when I do my next long hike (at least two weeks with a resupply is my own personal definition), I suspect I may take a smart device but leave it off / disconnected except in town. I did take a pocketmail many moons ago writing article for the local paper...would not be functionally that different.

The key is how it is used IMO.

But, there is no real clear cut "correct" answer...nor should there be. On shorter trips, I simply leave it in the car.

Think the best thing to do with interactive electronics is to use them like going to the bathroom: Try to use them in a way that is respectful of your fellow trail users. At least IMO.

re: gray blazing

Explain a bit more?

[Rasty]

For the most part you would never know I have a cell phone on me even if I was hiking with you. I would drop back a few minutes at a promising ridgeline where I think I may have reception. If I do then I try to call my wife daily for a couple of minutes. It's part of being married and I'm grateful she is so cooperative when I go away. At night in my tent I may read for 10 to 20 minutes with the Kindle app on the phone. Do I need this? No. Does it harm anyone's experience? No. I do like to post from my tent sometimes just to make homebound Whiteblazers jealous that they are not hiking. That is priceless!

[hikerboy57]

re: smart devices too versatile to leave behind

I suspect when I do my next long hike (at least two weeks with a resupply is my own personal definition), I suspect I may take a smart device but leave it off / disconnected except in town. I did take a pocketmail many moons ago writing article for the local paper...would not be functionally that different.

The key is how it is used IMO.

But, there is no real clear cut "correct" answer...nor should there be. On shorter trips, I simply leave it in the car.

Think the best thing to do with interactive electronics is to use them like going to the bathroom: Try to use them in a way that is respectful of your fellow trail users. At least IMO.

re: gray blazing

Explain a bit more?

kinda taking advantage of gray areas of thru hiking-they've aqua blazed, yellow blazed,blue blazed and stayed in motels, hostels and private residences more often than they've tented or sheltered.Hey its their hike and theyre having a blast, and they've even joked about it, poking fun at themselves and their lack of "purity". theyre having a great time, and although it may seem like it sometimes, im not being critical.but the phone has been their lifeline to slackpacks motel and hostels, shuttles,etc.without the phone I think they would have come off trail a while ago.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

I didn't know that's what grey blazing was....I honestly figured it was for the over 50 crowd, like me. I understand now what you mean about Matt....I mean Army Ant. Yes, the technology is not necessary, just a tool, but a part of the overall experience. I certainly brought my phone on our hikes (a fat lot of good it did in CT), but other than the requisite daily "check in" it went unused.

A father/daughter team we hiked with for a while in PA used a GPS (or something like it) on a phone, but it kept disagreeing with my guide pages and telling us we were miles from the trail. The paper map was the smartest approach there as it turned out.
.
Anyway, I found the newspaper article interesting as it came from my local paper....ironic since RI is the only NE state without the trail, but then I found it very cool to see someone with whom I am familiar referenced.

[Sly]

re: smart devices too versatile to leave behind

I suspect when I do my next long hike (at least two weeks with a resupply is my own personal definition), I suspect I may take a smart device but leave it off / disconnected except in town. I did take a pocketmail many moons ago writing article for the local paper...would not be functionally that different.

The key is how it is used IMO.

Of course that's your choice of when and how to use it.

Some of the more useful apps would be gps/maps, photos, uploading photos to Facebook/blogs etc., geotagging photos, stargazing, journaling (either written or voice), guidebook apps, animal track identification, flora identification, and of course staying in touch with loved ones. There's even an app to keep mosquitoes at bay.

[hikerboy57]

technology can give us great tools to have both off and on the trail, but dependence on these technologies can lead to problems when those technologies are taken away.after 9/11 cell service as well as cable and satellite tv was knocked out in nyc and its suburbs and if you didn't have a landline phone or tv roof antenna, you really couldn't communicate very well. same after superstorm sandy. in fact people here on wb joked about people standing in line for coffee as they had no electricity to use their keurigs with.i remember after the hurricane when I was paying my landlady the rent although we really couldn't live there yet, still had no utilities, no running water, she said she felt guilty taking the money. I told her im a backpacker , shes entitled to the rent,that the storm wasn't her fault, and im only inconvenienced. she replied oh yeah, that's right you love this stuff. I said"besides ,look up.we can see the stars!!!" (as we are close to the city lights and theres always humidity in the air close to the ocean we don't see very many).she looked up, looked back at me and smiled. I said, not so bad, right?she said no, not at all.nothing wrong with carrying that technology onto the trail, just to be prepared should it fail.

[Kookork]

I didn't know that's what grey blazing was....I honestly figured it was for the over 50 crowd, like me. I understand now what you mean about Matt....I mean Army Ant. Yes, the technology is not necessary just a took, but a part of the overall experience. I certainly brought my phone on our hikes (a fat lot of good it did in CT), but other than the requisite daily "check in" it went unused.

A father/daughter team we hiked with for a while in PA used a GPS (or something like it) on a phone, but it kept disagreeing with my guide pages and telling us we were miles from the trail. The paper map was the smartest approach there as it turned out.
.
Anyway, I found the newspaper article interesting as it came from my local paper....ironic since RI is the only NE state without the trail, but then I found it very cool to see someone with whom I am familiar referenced.

That Grey dear teacher applies to hikers that drink Earl Grey tea while hiking ..

[rickb]

Very well written.

The key is how it is used IMO.

Being totally out of touch is a luxury that is pretty damn hard to come by these days, and will get tougher still.


I say enjoy the chance if you can.

[Pedaling Fool]

Resistance if futile.

We're talking about a subject in constant change. I remember back in 2005 there being big debates on if cell phones even belong on the trail, now it's not an issue. In another 10 years cell phone use on the trail will not be an "issue". And one day technology will make it easier to use electronic maps/direction finders vs. a paper map and a compass. And it'll all be in one device.

These devices will be seen as necessary as a car.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

That Grey dear teacher applies to hikers that drink Earl Grey tea while hiking ..

Then I truly AM a grey blazer! Earl Grey....hot.

[hikerboy57]

Resistance if futile.

We're talking about a subject in constant change. I remember back in 2005 there being big debates on if cell phones even belong on the trail, now it's not an issue. In another 10 years cell phone use on the trail will not be an "issue". And one day technology will make it easier to use electronic maps/direction finders vs. a paper map and a compass. And it'll all be in one device.

These devices will be seen as necessary as a car.

who needs a car on the trail?

[Rasty]

Resistance if futile.

We're talking about a subject in constant change. I remember back in 2005 there being big debates on if cell phones even belong on the trail, now it's not an issue. In another 10 years cell phone use on the trail will not be an "issue". And one day technology will make it easier to use electronic maps/direction finders vs. a paper map and a compass. And it'll all be in one device.

These devices will be seen as necessary as a car.

who needs a car on the trail?

Now we gotta dodge cars on the trail. How am I going to sleep in the middle of the trail?

[rocketsocks]

Now we gotta dodge cars on the trail. How am I going to sleep in the middle of the trail?

Have to start carrying these now

mLShFy5xPHu-0y4r_NUFiSg.jpg

[Rasty]

Now we gotta dodge cars on the trail. How am I going to sleep in the middle of the trail?

Have to start carrying these now

mLShFy5xPHu-0y4r_NUFiSg.jpg

Do they make a UL version?