Why the sensitivity?

[illabelle]

One of the best comments on the thread!

Anything that anyone, group or individual, does in the public eye, is subject to opinion and criticism. It is also the right of the person or group being criticized to not respond or ignore it.

As well, the opinions and criticisms put out publicly are subject to the same treatment. Put out criticism that is based on poor foundation, or selfish intent, and expect to get hammered for it. Conversely, if opinion or criticism is put forward with the genuine intent to help, or just to understand and learn, it should be encouraged and fostered.

Saying one shouldn't put forth because one does not live in that area, or has not joined that particular club is elitist and snobbish at best. The trail is a national resource, so by virtue of that designation, all citizens "live there". As well, it is not feasible, nor practical to join a volunteer club very far from where one does live. I do agree with joining and supporting the ATC in an attempt to be involved far from home.

Clubs, volunteer or not, are very probably always working with the best intent. Good intentions pave many things, depending on your philosophical point of view. Without input and criticism from those having differing perspectives, how can they be expected to address issues that may not have made it into their view. Far too often, most volunteer groups end up following the direction and vision of a small minority putting in the effort to plan and organize, and while no fault lies with those few for it, that means that perspective and import of issues is limited.

That said, opinion and criticism should be well thought out and supported with more than "this thing sucks", or "why should I have to..." They should also be polite, without emotion or venom of any sort. They need not always include alternative solutions, as seeing an issue and knowing how to fix it are not mutually inclusive, but should never come across as negative, accusatory, or attacking.

Instead of being negative to someone voicing concern, criticism, or disagreement, help or encourage them to formulate the ideas into something usable, and to get that to the person or group in question. Why not take a viewpoint and turn it into a potential opportunity for growth and positive change?

[illabelle]

Second best

Agree, that flat head Rambler 6-cylinder was one of the best cars ever made.

[Last Call]

You can't critize AMC.

Don't forget about the Gremlin...wish I still had one!

[4eyedbuzzard]

Don't forget about the Gremlin...wish I still had one!

Gremlins are great - unless you get them wet.

[russb]

Gremlins are great - unless you get them wet.

That just makes more of them. Feed 'em after midnight and you are in real trouble.

[Another Kevin]

We got a good country.

Having said that why are there no privies along the http://tehcc.org/ section (which I like), but there are shelters, not only shelters, but many of them are the ugly concrete block shelters.

Go ahead pile on me -- I dare you, I can take it

I don't know about where you hike, but there are no privies in Harriman because it's so heavily used by New York suburbanites who are even more clueless than I am! When it had privies, they'd be filled with garbage in a matter of days because people would just put everything down them: campfire ashes, tin cans, cardboard boxes, plastic containers, discarded gear, you name it. And the poop would just get spread all over by critters who went down them in search of the uneaten food that people also dumped in.

Eventually the parks department and the trail conference decided that enough was enough, and filled in the privies. So if you're at Fingerboard, the best course of action is probably just hold it for a mile and a half until you get to the bathhouse at Tiorati.

[atmilkman]

Agree, that flat head Rambler 6-cylinder was one of the best cars ever made.

My 3 on the column was a beast. Could not kill it.

[Cookerhiker]

When Earl hiked from end to end as one of the few to complete it - it was called the Government Trail. just saying.

the trail clubs built the trail, not the government.

Even though the government didn't build the trail, it was referred to as the "Government Trail" in the South. I suppose the locals couldn't fathom why anyone would build a hiking trail.

If it was to be built by the "government", billions would have been spent by now and it still would not be completed over 80 years later!
I am truly grateful for the trail club volunteers building and maintaining the AT!

Really? You sure about that? Ever read much about how the AT and other trails came to be?



Someone has to get into trouble, and I'm usually pretty good at it

The AT would not be possible without hikers, maintainers, hiking clubs, the ATC, and local, state and federal government all working together.

But, for all you government haters, read this carefully: The AT simply would not exist without "the government."

Most of the early "founders" of the AT were either federal or state government employees or had close ties and worked with federal and state government agencies, and even the concept itself is tied to regional planning at the national level.
Read up a little ( http://www.appalachiantrail.org/docs...CFD2F2022D.pdf ) especially on:
Benton MacKaye (USFS, US Dept of Labor)
Arthur Perkins (CT Judge)
Myron Avery (Federal Admiralty Lawyer)
Major William Welch (Chief Engineer & General Manager Palisades Interstate Park Commission, and one of the major early players in founding our National Park System)
National Trails System Act (1968) and Amendments (1978)

A lot of people come here from foreign countries to hike the AT and other trails. Ever wonder why? Because trail systems such as ours simply don't exist in most other places. The AT(and other trails) is one of the things government, in cooperation with ATC, NPS, USFS and local clubs did well.

Everything that Buzzard said is correct, but he didn't cover it all. For a trail to exist, it doesn't matter how many dedicated volunteers you have, nor how sophisticated their equipment is. The necessary pre-condition for all of this is having the available land in the first place. Absent any "government" involvement in the form of National Forests specifically, as well as National Parks and State Parks, our "trail" would be mostly roadwalks.

This is why we not only owe a debt to Myron Avery, Arthur Perkins, MacKaye, et. al. for their involvement in planning and building the AT, we owe even more to Theodore Roosevelt and his legacy of conservation. In TR's administration alone, over 230 million acres of public lands were protected. While most of these lands were in the West (PCT, CDT anyone?), the subsequent passage of the Weeks Act authorized National Forests in the East, hence Green Mountain, White Mountain, Pisgah, Nantahala, etc.

This is also why those who think that trails would be better off without the big, bad government are wrong-headed.

[Slo-go'en]

Even though the government didn't build the trail, it was referred to as the "Government Trail" in the South. I suppose the locals couldn't fathom why anyone would build a hiking trail.

I imagine that was because much of the trail and many shelters were built by the CCC during the great depression. This was one of the many "make work" inferstructure projects the goverment funded to put people to work. Too bad that concept doesn't work today.

And then more recently, the feds used eminate domain to take over private land, much of it in NC, to create the current trail corridor. This created a lot of hostility towards hikers for a while, thankfully most of which has subsided now.

[bamboo bob]

the trail clubs built the trail, not the government.

Amen to that.

[bamboo bob]

You can't critize AMC.

You're baiting.