Electronics

[bronco96#]

Can we talk about electronics on the trail?

I'm sure I'll be seen as an old curmudgeon, and maybe I am, by my God, I can't believe the level of electronics that are on the Trail these days. Is this really acceptable? Today I saw a vlog with someone who had a GPS transmitter strapped to the top of his pack constantly transmitting his coordinates to his family, then, when he stopped for lunch, he pressed a button to let them know he'd be stationary for awhile. When he started up again, he'd press it again to let them know he was walking again.

And this is supposed to be an adventure??

I've been reading "Painted Blazes" by Loner 2012. He writes (pg 59) about Earl Shaffer's notes from his first thru-hike:

"...Long before today's technology of GoPros and YouTube, smartphones and Trail Journals, hikers documented their adventures with paper and pencil, 35 mm cameras (without a screen to preview pics) and film that might not be developed for 6 months to even see if the pictures came out!"

That last part described my hike, which was perfectly adequate. We didn't have cell phones to call ahead for rides. We managed. If someone today came into a shelter with a GoPro, I'd ask them to leave and leave the rest of us alone and unfilmed.

Very sadly, Loner '12, almost 40 years old, does not know what he missed.

I can't see how electronics embellishes anyone's hike. It seems a poor substitute for a wilderness experience. Worse, all these videos seem the same. People are hiking along, holding their camera out to film them, yammering on about nothing interesting except their friends Pappy and Josie and Yosemite Sam, and wasn't that last spring really something. Only three miles to the next shelter, if their feet hold out.

Aren't there those who resent electronics out there, who truly want to get away from the world? Do they not have a say. Loner '12 seemed very shy, but even he was guilty.

I hiked in 1996, and was good friends with Download & Nexmo. Download kept a kind of text journal that he uploaded at trail towns, about the first of its kind, but it was never intrusive on the trail and no hiker ever knew he was he was doing it unless they asked about his name:

http://users.fred.net/kathy//at/oldkushman.html

Why is the outdoor experience being compromised so easily?

David/Bronco
(NJ->MA '94; GA->MA '96)

[TNhiker]

in to say---"hike your own hike".....



and did Loner pass away?

[bronco96#]

"hike your own hike" is invalidated if those around you are filming and phoning and who knows what with their electronics apparatus. Isn't it supposed to be somewhat of a wilderness experience, or just recess during lunchtime away from home?

[bronco96#]

Why would you think Loner '12 passed away? He was only in his late '30s when he hiked....

[TNhiker]

Why would you think Loner '12 passed away? He was only in his late '30s when he hiked....

because of this line---
"Very sadly, Loner '12, almost 40 years old, does not know what he missed."

[TNhiker]

I can't believe this topic hasn't come up on this forum already.

it has...

many times........

probably about once a year or so.....

but, since you are only 10 posts into this board-----guessing you didnt bother to check out the forums to see about
said issue.......


and at the end of the day it always comes back to "hike your own hike"............

[JNI64]

because of this line---
"Very sadly, Loner '12, almost 40 years old, does not know what he missed."

Exactly what I was thinking .

[TNhiker]

Exactly what I was thinking .

when someone writes---"very sadly" followed by "does not know what he missed"---typically means
something happened to the person they are mentioning.....

[bronco96#]

TN - Oh. No. I meant that I don't think Loner '12 knew what his hike could have been like if he'd hiked without electronics, and if he'd been in an electronics-free environment.

[JNI64]

Curmudgeon huh had to look it up. Pronounced cur- mudg- eon, a bad -tempered person, especially an old one . I personally am on the fence on this one. On one hand I can see where electronics can be beneficial on trail as in navigation or recording a trip for the future. But on the other hand like all other electronics it's out of control. Ones wilderness experience should be ones wilderness experience ,(as long as there not recording others without their permission of course). Aka hike your own hike.

[bronco96#]

JN: You don't get it. You cannot have a "wilderness experience" when people are filming and recording all around you.

I can't believe this topic hasn't come up on this forum already. I can't believe the ATC hasn't made some kind of regulations about this already. Do people want to have a wilderness experience or not? If they do, how can phones and video recorders be any part of that? What's next -- catering at shelters? helicoptered in, or packed in by horse or mule? massage tables at the shelters for those who can afford them?

what's the difference?

[Traffic Jam]

JN: You don't get it. You cannot have a "wilderness experience" when people are filming and recording all around you.

I can't believe this topic hasn't come up on this forum already. I can't believe the ATC hasn't made some kind of regulations about this already. Do people want to have a wilderness experience or not? If they do, how can phones and video recorders be any part of that? What's next -- catering at shelters?

Trail cameras at shelters and campsites.

[JNI64]

JN: You don't get it. You cannot have a "wilderness experience" when people are filming and recording all around you.

I can't believe this topic hasn't come up on this forum already. I can't believe the ATC hasn't made some kind of regulations about this already. Do people want to have a wilderness experience or not? If they do, how can phones and video recorders be any part of that? What's next -- catering at shelters? helicoptered in, or packed in by horse or mule? massage tables at the shelters for those who can afford them?

what's the difference?

Actually massage tables at the shelters , great idea. ( just saying)

[HankIV]

You want a regulation? That’s ridiculous.

People are on the trail for all kinds of reasons, they can have whatever “wilderness experience” they want, so long as it doesn’t impinge on yours. Hike faster to get some distance between you, or slower.

You sound like you’d make a great priest...the sort of person most people hike to get away from.

[bronco96#]

Hank - filming and recording around shelters DOES infringe on others wilderness experience.

According to you, others can play the bongo drums and set off fireworks and if I don't like it I'm supposed to just pick up and leave the shelter and hike a little bit faster.

Meanwhile you don't give the slightest bit of consideration to what is being lost, only to what impacts your trail party and selfish needs while you're out there. Anyone else be damned.

Yeah, I've met a few people like you. Always obnoxious.

[JNI64]

Like I said I'm kinda on the fence with this. You say you cannot have a " wilderness experience " when people are filming around you, well everyone knows the AT is a social trail for the most part lots of people lots of vlogging, blogging, YouTube ing . So we know this going out on the AT. And what you can't believe the ATC hasn't made regulations for what? Filming and recording really we do live in America. if someone wants a true "wilderness experience " they don't go to the AT.

[bronco96#]

JN: Yes, sadly, you're right. The AT is no longer a wilderness experience. It's an safe, e-logged, Internet experience, vlogged every step, every mile, let mommy and daddy know where you are every foot of the way, don't dare do anything novel or unexpected, just do the same hike as all the hundred vids you watched before, stay at all the same campsites and buy food at all the same stores and don't deviate in any way whatsoever. Then you will make it in the 4 months, 3 weeks and 4 days you planned. What fun. Play video games on your days off at the hostels, and play them some more when you're done and off the trail. Yippee.

[TNhiker]

JN: Yes, sadly, you're right. The AT is no longer a wilderness experience. It's an safe, e-logged, Internet experience, vlogged every step, every mile, let mommy and daddy know where you are every foot of the way, don't dare do anything novel or unexpected, just do the same hike as all the hundred vids you watched before, stay at all the same campsites and buy food at all the same stores and don't deviate in any way whatsoever. Then you will make it in the 4 months, 3 weeks and 4 days you planned. What fun. Play video games on your days off at the hostels, and play them some more when you're done and off the trail. Yippee.

did someone force you to hike the AT or did you not realize there was other long distance trails in the states?

[bronco96#]

TNhiker wrote:
"did someone force you to hike the AT or did you not realize there was other long distance trails in the states?"

Is the AT now meant to be an amusement park, because that's what you want?

[TNhiker]

TNhiker wrote:
"did someone force you to hike the AT or did you not realize there was other long distance trails in the states?"

Is the AT now meant to be an amusement park, because that's what you want?

did i say that i wanted the AT to become an amusement park?

i was referring to the fact that if you don't like what is going down on the AT----there are plenty of other
long distance trails in the states that have way fewer people hiking them....