Originally Posted by
mattie
I'm interested in the way that the space of the trail is concieved.
Have you read any of the trail Journals kept by women? Most of the ones I've meet seem to like hiking and get along with men just fine.
In the US the outdoors is largely concieved as a male dominated space where women are either discouraged from participating in activities or seen as being out of place. i've found that conception to be true outside the hiking community, but within it i have not experienced as much of the, 'oh you shouldn't do that' that i encounter in my discussions with people who don't participate in many outdoor activities.
What do you mean "outdoors" ?
Who discourages them?
I'll grant you that most outdoor sports are "marketed" to men but there are quite a few women that enjoy the outdoor sports they are attracted to and marketing does include women more all the time.
I'm curious how other hikers feel about the trail as a space and how it is experienced by both men and women and to see what differences exist in that experience. Fiddlehead thinks i'm going to need a lot of luck if I'm going to be able to meet hikers. i want to meet and talk to hikers of both sexes.
Go and hike.
I'm interested in the negoation of the trail as a space and how it is experienced. My research is a mix of cultural geography and anthropology. This statement is only a partial explanation of what I am interested in doing.
Get out and hike with the 2008 crop. You'll see first hand.
If anyone would like to further discuss the aims of my research I'd be happy to do that, since its hard to say it all in one sentence.
I am hoping to be able to continue my hike bast 45 days, it is dependent on some different factors, if I get lucky I can continue until August which will greatly increase the ground I can cover. I'm home sick for the mountains, and the trail.
Thank you for your suggestions.
best,
mattie