[pct-l] Trail Journals, books & DVDs...

[Greg Hardwick]

I would think if you don't like it , don't read it.  Everyone has something 
different that they take from an experience.  I would hate to eat McDonald 
hamburgers all my life.  Variety is fine. If I don't like it , I don't eat 
it.  I don't think people are made to read the journals.  Am I missing 
something?


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeffrey Olson" <jolson at olc.edu>
Cc: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2008 11:16 AM
Subject: [pct-l] Trail Journals, books & DVDs...


> All good points.  I would never have even thought of sharing the journal
> I kept in 1994 on a six week section hike I took a week after my fiancee
> and I split apart.  At the same time, sharing a bit of "angst" generated
> by being on the trail for any length of time can sometimes not only be
> appropriate, but educational and thought-provoking.
>
> I'm reminded of one of the videos made about a thruhike where there is
> two hours of pictures and fun and other people's thoughts and stories.
> For about 30 seconds there is a night shot of the author in his tent
> questioning his motivation to continue hiking.  That one scene added
> depth to an otherwise pretty travelogue type movie - and I did really
> enjoy the travelogue...  But what I remember is the scene in which he
> expresses his angst.
>
> When the journal is grown into a book, then I think it is incumbent up
> on the author to have a thread of tension of some sort coursing through
> the narrative.  There are major changes occurring, and what keeps me
> coming back to the novel/chronicle, is how the author unfolds the
> process of changing, which is "always" painful in some degree.
>
> Perhaps the most powerful image from the DVDs about thruhikes I've
> watched comes from Squatch's first - at the very end of the DVD Yogi is
> standing at the border and makes an incredibly powerful statement.  Age
> keeps me from being able to remember exactly what she said, but the
> image of her saying it is powerful...
>
> Jeff, just Jeff...
>
> Alison Rose wrote:
>> Dear Dr. Bob ~
>>
>> A very good point indeed and I, for one, certainly thank you for
>> making it.
>> A whiney, long-winded, self indulgent journal should be kept private. 
>> That
>> being said, the well intentioned advice is offered to those who
>> specificially
>> wish to post a public journal for the world to see.  As most will notice,
>> those journals will be read by somewhere between 20,000 and 150,000
>> people.
>> Many read these journals in preperation for their own hike, so
>> providing some
>> of the recommended information is a tremendous gift to them.  Thus, if
>> you want your journal to be interesting and relevent, kindly follow the
>> recommendations.  If not, as in Dr. Bob's example, keep them private.
>> And I,
>> for one, will thank you.  Thank you, thank you very much.
>>
>>
>> One thing I like about trail journals is their wide diversity, reflecting
>> the individual.  The fact that all journals do not follow the same terse
>> guidelines helps one with insights into differing personalities and the
>> trail day as experienced in differing ways by different people... the
>> essence of HYOH.  Besides, for whom is a trail journal written?  Is it to
>> entertain or educate others and written with an eye to avoiding critical
>> comment?  (Gee, should I write this...?  I may be viewed as
>> "whining.")  If
>> so, some might suggest it may be flawed from the outset. I use a MP3
>> player
>> to talk into as I hike. It's in my front pocket and several times a mile 
>> I
>> grab it to record thoughts, sightings, people's names, as well as host of
>> comments on my physical state of being that I want to remember as part
>> of my
>> trail experience.  Example: Whew, did I just have projectile diarrhea!
>> (No,
>> not this posting, folks).  Sometimes I ramble on (just like this post,
>> folks). I am guilty of writing more a trail diary than a log or
>> journal.  It
>> is precisely because of comments like the well-intentioned guidelines
>> suggested below that I have never publicly posted my four trail
>> "journals."
>> While I sure enjoy reading other accounts occasionally, mine proudly
>> include
>> whining and stay deliciously private.  :)
>>
>> Dr Bob
>>
>
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