[pct-l] Marathons in the Wilderness

[reynolds@iLAN.com (Reynolds, WT)]

re: "I'm just guessing, but I bet it' just might have 
to do with group limits and appeasing selfish jerks like me who want quotas 
in wilderness areas to keep them feeling like wilderness instead of city 
parks". 

Yep, you're right. You want to define the wilderness in your own terms and
keep everybody else out. I understand perfectly. I totally agree.

Unfortunately, I just feel your approach is short sighted. Why do you think
our old-growth forests are being clearcut, vallys flooded for reservoirs
etc, etc, etc. It's very simple "Money talks and bullshit walks." We simply
don't have enough people to defend the wilderness as you and I wish.
Backpackers are cheap and there ain't many of them. The average runner
spends more in a year on shoes than the average backpacker's entire pack is
worth.

My idea of wilderness is simple and just like yours. The entire Sierra
should be set aside for JUST ME. Unfortunately I don't have the money to buy
it right now so I guess that you and I and others like us need to get
together and get the Feds to keep it set aside for US. In effect we are
buying it with our influence and our votes. However, the more narrow you
define US the less influence and votes we have. 

Comparing runners with dirt bikes, snow mobiles and loggers is silly.
Runners, as a group, are a good, low impact, addition to US. I also like
skiers and all those car camper gawkers who crowd Yosemite Valley every
year. The 200 yard hike to the Bridalveil Falls base is their idea of a
"wilderness experience." God bless em. We need em. There ain't enough of US

Tom

-----Original Message-----
From: CMountainDave@aol.com [mailto:CMountainDave@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, October 31, 2001 7:15 PM
To: reynolds@ilan.com; CMountainDave@aol.com; ronm@fallingwater.com;
buzz@dimensional.com; pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Marathons in the Wilderness



In a message dated 10/30/01 4:20:53 PM, reynolds@ilan.com writes:

<< I for one welcome Marathons in the wilderness or any other use which does

not distroy the environment.  >>

Tom, I promised not to philosophise about why we have wilderness and I
intend 
to keep it. Instead, I'll refer you to the USFS, NPS, and PCTA. Perhaps
these 
stewards of the land can explain to you why running organized marathons in 
wilderness areas ain't cool and are banned on trails like the JMT and places

like Olympic National Park. And while your at it why don't you ask them why
we have wilderness 
areas at all instead of a bunch of national recreation areas where harmless 
things like snowmobiles and dirt bikes ( they don't REALLY affect the 
ecosystem, just cause so called unsightly ruts) are allowed. And while your 
at it ask them why we can't have a little selective logging to clear out the

dead fall and help pay for the upkeep to save us some of those tax dollars 
libertarians so abhor. Might as well ask them to throw in a few lodges with 
TV's and restaurants to keep the masses from getting bored on rainy days. 
They ain't gonna affect the ecosystem, either.
Ron Yup no doubt about it, Brian saw way more than I did during his hike.
But 
I believe he said at times he felt like he was on a bus tour with no time to

really get to know the places he was passing through. But I guess it's all 
relative. People who toured a bunch of National Parks by car saw more than
me 
too. Guess I lose on that score. Oh well