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[pct-l] A little LNT for everybody

Hello Dave (and All) -

I feel that anyone who ever uses a trail winds up owing something back to
that trail (there ain't no such thing as a free lunch!).  This is
especially true for a trail that holds enough national importance to be
called both a "Great Trail" and a "National Scenic Trail"...our PCT.

I feel that the national "Leave No Trace" program can be put to good use
helping to reduce the impacts that are occurring (even as we speak) on our
PCT.  One way that I can "pay back" the PCT (for providing me with
absolutely the best hike of my life!) is to offer to help spread the LNT
message among those of us who love and use the PCT.  That means everybody.

I also feel an obligation to this list.  I have enjoyed the various issues
debated in many of the threads, I learn something new almost every time I
download, and listening to the nitty-gritty trail chatter brings back a LOT
of good trail memories for me <g>.  One way that I can "pay back" the list
is to make an extra effort to make sure that my LNT postings are accessible
by all.  I am more than willing to take special pains to encourage feedback
that could help me make the LNT series more user-friendly to all on PCT-L.
That means everybody.

Which brings me to you, Dave.

You are important to the PCT...your past postings have shown an ongoing
interest in your being a "PCT user" and you recently stated that you ARE an
active supporter of the trail.  Since you are one of the many important
members of the PCT community, I am quite interested in having you take a
look at the LNT program AND in your letting me know what you think of it
(what is good about it, what is wrong, how it could be made clearer, etc.).
I am very interested in your having the opportunity to both understand LNT
and to provide your feedback to help us make it more understandable to
other folks who are important to the PCT.

You are important to PCT-L.  You have been a contributor in the past and
have joined in some important discussion about issues that do/will mean
something to the PCT (fires, etc.).  Part of the "pay back" that all of us
on this list "owe" is to take the trouble to make sure that everybody is
included in the discussions.

The above two paragraphs aren't just some sort of vague idealism on my
part...I feel that it is vitally important that ALL members of the
PCT/PCT-L community be included in the search for solutions to the tough
trail problems.  We can afford a lot of "pro vs. con" while we hammer out
the practical solutions, but we ain't got the time or the energy to be
building a lot of "us vs. them" now...and then doing a lot of in-fighting
in the future!

Dave, I feel trapped in this side-discussion with you.

On the one hand, I do believe that it is in our best interest to have ALL
members of the PCT/PCT-L community involved in anything so important as a
debate on LNT.  This, of course, includes you and your opinions.

On the other hand, I am running out of ideas on how to move our
side-discussion forward.  There appears to be a HUGE disconnect between
what I am saying and what you are hearing.  I honestly can't tell if you
are pulling my leg, are confused by my writing style, are being
deliberately obstructionist, or what.

This is my last shot <g>.

We can later discuss such things as climate (rain, etc.) and managing
agency improvements (bear boxes, etc.) if you want.  For the moment, I am
interested in staying focused on the LNT postings that I have made to the
list.

Let's start all over <g>.  Please go back and read "LNT 7" again.

The "LNT 7" message was about the "Pack It In, Pack It Out" LNT principle.
The entire message is based on the idea that we each should try hard to
take back out anything that we each brought with us into the backcountry.
The next three messages ("LNT 8 - 10") are centered around a discussion on
how to minimize our impacts if we choose to dispose of some of the items we
brought in without first taking them back out of the backcountry.

I am interested in your input...let me know what you think!

Trace No Leaves,

- Charlie II



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