High Sierra Topix

Am a bit surpirise by the venom toward folks who choose to use an mp3 player. I don't, but lighten up! Who is anyone here to dictate what is the appropriate level of interface for an "authentic" wilderness experience, good grief, the wilderness experience political correctness league is now in session . If it bothers ya, well, it isn't your choice so smile and keep moving. Kind of Golden Rule thing....

mokelumnekid wrote:Am a bit surpirise by the venom toward folks who choose to use an mp3 player. I don't, but lighten up! Who is anyone here to dictate what is the appropriate level of interface for an "authentic" wilderness experience, good grief, the wilderness experience political correctness league is now in session . If it bothers ya, well, it isn't your choice so smile and keep moving. Kind of Golden Rule thing....

Who here is spewing venom? I certainly am not. I merely stated leave the electronics at home. The wilderness experience comment was simply my opinion. I didn't "dictate" to anyone. What? am I not entitled to an opinion? You seem to be the one standing on your high rock dictating to me what I can say and not say.

dave54 wrote:The solar chargers do not work, which is why you rarely see them on the trail (no one brings it along twice, after experiencing its uselessness the first trip).

My Brunton 9 watt works.

however, expensive, bulky, and can't be used when hiking southbound. Must stop, lay out in the sun, waste time. I used it last year to keep my HD camera charged, but it was clearly a hassle and I am not bringing it again. The weight of a few more Lithium batteries versus the solar charger is a better deal.

I hike with GPS, mostly to keep the kids motivated with the logging of progress, much less as a navigation device, since I've done the trails we hike many times before and could do them without a map in a blizzard.

I hike with a SPOT, because it's a cheaper and lighter alternative to a sat phone to keep in touch with home for everyone to know we are alive and happy. Could not go without it - mom would not let me take the kids out there without emergency communication. It is 2009, and all the electronics are here to stay. I don't bring an mp3 player, but that doesn't mean they are the worst thing to happen - I've seen worse, like here on Mist Trail in 1989:



compared to that, I can't really see how bad an mp3 player is, when you're stuck in a rain storm and have nothing to do for a day.

fishmonger wrote:I don't bring an mp3 player, but that doesn't mean they are the worst thing to happen - I've seen worse, like here on Mist Trail in 1989:



compared to that, I can't really see how bad an mp3 player is, when you're stuck in a rain storm and have nothing to do for a day.

Wow. Funniest post of the week. Good stuff!

Eric,

Do you regularly wear that on the trail?

mokelumnekid wrote:Am a bit surpirise by the venom toward folks who choose to use an mp3 player. .

I'm glad you posted that, since I must confess I'm one of those rubes who brings my iPod. Absolutely essential for dull, unpleasant stretches of trail on solo backpacks. Like the JMT switchbacks up the dry hill north of the Florence Lake junction -- don't think I'd have gotten up there without it. Or the descent down endless ankle-breaking, knee-wrenching steps and loose gravel on the Pine Creek trail. (Probably should start a different thread for most unpleasant stretch of trail candidates!)

Ironically, I am otherwise the lowest tech of all hikers -- no GPS, no compass, no stove (and no beef). I think that improves my carbon footprint profile a bit.

There is no such thing as a too-boring trail. Even dull desert washes that are nothing but brown gravel and brown rocks and brown brittlebrush and dull-green creosote brush are interesting enough to keep my attention. Hmm, is that a burro trail or an old mining trail? And then there are the sounds of nature. Wind, the rattle and crunch of gravel as your feet walk over it, the rustle of branches...

I looked at the weight of those solar widgets vs. the weight of carrying some spare AA batteries for my GPS and some spare AAA batteries for my headlamp (the only two electric-powered thingies I carry other than the squeeze flashlight for emergency use). The batteries come out cheaper by far, especially since I only operate the GPS maybe once every hour or so just to validate that I am where I think I am based on my map and compass and thus can generally get by with only one spare pair of batteries for the GPS. For entertainment in-camp I carry a paperback book or two, which is heavier than an ipod maybe but doesn't need any electricity.

rlown wrote:Eric,

Do you regularly wear that on the trail?

You know you want one just like it, Russ.

I actually carry two shirts. one light colored for hot or reflective days, and a dark shirt for colder days where the sun might heat up the shirt. I know, not really reducing the "carbon footprint", as mine is pretty big anyway, but, Eric, the black shirt for cold days looks pretty good, regardless of what might be printed on it.

I still do not like my friends carrying iPods.. It's the shouting at them to get their attention that bugs me.. and their singing along with whatever they're listening to. They cant sing.

and e_l, i agree, lighter to carry the bats then the solar array.

Russ