Please tell me you’re not serious, Wheelman!
If you’re serious, I don’t think you’ll get ANY support for changing the trail. But, if you’re looking for support concerning your hiking the trail, without changing it, you’ll get LOTS of support. There are genuine, caring people who would love to help you in a very difficult journey.
Fre0n
Wow. I read this one several times and came back to the page several times before I could even think of a place to start. First off wheelman; I can’t imagine how its got to feel to be in your situation. I’ve loved the outdoors since I was young; and I would guess growing up on a farm; you probably were brought up with as much as if not even more of a love for the outdoors as I was.
I can understand the power of a dream, the wish to be able to complete something; so massive of an undertaking; as its one I share as well.
The sad fact of the matter is everything can’t be made available to everyone. Not everyone can be a pro football player; or have the lucury to step out on the grass at yankee stadium just once in their life; or even dunk a basketball in a street pickup game. America is about choices and taxes. We try to make the best choices while imposing the lowest taxes we can. And the sad truth is that our nations wilderness already get so little of the finances they need to stay running already that such an undertaking would be overwhelming. But lets set that aside for a moment.
We’d have to choose between money for schools; and money for aids research; and money for research on spinal cord injuries; and money on the arts; and money on our roads; and national defense, and on and on and on. Sure; I know there are things we could cut out there. I’d love to see them cut politicians salaries and put the money toward your dream. Maybe not buy so many aircraft carriers if we could achieve peace and put that towards that dream. And lets say we could. lets say we have the money. and we now are gearing to break ground.
Springer won’t be the same. I’ve climbed it. I would love to show you my photo’s some time. tell you how it got dark; and it started to rain and sleet; and I didn;t know where i was ; so I wrapped up in my sleeping bag and ground cloth because it was too steep to build a tent and slept under a rock outcropping that 1st night I was out. Most people I met the 1st few days who went on to become thru-hikers have told me “man you are crazy. I would have quit that very night” Yet they didn’t. I did later on; things change.
Its supposed to be hard. That rock outcropping wouldn’t be there anymore or the trail wouldnt pass right next to it if they redid the AT with those funds. This past spring I walked my friends back to that rock when we were at springer again. They looked at me again and said Big Boy; your crazy. Yet they were the thru-hikers; I wasn’t.
The hike is more than about steps on a trail. its about finding that cut off tree that they removed from blocking the trail thats exactly the right height to sit on and lean back. and an hour later be woken up by some people walking by. And I wish you could experience this. I wish everyone in the world could. I wish everyone in the world had to. It would change the world.
Instead of investing millions and billions changing the AT to make it accessible to you; maybe the key is to make yourself accessible to the AT. This may sound unPC or unhandicap friendly but think about it. We need smart; motivated people to pursue their dreams; to find what is lacking in the world, and fix it or right it. They are close in biochemistry and medicine to finding a way to regenerate nerve cells and bypass injuries. Study. Learn. Solve problems. Maybe a design by you to use pneumatics on either side of the leg to assist in walking will help you; with your hiking poles and pack and your own body; hike that trail. It may not be today; but imagine the pride u will feel if you can even accomplish parts. And imagine the others you will help along the way.
Your dream is attainable; and I hope soon; I hope within this lifetime. I’m never gonna dunk on someone; but oh well. I’ll just outhike them. And one of these days I hope to see your name in a journal.
this last part is to everyone that took the time to read this and not think that there might not be 1 person out there; or more; who might truly be thinking what wheelman voiced; be it whether it was as a reality or as a spoof. (I happen to believe reality; but thats me) every one of your hikes or planned hikes has started as a dream. America used to be a “land of hope and dreams” to quote bruce springsteen. perhaps we need to become a better nation again by encouraging people to have dreams; to try to better themselves; mankind; and reach for the stars.
Big Boy
good job BB…wheelman…i would bet that the march 1st gang would be of a spirit to help you get to springer and to stover creek shelter and back, with pack…it’ll be cold, and you’d be heavy, and we’d be back tracking some, and you’d have some fun with the crowd, and cook on a pepsi can stove and have some outdoors and some AT…i would bet money i could convince them and you if yer willing to test the waters of community and trail, to make an effort to do springer to stover with us. it would be a trip, but we would help!
yes i am speaking for them…they may not like it. their goal and mine would be enriched by that days efforts, and you could place yer foot in the annals of the AT. step up to the challendge. burnpage98@aol.com
Burn
I have not read through the entire FSTAG (Forest Service Trail Accessibility Guidelines), but it appears that the Federal Government is giving some thought in this area.
I do know that when my sciatica and arthritis make it impossible for me to continue my sections, that I shall stop backpacking.
I maintain a short, but, by Jersey standards, challenging, piece of trail. One day a 12-year old came by on a bicycle. He complained that the trail was not a nice trail. I’m sorry. This is not a biking trail, this is a hiking trail. Bicycles are prohibited on this trail. (State Park rules.) The kid picked up his bike, and carried it up the next rock ridge.
Harry Dolphin
http://www.appalachiantrail.org/protect/issues/access.html
Oops, the url didn’t print in the message. Here is one discussion with links.
Harry Dolphin
What if it really is a spoof, and Wheelman decides to take Burn up on the offer? Imagine him renting a wheelchair, showing up on March 1st and just playing the total jerk all the way up Springer Mt. “Here, boy! Grab that wheel and push. Put your back into it, ya wuss! Someone toss me another beer from my pack!” Of course, if Burn figured it out, it would be a quick trip down the mountain for Wheelman. :lol
Ardsgaine
Wheelman and others - There is a quadraplegic professor at Wright State University in Ohio who is in the stages of planning to “take as much as he can” of the great Appalachian Trail in '05. He had a surfing accident when he was in college and is paralized from the mid-chest down. At first he said he wanted to “thru-hike” the AT, but in our research of the accessable portions, realized there are some sections he will not be able to traverse in his motorized wheelchair without a lot of assistance. He is okay with this, as he does not want to completely depend on someone “lifting and carrying him up and thru every piece of it”. He DOESN’T want to change any of it for his benefit; he is not asking that it be made easier for him. He considers it a CHALLENGE to “hike” it the way it is and whatever he can do he will. He DOES want EQUAL ACCESS which the ADA allows. The ADA statute requires “reasonable accomodations” for the disabled. Paving or modifying the AT would not likely not be in the reasonable accommodation catagory - the AT is a “foot path”. I have contacted the AT conference and have been assured there are no barriers to a wheelchair bound individual hiking ANY portions of the AT. I could go on and on as to what we are doing to help this man realize his dream - and I’m sure there are others like Wheelman that have this dream - but if anyone is interested in finding out what we are doing and/or would like to contact this man, e-mail me. Peep
Peep
If Wheelman can’t hike the AT, what right do any of us have to be on the AT. If life just isn’t fair, we need to make it fair. My 90 year old grandmother can’t hike the AT either. What can we do for her? We must be all inclusive. If everyone can’t hike the AT, then no one should. My eyes are now open. Thank you Wheelman.
Jean
What exactly does equal access mean in this context? Obviously, the trail, as it is, cannot be equally accessible to someone in a wheelchair. No barriers? What about blowdowns?
Ardsgaine
Wheelman, maybe you should check out the Pacific Crest Trail. The PCT seems to have a lot more areas that might be more accessable. It may not be the AT but it is a very beautiful trail.
Waterboy 99
Peep------“motorized wheelchair”???
I think that if you check it out the AT allows no motorized vechicle (ATV’s, cars, trucks, motorbikes and of course this would also include “motorized wheelchair”. I know these are definitely not allowed in the many Wilderness areas, which the AT goes thru.
Does a person 100 pounds overweight and thereby classified as disabled get to park their fat butt on an ATV and ride the AT on their ATV? No, No, No…
“Motorized wheelchairs” are not allowed in many national foot races including the awesome 26 milers, but self propelled wheelchairs are. So if any “can’t walk” disabled person wants to “hike” the AT, I say bring it on in your self propelled wheelchairs, modified mountain bikes or whatever. But if you are going to use a motor or battery power to hike the AT and not sweat and propel yourself physically down the trail, they stay the h*** off the AT.
Please get the message, no motors, no battery driven, etc. Self Propelled…only. You must sweat.
And oh yes, Peep and Bushwhack, please keep up the great work. I appreciate you guys.
See you out there. :cheers
Maintain
“When mountain climbing is made too easy, the . . . effect the mountain exercises vanishes into the air.”
D.T. Suzuki, Roshi
The Training of the Zen Monk
We all need to pick those activities or places that challenge us to strive, and that give us a sense of accomplishment when completed. I would be heart-broken if the challenge of the JMT, which I will be doing in August, were removed for me. Still, I know that other trails or mountains, such as summiting Denali, will remain out of my grasp. That’s just the way it is. Sorry, Wheelman.
Rev. Jakuho
Well, maybe we could pave paradise and put up a … a … oh, I don’t know … what’s the word I’m looking for here?
pigpen
Can you use route 95? Or maby go after bigger things like Mt Everest first. This was a great subject
used to be yang
Has anyone ever seen those devices with rollers on them that people strap to dogs when their bag legs quit working? It allows them to use their front legs to pull while the back end is on rollers. Wheelman, why not invent some type of device you lay on that allows you to pull (hike) with your arms. Now that would be a feat to go down in the history book. I would even consider going with you to help you over the boulders.
scratch
I know this was an AT question, but some people suggested that a wheelchair would work on the PCT. Just to clear any question, NOTHING with wheels is allowed on the PCT.
At one of the few shelters along the PCT, there was a crew building a new privy in July 2003. I spent some time talking to the volunteer workers. Because of a law requiring that all new structures be wheelchair accessible, this privy they were building will be just that: wheelchair accessible. This is a Sierra Club hut, which is mostly used for skiers. The old privy had a ladder up to where the seat is. Why was it so tall? Because the snow gets so deep there in the winter that the privy has to be about 2 stories tall so it can be used.
They built a new wheelchair-accessible privy up in the mountains where nobody could go in a wheelchair. It would be impossible to go there in a wheelchair. But, because of the law, extra money and time had to be spent to accommodate wheelchairs.
I understand that these laws exist to protect people who are confined to wheelchairs. But, this one instance shows that sometimes it can be crazy.
Just my two cents.
yogi
yogi
“If you can’t change the world, change yourself. If you can’t change yourself, let it be”
Something like that anyway.
Dr. Spok
i feel for you wheelman, but you don’t want sympathy,you want to hike the trail, and you will, maybe not this year, maybe not next year, but you will, if you want it bad enough then it will happen, damn, maybe you could do an all winter thru hike, and do it on skis, that would be sweet, and sounds possible, hey anything is possible these days, good luck
clong:boy
clong
The PCT IS open to wheelchairs, including moterized wheelchairs according to the US Dept of Ag.
Waterboy 99
Another alternative is the American Discovery Trail. I haven’t hiked it but in parts it’s likely to be wheel chair accessible. Can be traversed on foot, horse or bicycle over most of its length, and goes coast to coast.
sky rider