Is it sacreligious?

“Radios while backpacking.

(I know nigal brings one)

What about boom boxes at the trailhead? Do you think this interferes with the whole 'wilderness experience?'

I was raised to NEVER NEVER bring a radio into the outdoors. And if you're at a campsite, like at a trailhead, you should never blast your radio so that others can hear.

hmmmm”

“I like NPR but I always forget to bring it!

8)

I say its ok if it does not bother anyone!”

“i have a couple of times. but prefer not.”

“Cool radio experiences...

...I was camped along Lake Superior, flipping through the AM. This was the year the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup. Anyway, I happened upon the seventh game of the cup finals that went into overtime. During the action, I heard the name Blake Sloan called by the announcer. I used to be friends with the guy in college and lost track of him - didn't know he made the NHL. Well, anyway, the Stars scored in overtime. My friend won the Stanley Cup that night. And I fell asleep to the crashing Superior waves.

...woke up one morning at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park on top of Superior. Caught the drive time show from back in Detroit and just laughed - must've been 1000 miles away.

...I have a miniature shortwave receiver. Something about listening to the BBC and Radio Deutchewelle that makes it okay to listen in the woods. "This is London..."

Yeah, bring the radio. And the reception is great.

rl”

“You were friends with Blake Sloan?

No way!!!!!

That was a good game!

8)”

“Correction: That was a GREAT game! One of the best. Can't beat Yzerman raising the cup the first time, though. We're on a collision course with the Blackhawks.”

“Bring it!!!!!!!

8)”

“a satellite dish also makes a nice rain hat.”

“LMFAO!!!!!

8)”

“If weight isn't as much of an issue, I'll bring along my weather radio. That "Sven" like voice can keep you company when alone on the trail!”

“heh

I'm not convinced to go over to the dark side yet!”

“Don't be scared just cross over!

8)”

“we cannot agree on guns, dogs, hiking partners, food, clothing, shelter, backpacks, walking sticks, boots, or anything else. Why would there be a consensus on this?”

“I don't know”

“Ok. I thought of another question. If they made a 3 oz laptop computer, would you bring it so you could log into TT invitro?

he he he”

“I bring my minidisc player and several minidiscs...I love music to much to leave it at home...and it is so light that weight isn't much of an issue......”

“3oz??????

When does this get made????

2099 or something like that?

8)”

“I brought a radio once to listen to a Football game once. My team lost. I almost wish I'd have left it at home. LOL!”

“Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

I don't feel strongly at all about this.

If you can't bring earplug-type things, you should be hung. And not by anything relatively non-painful. You should die a slow, and very painful death.

I thought that part of the attraction of backacking was ESCAPING all this crap, and you expect me to LISTEN to it? I think not.”

“No to radios that don't have earphones.”

“I guess I'm hung, then. Yep! Me and Clarence Thomas... technologically.

What I find hysterical is that there are SOME people who will give you a bunch of crap for refusing to have an opinion on their pet issue(s).”

“If you don't bother me, I don't care if you bring a radio into the woods. I don't understand it, but it doesn't bu me. But if I hear you're radio I'm bothered by it.

I have a friend who was backpacking in the middle of nowhere in Utah and was listening to a Jazz game when they went to the NBA finals for the first time. When they won on a last second shot, he could hear cheering coming from a distance from the woods all around. He wasn't the only person in that valley and he wasn't the only person listening to a radio either.”

“...and I don't want to hear your guitar, harmonica or Metallica CDs either. (I've heard all in the backcountry).”

“Does this mean you will be upset when I use my cellphone to check my email with my Pocket PC?”

“Spam can play a mean harmonica! I don't mind that at all.”

“BUT... when it affects OTHERS, then one must consider that THEIR opinions may impact not just others who share their own interests, but that by expressing their "freedom" they are thrusting their interests upon others.

eg., if we're both in a designated wilderness area, and you're blasting your radio, & I don't want to hear it, then I shouldn't have to. Pretty simple.”

“Not if you let me check my e-mail too, gordon. Sometimes I need to feed my (healthy) addiction.”

“I have a little FM radio that doesn't weigh more than a few ounces. You can only use it with earplugs or headphones. I don't bring it everytime, but it can be nice to have. Assuming I can get it to pick up anything.”

“The same philosophy then also applies to singing or conversations.

And if I don't want any audio distractions then I should not have to suffer any visual or aromatic distractions either.

So pay attention to hygiene and to your choice of gear colors. I should not have to see a bunch of neon-clad backpackers on the next mountain if I do not want to.”

“So, Gordon, are you saying you like hearing a boom-box blasting whenever you arrive at a trailhead?”

“Gordon, your last observation is actually policy at some places. I know I once read in one of its pamphlets that Isle Royale N.P. policy strongly encourages low visability tents and gear to reduce visual impact.”

“It is sacreligious to overhydrate.”

“A fat stogey. A warm pint. A good fire. And some soft jazz. What could be better?


As long as I'm the only one who hears it there is no problem.”

“One of the guys on our last trip had a tiny FM radio to listen to NPR with the earphones. There's a translator for Yellowstone at Mammoth. We didn't bring the whiskey in because of weight, but Dan sneaked in a flask of Irish Creme. After we polished that off in our hot chocolate, I was ready to ski out and grab the other flask!!!”

“wanderer:

Are you saying your 'right' to not hear a boombox supersedes other's rights to have one?

Is the world getting so arrogant and egocentric that it is everyone's duty to impose political correctness on everyone else?”

“It should be everyone's right to play loud rap music next to gordon's tent.”

“what about a campfire surrounded by people singing kumbaya?”

“I've run into plenty of rednecks at the trailhead blasting their tunes when I go or come out of the woods, especially if there are drive-up camp sites around. But about a 1/4 miles into my hike, I leave the racket behind and forget all about it. If I'm coming out, I'm totally tired and relaxed anyway so that sorta stuff doesn't bother me. Maybe I'd have issues if it were Yani. Last summer I was doing a day hike along the PCT and two thru-hikers came along. One of them had a couple of small speakers strapped to the outside of his pack and was playing some Van Morrison. He turned it off and stopped to chat and then when they hit the trail again, turned it back on. It wasn't really all that loud. Personally, I just wouldn't want that sorta thing along. I've been thinking about starting to pack in my recorder tho.”

“Oh, now its political!

I like to take a guitar and battery powered amplifier when I go car camping.
Practice, practice.......

Fat Stogey!?!?!?
Stink-o-rama!
Maybe a fat spliff!”

“impose political correctness? Political correctness has nothing to do with this issue. Common courtesy for fellow wilderness visitors has everything to do with it.”

“Some guys just like to hear themselves say, "politcally correct", I guess.”

“When solo hiking, I bring it and use it. In a group or with another, maybe to just check in if the weather looks real bad.”

“I have a tiny little Sangean FM Stereo radio I bring all the time. It's nice to hear some tunes and maybe the news after being alone for a week.
And if I'm with Birch or Nigal, it drowns out their snoring :-)”

“When I solo hike I like to talk to myslef!

8)

Its fun!

Just don't answer!

8)”

“I'm sure that snackboy has a good recipe for cooking up people who bring radios, cd players, or cell phones on the trail. Personally, I wouldn't touch that rank meat.

I would think long and hard before I'd want to hit the trail with someone who felt that they needed the constant reassurance of contact with "civilization" in the wilderness. That's not why I'm out there. I love the sound of the wind through the trees, grass, and bushes. Rockfall has a wonderful sound if you're not intimately involved in the action. I love the sound of moving water. I listen for every wildlife sound that I can hear, or I just enjoy the silence.

Now, some kayak trips can be a different story. But you gotta be going with the right people. I would never bring a radio/cd player just for myself.”

“Snore? Who, me? That must have been Smiley Girl you heard.”

“"impose political correctness? Political correctness has nothing to do with this issue. Common courtesy for fellow wilderness visitors has everything to do with it."
kleetn
11:02:06 AM
03/28/02

Exactly.”

“blah blah blah...

I think this has very little to do with radios/cds whatever. Don't crap in my campsite, I won't crap in yours...

I am considering getting a little radio because I wanna listen to Art Bell under the stars.. I'll keep it low or use an earplug...”

“Yeah, whatever happened to that good, old-fashioned, conservative, family-value-type-behavior termed "common courtesy"? Those who practice decency, consideration and thoughfulness are nothing more than PC do-gooders (according to some).”

“Yeah, don't bring a radio. Enjoy the "wilderness" that was created by government act, managed by paid humans. Hike the trail that was created by human volunteers. Look at the map/compass/GPS that is the product of thousands of years of human thought. Watch the satellite fly amongst the stars. Get rained on by the storm created by heat of the city that lies a hundred miles west.

Yup. Just walk into the woods. Get away from it all.

Nothing was ever, is ever, will ever be pure. Human trace is not bad. It can be enjoyed with the rest of it.

rl”