A question if you please.

“I feel I need to clarify a point:

I didn't mean to imply that women were totally absent from the trails, just not as prevalent as their male counterparts. I was merely stating an observation that in my short history of backpacking, I have witnessed a marked increase in the number of women backpackers. Yes, there have always been adventurous women throughout history who have blazed the trail in areas previously dominated by men. These women, although heroic, are not the women I am referring to. I was simply saying that over the years I have seen more and more women taking up backpacking as a sport similar to baseball, basketball, hockey, rock climbing, etc.”

“Oh peeney...

I cite real world observations and you assert I am stricken with latent homosexual feelings?

Talk about illogical.

You are the master debater or something very similiar.”

“Amy & Liz -
You two need to get a room...


in GA!
hehehee




I think the noticable increase in womens' presence in the backcountry can be attributed to modern appliances, ie, dishwashers, electric irons, washing machines, etc. They simply have TOO MUCH time on their hands.
(LOL!)

Simma don nah...
I was only teasing
(o:”

“smack! ;D”

“lizs, I think it's okay for bacpac to get people going, especially since I didn't see anything malicious in his comments. So I'm willing to defend that. There are topics that are worth talking about just to see if our perceptions of the world are at all similar, or to play the devil's advocate to draw others out so they will have to articulate their own inner musings, faults and all. That's actually a rather creative process.

If what is prompted is a self-indulgent, frightened shriek, well that's the fault of the shrieker, not the prompter. To me, intellectual exploration and curiosity is actually fun. So if bacpac is having fun, good for him, I'll play too. The brain is one of the top two playthings most persons possess, though they tend to use the other one much more.

And the question of gender preference really doesn't seem like much degeneration from a question about the gender distribution in the trail population.

Maybe I'm just too much of a teacher at this point. Everything has a lesson in there somewhere, LOL.”

“kleetn, That was a cool story!

bacpac's real world observations sound real enough to me.
He's just a hairy-backed guy in the Arkansas woods checkin' out the wild life.

Maybe he's met up with some of them Log Cabin Republickans in the woods.....hmmmmmm.
Could be they were tryin' to sway his vote.

He never woulda made it through the Arkansas mud
if he hadn't been a'ridin'
that Tennessee Stud

lizs,
Please let me know when you and that other Spitfire a fixin' to get together.
Maybe me and that Wild Child can steal a couple of motorcycles and get in on the girl/girl action!”

“My reputation precedes me. I was not attempting to engage in a moral debate. At least not this time.

I was making a relevant comment based upon my experience and observations.”

“Sorry then, bacpac. Your reputation does indeed precede you!”

“I've noticed what seemed to be plenty of gay men and women on the trail in NY. Networking? You're too funny bac pac.”

“As a Forest Service Volunteer for the last 4 years patroling in one of the top 10 used wilderness areas, I have noticed a lot of women backpackers, but not that many all women groups. It has been normal couples and such mostly. Also, I can't say that I have suspected any significant homosexual activity out of proportion for Southern California.

The biggest demographic I have noticed in backpacking is that it most backpackers are white. In our wilderness we get a lot of Asian day hikers, but very non-white backpackers.

Based only on anecdotal evidence, I think the common element is exposure. A lot of people get exposed to backpacking through Boy Scouts and high school/college groups, or their dads who did it growing up or in the military. Girl Scouts (around here anyway) don't promote backpacking and fathers discourage their daughters and wifes from going out into the backcountry alone for safety reasons (whether real or perceived). Some of the girls I know around here who got into backpacking did it through a BSA Explorer Post or they dual-registered their Girl Scout Troop as an Explorer Post.

I took my daughters backpacking once. They liked it, did great, but never asked to go again. They do still like car camping to places that have good restroom facilities.”

“I wonder if peeing has anything to do with some people's aversion to the woods.”

“Last night on OLN TV, they ran the first half of a two-part Trailside show about a family making a 25-day backpack trip though the Sierras, ending in Yosemite. The family is a father, mother, teen daughter, and pre-teen daughter. One male, three females. The family took a 8mm video cam to record the experience. Very interesting from the perspective of this discussion. The second half is supposed to air next Wednesday night.”

“The fact that BacPac found this to be a relevant and chose to post it is a fair game for comment. His choice is fair game for criticism.

When his perceptions and his decisions ally closely to his history of polemics and commentary, his history and his "reputation" are highly relevant.”

“Phil, maybe it was those damned aluminum frame things on their backs.”

“Phil, maybe it was those damned aluminum frame things on their backs.
I think I see some canvas too!”

“Actually packedbac I mean bacpac is right. Lots of us "nancy boys" and "bulls" love to hike. We network on sites just as this. Some of our keys words are "arkansas,sheep,solo hike..."If you straight folks only new how many of there are. We love the freedom of the back country ( no pun intended). It allows us to truly express our love for one another in a physical way. Happy trails,and remember we love the rugged outdoor type.”