[at-l] Smoky back country fees

[Martha Federle]

 I might have wanted to run off with the men-folk when I was a younger gypsy!   

 

 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: Tom McGinnis <sloetoe at yahoo.com>
To: rockdancer97 <rockdancer97 at comcast.net>; at-l <at-l at backcountry.net>; Martha Federle <mgypsy97 at aol.com>
Sent: Mon, Feb 13, 2012 8:33 pm
Subject: Re: [at-l] Smoky back country fees


Well, there's "Gypsy" of romantic nature, and then there's the perjorative 
"gypsy" of the Roma -- the diaspora of thieves, charlatans, and ne'er-do-wells 
who threaten every community they encounter with running off with the 
respectable men-folk, ruining the respectable womenfolk, stealing everyone 
blind, and generally making a nuisance of themselves. (Well, okay, "according to 
legend.")

Just from the one sentence, it does not sound like a particularly kind use of 
"gypsy" -- but more like an irresponsible, somethin'fer'nothin' tramp.

"Don't Tread On Me."
Time for some serious Tea Party stuff. (No, not the social agenda, just the 
Constitutional-originalists need apply.)


--- On Mon, 2/13/12, Martha Federle <mgypsy97 at aol.com> wrote:

I love being called Gypsy and always have.

-----Original Message-----

Here’s a NP Traveler article about the “elephant in the room” issue of fees for 
backcountry use in the Smokies. For those who don’t know: the creation of GSMNP 
is unique among the national parks, a large amount of the purchase price for the 
land was generated by numerous public donations, including pennies from 
schoolchildren, with the supplemental $5 M amount coming from John D. 
Rockefeller in memory of his wife, Laura Spellman Rockefeller. As compensation 
to TN and NC it was promised that there would never be an entrance fee for the 
public. That promise may be coming to an end.

http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2012/02/great-smoky-mountains-national-park-looking-backcountry-user-fee-improve-services-protect-resources9454

The article is long and detailed and includes a couple of comments regarding 
thru-hikers in the discussion and comments:

“Another issue is how to deal with Appalachian Trail thru-hikers, a gypsy-like 
group of backpackers accustomed to traveling at their own pace, with a 
willingness to speed up, slow down, or layover when the desire and need strikes. 
How they would reserve campsites for specific dates could be problematic, the 
superintendent acknowledged.”
And 
“Well, there is that rush of people (thru-hikers) when they start out in Georgia 
and they start hitting us, usually in April, and how do we manage those numbers 
and how do we identify them?" said the superintendent.

I think I like being called “gypsy-like”!
Arthur D. Gaudet

 
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