[Cdt-l] Get all the hoods into the woods ASAP!!!

[Sage Clegg]

Oops! Sent this before I was done, here is the rest of my ramble:

>> Hi all!
> This is a really interesting discussion about who hikes & who doesn't, and I would love to see our mostly white, mostly middle class hiking bubble become more permeable to all walks of people. 
>     Before I discovered thruhiking I worked for 7 years for Outward Bound, and 5 years before that for various other outdoor education schools and programs. I had students from all classes, ages, and races, but the vast majority of the students who enrolled on the longer courses were white and came from families who could afford to foot the bill for "summer camp".

> Every student I have ever had, from the 57 year old business executive to the 13 year old "juvinile delinquent" on scholarship from his state, deserved to be in wild places. They all learned amazing things about the world around them and of course, about themselves. Their eyes were opened to a new way of life that we thru hikers know well, one filled with freedom, self reliance, confidence, consequence of choice...the list goes on & on!
>    I dream of a day when as many people as possible can find their way outside into the fresh air. For now I only know of a few select pathways for people to discover the long dirt trails we are lucky enough to live on.
       I'm thankful to any program that takes people outside, especially the schools who take all those who don't have the means to get there themselves. The more hoods finding themselves in the woods, the more hope the CDT has of becoming a place that isn't just open to anyone, but a place that all types of people actually will experience.
     Thanks for reading my soap box! 
Happy trails!!
Sage 
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