On Trails: An Exploration

By Robert Moor

I go this book from my library during a phase when I was reading many books on hiking and trail running. This book is not a practical trail guide. This book explores the science, history, process and people trails.

Science of Trails? What were the first creatures to make trails? How are trail routes chosen? The trails built by ants and elephants leading them to food and other resources are every bit as efficient as trails laid out by modern designers. Why is that?

The heart of the book is around the history and future of the Appalachian Trail. How it came to be. The first people who hiked it. It's future—organizers are tying to create trails all around the Atlantic ocean all loosely tied together under the http://www.iat-sia.org/ organization.

The end of the book concludes with an interview with Nimbleweed Nomad. A man who has given up most of his possessions and happily hikes thousands of miles a year.  The Nomad lead a normal life with a wife, son and career. Then he retired. He started going on longer and longer hikes. Eventually he divorced his wife and gave away most of his possessions. He has hiked all around the US, the ACT, the CDT & the PCT.

Some thoughts…

What is the difference between a permanent thru hiker (Like the Nomad) and the homeless? Choice? Mental Inless?

The wilderness as we know it is constructed. Mankind chooses that which is wild and that which is domesticated. Natural is a new concept. Before Columbus, the American Indians tended to North America. Plains and forests were cleared by fire. Useful plants were fostered. Not useful plants were tilled. For thousands of years the Americas were tended to.

Earth worms and Honey bees are European. Beavers and Fire used to be far more common. At a fundamental level, the wilderness we know today was very different than the wilderness that existed millennia ago.

We have to be careful then about arguing about being Natural. What is Natural is very subjective and changing. It also shuts down any meaningful dialog about the way we should live.

What is freedom? We feel free on trails, yet trails really only offer us two choices—to carry on, or to go back. There is freedom that comes from having no commitments. But, there is also a freedom that comes from having commitments, from building things, raising children, mentoring. There is a selfish freedom where you do what you want and don't need to care for others. There is also a giving, freedom or happiness that comes from giving to others, being social. Working with others.