Slow down with the paint, please

**babbage** · 10-29-2009, 17:57

I was shocked recently when I walked the BMT along the TN/ NC border. Someone has gone paint happy with the blazes and the giant orange "W"s above the water sources. (Actually the water source itself is easily visible from the trail - no sign was needed.)

I am very appreciative of trail maintenance. Have blistered my own hands clearing trails in the past. But, dang there was a lot of paint used on this beautiful ridge.

Attachment 7246

Attachment 7247

I could have taken many more of these type photos.

**Jack Tarlin** · 10-29-2009, 19:56

Good of you to mention this, but much better to bring your concerns to the Trail club itself that actually maintains this section, so they can be aware of this (which they may well not be), and so they can straighten things out.

**Rain Man** · 10-29-2009, 21:44

Originally Posted by babbage

... (Actually the water source itself is easily visible from the trail - no sign was needed.)....

I find "easily visible" on clear sunny afternoons to be like "day and night" (thought the cliche apropos) from how visible something is (or is not) at dark, foggy, rainy times on the trail. Personally, I don't think bright, clear days are the time to judge, but that could just be me.

Rain

Man

.

**babbage** · 10-31-2009, 08:16

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I find "easily visible" on clear sunny afternoons to be like "day and night" (thought the cliche apropos) from how visible something is (or is not) at dark, foggy, rainy times on the trail. Personally, I don't think bright, clear days are the time to judge, but that could just be me.

Rain

Man

.

Teah, it could be just you.
Weak argument, my assuming friend.
Look at the fog in that picture - it was cold and rainy that entire day. There was no sun -- as assumed. Anyways the water was 15 steps off the trail.
There is rarely, if ever, a need to paint the hell out of all the trees.
You can try to defend that kind of behavior all day long, but I doubt that most outdoors people will agree.
If you need signs, stay on the roadways and keep staring at the GPS.

**take-a-knee** · 10-31-2009, 08:20

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I find "easily visible" on clear sunny afternoons to be like "day and night" (thought the cliche apropos) from how visible something is (or is not) at dark, foggy, rainy times on the trail. Personally, I don't think bright, clear days are the time to judge, but that could just be me.

Rain

Man

.

It ain't just you, I agree.

**kanga** · 10-31-2009, 09:58

i think if you need to be led around by bright paint in the woods to cope, you should probably stay in the city.

**DirtBagger** · 10-31-2009, 09:59

Too much graffiti is not a good thing. It goes along with folks that carve their initials in trees, on signs, or on shelters - just not very natural. So I must disagree with the overuse of paint on trees.

So rainman and takeaknee, what are your thoughts on LNT?

LNT is best practiced in the woods, not on the keyboard.

**Pedaling Fool** · 10-31-2009, 11:25

I would be embarrassed if this was associated with my organization.

**beakerman** · 10-31-2009, 12:47

I agree with Kanga on this one but only to a point. If you are on a long dry stretch of trail it is nice to have a marker letting you know that there is a spring over there that you may not be able to see from the trial. I don't know this particular trail so I don't have any idea how frequent water spots are along it but just based on the images posted I think thta these marks are more than excessive. That is definietly not what I mean by a marker letting you know where the water is...it should be something disctrete.

**Spokes** · 10-31-2009, 12:51

Originally Posted by babbage

I was shocked recently when I walked the BMT along the TN/ NC border. Someone has gone paint happy with the blazes and the giant orange "W"s above the water sources. (Actually the water source itself is easily visible from the trail - no sign was needed.)

I am very appreciative of trail maintenance. Have blistered my own hands clearing trails in the past. But, dang there was a lot of paint used on this beautiful ridge.

Attachment 7246

Attachment 7247

I could have taken many more of these type photos.

That's not trail maintenance, that's a redneck with a paintbrush.

**Reid** · 10-31-2009, 13:45

The apperance bothers me more than the effect on the tree.

**Dances with Mice** · 10-31-2009, 23:30

Once a few years ago on the Benton Mac / Duncan Ridge Trails in Georgia there was an important water source marked only with a "W" someone had carved into a tree.. It was an important water source, none was available for miles in either direction. It was also easy to miss.

Somebody needed to do something about that.

So two years ago someone did by carrying a couple wooden "W" signs, nails, a container of blue paint and a brush to the site during a week-long spring break hike. He found someone had already blazed the beginning of the trail to water, a little too vigorously because the DRT itself is a blue blazed trail and the water trail markings made it look like the DRT split from the Benton Mac at that point. But the trail to water is now signed in both directions and the beginning of the trail to water is well-blazed. No complaints have been lodged about hikers following the wrong trail so I guess Benton Mac / Duncan Ridge hikers are using their maps. The water source is now plainly marked, can be seen in fog, and it doesn't hurt the eyes to look at it.

And before anyone says anything, the boards weren't nailed flush to the tree. Long nails were used and about 2 inches were left outside the sign to give the tree room to grow. Exactly the same way the FS uses plastic blazes to mark trails in the area. So don't even go there.

A better job could have been done and it wouldn't have been that hard.

**take-a-knee** · 11-01-2009, 01:28

Originally Posted by kanga

i think if you need to be led around by bright paint in the woods to cope, you should probably stay in the city.

Yeah, sure dude. I graduated from the toughest land navigation course on this planet, the STAR exam at Camp McKall, NC. The BMT is a frickin' MAN-MADE TRAIL, what part of MAN-MADE is so difficult for you to understand? I also realize that not everyone has had taxpayer-subsidized training like I've benefited from, they just want to go for hike and not get lost or run out of water...get a life.

**kanga** · 11-01-2009, 08:28

Originally Posted by take-a-knee

Yeah, sure dude. I graduated from the toughest land navigation course on this planet, the STAR exam at Camp McKall, NC. The BMT is a frickin' MAN-MADE TRAIL, what part of MAN-MADE is so difficult for you to understand? I also realize that not everyone has had taxpayer-subsidized training like I've benefited from, they just want to go for hike and not get lost or run out of water...get a life.

i'm missing your point...was there one?

**DirtBagger** · 11-01-2009, 08:28

Originally Posted by take-a-knee

Yeah, sure dude. I graduated from the toughest land navigation course on this planet, the STAR exam at Camp McKall, NC. The BMT is a frickin' MAN-MADE TRAIL, what part of MAN-MADE is so difficult for you to understand? I also realize that not everyone has had taxpayer-subsidized training like I've benefited from, they just want to go for hike and not get lost or run out of water...get a life.

No. All that is incorrect, except what Kanga said.

Kanga's truthful revelation is good to go - the rest of that post should be stricken from the record.

**babbage** · 11-01-2009, 08:39

Originally Posted by kanga

i think if you need to be led around by bright paint in the woods to cope, you should probably stay in the city.

If you are just joining the post the above statement and other statements are correct, except the ones posted by you-know-who & the other you-know-who.

Apparently sniffing orange paint has clouded their judgement.

Sign Sign everywhere a sign / Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind / Do this, don't do that, can't you read the sign ...

Stay where its safe city dwellers - let the men do the exploring.

**sheepdog** · 11-01-2009, 08:42

Originally Posted by take-a-knee

Yeah, sure dude. I graduated from the toughest land navigation course on this planet, the STAR exam at Camp McKall, NC. The BMT is a frickin' MAN-MADE TRAIL, what part of MAN-MADE is so difficult for you to understand? I also realize that not everyone has had taxpayer-subsidized training like I've benefited from, they just want to go for hike and not get lost or run out of water...get a life.

He called kanga a dude

**babbage** · 11-01-2009, 08:52

Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees. Revelation 7:3

Words to live-by, or words to preach-by?

**Egads** · 11-01-2009, 09:10

It's an eyesore, that no one can disagree. But passing eyesore and having water is better than LNT and having no water.

**Pedaling Fool** · 11-01-2009, 09:11

Originally Posted by babbage

Words to live-by, or words to preach-by?

Irrelevant to this discussion; it was just a ****ty unprofessional job, nothing else. LNT or environmental damage not an issue here.

Thread: Slow down with the paint, please

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Slow down with the paint, please

I disagree

Hmmm.

No. All that is incorrect, except what Kanga said.

This is accurate

I like rainmans signature

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