Comment submitted by Sarah Powers

Dear Readers: I am a sixty-nine year old woman, now arthritic. One of the joys of my life has been a long association with the Appalachian Trail, portions of which I hiked as a teenage camper. In my fifties, I began hiking again, and completed the trail over the course of eleven years, struggling with some of the harder parts, but learning a great deal about myself, and discovering the awesome beauty of brooks and ponds and high peaks. Since I was section-hiking the trail, I also learned the geography of the surrounding areas of the ridges, and have had a love affair with that part of our country. I still return, with my seventy-one year old hiking partner, to parts of the trail. Following completion of the trail, I volunteered for a period of time by walking a section of the trail (lowest section of Massachusetts) and clearing out illegal campfire sites, noting boundary violations, and visiting with and welcoming hikers. I was aware of, and saddened by, the damage that four-wheeled ATVs did to parts of the trail north of my section. Those who were illegally using ATVs on the trail rutted and eroded the trail, damaged the plants and trees, sliced through brook banks, and often left litter and unauthorized fire rings. I believe that it will be nearly impossible to distinguish beween illegal use of ATVs and legal use of mechanized vehicles for those with disabilities, and that the proposed ruling would open the way to the destruction of a precious natural asset for all of us. One of the most interesting maps of the Appalachian Trail is the long vertical one, in which we are unmistakeably reminded that this wonderful park is close to nearly all the major population areas of the East coast. This map can be seen at http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/asl/maps/thematic/appalachian-trail-map.jpg I would hope that a compromise could be worked out whereby a certain percentage of the trail in each state would be made accessible to those needing mechanized assistance and clearly signed as such, but the bulk of the trail would remain in its current condition, as respectful of nature as possible. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. The Rev. Sarah Fairbairn Powers