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Show 488. accept the beginnings of i n d u s t r i a l tourism. He would not actively oppose the iron and asphalt ways of the future. One wonders what he would say now, if he saw that the Tioga Road, with i t s aluminum-signed " e x h i b i t s , " was constructed on the same principles as the t r a i l to Vernal and Nevada Falls, paved with asphalt, and signed with etched metal interpretive billboards. Consider further: nowadays, the typical backpacker plans his t r i p on the basis of convenience. The roads determine his itinerary; they shape h i s experience, preordain the direction of his t r a v e l . Which are the popular roadheads, and why? Which the popular rockclimbs? They are determined by ease of access. I think people have not talked about Muir's a t t i t u d e toward autos because they feared that i t would turn out to be an embarrassment. But h i s a t t i t u d e , as i t appeared in the period 1908-1912, r e f l e c t e d the views of a man already over seventy years old, and i t also seemed to dramatize an unfortunate weakness v i s i b l e throughout Muir's l a t e career. As the Park Interpreters who work a t Muir's home in Martinez are fond of pointing out, Muir c e r t a i n l y made h i s peace with the railroads, when i t came to t h e i r proximity to his own farm. A t r am station is named for him. Further, his youngest daughter was a great r a i l r o a d buff, and Muir seems to have encouraged her i n t e r e s t . But whether he would look with equal fondness on the John Muir Parkway, as the highway which goes by the Muir home i s c a l l e d , I would not l i k e to guess. Perhaps he would have been pleased by i t in 1912, but then one can only |
