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Profess As I wandered through the maze of scientific equipment located in a physics lab, the last thing I ex pected to find was a backpacker. But Sam Blankenship was there Blankenship is both a student and teacher of physics, but he alst has written a unique book about backpacking in the southern mountains. "There are as many reasons to backpack as there are people doing it," he said. And he wanted to include information for everyone in his book. "A Backpacking Guide To The Southern Mountains" is a detailed guide to swamp and mountain trails from Georgia to West Virginia. It explains how to get to the area, the degree of difficulty of the hike, and descriptions of campsites. There are hikes for beginners and the experienced hikers. Addresses are included if more information about an area is desired. Blankenship grew up in the Southern Appalachians and has been hiking and camping most of his life. He became frustrated with the lack of information about southern trails and the over crowding of the Appalachian trail and decided to write the book. After spending two years doing research for the book by back packing in the South, he found that many maps were so outdated that the trails listed no longer existed. "The underbrush in the area covers trails faster than in other areas of the country so I wanted to save other people the disap pointments I had felt." Publishers were interested in his idea because there were no other JOB HU The Newspaper Fund pr will be 20,500 journalism peting for 4,000 newspape When you go for your ir tell them you got your ex The Gamecock can give need, but you won't get r Positions are open for re typists, cartoonists and cc Room 318 Russell Hou NEW SHI Just In Timi CORDURO e LIGHT WEIGHT . 10 4 SAILOR DUNGAREE * Light weight *Blue Denim *6.95 MOE I *eMAI0UARTER I dikBRITCF or Pens F Story and Photo by Kathy Edwards books like it. "Most hiking guides deal only with the Appalachian - trail. People were sticking to that one and unable or unwilling to explore other areas. The one thing I wanted to avoid was ruining trails. I tried to give one trail in an area that had many veins to be explored. But that is left up to the individual person to find." The introductory chapters deal with preparing a person for back packing. "I found that the major problem people have is carrying too much weight." He also em- 1 phasizes that a person has to be in good physical shape. As a rule, people don't have any trouble with animals they come in contact with. Most of them are just after food and food should be kept away from sleeping areas. When hiking by yourself, which is how Blankenship usually travels, natural surroundings are not disturbed. He enjoys observing nature and has taken a special interest in identifying plants and animals he does get to see. He has seen a deer slain by a bobcat and the cat had eaten his fill and covered the carcass with leaves. Many of his friends have seen panthers although biologists say that they have been near extinction since 1925. "They are afraid of people and tend to stay away, but I have heard of more than one spotting." At this time there is competition between backpackers and trail bikes for use of public lands. There is no real national organization of backpackers like the one for the bike riders, although Blankenship says packers outnumber them by lVTING? ojects that by 1978 there school graduates com r positions. iterview, where will you perience? you the experience you ich getting it! porters, photographers, py editors. e. IPMENTS For Summer *Pin - Wale )LORS LOW-RISE JEANS *Blue Denim * Brushea Denim LEVY'S FOR MOST ANYTHING AIND 4ES BREW acker GL ix to one. He says that back ackers go to the woods for olitude and are not anxious to hare their trails with others. One "Jesus freak" character he net while camping out west was n exception to most backpacking ules. He was living totally off the mnd and carried only a Bible, two otebooks and a blanket. Ilankenship said he would not uggest this method for any one ecause the risk is too great. "It's ot only myself that I might hurt, ut it's the guy who has to come ok for me if I stay out too long. [e has to risk his life too." Backpacking activities have led is interest to studying artifacts nd photography. He is doing free mnce photography working toward Ph.D in nuclear physics. Board by Carl Baab A budget of $80 million for the Jniversity was approved Saturday y the University of South Carolina loard of Trustees, an increase of nore than $6 million over the 1973 4 fiscal year budget. The Saturday morning meeting lso resulted in a Board decision to Drce students desiring to live in he new, coed dorm, Bates West, to ecure permission from their arents via certified mail. In other action, the Trustees greed to adopt a modified version f the original Gibbes Green econstruction plan, accepting stead a plan labeled "informal." The Board also agreed to request 7om the City of Columbia a trial losing of Henderson Street bet een Pendleton and College, and reen Street between Sumter and ickens. In another decision, the Board eclined approval of a student nate resolution asking that ;udent newspaper representatives e allowed to attend Board com # Clothes 9, INNER CITY GLADRAGS 2016 Green (at 5 Pts.) tide Sam Blankenship at work in physics lab Decides mittee meetings and requested th University's counsel to consul with the state attorney general o the matter. Brunton commented that US enrollments and material e, pansion would begin to level out i this decade after the explosiv growth of the 1960's. Despite a reported deficit thi year of $403,000, the Busines Affairs Head said, "We feel th budget is in a balanced state." In his opening remarks to the Trustees, Brunton read to Boarc members a copy of his horoscope The message indicated he shoul, "scale down over-ambitiou projects," and Brunton said hi budget report would reflect thih The Latin V *Hand Embroidered Shii *Unique Jewelry *Alpaca and Maa-ame Hi *Many other items 2704 Devine Street 779 Lum's 'Daft Roast - Fish Open 1II Monda) au 2005 C In I K1, Issues e The Board's decision to require t parental permission for students 1 desiring to live in coed Bates West marked a partial defeat of student C government efforts to secure absolutely free visitation rights for n the new dorm. e Leigh Leventis, SGA President, s said, "I don't particularly care for s the plan to require parental per e mission for those over 21." However, Leventis said his administration had secured an important success by getting the Board to agree to funding sports s clubs $20,000 out of Campus Shop s funds. -m. -"iiliisaifeieiimEi fearing Apparel -- Handic,afts --Imports from South America ts and Blouses from Ecuador indbags 7995 Mon-Sat 10-6 Specialty Beer Beef & Chips m.m. until 12 p.m. --Saturday ~reen Street ive Points