$_POST issues with file paths

Here is my problem I need to read a file path from this construct Base Path <input type="text" name="sys_path" value="e:\\jon\\site_dev\\php-html" size="40" maxlength="80"><br> however when I read it with $appath=$_POST["sys_path"]; what I get is e:\\\\\\jon\\\\\\site_dev\\\\\\php-html not what I am expecting which is e:\\jon\\site_dev\\php-html how can I stop the post method from escaping all my backslashes twice or do I have to write a routine that kills the surpluss ones? Jon