[pct-l] PCTA Trail Fest, Seattle, March 23-25

[cmkudija at earthlink.net]

Not that I had anything to do with the Trail Fest location, but just in
defense of the PCTA - the association has to find a location that has
conference facilities & support - meeting rooms, A/V, banquet room, etc, to
support the various trail classes and exhibitors.  This is going to cost
more than a motel/hotel that doesn't offer these amenities.  Even if a
motel/hotel DOES offer the same amenities for less $$, it may be less than
optimal, not clean, seedy, bad neighborhood....you get the idea.   Also,
conference rates are typically better than what you can get for the same
hotel even with other group (AAA, etc) discounts.  (That said, the room
rate's spendy and I'm not happy with it either.)

Why does the PCTA have to do this at a conference hotel?  Because despite
what we can accomplish at the ADZ with volunteers and remarkably excellent
presentations <tic>, the PCTA operates on much more of a business model
these days, and wants to project a professional image - partially in order
to continue to "earn" the respect of major donors.   Why is this important?
Well - it's extremely helpful as we go forward to eventually buy LAND to
protect currently unprotected portions of the trail.   Case in point was the
$25,000 we received from REI this fall (without Pete Fish, of course, we
might not have been competitive for that particular award!).    And if we
chose a seedy place...we just might turn off those who can afford to donate.
It's a weird paradox.

For personal and financial reasons, I will not be traveling to Trailfest
this year.   But I agree with Yogi that if you want to attend, but don't
want to spend the $$ for the conference hotel, then by all means stay at a
nearby motel.  Or share a room.  Whatever.  And make your feelings known to
the PCTA Board President, Gary Hansen.   I don't believe that the Board has
anything to do with selecting the hotel, but the Board President is
technically the Director's boss, and may have some influence.

Christine "Ceanothus" Kudija
PCT partially '94

www.pcta.org
Join Now!

Ceanothus (see-ah-no-thus) or California lilac:  Shrubs or small trees,
often with divaricate, sometimes spiny, twigs...[flowers] small but showy,
white to blue or purplish, sometimes lavender or pinkish, borne in terminal
or lateral panicles or umbellike cymes.
                                                               Philip A.
Munz
                                                               A California
Flora, U.C. Press, 1973


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]On
Behalf Of yogi
Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 3:44 PM
To: pct-l at mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] PCTA Trail Fest, Seattle, March 23-25

The PCTA just posted information about the events at
this year's Trail Fest, which is in Seattle at the end
of March.  Check out the line-up at www.pcta.org, then
click on TRAIL FEST at the lower left.

The lodging optioin on the Trail Fest site is really
expensive.  I did a web search and found much cheaper
motels nearby.  Don't let the $139-$159/night PCTA
motel rate scare you.  Just stay someplace else.

See you there!

yogi
www.pcthandbook.com
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