[pct-l] Did anybody notice PCT-L turned 10?

[Tom Griffin]

I'm mostly a lurker, but I've been on PCT-L for 10 years--ever since 
Brick and Ryan announced its formation on the USENET site 
rec.backcountry, which I never look at anymore. The PCT-L changed the 
way I hike, what I carry and even where I backpack. Thank you Brick and 
Ryan for building and maintaining this community

-- 
Tom Griffin
Seattle
PCT Pages: http://griffinte.home.comcast.net/pct.html


Subject:
[pct-l] Did anybody notice PCT-L turned 10?
From:
"Brick Robbins" <brick at fastpack.com>
Date:
Sun, 14 Jan 2007 10:05:58 -0800

To:
PCT-L <pct-l at backcountry.net>


Last month, PCT-L turned 10 years old. Did anybody notice?

In 1996, the year after my PCT hike, I created the first website for
the PCTA, back before hardly anyone knew what the Internet was.

Back them, when way more folks had email than web browsers, Internet
mailing lists were "the way to go." I wound up on AT-L and started
looking for a service to host a similar list for the PCT. Ryan
volunteered his system at hack.net and PCT-L was born.

Before PCT-L, you ordered your guidebooks, and mailed Wilderness Press
for the printed updates. You read Ryback's book and maybe Cindy Ross'
as well. You talked to some friends who had done the PCT if you were
lucky enough to have any, or the sales people at REI, but you were
pretty much on your own as far as planning and resources went. It was
very hard to tap into the experience of those who had gone before

Here we are 10 years later.  Only a few things have really changed.
Bear Cans were created, Cell Phones became common, and Ultralight
became mainstream. Not much else has really changed as far as the hike
itself goes. Walkmen turned into iPods, we still argue over guns and
dogs, and about who's vision of the trail is more "right."

The big difference is the easy exchange of information, much of which
is done on this list. ADZPCTKOP itself, and many long-tail products
like Yogi & Ben's books and the whole ultralight gear industry owe
their viability to this list, and other's like it.

As the list administrator, I have to do some "policing" from time to
time, and I know that Ive pissed off people - some think I do to much,
and some think I do too little, and some think the policing is
personally attacking them. I've made my mistakes as Admin and I hope
I've learned from them.

I'd like to thank Ryan for providing the hardware and software to host
the little party we've had here for the past 10 years, and I hope we
can keep it up for the next 10 just as well.

It has been a pleasure being of service to you all. Most of you don't
notice me, but I'm here, reading every post, sorting through the spam,
and trying to keep everyone playing well together.

Hike your own hike.

-- 
Brick Robbins
brick at fastpack.com
http://www.flamewarriors.com/warriorshtm/admin.htm