[pct-l] leaving the trail for weddings

[Donna "L-Rod" Saufley]

Laura,

This is more common than you think -- lots of hikers get off trail and return for a variety of personal reasons, weddings and graduations being the most common.  

Your June exit may well put you in the Agua Dulce area, in which case there are a number of different options for getting to and from the trail to the airport.  For info on these options, you can check out the info on our website, www.hikerheaven.com.  Burbank, aka Bob Hope, airport is the easiest to get to and from, though LAX has more (and and often cheaper) flights.  

August will put you much further north, and much depends on where you are planning to exit and re-enter the trail.  We are discovering how difficult logistics can be to get to and from the trail at various points through our experiences section hiking.  Once you have an intinerary (that is, if you do), you'll have a better idea of where you'll exit/enter.  

As to cleaning up -- it's only dirt and it washes off.  Keep "town clothes" for traveling, either in your bounce box or in your pack.  You'll feel better, and so will others near you.  

The biggest thing is:  plan as best you can and don't worry about it.  Looking forward to seeing you next year!

L-Rod



-----Original Message-----
>From: Laura Fox <laura.fox at yale.edu>
>Sent: Jul 24, 2007 2:25 PM
>To: pct-l at backcountry.net
>Subject: [pct-l] leaving the trail for weddings
>
>Hey, what do people usually do when they know they're going to have to leave the
>trail mid-hike to attend some pre-existing far-away obligation?  Like, one that
>involves getting to an airport and flying cross-country?  How much of a
>pain/expense is it to get to airports from different sections of the trail?  Or
>to make sure you get near an airport in time to catch a flight you've reserved
>in advance?  (Or to make your dirty grubby hiker self look respectable for a
>formal event, for that matter??)
>
>I'm thinking about thru-hiking in 2008 but I already know I'm going to have to
>attend weddings back east in June and August.  Weddings of close friends that I
>totally can't skip.  It sounds like a hassle to deal with, but I don't think I
>should call off a many-month hike on account of two days worth of obligations.
>
>Thanks in advance for any advice! :)
>
>Laura (aka Everest, AT GA->ME '01)
>_______________________________________________
>pct-l mailing list
>pct-l at backcountry.net
>unsubscribe or change options:
>http://mailman.hack.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l