[pct-l] a modest proposal

[montypct]

"A Modest Proposal"  Jonathon Swift 1729

"I have been assured by a very knowing American of my acquaintance in 
London, that a young healthy child well nursed is at a year old a most 
delicious, nourishing, and wholesome food, whether stewed, roasted, baked, 
or boiled ..."

Matt

What size resupply box would I have to have to hold an Irish baby?. 
Dehydrated of course.

Swift was an off list topic yesterday.  We would probably conclude that you 
are over educated.

Warner Springs Monty



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Matt Geis" <mgeis at yahoo.com>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2007 10:40 AM
Subject: [pct-l] a modest proposal


> Here's a way to thin the herd.
>
> Hold the kickoff, but limit support and useful information.  Don't make it 
> easier to hike the PCT.  Don't cache any water.
>
> The PCT is completely doable with no water caches.  Sure, you might have 
> to hike a mile off trail (oh, god forbid!) to find a spring.  You may even 
> have to read your guidebook (10% of the herd will drop off if they have to 
> do this), look at a map (remove another 20%), or even use your compass 
> (this requirement alone will cull the herd to a mere 30% of its original 
> size).
>
> Continue to provide useful info on pct-l on how to prep for the trip, but 
> make hikers start thinking about what they're going to do when they get 
> into a jam.
>
> When you've lost the trail due to snow or bad signage (like just south of 
> Old Station), will you be able to find the trail again?
>
> When the cache you thought was at Bird Springs Rd. has been entirely 
> consumed, will you be smart enough to quit hiking in the midday sun, put 
> up a reflective tarp, and wait until evening to slowly resume hiking, and 
> to actually leave the trail to go find a natural water source?
>
> (Why do I have a feeling that even some of the folks who decry the 
> "socialite hikers" and feel that the wilderness is for their exclusive use 
> will have issues with this idea?).
>
> For those unfamiliar with Swift, I suspect they'll take this idea at face 
> value and get all upset, so just cool your heels -- this is a bit of 
> sarcasm and satire.  I think the help and the caches serve the greater 
> good, despite my personal opinion that the perceived ease of the PCT is 
> going to cost someone dearly someday (some would agree that it already 
> has).
>
> Iron Chef
>
>
>
>
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