[pct-l] safety on the pct

[Marta Clark]

I'll offer a slightly different perspective on this
issue.  I'm both a mother (my kids are all in their
20s) and a daughter who has worried her mother to
pieces for many decades now.  

1) Present the facts.  The relatives risks have
already been covered.  If your mother is a worrywort,
the facts will have no impact.

2) Arm yourself with knowledge.  My parents (both in
their late 70s) both like to quiz me with questions to
see if I am prepared.  Since neither of them backpack
or even dayhike, and never have, the questions are
usually pretty basic, like "How will you get water?" 
I answer as patiently and calmly as I can.

3) The most important thing is to recognize that there
is a trade-off between gatting financial support from
your parents and having the independence to do
whatever you want to do.  In other words, if you are
financially independent, at your age you can basically
do whatever you want to do.  If your parents are
supporting your financially, you're in a much weaker
position to argue that you need to spend some of your
time and their money doing something they don't want
you to do.  

Good luck!


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