[pct-l] Timing to avoid the herd

[montypct]

Eric
If you're serious about staying out of the herd, limit your time in the 
towns and places where hikers resupply and socialize.
In all my hiking I have only seen large groups of people in the A section 
(and only one time at that).  The herd is OFF the trail.

When someone says "There's a Bar B Que at VVR on Friday" and everyone on the 
trail is trying to get there by Friday or hanging around VVR until Friday, 
going with the herd puts you in the............................. herd.  The 
largest grouping of hikers on the PCT.

Just like almost every other hiker, I enjoy the comradere amongst hikers. 
When they all go to Thelma's in Big Bear it's not good food that brings them 
there as much as a desire to be with their new friends.  A lot of the magic 
of the trail, a lot, is what happens between the hikers.  The stuff feels 
good and hiker want to feel good.

This last year I went to Thelma's twice to eat.  The deciding factor was not 
that I had great dining experiences there before.  The only deciding factor 
was it's a hiker hangout............ and there they were.

I attempt, though I'm not always successful, to have a good balance.  I 
usually get out of crowded places..... quickly.

As for April 23rd.  At a normal thru-hiker pace you should probably be OK, 
but on the 29th a lot of hikers will return to the trail at Warner Springs. 
Maybe a few at Palms to Pines.

Enjoy it

Monty

Warner Springs Monty
Pacific Crest Trail 2650 Miles .....Again.....and Again
Sign my Guestbook
www.trailjournals.com/monty
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric Payne" <vaporjourney at gmail.com>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2008 8:25 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Timing to avoid the herd


> Ok, I know this has been discussed in various threads, but I'd like to
> concentrate the ideas into a thread like this.  Does anyone have a guess 
> as
> to what percentage of a years thru-hikers begin on Kick-off Weekend?  I am
> aware that many people now start a week or so early and hitch back to the
> kick-off to avoid the herd.  But is it a large portion of the year's
> thru-hiker amount?
>
> I'm probably going to start on April 23rd and blow straight thru Lake 
> Morena
> that Friday morning, hoping to be at the front of the herd.  I'm guessing
> that I'll be in the first 25% of this years crowd, but it's tough to 
> guess.
> What I'm worried about is that even starting on this date and getting 2 
> days
> in front, that I'll still right in the middle of the herd somehow.  If 
> this
> is true, I may decide to push my start date back by 2 weeks and know that
> I'll get to KM right in time, instead of a bit early if I start around the
> time of the KO.
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