[pct-l] Being joined by friends

[G. Lowe aka Wheeew]

Diane,
   
  Thank you for asking this very poignant question.  It is an issue that a lot of LD hikers have to deal with.  Personally, I find it very frustrating to have folks join me that aren't up to speed.  We can all feel guilty about that, but the fact remains.......it's not fun.  I try to discourage people from joining me on my hikes.  The problem is that everyone wants to share in the thrill, and who can blame them.....but they often don't realize, nor are they up to, the rigors of a jaunt in the mountains.  You have to weigh the pros and cons of the friendship vs the hike.  It's a difficult choice.  But it's your hike, and possibly a once in a life time chance.  You should be able to HYOH....IMO.
   
  Wheeew

Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <diane at santabarbarahikes.com> wrote:
  I have some friends who have heard I'm doing the PCT and now they 
want to meet me places along the hike and hike with me.

My problem is that I have never done the PCT so I have no idea what a 
reasonable mileage for me will be as the hike progresses (this 
problem is also making it difficult to estimate my resupply stops). 
So it's not really possible for me to say "meet me here at such-and- 
such date". I could probably do that after I'm already on the move 
and have a better idea, but I still think that I won't be able to be 
absolutely precise in a way that allows people to tell their bosses 
exactly what days they need to take off.

My other problem is that I worry that once I'm up to high mileage 
days that I'll be forced to do 8 mile days to accommodate my friends. 
I suppose this isn't a huge problem since I don't intend to go all 
the way to Canada, but I'm not known for being good at slowing down. 
This could throw off my resupply schedule a bit, too.

Has anybody experienced this situation of friends coming along during 
the hike? Does it work ok?
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-Wheeew-
www.trailjournals.com/wheeew/
---->MexiCan----> 2008
       
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