[pct-l] trail journals

[Georgi Heitman]

As a trail angel, I read journals when I have time, especially when hikers
include me in their address lists (hint, hint).  I talk/listen to a bunch of
hikers obviously, and I hear a lot of wishing....about tents, heavier
sleeping gear, mosquito repellents/netting, etc...that they'd kept it
longer/sent it forward/back home sooner.  Those kind of things.  One year we
had a couple of young men who'd sent their tents somewhere  from either
Belden or Chester and on their way here to Old Station, ran into one of the
worst rainstorms they'd met on the trail.  They staggered into The Hideaway
hauling down bags, so heavy and wet...they were cold and exhausted, stayed
for at least two days, maybe three, just drying their sleeping bags in our
dryer...and doing some heavy hot tub soaking themselves.  I'm repeating this
example from FireWalker's memory, I was gone for several days right when
they were here...but still, I'd be willing to bet that those traveling even
a few days behind these guys would have like to have heard about their wish
that they'd held on to their tents a while longer.
I realize this isn't exactly a message about gear reviews as much as about
what's sent somewhere else, and maybe why it was o.k. to send it then, or
why it didn't work out as planned. All I'm saying is that it pays to read
from journals that include info re what's happening ahead, especially
regarding weather. This incident was back in 2001, our 'spring' (most of
CA's 'early summer' ) rains ran late that year, if I recall.  Should this
turn out to be a late spring year, dumping those tents and warmer sleeping
bags too early could be a real mistake.  Reading ahead is one way to get a
feel for that, especially if mention of how the gear or lack of same the
journalist was carrying helped/hindered any situation, weather of otherwise
Just a thought,
FireFly.