[pct-l] Fragmenting the PCT information sources

[Bill]

Well,

I had been holding back my thoughts, but since this dialog has some legs I
think I will chime in briefly.

I concur, as I have said before, that the list has lost much of its
usefulness.  On a recent hike from Agua to Hiker Town I met a handful of
hikers and trail mainstays.  I don't go out of my way to bring up the PCT-L,
but it did come up twice.  Both times the list came up multiple people were
present.  The response in both cases was something like this:

"So and so from the PCT-L said . . ."

And the gathered would let out a simultaneous, "Oh God, the firkin LIST -
what has happened there."  "Yea, I bailed out"  "I had some serious
questions, well serious to me, and . . . it was difficult to get the
feedback from the noise", "there are some real mean spirited people on the
list"  "Yes, and you know that in person they don't act like that at all!"",
"too many jokes, everything's a joke".

These responses came from newbies as well as long time community members.
Many said they have either unsubscribed, have simply stopped reading.
Others are considering punting.

I am not sure what to do about it.  It is like a committee that has gathered
weekly for some noble cause and over the years the cause is all but
forgotten.  Now, it is just a bunch of people socializing or arguing.   No
one really remembers the exact reason they started meeting every week, but
what they do know is that so-and-so is an ass, that they are the funniest
person in the room, no thought should go unsaid, and that you do not need to
wait for the microphone, raise a hand, or even know the point of the
meeting!   You can just BLAH, HAHAHA, YOU SUCK, until your hearts content.

Meanwhile, the person who read the "flyer" about this great meeting place of
experienced hikers shows up at a meeting and says - what the heck is THIS?

Why were we here?

Pink Gumby


-----Original Message-----
From: Sara Dyehouse [mailto:saradyehouse at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2009 9:21 AM
To: pct-l at mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Fragmenting the PCT information sources

I, too, have been following the pct-l for many years (12 to be exact).  I
have found a lot of useful information on here.  However, this year I
decided to fight hard against the useless and offensive sexually-charged
posts of Reinhold Metzger, because I wanted this list to be "family
friendly."  In return, Brick chastised me and accused me of being a troll.
 
Now that this year's hikers are on the trial, I'll be unsubscribing and
following trail journals instead.  I seriously doubt I'll be back.
 
So long everyone, and best wishes Class of 2009!
 
Sara

--- On Fri, 5/22/09, Ralph Alcorn <rbalcorn at gmail.com> wrote:


From: Ralph Alcorn <rbalcorn at gmail.com>
Subject: [pct-l] Fragmenting the PCT information sources
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Date: Friday, May 22, 2009, 3:20 PM


I started following the pct-l around 2003. Back then it was an important
source of information for me. I was a complete novice about many aspects of
the pct, and learned a lot just by following the posts. I'm not sure I could
do that now. There is so much noise between posts with information that I
could miss something important.  I look for other sources of online pct
information, and find that the last couple of pct classes have setup yahoo
groups to get information. On Facebook there is a PCT hiker group. Several
websites such as Postholer's have forums with PCT topics. Some of the hikers
with a lot of experience have moved on to these other forums.

I think these other PCT forums have some use, particularly for social
networking, but it is worth remembering that PCT-L is the forum pointed to
by PCTA.org, the Pacific Crest Trail Association's site. That makes the
pct-l the first source of information for many hikers new to the PCT. They
need answers from people with experience.

Why not try and stick to the facts. Get the fundamentals across to the new
hikers - avoiding dehydration, foot care, training, how to build up to big
miles, how to deal with snow fields, how to get to Canada, announcement of
trail magic events. When considering posting a new topic, give it some
thought before hitting send. Will this improve a hiker's chance of getting
to Canada, or will it distract the hiker from what is really important?

If you've got an opinion on something that you think is important to pct
hikers, but controversial, think it out, post your opinion and let it go.
Forget the rebuttals, and rebutting the rebutts. Do that off the list. That
way we shouldn't get more than about a dozen posts on a subject and it has
had its turn. On to the next. The last post doesn't win. No cheating by
editing the subject a little. If you've got more to say, say it on a social
networking site.
-- 
Ralph Alcorn
http://www.backpack45.com/pct.html
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