[pct-l] The Herd is spreading out?

[hetchhetchyman at aol.com]

"I think this has already been mentioned on the list but I'll mention it
gain because I just noticed it.  After reading a bunch of this year's
ournals, I'm struck by how many people are starting 1-3 weeks before
DZPCTKO.  It seems like many more than in past years, but maybe that's just
y imagination.  I'll be interested to hear if the "herd effect" is
oticeably flatter this year.
Eric"
Last year I picked my start date.. april 17th due to it's proximity to my birthday.
s it turned out I had unwittingly avoided the "herd" supposedly associated with the Kick Off.
The ironic thing was later in the hike, the Saufley's place was near capacity(50) when I reached there.
Either the "herd" sped up and caught me(Not many passed me though) or a bunch of folks left early last year.
I have been trying to figure out this whole herd thing. Even folks I met much later that had started after KO said
they did not experience crowds on the trail. Actually this year there are 265 thru's registered for KO when there were only 165 last year. 
I guess we shall see. 
At least from my experience last year I never felt crowded on the trail but I will admit the Saufley's and later Kennedy Meadows saw quite a 
few hikers at one time. Once back on the trail I rarely saw folks again unless I zeroed in town or caught and passed them. I think we all pretty much 
began to travel near the same speed later on in our hikes as we get acclimated.
Several Angels and the "Hiker Grapevine" mentioned that I was in between the "bubble" of hikers so perhaps it was just my timing. I wont say it was luck
because, despite my initial reaction to the thought of crowds, it was ALWAYS a pleasure to share the trail with my fellow PCT hikers even if it was
quite a rare event.
-Iceaxe