[pct-l] Choices and Completion Rates

[Len Glassner]

On Thu, Sep 2, 2010 at 7:04 PM, Jim & Jane Moody <moodyjj at comcast.net> wrote:
>
> And what would you characterize as similar to hiking for five
> consecutive months?
>
> The AT.  I met several thru's on the PCT that had already done the AT,
> myself included.
>
>
>
Well of course.   If you've already hiked for five months, then you've
got some idea if you can hike for five months, lol.

But this misses the point.  Ned asserted that scads of hikers are
unprepared for the (primarily psychological, IMO) challenges peculiar
to hiking for multiple months, claiming this is some sort of
shortcoming in their training.  If I decide to go hike the AT to find
this out, as training for the PCT, would that make sense?  I don't
think so.  The same question arises.  What would I do to train for
five months on the AT?  ('Hike the CDT' is not an acceptable answer.)

My suggestion:  Waste lots of time at work reading primary research
(trail journals) from 'high snow' and 'low snow' years.  See what
others say about their own head problems.  Consider how you will react
if one day you notice you've turned into a clock-punching professional
hiker.  What if all that dreamy, touchy-feely stuff fades into the
background, just like it does in real life?

In any case, in my opinion, you can't know until you try.  I would say
this is obvious, but that's just me.