[pct-l] Wearing out of gear

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

On Sep 7, 2010, at 12:38 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> In describing all of his preference differences, Miner makes  
> another good point, which illustrates this "style" differences  
> between us. I don't like leaving the trail and adding miles by  
> going out and back often. I don't like the idea of descending  
> thousands of feet empty and having to ascend it again heavily  
> resupplied.

I don't think you have thru-hiked. Maybe not everyone is the same,  
but I don't think I met a single hiker that wasn't exactly like me in  
this aspect: After a point you are so hungry all the time that you  
basically hike as fast as you can between each possible resupply  
opportunity, viewing each and every one like the Emerald City of Food  
where your every food fantasy will come true. Far from being an  
annoyance or a hardship, frequent resupply means caloric survival. I  
don't care how much food you carry, either. A friend of mine carried  
30lbs of food through the Sierras and he was starving to death by the  
next resupply. Most resupply places are conveniently located. Many  
are right on the trail. Some are only a mile or two away. A few are  
far, but when you are that hungry you'd almost buy a plane ticket to  
India to get fed.