[pct-l] helping out

[Ate Tuna]

Pioneer Mail to Scissors Crossing took me two days.  I was fat, out of
shape, wearing boots and carrying way too much gear.  It's no problem now
that I'm a better hiker, but last spring I was so happy to see Pie Town Gear
at Rodriguez Spur with that big water tank and a pot of hot stew.

If there was anyone ahead of my group that was updating the water report, I
might have carried less water and been able to do more miles, or at least
been more comfortable.  Unfortunately there were only 2 hikers ahead, and I
don't think they were able to update the water report yet.  It really comes
down to that water report.  If people are using it and updating it, it's
easier and safer to go long stretches because a lot of water is only carried
when it has to be carried.  I ended up carrying over 6 liters from Pioneer
Mail when it turned out that I needed less than 3, even in the poor hiking
shape that I was in.

So you know what would be better than a water tank for me?  Better water
updates for section A.  Talk to hikers about the water sources and send
those to Asabat, and then get that info back to hikers.  After section A
people are starting to get their feet, but at the same time they're heading
into plenty of water.

On Fri, Feb 4, 2011 at 6:28 AM, Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes <
diane at santabarbarahikes.com> wrote:

> There are hills there, yes. But it is downhill, then flat, then
> uphill, then downhill. So mostly downhill. Think positive! :)
> On Feb 4, 2011, at 4:13 AM, Paul Robison wrote:
>
> > 23 miles without water in level dessert after 500 miles is VERY
> > different than
> > 23 miles without water in hilly terrain after only 75 miles on the
> > trail.
> >
> > ... that's why i think the stretch there would be so difficult...
> > it's at a
> > point where many hikers have not yet done a 20 at all ...  so i
> > guess it falls
> > on us to be physically conditioned for a 23 mile dry stretch at the
> > start of the
> > trail.
> >
> > ~Outpost.
>
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