[pct-l] THREE questions

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

On Oct 3, 2011, at 10:00 AM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> 1. I read the occasional log journal reporting that going stoveless  
> on the PCT can be a choice that simplifies the hike, though of  
> course it eliminates certain comforting food/drink options. Anyone  
> who has gone stoveless, I'd like to hear your thoughts on it if  
> you're willing. The four of us are considering it.
I didn't go stoveless, but my stove was made from a small 6oz  
aluminum drink can so was so lightweight it really made little  
difference. There are some really great foods you can eat stoveless  
though so I may explore that more because the food sounds better.

> 2. What is the most common solution to posting journal entries?  
> Sending written transcripts to friends who post them? or?
I'm not sure what the most common solution is. It appeared that a lot  
of people would send emails to others who would then post them to  
trail journal websites, but I don't know if that was the most common.  
A lot of people also use some kind of electronic device to post  
directly. I know the Postholer journals let you post via email so if  
you have a smart phone you can journal as you go and upload when you  
get a signal.

I used a small notebook and a pencil (because pens wash away when you  
accidentally swim across creeks). In trail towns I would find a  
computer somewhere and use my paper journal to jog my memory if I  
couldn't remember a detail, but otherwise just do a fast brain dump  
of every memorable thing I could remember. The more boring details  
are locked away on paper and the slightly less boring details are  
there for my fans LOL.

> 3. For any of the 2011 PCT thru-hikers who made it to Canada, any  
> difficulties with border control? My understanding is that year  
> after year it isn't an issue -- but there was a rumor that this  
> year was different, and I thought I'd ask.
I'm not sure what the change was but I thought it affected Southbound  
hikers more than northbound. However, from reading trail journals, it  
sounds like a lot more people backtracked from the monument this year  
compared to previous years.