[pct-l] ADZPCTKO

Fri Mar 8 11:19:53 CST 2013

Oy vey, I'm at graduate student at UCLA and am graduating next summer. As a
"you survived grad school" reward I was going to attempt some kind of
thru-hike next year, but UCLA, unlike CAL is on the quarter system, and I
don't even finish school until June 14th. The only solution to this I can
think of is to start in the Sierras and try and do Socal after (or even at
at later date, I'm not that picky).

I always oddly thought that being in graduate school would make it EASIER
to do the PCT, kind of hard to work around their silly schedule though. I
feel your pain!

Enjoy your Hike Anna! Sounds like there's a lot of ladies in our age group
(20-somethings) planning on hiking over the next few years, nice to see!

On Fri, Mar 8, 2013 at 12:11 PM, Scott Williams <baidarker at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hey Anna,
>
> I've known a number of folks who started after the semester ended at CAL
> and other colleges, sometimes much later than you will be.  You won't be
> that far behind that you can't catch up.  Use those first few weeks of
> fewer people to get the experience of hiking alone.  When you catch the
> pack, you may be ready for more folks, but don't get me wrong, you'll still
> be meeting folks starting on May 10th.
>
> As for the ADZPCTKO, coming down over the weekend is a great way to get
> totally psyched up and ready for your start.  Just to let you and everyone
> else know, the organizers are actively organizing, and this years ADZ, as
> in the past, will be a wonderful celebration of you, this year's Thru
> Hiker.   For you thru hikers, it will cost not one red cent.  It's sort of
> your first taste of trail magic.  With that comes the giving back part, and
> we welcome any and every volunteer willing to help set up on thursday,
> 4-25-13, or break down on 2-28-13 as well as helping cook meals or set up
> for presentations ect.
>
> For the early arrivals, there will be a special treat on Thursday evening
> after the organizing meetings in the pavilion, Squatch (who will be the
> overall MC this year) will be airing his new movie, Flip Flop Flipping 2.
>  It's filmed on the AT over the past few years, but after all the movies
> he's done of the PCT, it was about time he looked at our sister trail.  And
> it just shows how magnanimous we are out on the PCT.  Should be a great
> flick.
>
> The day begins early Friday with rides to the border starting at 6am for
> those who want to "slack pack" the first 20 miles to Lake Morena.
>  Presentations start at 9am and will be nearly non-stop both Friday and
> Saturday with food and fun wherever we can squeeze them in.  So far the
> classes include: Desert Hiking, Bears Lions and Rattlesnakes, The Geology
> of the PCT, Overuse Injuries, Mountain Safety and Snow Travel, Dicentra's
> One Pan Wonders, The Snow and Water Report, PCT Trail Conditions Report by
> the PCTA, Psychology of Thru Hiking Panel Discussion, and several more
> still in the works.  If you've got a question for Half Mile or Yogi,
> they'll be there.  Last year he helped me set up my GPS for the CDT!
>
> Then of course Switchback the Notorious will be there with his Tips and
> Secrets of Ultra Light Backpacking and a box of free gear.  The PCTA will
> be cutting Thru Hiker Permits on the spot (see there was no reason to worry
> about getting yours in the mail) and answering questions or just getting to
> know you, and the National Parks and National Forest Service also have a
> booth with information about their jurisdictions and cut you a Camp Fire
> Permit.
>
> After their terrific introduction last year as the preeminent Trail Angels
> to the Trail Angels, the folks who help out the folks who help you all out,
> the Wolverines of the PCT are returning.  This group of experienced long
> distance hikers raised thousands of bucks last year for the Angels and
> they'll be doing it again if the need arrises.  They will be operating the
> "Shakedown Shack and Beta Booth"  SSBB, where they will take a look at your
> gear and "explode your pack."  You may hear in no uncertain terms why that
> big bottle of shampoo, metal utensils, full on Army mess kit, metal canteen
> and backpack weighing 8 lbs (no kidding, I've seen all those and more) are
> going to kill you down trail.
>
> If you decide to switch out some of that ungodly heavy gear for newer Ultra
> Light stuff, there will be vendors from the Nation's finest UL gear
> providers.  In past that has included, Tarp Tent, Gossamer Gear, ZPacks,
> Light Heart Gear, Ultra Light Adventures packs (ULA) and others.  I don't
> know who is lined up this year, but Yogi is putting together the vendors so
> it should be good, and if you haven't gotten them yet, her books will be on
> sale at the site as well.
>
> So, you buy a new tarp, pack, and bag right there on the spot, you're not
> saddled with what to do with the old stuff as a US Post Office will be open
> in the campground and you can mail it all home, or give it to the
> Wolverines or Switchback for redistribution to folks in need with even
> heavier gear.
>
> Then of course there's the Gear Contest, MC'd by Squatch and Jester, always
> a hoot, where folks like me get to show off their on trail yogurt maker,
> and the really sharp ones who spent a lot of time inventing cool and
> sometimes ridiculous stuff, strut their creations.
>
> The evenings are spent meeting some of the legends of the PCT, and watching
> last years Class Film, a PCT Shorts Festival and much, much more.
>
> When I started the PCT, I planned to hike for 5 weeks in the desert as a
> section hike.  Ten days into the hike we'd been snowed on and, drowned rats
> that we all were, we hitched a ride back to the ADZPCTKO and I was a ruined
> man after that.  The infectious fun, the wonder and beauty of what we all
> were engaged in dug it's way so deeply into my brain that I knew there was
> no way I was not going to finish that trail.  I met folks at the event,
> that sea of little tents, who are still dear to me.  With over 700 folks
> there in the past, it is simply the place on the West Coast to meet people
> who love long distance hiking and the PCT in particular.
>
> Starting out with the ADZ even before finishing the semester is a great way
> to begin your hike, and by the way, GO BEARS!!!!  My own daughter will be
> graduating from Berkeley this May.  Great place to go to school!!!
>
> Shroomer
>
>
>
> On Thu, Mar 7, 2013 at 10:26 PM, Anna Pieper <apieper at berkeley.edu> wrote:
>
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > I have a few questions about Kick-Off at the end of April. What time do
> > kick-off festivities typically begin on the 26th, and are there any
> events
> > (besides getting water information) that I should make sure to be there
> > for? I unfortunately won't be able to start with the pack because I have
> to
> > finish school in Berkeley, so I'm planning to come down for kick-off,
> come
> > back to finish school, and start hiking around May 10th.
> >
> > Like Elizabeth I'm also a (21 year-old) solo female and I'm slightly
> > worried about meeting up with people since I'll be starting late. Is it
> > likely that I'll run into others near Campo, or will I be on my own
> until I
> > catch up with the herd? Thanks so much for all of your PCT advice and
> > wisdom, it's been incredibly helpful!
> >
> > Anna
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-- 
Lindsey Sommer
MLIS Candidate 2014 -- University of California, Los Angeles
lgsommer at gmail.com
M: (808) 298-1116