[pct-l] Hike

[marmot marmot]

I am hoping  that a phone or computer "self-corrected" to change hike to hitch in a recent post. 
But ,just in case ,so that there's no confusion,and because it comes up every year, hiking the PCT means just that. Hiking on foot from Mexico to Canada. You can do anything you want. It is your hike ,but if you do not walk the whole way --including reasonable alternatives ---you have hiked,possibly the hike you always wanted to do.  But, don't put yourself on the list having done the PCT or any of the other trails. Those that claim to have done the whole trail and didn't ,always seem to have met someone who eventually says something. Maybe you really want to hitch and hike the PCT. Great.  Go for it. Everyone can have their own goals. We all know that Cheryl Strayed hiked a section of the PCT. That's what she intended to do! Then she wrote a great book about what she felt like out there. It's all valuable 
Reasonable alternatives mean any walkable way around closed trail (burns,washouts avalanches etc). To me ,it does not mean,cause you want to keep drinking tonight in the next town. Or "my friends are getting a ride and I'll miss them if I walk the alternative route". 
Before there was so much trail ,there were lots of road walks. Now ,at times ,we have to go back to them because the trail is burned. Or, maybe there is poodledog bush making the trail impassible. 
Two years ago I found a perfectly fine route into Idyllwild walking on trail ,road,trail,dirt road,quiet back streets ,trail around the area that people hitched around. The standard story was that it was too dangerous a road to hike upon. It took me about 4-5 hours. Yes ,it's boring. Yeah, you have to find a bathroom spot before you walk along a road in front of people's houses. At times taken me 2-3 days on road walks. There were famous road walks on the AT. Does anyone remember the ice cream lady? I've very politely asked some farmer or nice cowboy if I could camp on private land by their creek. 
I had to promise I would not cook. At the time ,I didn't.  I had to show them that I didn't even carry a pot to cook in. But all of that is a part of what you are learning out there.
 One time a wonderful couple stopped me before I made it to the river "camp spot". They put me in their extra room,made me dinner ,showed me the exquisite decorative Spurs that that cowboy made. Then,he got up in the morning at 5am to make me pancakes so that I could be on my way by 6am. We shared stories for hours. I will never forget them. 
That 3 mile walk on the Acton road takes less than 20mins   Then ,your hike will not have an asterisk or disclaimer. Every time you do something like that, you make it easier the next time and pretty soon you have hitched hundreds of miles. Again --If that's what you want to do ,fine. 
At this point there is a long road walk around the big fire area after Whitewater. It will take a while. Remember to get water where you can. If you do choose to hitch,watch out for the dope dealer woman who was giving rides for pay around that section. You might wonder (think about),if she is dealing in acid etc etc. etc,how stoned is she driving you to Big Bear?I'd rather not hear about the dead hikers scraped off the turns on the way to the mountains. I'm hoping that you all make it to Canada. It's worth the walk every step of the way
Marmot


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