[pct-l] trail magic

[Wayne]

Ah, trail magic, my favorite subject on this list.
Example of good trail magic:  The time we were spending the night in a
large campground in northern California and the campers next to us thought
I looked too skinny so they brought over all their left-over steak and
garlic bread from their dinner and handed it all right to me.
Example of bad trail magic:  The mess of water jugs and other trash seen
several times through southern California.

I can be included in the group of people who think there is too much Trail
Magic these days.  The hearts of Trail Angles are in the right place but
there are just too many people wanting to help out and all together it
creates a sense of entitlement amongst many hikers and has altered the
nature of what hiking the PCT is.
To all the current and aspiring Trail Angels out there, don't forget that
for most people the whole point of thru hiking a trail like the PCT is that
it is a challenge.  If it wasn't hard to do, there would be no real sense
of accomplishment.  If you keep making it easier by eliminating the need to
ever carry a pack heavy with water, or handing out treats so that hikers
never had too go too long without, then the challenge becomes less and
less.  Being given a can of soda or beer when you haven't had one in two
weeks is awesome.  Getting one every day, that's not much different than
being at home.

If you want to make yourself feel good by helping a PCT hiker have a better
experience, consider doing nothing at all and know that you may have helped
give that hiker a greater sense of achievement because they completed the
trail without so much help from others.


Gretzky