Re: [pct-l] Purism

["Brett Tucker" <blisterfree@hotmail.com>]

>Jim Owens is right on.   If a hiker uses the Postal Service or UPS to carry
>food or gear for him/her, he/she is walking a "supported hike", so I doubt
>that there are or have been many "purists" in the long-distance hiking
>world.

The term "purist" is up for debate, but "supported hike" is generally 
understood to mean that the hiker is receiving assistance directly from 
others, daily or at least frequently, along or near the trail, in such a 
manner that each day's walking and night's bedding is made "easier" than 
were that hiker to simply rely on the resupply points (towns) in the usual 
way. Most thru-hikers make "unsupported" journeys, in whole or in part. Sven 
and Jarrod made an "unsupported" double thru-hike last year (to my 
knowledge), while Pete Palmer's record-breaking AT thru-hike was a 
"supported" endeavor.

Hike your own hike,
- Blisterfree


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