[pct-l] junk

["PCT Boy" <pctalker@hotmail.com>]

Now that I have a job vaguely "alpine" and "outdoors" related, I am catching 
up with all the gear bullshit and unbelievable news since I sort of dropped 
out of the "scene" after college.

I heard the name "Go-Light" mentioned a few times this spring as people were 
preparing for their hikes, and figured it was a special pattern or something 
for a Jardine-style backpack. Then I find an Outside mag from last year 
talking about this great little startup by (and this is too weird) some dude 
who worked to get the first Bush elected president. Let's see...he read the 
Ray-Way and was so taken he decided to start a company based on the ideas?
        A total head scratcher. First we have a right-winger trying to make 
money off an idea where you were supposed to save money by making your own 
gear. Okay. And Ray Jardine went along with this. Okay. And now there are 
people actually buying Jardine "style" backpacks to go ultralight right out 
of the store without actually trying the methods out first. And Ray is going 
along with this.

Very strange.

Perusing the back issues of Outside, it seems they have a real "thing" with 
ultra-lightweight backpacking. It's totally bizarre; sandwiched inbetween 
GEAR ARTICLES, GEAR ADVERTISEMENTS, and cushy resort vacations with photos 
of people using LOTS OF GEAR, there are articles about "throwing it all 
away," and "going lightweight." Too weird for me, thank you.

Interesting hike last week -- met a bunch of guys trying to climb Split 
Mountain. They had lots of nice stuff -- Suunto altitude watches, nice jeep, 
snow flukes, ropes, etc., but didn't have the time to acclimatize because 
they only had two days away from their job. Too weird.

will

________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

* From the PCT-L |  Need help? http://www.backcountry.net/faq.html  *

==============================================================================