[pct-l] 4th ADZPCTKO

[Bighummel@aol.com (Bighummel@aol.com)]

The 4th ADZPCTKO will be held at Lake Morena County Park, along the PCT just 
20 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border on April 27th this year.  The Annual 
Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off, ADZPCTKO, is a low key gathering of 
present section and thru-hikers, past thru-hikers, ancient thru-hikers, trail 
angels, supporters and future section and thru-aspiring hikers.  Dinner will 
be served to all on Saturday night, however, people seem to begin gathering 
on the Friday before and may be accomodated as funds allow.

The 2nd Annual Great Pacific Long Distance Hiking Gadget and Invention Revue, 
"AGPLDHG&IR", will be held immediately following dinner on Saturday and 
prizes will be given for the truely creative, innovative and rediculous.  
This event has evolved into a fun, light-hearted, celebration of ultra-light 
mania, brilliant creativeness and the phenomenally functional.  Turn your 
charisma on and try to best "Lightning Bolt's" great "Southern Salesman" 
pitch of last year's event. 

Additionally, this year features a one time event the likes of has never been 
seen at any of the previous ADZPCTKO gatherings:  "Mad Monte" Dodge will 
attempt to open a bear canister, packed by "The Rogue" Tom Reynolds, without 
using any utensils or intelligence greater than that which a bear would 
likely employ (or Monte, whichever, is more . . . the bear?).

If you think that this sounds just a bit too sensational and commercial of an 
event to start your emersion into a huge wilderness experience, consider that 
the primary focus of the gathering is to help shed those butterflies that 
inevitably preceed such an experience by showing you the broad spectrum of 
strategies that have been successful in the past and those of your fellow 
2002'ers.  Additionally, it provides a low key gathering in which you can 
begin the friendships that inevitably evolve from such a journey.

Further details of the events, campsites and logistics will be forth coming.

Donations of prizes for the gear contest and of funds for the operation of 
the gathering are requested. (All of you who wished to contribute last year 
and I turned down due to sufficient funds are respectfully suggested to 
consider contributing this year!)  Additionally, if you would like to help, 
there are numerous simple tasks that can be done, such as, preparation, 
cooking, clean-up, hiker transportation, site clean-up, etc.

If you recently hiked the PCT, either thru or a section or two, and haven't 
been to an ADZPCTKO, you are missing the opportunity to give back a little 
bit to those that aspire in 2002.  Let's see which year of hikers can boast 
the most attendance to this year's gathering!  I'll bet it is 1977!

Best regards,

Greg "Strider" Hummel