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[pct-l] Is Pocketmail "semi obscure?" -- was: New On-Trail List?



Paul,

Actually in 2000 a large percentage of the hikers carried a PocketMail
device. A few others carried a palm pilot and others picked up their emails
from the different towns along the trail. One problem with web access is
that once you hit No. CA web access pretty much dries up. Also wait times
for getting onto a terminal can be long. Library hours are even shorter than
the post office and libraries are not always centrally located or easy to
find. 

How large a percentage used pocketmail? I'd guess between 25% to 40%.
Virtually everyone I was hiking with either carried one or used a friends
device. My on pocketmail device probably got more use by others than by
myself.

I don't know anything about the 2001 crowd but I did meet a number of hikers
carrying them. 

One increasing problem with pocketmail devices is the newer payphones don't
work as well. They seem to have a harder time sinking up to the device than
the older phones did. Occasionally I had to try 2 or 3 phones to get a good
connection. I don't know if that's true about the new pocketmail devices.

I'll be carrying my pocketmail on the CDT this summer. Though I use it more
for keeping my journals than attempting to stay in touch. I'm glued to the
computer for 10 hours a day in real life I don't need that while on the
trail.

As far as checking trail conditions, I never sent out or received any trail
conditions updates. Nor do I know anyone else that did. The trail grapevine
is far more accurate than anything you'd receive via email. The grapevine is
more accurate than official government postings. 

By the time you get email, it's pretty much out of date. Or it arrives after
you've been through the section. 

-Fallingwater