[pct-l] PCT 2003

[m_factor@hotmail.com (Mara Factor)]

Hi Nocona,

I'm just catching up on the last few weeks of PCT banter.

I'm planning a "solo" PCT hike next year.  When I first started thinking 
about it, not long after my '99 AT hike, I wanted to do it but only if I had 
a partner.  The social aspects of my AT hike were so much more important to 
the entire nature of my AT hike than I had ever imagined they would have 
been before I started.  I just couldn't imagine spending that much time 
"alone" on the trail.

But, I realized that even though I spent quite a lot of time hiking with 
people here and there on the AT, I also enjoyed the times when I was hiking 
and camping alone.  Most of the backpacking I've done since my thruhike has 
been alone, and a lot of my dayhikes have been solo, too.

Then, I joined this group and started reading reports from the trail.  I 
started talking with more and more people who had done the trail, and 
invariably, they were always relating their experiences with the other 
people on the trail.  Whether it was camping on the trail, meeting up with 
others in towns along the way, or even hiking together here and there.

While there are fewer hikers on the PCT, the starting time frame seems to be 
narrower so there's a relatively greater concentration of hikers starting at 
the end of April.  While the ADZPCYKOP was originally scheduled at that 
point for that reason, I think the party is also serving to further 
concentrate hikers at that time.

So, at this point, I'm planning on joining the hoards and will start so that 
I can be at the party and hopefully meet a few people so I see some familiar 
faces on the trail.

I think it'll be nice to know there's a few people around as I regain my 
thruhiker legs in the first few weeks.  If I meet up with people to travel 
with - even if it's just to plan a meeting place to camp for the night, 
great.  If I'm on my own, I'm sure I'll enjoy that, too.

With any luck, I'll spend a few weeks on the AT before I start the PCT.  
Chances are I'll be ready for some peace and quiet after a couple of weeks 
on the southern AT in April.  ;-)

Hope to see you out there...

Mara

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