[pct-l] the subjectiveness of a thru-hike

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

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In a message dated 10/15/2002 2:45:26 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
brick@fastpack.com writes:


> How about the Blueblazers? Are they thru hikers?
> Oh I forgot, not too many blazes of any color on the PCT.
>
> Sounds like someone has been talking to Wingfoot just a little too much.
> You can fight this one AGAIN if you want, but I'd rather you didn't.
>
> Look up the definition of "banal"
>

It's not only banal, it's anal.  One of the biggest pleasures on the CDT this
year is that you could choose your own route without grief from the purists.
Hiking the entire "official" route was not only impossible (some section are
not complete), it was many times stupid.  Forty mile waterless and/or
dangerous paved road sections?  I don't think so, not when there was a better
alternative.  Following blazes?  Yeah right, many times there was hundreds of
miles between blazes and you were lucky to find the trail.  Hiking a dull,
monotonous, blazed section losing 1000s of feet of elevation, when you could
bag five 13,000 footers going cross country?  Doing a more scenic
"unofficial" stretch AND avoiding horses at the same time?  That's a toughie!
 Staying on the waterless divide, when you could go by ancient Indian ruins
and walk a river trail?  Hmmm?

The CDT was about hiking your own hike and I personally prefer it like that.
To each their own.  Purity isn't a issue on the CDT and I hope it never
becomes one.

Sly