[pct-l] Getting Ready

[m.karon@attbi.com (Marshall Karon)]

My 2000 PCT adventure actually began when my wife decided to do it. She had
always said she would do such a long hike with a mule so she didn't have to
carry the weight. But, then came an ALDHA-West Gathering where she saw and
heard hikers talk about light weight gear. Than she read every Jardine book
and was hooked. The final push was a PCTA meeting in Portland where she saw
even more light weight gear. So, between October and January, the decision
was made. And, I joined in.

Gear wise, except for a tent, we sort of knew what we needed. There was a
big local sale and we together spent almost $800 getting sleeping bags from
Feathered Friends, clothes (socks, jackets, fleece, etc.), ice axes, water
filters, stove and fuel (that was me - she did the alcohol stove), and stuff
I don't remember. She sewed her own pack and some clothes; I looked for
months for a light weight pack that would work (ditched my previous packs
and even bought one that didn't work). Didn't decide on it until about a
month before going. I found several sets of shoes - not such a great idea
because they didn't fit later when my foot expanded. We opted to use a tent
we had and share the weight. Found Frogg Toggs in a local store. We were
set - and for the most part, everything worked.

Food - we decided to buy and ship. Oh my, what a chore. I don't know how
many trips to the store, hours spent measuring, dehydrating food, etc. And
we only completely prepared enough for 2 months; came home for a week and
packed for the rest of the trip. We had boxes all over the house. Not sure I
would do it that way again. Would consider spending extra time at resupply
spots that had big stores and buy for the next few resupply points. Still
would mail staples, hard to find items, maps, etc. But, tastes change, so
what works early one doesn't have a big appeal later in the trip.

Testing - hey, test everything to make sure it works: pack, tent, bags,
wood, stove, etc. If you send food, make sure it tastes OK and doesn't take
forever to cook. At the same time, you need to just let the trail happen. It
is an adventure, not a fully planned outing.
Getting there: the trail angels around San Diego made starting out easy.
Just find out who is hosting people, picking them up from the airport,
driving them to the Monument, and get to the kick-off. The time of your
life. Go for it!

Marshall Karon
Portland, OR
m.karon@attbi.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "Rob Brady" <robertbrady@mindspring.com>
To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Monday, November 11, 2002 5:58 PM
Subject: [pct-l] (no subject)


This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
I have some good news and some bad news.  The bad news is, I will probably
be laid off from my job in December.  The good news is, hey, I will probably
be laid off from my job in December!  I have been following these comments
for awhile now and am thinking about going.  For the people who have done
it, just how much time does the preparation take?  Not the physical part,
but familiarizing with the process of the hike, acquiring and testing
equipment, and the like?  How soon before you left did you make the decision
and start preparation to go?  How much did it cost, all told?  I'd like to
hear stories.
Legirons
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