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[pct-l] Trek to Manhood



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Alone on foot,facing him were lingering winter snows as deep as 16 feet,
towering mountain ranges, burning deserts, hundreds of miles without meeting
another human being. Awaiting him were rattlesnakes, bears, coyotes,
loneliness,sometimes near-despair. The story of What No other man had done
before!! I planned for a total  of 5  food drops spaced 375 miles and 22 days
apart. At 6:00 A.M. June 10th , 1970 my adventure began!!!!
      O.K. Eric Ryback's book may have been hype and not very true to life ,
but he sure brought much needed attention to the PCT!!
      I found two copies today at a used book store ( I nice hardback for
8.00 and paperback for 3.00) Also the book " A Walk West" a walk across
America by Peter and Barbara Jenkins for 3.00 as well. Two great hiker
classic books of 70's hiking.
     After reading a bit in Eric Book, it brought back great memories of
looking for trail and dirt road juctions with the " Yellow Blaze" Calif.
riding and hiking  emblem. ( As early PCT was a Patch Work of the Calif.
Riding and Hiking Trail down south, the John Muir in the Sierras, Oregon
Skyline thru Oregon and the Cascade Crest Trail thru Washington) Much of
todays CDT is just like the PCTin the early years both in route finding and
number of hikers. ( The CDT is still harder than the early PCT though)
    Long live Eric " The King" Ryback,,,,,,, For his promotion of the PCT,
maybe only second to Ray Jadine..... ( Greg , you may be a strong third!!!)