[pct-l] What's in a Kick-Off Party??

[Montedodge@xxxxxxx (Montedodge@xxxxxxx)]

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 Well good friends for one!! It's like a class reunion only with backpacks
and tents. Old friends swap stories stories of trail days gone by while
thru-hiker hopefulls mince in their own  accounts of their past trails.
    Old and new hikers alike get to see ( and sometimes win, buy or make)
cutting edge lightweight gear while crusty old Vets of the PCT bring their "
Old War Relics" of the trail as aging Kelty packs stand silently leaning
against large shade trees.
   A hike gets to sit down with a former or future trail angels and pop
questions about their area of the trail. ( We have the nicest trail angels
anywhere!!)
    " Is there water at this spring between Kelty  Canyon and Death Camp
Ridge?" asks one hiker at the annual trail update sesson. Meadow Ed eases
future hiker water worries with his water cache and spring annual talks. (
Meadow takes on an almost " Moses Like" appearance as he gives his water
cache speech much as Charleston Heston  did talking to the Israelites!!)
Trail angels who do the water caching  are at hand to answer any questions as
well. If you have ever seen these caches, you would know what a large effort
it takes to keep these resupplied!!! These people do his with their own time
and money  and for the most part , never see the hikers they help!
   Contest  in several areas abound. You can see several alcohol stoves
designs in actions and even make your own on site. Of course , food is also a
big hit.
    Yes, the kick-off IS the event in April. A good chance to meet a few of
the PCTA officers and become a member ! (We are around 4,200 now ) You won't
get more " Bang for your Buck" than you do with the PCTA!! It is amazing what
has been done with this organization the last few years if terms of glueing
all the federal agencies together to add support to this trail!!!
    If you missed last year's kick-off ( And Tom's Rules of Canister Packing)
You need to sign up for this years!!