[pct-l] Fan Letter (was safewater filters)

[ageibel@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Andrew Geibel)]

Dear MountainDave Fan Club,

Please revoke my membership.  (I would still love that spleen photo though)
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"The rules say take a water filter, so take one if you think following the
rules will make you safe. I prefer decisions over rules, and my decision,
after much thought and reading is that I don't need to treat water because I
am immune."
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I see.  If you make a decision it's a "decision", and if somebody else makes
a decision its "following the rules"?  Pretty damn presumptuous for you to
determine what my reasons are for carrying a filter, and to assume that I
have done no research myself.  Unlike you, I don't have the vast wisdom &
experience (arrogance) to deem water safe or myself immune, so I err on the
side of caution.  I have weighed the negatives of carrying a filter, and
found them to be an acceptable trade-off for piece of mind.  That is NOT an
uninformed, blindly obedient decision.
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"Now you will just have to get in a long, long line of
people who are just dying to say I told you so if and when I ever come down
with giardia. In the mean time you will just have to be chagrined that I
don't choose to follow your advice."
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Who cares?  Get over yourself!  I never gave you any advice...I just related
my experience with a filter, for the benefit of people looking to this list
for options.
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"Like I said, I don't want anybody "mentally" poisoning for me what is,
in actuality, some of the purest wateron Earth (Sierras and Cascades).
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You are obviously mentally poisoned already...with paranoia.  I'm *enhancing
my enjoyment* by drinking worry-free water, that tastes like water should
(no iodine or chlorine taste).  If my worry is unfounded, does it matter?
It's worry-free to me, and that enhances my enjoyment.
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So IN CONCLUSION:

If your enjoyment means drinking untreated water, fantastic.
If your enjoyment means using chemical treatment, fantastic.
If your enjoyment means using a filter, fantastic.
Nothing wrong with any way.

People reading the list just want to know what PCT hikers do.  I use the
filter, for worry-free, great tasting water.  Worth the weight, worth the
hassle.  I'm a section hiker.  Take my vote for whatever its worth.

-Andrew