[pct-l] ADZPCTKO

[Bighummel@xxxxxxx (Bighummel@xxxxxxx)]

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[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
The 5th ADZPCTKO turned out to be a great one, in all respects, by all who
commented to the organizers.  A really long report follows.

Thursday afternoon the campsites began to fill up and about 50 people
gathered to talk and introduce themselves around the fire; several of the
organizers, Pete Fish and his 'trail gorillas" and a few aspiring
thru-hikers.  An "Info Central Board" was erected which answered most of the
myriad of questions that attendees would have.  The weather was clear and
cool, with a front coming down the Pacific coast potentially threatening rain
if it moved that far south.

Friday morning started cold (30 degrees!), windy and clear and warmed up
rapidly.  Many hikers were ferried to the border and another group of past
hikers headed to Mt. Laguna for a day hike back.  Clouds and fog surrounded
the border area, except for a perfect hole directly over the PCT southern
terminus, where the sun streamed through.  Destiny eminated!  The "Trail
Gorillas" headed out, looking to clear brush from the trail around the pass
over from Hauser Canyon.

By Friday afternoon a large crowd had congregated and the campsites were
filling up quickly.  Thru-hikers from the border came in regularly throughout
the warm afternoon.  Shelter Revue forms began to go up and soon all kinds of
tents and tarps had the critical info on them.

The little cafe in Lake Morena was overwhelmed by the ADZ'ers, staying open
late both Thursday and Friday nights to accomodate, and make a killing!
Their burgers are the best after a day of hiking.

Paul Hacker and I gave our talk on the Geology of the PCT to a standing room
only crowd in the Pavilion.  We tried to keep the talk up and focused upon
the "big picture" i.e., plate tectonics.

Then Christine Kudija, with the help of Charlie Jones and Hal Margolis
presented their talk on the Biology of the PCT to the same crowd, showing
beautiful photos of the beauty of the flora that can be found on the trail.
Of course, most of the attendees had found this out first-hand that day on
the trails around Lake Morena with a spectacular display of Spring flowers
blooming this year.

Friday evening found two groups playing guitars around the fire and singing
going on until the hour and the cold chased us into our bags.  I awoke early
in the morning before first light to see the oak tree I was camped under
silouetted black against a star filled sky, and a low, ground-hugging fog
creeping out across the lake and mystically glowing from the few lights in
the campground.

Saturday morning started off early with several groups looking to day hike
(Glen Van Peski and others) or trail run (Brian Robinson!) from the border
back to Lake Morena before the festivities began.  Those incredible "Trail
Gorillas' headed out again.  Roy Robinson, Jeff Zimmerman and Monte Dodge all
held alcohol stove making demonstrations, provided materials and gave away
numerous stoves to the aspiring thru-hikers.

Ron Moak (Six Moons Designs) and Henry Shires both set up several examples of
their newest tarp-tents and were on hand to point out the
highly-well-thought-out features.  Six Moons also exhibited the newest
version of his innovative vest pack, an early proto-type of which was shown
at last year's ADZ.

Entries into the G-Force Award and the Annual Great Pacific Long Distance
Hiking Gear and Invention Revue (AGPLDHG&IR) began to accumulate after
breakfast and the gear contestants began exhibiting their products to a large
crowd of enthusiastic hikers.  I'll leave the details of these events to the
coordinators of them to report on, however, saying that both events lived up
to the previous ones with good entries, creative entries and just plain silly
fun ones too.

Tom Hennessey, initially frustrated by the park's restriction against
attaching anything to the trees, eventually rigged up two of his innovative
hammocks, without attaching them to the trees, for the crowd to view, get
into and marvel at.

Marion and Ray Davison brought a llama again, adding to the flavor and
uniqueness of the event.  Later Saturday they exhibited their innovative
light weight packing strategies that they have developed over years and years
and miles and miles of packing in the Sierras.

An auction was held in the early afternoon, a first time event at the ADZ.
Up for auction was the G5 Spectra pack from GVP, a new ultra light Gregory
Advent Pro pack, a Hennessey Hammock, a Henry Shire's TentTarp, trekking
poles, maps, insulated cooking envelopes, t-shirts, books, mosquito netting,
a MSR Whisperlight Stove, etc., etc.  The G5 Spectra pack went for the most,
raising $310 for the ADZPCTKO, and going to Marge "the old gal" by proxy vote
by Tom Reynolds (yep, he did show after all of the grand standing and whining
and . . . )

Dinner started early; 4:30, by general consensus and, before anyone
recognized it, the food was beginning to be prepared and a line formed.  No
one really cared as all remember the first rule of the ADZ, eventhough dinner
was scheduled for 6:00.  Well, no one cared except Jim Wermer, who spent 4
hours that morning shredding lettuce for two huge salads and drove in at 6:00
to find everyone done with dinner!  The salad was consumed a bit that night
anyway and for breakfast the next morning!  Ah, Ceasar salad for breakfast!?

While everyone ate, the PCTA spoke to the crowd; Liz Bergeron touting the
strength and focus of the organization, Joe Sobinovsky telling of the land
purchases accomplished this year and JoAnn Michels, PCTA Trail Coordinator
for the Klamath-Trinity Alps region of California told the thru-hikers how
the town of Etna is going all out for them this year, erecting a "Welcome
Thru-hikers" banner across the main street, offering all sorts of discounts,
freebies and specials, etc., etc.  The organizers thanked all of those who
have contributed time, money and gear for the benefit of the event.

I told the crowd (and I would like to tell you also) of a selfless man, Larry
Burril, who upon facing the end of his hiking career due to health problems,
chose to make it a positive thing by donating most of his hiking gear to the
ADZ.  Larry hiked a thousand miles of the PCT but then began to have
problems.  When Larry sent to me his large box of gear and I openned it, I
cried.  Here was a box, just like the box all of us have in our garage or
basement.  I have one, it has all of my assorted gear, things that I use for
hiking or camping, some old, some new, some that I have never used and may
not.  Inside Larry's box was an ice axe, a set of trekking poles, a MSR
stove, a full set of USFS and JMT maps, a book by Jardine, books on map and
compass using, on first aid in the wilderness, etc., mosquito netting, stuff
sacks, hiking socks, etc., etc.  Some of this was offered as prizes in the
Gear Contest, other gear was auctioned off, the rest contributed to the hiker
box.  The ice axe was given away to an aspiring thru-hiker who upon hearing
of the snow conditions on San Jacinto wished that she had bought an ice axe.
All who received understood, all are deeply grateful to this kind man.

Linda "Gottago" and Cupcake (both returning 2002 thru-hikers) designed,
printed and gave away to all attendees green bandanas with a trail map and
mileage markers and "Hiker to Trail" and "Hiker to Town" printed in large
letters on either side of the map.  To the thru-hikers they added the words
"PCT Thru-Hiker 2003" on them.  What a cool idea and they were snatched up by
the approximately 310 attendees!

After dinner Meadow Ed held his congregation rapt in attention as he
delivered the critical water information from up the trail. There he sat in a
chair with rows of sitting and standing aspiring thru-hikers surrounding him,
all with pencil and paper scribbling notes.  Tom Reynolds and I traded barbs
over our evolving Sierra snow predicitions, which change almost daily.

Then, after dark, John Oldford showed a video of his 2002 thru-hike to
another standing room only crowd in the Pavillion.  His focus of attempting
to get the "feel" of the trail, of the people, of the emotions and fears, not
just the majesty, was received well especially by those in attendance that
thru-hiked last year and knew most of the featured people, but also those who
have hiked in former years and found the feelings, the emotions, the fears
and the fun has not changed.  If you have an opportunity to see this video
(not currently available as John says he is still editing) do it.

The singing and music went on late into the night around several fires and
the rangers didn't shut us down at 10:00 as in past years.  I guess the
ranger kissing that we did last year has them in a more receptive mood
towards us. John "Mother Nature's Son" Calhoun sang a lively version of Sweet
Home Alabama and then said that he has to figure out how to get his pack
weight down some more, he figures that he'll have to dump a few of the
"knives and hatchets" that he is carrying!

Saturday night was cold, down to 28 degrees, but the threatening storm never
showed up and the stars shown brilliant.

Sunday morning, cold, clear and everyone up early and rearing to go!
Standing in the sun, trying to warm up and eating breakfast the sounds of a
baby crying (yup, two attended this year!), a llama and, what's that?
Bagpipes, by God, it's bagpipes!  Ah, the aura of the ADZPCTKO!

The trail gorillas stirred, collected their tools, drank the last of a cup of
coffee, hoisted their heavy, 1970's era-looking packs and headed north on the
trail this day.  Joe Sobinovsky working with them and showing that he doesn't
just speak the speak but also walks the walk of protecting, preserving and
maintaining this gem.

Hikers were ferried to the border and Cibbets Flat and Mt. Laguna.  The
campsite was cleaned up.  The supporters and past thru hikers all packed up .
. . and no one wanted it to end and all lingered . . . feeling the pull . . .
 watching them, those that aspire, disappearing down the trail . . . knowing
that THEY DON'T HAVE A CLUE WHAT LIES DOWN THAT TRAIL, but WE DO!

Bob Reiss packed up his RV, putting away all of the cooking utensils and left
over food and chairs and headed back to San Diego to pick up more hikers and
bring them out to the border.

Jeff Bohannon cleaned up the drinks (that he provided; you wouldn't believe
the variety!) and we divided the leftovers between the trail gorillas and
some of the organizers.

All weekend long people walked up to me and handed me donations.  No one paid
any attention to the recommended donation amount of $15.  Everyone offered
more, many much more.  We are therefore able to do some things better next
year and offer some donations as well.

If you took pictures of the ADZ, please send them to Carl Siechert, ADZ
Webmaster, so that he can incorporate them into the website or link to your
website.

Thank you's go out to all who attended and several who did not.
A few are listed below, and my apologies to the many that I have missed.

Bob Reiss (food)
Jeff Bohannon (drinks)
Carl Siechert (website, site coordination, ride board, etc., etc.)
Jason Kramer (AGPLDHG&IR)
Bill "AsABat" Jeffries (emergency plan)
Charlie Jones (water stashing)
Sam Merten (water stashing)
Ann & Jim (water stashing and salads)
Christine Kudija (name tags and Biology talk)
Hal Margolis (Biology talk)
Paul Hacker (Geology talk)
Meadow Ed (Water talk)
Linda "Gottago" and Cupcake (bandanas)
Pickaxe Pete Fish (Trail Gorillas)
PCTA Staff and Board
Tom Reynolds (radios and LCD projector)
GVP Gear
Adventure 16
Henry Shires
Hennessey Hammocks
Larry Burril for his most generous contribution
The Teutonic Knight for his most generous contribution

Next year:

For all of you who attended, do you have suggestions on how to make this
better?  Or, how to keep it great?  Or, what to leave out?  I know, the
auction dragged on, we'll probably do a silent one next year.  Other ideas?

The measure of success of this event is not the number of attendees, as many
of the people who have attended several of these lamented that the lower
attendance in past years made it more low-key and easier to converse with
most.  However, it was commented often to me the amazement of the friendly,
open, low-key atmosphere pervading even a crowd of over 300 people.

I think a better measure is the sound of babies, llamas and bagpipes!

Tom, Charlie and Bob, I believe that we have succeeded!

Greg "Strider" Hummel
Wagonmaster, Grand Pooh-bah, Coordinator and Disorganizer
ADZPCTKO
Speaking for all of the organizers of the ADZPCTKO

Salvitur Ambulando
(Walking Solves All Things)