[pct-l] Introduction: John Manning

[john.manning at magazines.newsquest.co.uk (John Manning)]

Well I've been lurking around the list for long enough, gathering hints and
tips so...

I'm planning a thru' hike next year, somewhat inspired by the tales and
adventures of the numerous friends and acquaintances who have already done
the trail, including Chris Townsend, Andy Helliwell, Kathy Faulkes, Simon
Willis and Ray Riches - all fellow Brits (Andy and Kathy are Triple
Crowners).

I guess my love of hiking the hills was an acquired taste - my parents would
drag my brother, sister and I off, kicking and screaming, to the Yorkshire
Dales and Lake District etc, then a few years later a wonderful chap called
Norman Lister would take groups of young people from our church on winter
trips to the Lake District. There he'd point out the wildlife and the hills,
and allowed the sociable side of sharing the outdoors experience with
friends to have a wonderful effect on all of us.

In my early 20s (after journalism training) a couple of pals invited me to
hike the Pennine Way with them, a terrific experience (and before the trail
was stone paved, too). When we got to the end we just didn't want to stop.
More long hikes followed and I took a job as a reporter on a local weekly
paper - guess who always ended up covering the sponsored hikes, and
mountaineering tales etc.

Became a volunteer countryside ranger (8 years) and National Trust warden
(the same 8 years) and started writing a regularly outdoor column for the
local daily paper in what was left of my spare time. That led to my current
job with tgo (The Great Outdoors) Magazine, the finest UK hiking mag there
is!!!!

But ten years in the office and I'm ready for a break, so next year I'm
stepping out for six months to clear my head and benefit from some
California sunshine. I've a little experience in California: I hiked in
Yosemite for a few days in September/October 2000 with a fine guy from San
Fran called Chris Wemmers (I'd met him the year before in Nepal;
unfortunately, sadly, he died on Sept 11, in the WTC) and I spent last
Christmas/New Year in CA (South Lake Tahoe, Big Sur, Monterey, Placerville).
So I already know that it never rains in California and the snow's always
8-feet deep, nicely compacted and falls when you're asleep so you can enjoy
it in the sunshine next morning.

I'm planning to set out on April 21, attend the Kick Off, pick up the JMT at
Whitney, then the Tahoe-Yosemite, the Tahoe Rim Trail and rejoin the PCT -
I'd love to know if anyone thinks that's an unreasonable amount to cram into
the less-than-six-months I'll be away from the office. Especially as I'm an
unfit heavy drinking, heavy smoking lard bucket at the moment.

One day soon I'll get around to some detailed planning; in the meantime I'm
benefiting from the very fine advice in this forum.

And no, I don't know what kind of cook pot I'll be using.

Very best wishes,

John
Glasgow
UNITED KINGDOM



*********************************************************************************
This e-mail message, including any attachments, is intended solely for the use of the addressee and may contain confidential information. 
If it is not intended for you, please inform the sender and delete the e-mail and any attachments immediately. Any review, retransmission, 
disclosure, copying or modification of it is strictly forbidden.  Please be advised that the views and opinions expressed in this e-mail may not reflect the views and opinions of Newsquest (Herald & Times) Limited or any of its subsidiary companies.  

Whilst we take reasonable precautions to ensure that our emails are 
free from viruses, we cannot be responsible for any viruses transmitted with this e-mail and recommend that you subject any incoming e-mail to your own virus checking procedures.  Use of this or any other e-mail facility signifies consent to any interception we might lawfully carry out to prevent abuse of these facilities.
***********************************************************************************