[pct-l] Re: How the PCT differs from the PCT-L

[dsaufley at sprynet.com (dsaufley@sprynet.com)]

Thank you, James -- hope you find yourself on the Trail soon.  As for us, we'll time our own hikes so that we'll be there when the hikers come through -- we don't want to miss meeting anyone!

-=Donna Saufley=-

-----Original Message-----
From: James Payne <JPayne@standardsteel.com>
Sent: Dec 27, 2004 9:59 PM
To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Cc: dsaufley@sprynet.com
Subject: How the PCT differs from the PCT-L

Wonderful posting from the Queen of the Trail Angels!

Your words of wisdom really hit home with me, especially "...deeply
seated motivation deep in someone's soul; the call of the wild," and
"what you get is the soul of a person, down to its core, without
pretenses, accepting and appreciative beyond measure for things that
were never even given consideration in the lives they lived before --
clean clear water, a soft flat spot to lay down, the inexplicable
spontaneous kindness of strangers.  This is clearly an altered state of
being..."

I'm mostly a pct-l 'lurker' and 'wannabe' that clings to the dream of a
single season PCT through hike.  Born and raised in far northern CA (but
now living in PA), I started backpacking in the Marble Mountains and
Trinity Alps in the early 1960's...  I haven't done any 'long-distance'
hiking since the late 60's/early 70's, but I follow the trail journals
and the pct-l, both of which keeps the dream alive and burning...  I
really look forward to visiting Hiker Heaven in Agua Dulce when I
finally get to the trail (unless that is the year that you and Jeff
finally hit the PCT for your own through hike - but I'm sure you would
get MANY former PCTers to volunteer to house-sit and provide your
services for at least one season!).  Good luck on the trail to both you
and Jeff in '06...  Enjoy it!!!

And thank you for everything that you do for the PCT, especially that
beyond Hiker Heaven - you are an excellent ambassador for the PCT.

Happy trails!