[pct-l] Eric Ryback

[pcnst2001 at covad.net (pcnst2001@covad.net)]

> He allegedly dropped the suit when affidavits  were 
produced from more than 1 person who'd given him rides - meaning he didn't  
hike the whole PCT. 


Despite all that, I agree that the book is fascinating and still rings true in a
couple of
important aspects:
 1) loneliness
 2) hunger

Doing a southbound hike starting in mid-June of a normal to heavy snow year is
still a
gutsy thing to do.    In 1972 there were no caches, no trail angels, no guide
books, no PCTA,
no ADZ, no pct-l, and in many areas no trail, and certainly no ten-pound base
weight pack systems.   
There were hardly
any northbound through-hikers to meet, and certainly no other southbound hikers.

So I would hope that nobody who has done a northbound through hike in a recent normal
snow year would feel too superior to Eric Ryback or other pioneers.   His book
inspired
me then, even if it took 30 years to being to bear fruit.