[pct-l] Trail Fest

[yogihikes at sbcglobal.net (yogi)]

It's Monday at 5pm, and I just got home from the Trail Fest in Portland.  
Whew!  It's good to be home.  I was supposed to leave Portland at 11am 
Sunday, but a snowstorm in Denver closed the airport---where I was 
supposed to change planes.  That left me stuck in Portland for another 
day until I could leave early this morning and fly to Kansas City via 
Phoenix --- a little out of the way, but at least I'm home.
 
So I get here in KC, go to the parking place, and try to turn on my car.  
NOTHING.  It was then that I remembered that I drove through fog on 
the way to the airport Friday morning.  Must have forgotten to turn off 
my lights.  AAARRRGGGHHH.  I just want to be HOME!!!
 
Now that I've had a couple beers, I'm good to go.
 
Trail Fest was fun.  It was cool to finally put faces with some of the 
names I see here on PCT-L all the time.  And it was good to see old 
friends again --- Jeff & Donna, Squatch, and who can forget MONTE!!!  
(Please come to the kickoff Monte!!)
 
I was hoping to see more thru-hikers at Trail Fest.  It seemed to be 
devoid of thru-hikers.  There were a few thru-hikers who live in the 
Portland area, but not many who actually traveled to attend the Trail 
Fest.  Not sure why that happened.  My guess is that it was pretty 
expensive.  $99/night for the special PCT rate at the hotel is a bit 
pricy for hiker trash like me (us).  Hopefully, there will be more 
reasonably priced accommodations for future Trail Fests.
 
All in all, it was a fun weekend.  I'm glad I went.  I thought the coolest 
part was when everyone gave Pete Fish and his crew a standing ovation 
at the awards dinner.  I don't know Pete, but I know what he does, and 
to see him recognized that way was pretty special.  
 
Thanks to everyone at the PCTA for putting on a good weekend!
 
yogi
 
www.pcthandbook.com