[pct-l] Why I Boycotted the ADZPCTKO . . .

[enyapjr at adelphia.net (enyapjr@adelphia.net)]

What you say, Donna, I readily agree with...  but watch out - someone may
suggest "Let's have it in Agua Dulce at the Saufley's!" (TIC!!).

Seriously, though, I don't plan on attending ADZPCTKO the year I thru-hike
UNLESS it matches MY SCHEDULE (which wil be dictated by the SoCal/Sierra
snow - if I was nobo this year, I wouldn't start from Campo until mid-May), and
even then I wouldn't plan on being part of a "tsunami"...  I would either start later
after ADZPCTKO or earlier and hitch back to ADZPCTKO.  Plus I wouldn't be going
to ADZ "to get info" - just to meet and talk with the current class and especially
the previous thru-hikers - I would have ALREADY gotten info overload from the
excellent voluntary resources available (pct-l, ADZ links, As A Bat's water page, PCT Post Holer, CA and USDA snow sensor data, etc.).  Someone might ask, "But
what about the water caches?"...  Well, there weren't ANY in the 70's and 80's -
and good advice today is to NOT RELY on the caches anyway (probably especially
so this year due to said "tsunami" - if you're a day late, you could be a "gallon"
short relying on the caches).

As for another location or time, nothing logical comes to my mind (my logic also
says that anywhere in SoCal would still retain a "tsunami" effect)...  Maybe the
ADZPCTKO will evolve into more a thru-hiker 'reunion' and celebration for the trail with less emphasis on current year trail/cache info.  Kennedy Meadows is already also somewhat of a "party" point - waiting and grouping up for the Sierra entry.
Which brings up another (sad) thought for the future - with the ever increasing number of thru-hikers each successive year, how long until daily quotas are instituted someplace (or many places) along the PCT?  It might not happen in my
lifetime, but it will come eventually (and unfortunately, for thru-hikers).

Finally, for my humble 2 cents worth - for all that you have done for the PCT in
hosting and working for the trail community, you have a lot more than just a mere
2 cents worth of opinion coming!  Thank you! - and all others doing any voluntary
work for the PCT and the thru-hiking community.

Happy trails!!!