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



Just a thought:  I wonder how many through-hikers each year feel they MUST 
attend the KO (1) out of fear there is no water caching until AFTER the KO 
or (2) just to get info on the water caches.

If the folks handling each cache were to post the date when they plan to 
first stock their respective cache for the season, and exactly where they 
plan to locate it, perhaps that would enable some percentage of the 
thru-class to begin earlier or later than the KO and thus reduce the "herd". 
As was pointed out in an earlier post, not everyone wants to hike as a herd, 
either loosely or together. Might help alieveate both issues below.

Wandering Bob



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carl Siechert" <carlito@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 26, 2005 12:19 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Why I Boycotted the ADZPCTKO . . .


On 4/26/05, Steve Courtway <scourtway@bpa-arch.com> wrote:
>
> Morena campground is nearing capacity as it is isn't it ?  It seems as if
> that alone would put a finite cap on the number of people leaving San 
> Diego
> at the same time and attending the kick off........

The campground is nearing capacity, but bear in mind that only about
one-fourth of the people attending the kickoff this year are aspiring
2005 thru hikers. In theory, then, we could accommodate even more
thrus by limiting the number of other hangers-on. (In fact, following
the growth track this silly event has taken, we will have to limit
attendance next year, as we've just about maxed out what the park will
allow.)


Donna wrote:
> The ADZ has definitely affected the concentration, and altered the natural
> flow of starters; that is also a fact.

It's true. While it's a relatively narrow window to start with,
there's no doubt that the kickoff artificially creates a mass of
hikers centered around that date. The question then becomes one of
whether the benefits provided by ADZ (safety in numbers; ability to
talk with many "experts" who've hiked before; presentations from
previous hikers; displays of innovative gear from other hikers and
from small-time vendors; discussion of trail, water, and snow
conditions; fire and wilderness permits from USFS and PCTA; an
introduction to a terrific community of like-minded souls; etc.)
outweigh the downsides (hiking and camping in a pack; arriving in
sold-out, overcrowded towns; environmental damage).