[pct-l] ALDHA-West Gathering After Action Report and PCT Hiker Report

[Hiker97 at aol.com (Hiker97@aol.com)]

Just got back to Las Vegas and had a GREAT vacation up in the Lake Tahoe  
area.
1.  Got to Sierra Pines Camp a week prior to the Gathering on a  Saturday.  I 
took Trail Day and AsABat up to the I80 trailhead, so they  could start south 
on Sunday.  We had breakfast in Truckee, Ca.
2.  Can'tQuit and I got dropped off at Barker Pass on Tuesday morning  to 
start our 32 mile hike south to Echo Lake parking lot.
3.  We left some dirty tricks for Trail Dad and AsABat along the  trail We 
said we would provide them with burgers, fries, great pasta along the  trail.  
We did.  We left $5.00 gift cards to McDonalds and  Olive Gardens along with 
some mean signs.  I thought it was very  funny, but they did not.  Ha, ha, ha. I 
might try this scam again next  year.
4.  Since, I walk so slow, they caught up with us at  Fontanillis Lake.  We 
all camped at Dicks Lake below  the pass.
5.  We all left on Thursday and walked 15 miles to the Echo Lake  parking 
lot.  Of course, I got there at sunset (slow) with Can'tQuit  (fast).  Trail Dad 
and AsABat had finished hours earlier.  I was  so tired I just gave Can'tQuit 
my rental keys to the van and said to  go up the hill and get it and bring it 
down to the lower parking lot.  I  was not walking one more inch.  I was a 
puddle of backpacking  biology. 
6. On Friday all four of us went to breakfast and lunch together as we  
goofed around South Lake Tahoe until the Gathering started later that day.   Lots 
of fun being with the three of them.
7. At the Gathering I painted a lot of tent stakes florescent orange for  
Gathering attendees.  I had about 70 copies of my Rhythm of the Trail &  Super 
Secrets of Backpacking.  All but about 5 copies were picked up.   It seemed to 
be received okay.  So, I was pleased.  My Gear &  Technique seminar went well 
with about 20 - 25 participants.  We only got  through about 40% of the topics, 
since it was only one hour long.  Again,  it seem to be appreciated.  The 
seminar really needs to be at least 2 hours  long.  Since I did not have time to 
grammar check my Rhythm paper before  coming to the Gathering, schoolteacher 
Marion D. did a great review there.   Very nice. 
8. Read Can'tQuit copy of Yogi's Handbook for the first time.  Very  nice.  A 
couple of impressions:
--- As you read this document the idea starts creeping into your mind that  
may be you could thru hike the PCT someday.  Wild.
--- One statement said if you want to go to Canada, then buy a plane ticket  
to Canada and go.  Very wise advise ---- it is the journey not the  
destination.
--- Keep your own pace.  Don't even adjust 1/4 mph.  Very smart  advise.
--- Think of the thru hike as a series of back to back shorter hikes.   Like 
section to section.  Very smart too.
9. Can'tQuit woke me up Sunday morning (I over slept) to take her to the  
Reno AP.  We decided not to eat breakfast at Sierra Pines Camp.  The  trouble is 
that I could not shower or find some clean clothes, but Can'tQuit was  dressed 
in a nice pant suit and ready for her plane flight.  I felt sorry  for her on 
the hour ride in the rental van to the AP.  The cost of doing  business.  She 
did not say anything, but I think I noticed her fainting  every once in a 
while.
10.  I stopped at Lone Pine Sunday at the Dow Motel.  What a  great time!!  I 
saw a young woman backpacker in the Lone Pine Sporting  Goods store.  I asked 
if she was hiking the JMT. She said she was a PCT  thru hiker with 100 miles 
to go to Walker Pass. It was SMACK.  We went next  door and I bought her 
dinner at the Merry-Go-Round restaurant.
11.  A person at another table heard us talking and came over to  introduce 
himself.  It was the person who built the miniature PCT monument  (GIRL 
SCOUT?).  He was staying at the Mt. Whitney Motel.  So we all  went over there for 
pictures after dinner.  It was too too funny.   While SMACK stood on the 
"monument" on the side walk and we took video and  pictures, along comes PYGMY, who 
is doing the PCT over a 3 year period and  living in Lone Pine currently with 
his significant other. We went to  his shop and then house to party and drink 
Champaign.  Wolf and  Koala were staying there.  They had just finished the 
PCT.  There were  seven of us at the party. 
12.  They were all going to go out to the Alabama Hills today (Monday)  and 
boulder climb.  I had to get back to Las Vegas today.
13.  Here is what I could make out as far as hiker.  I was not  sure of the 
spellings:
--- SMACK will finish at Walker Pass on October 7 or 8.
--- LOVE BARGE at KM (? - no one knew for sure - she missed the famous beer  
run, which she wanted to be at)
--- WOLF and KOALA at Lone Pine and finished
--- GIZMO, GODMAN, DONKEY finished at Mt. Whitney
--- ONE GALLON at KM on September 26 and continuing to Campo
--- SKITTLES, RECESR (?), CEDAR, LOOKOUT, MUNGOUS finished at KM on  
September 30
--- SWAGMAN, EASY finishing at Walker Pass on October 4
--- JIM BEAM, RAIN QUEEN finishing at Campo in 5 weeks
--- MATTERHOUSE (?) at KM on September 30
--- BARNYARD, TV DINNER (?) finished at KM on September 26.  
 
In any case, it was a blast.  
 
Your hiking buddy, Switchback