[pct-l] Hitch hiking & official trail

[ksorbello at hotmail.com (Kimberly Sorbello)]

IMHO, hitch-hiking is a two-way risk, and one can consider the yogi way an 
interview process.  After talking to locals, the hiker may not feel 
comfortable with the person who offers the ride, and decline, and the local 
may choose not to offer the ride, depending on the conversation (or b.o.!)  
Both parties benefit, because many, especially ladies who are physically 
more vulnerable, would love to help (we old ladies are often mothers with no 
more kids to nurture ;) ) but are a bit concerned about the risk.  Having a 
chance to get a feel for who this hiker is gives us a chance to assess that 
risk and help when we feel it is safe, and gives us - when we're the hikers 
- a chance to choose a ride that feels safe.  And since both parties are 
free to choose, without much pressure or constraint, yogi's way can become a 
"mutual admiration society."

Just 2 cents from an old lady hiker and former hitch-hiker.


From: Bob Bob <rew_us@yahoo.com>
To: pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: [pct-l] Hitch hiking  & official trail
Date: Thu, 23 Feb 2006 12:33:58 -0800 (PST)

I read the post yesterday about how Yogi recommends
getting a ride from town back to the trailhead and the
following email saying to just stick you thumb out.  I
have seen many methods from other hikers.  I hate
hitch hiking but it is a necessary part of through
hiking and you have to do it.  One hiker I knew when
we were at the mazama parking lot below Crater Lake
pretty aggressively went to strangers in the parking
lot and point blank asked if they were driving up to
the rim and if so could we get a ride.  He said this
put people in the predicament of having to say no
which alot of people have trouble doing.  I prefer
Yogi's way.  It is more polite and allows people to
not be pressured into helping if they don't want to.
Yogi's way is also better than sticking out your thumb
because people driving by don't know you are a hiker
and many assume you might be a drifter.  Talking to
people in towns let them know you are a harmless long
distance hiker.  If you don't want to Yogi a ride you
can ask at cafe's or stores  "are there any people in
town who give rides to hikers back to the trail head?"
.  I asked this at the store in Trout lake and they
gave me some phone numbers.  These people were out but
another lady volunteered that the store people didn't
know about.   A few months ago I spent two hours
watching cars drive by me on the road that goes from
Techachapi and Mojave.  They didn't know I was a hiker
and weren't about to pick up a "drifter" in the middle
of nowhere.  Eventually a retired LAPD officer picked
me up in a Geo Metro and said he knew I was a hiker
since he had helped other hikers before.

On a second topic, if hiking the Eagle Creek trail is
skipping part of the official PCT then is hiking the
rim of Crater Lake also skipping part of the official
PCT since there is the official low route that horses
can go on?  Why not have the PCTA say that the
official PCT can diverge into a hiker route and horse
route in places like crater lake, and eagle creek?

Pika

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