[pct-l] Raising a RUCKus in the Rockies

[pmags at yahoo.com (Paul Magnanti)]

Sorry for the cross posting...

Here's a report from this past weekend. About time we
have something like this in the Rockies area! 
Leadville itself has THREE trails nearby (Colorado
Trail, Continental Divide Trail and the American
Discovery Trail.). Wild Bill and Kathy said to say hi
Ken and Marcia who stopped by on their recent ADT
trek.

Anyway..here is the report:


On the weekend of Feb 24th - 26th, 25+ long distance
hikers gathered at the Leadville Hostel
(www.leadvillehostel.com) for the second consecutive
Rockies Ruck. For many years, there have been hiker
get togethers on the East and West coasts. All of us
in the Rockies love to meet our fellow hiker trash,
but can not always fly or drive many miles to see our
friends.

This weekend can be described in one simple phrase: It
was a success!

The Rockies Ruck had hikers not only from Colorado,
but also from Wyoming, Montana   and Kansas. The
weather was beautiful. The company was great. Bill and
Kathy were wonderful hosts and hope to have us again
next year.

Activities for the weekend included eating (of
course), snowshoeing and cross country skiing on the
nearby trails (we are outdoors people afterall), slide
shows, a wonderful tent demo from Bob Molen of Big Sky
Product (new toys are always fun to look at!), and the
best part of the weekend: seeing friends - both old
and new.

It was a also an exciting weekend for those about to
do their upcoming hikes. Information was exchanged on
the PCT, the CDT and of course the AT.

Nira Duvan, a 2006 AT hopeful, had her gear poked,
prodded and examined. It was a funny experience
not only for Nira, but for everyone involved. You get 
about twenty-five people together wtih thousands and
thousands of miles of collective hiking experience and
you get a few different opinions to say the least!
Nira wanted a sip of water from the well...we poured
it on with a fire hose. :-) 

So that was the Rockies Ruck weekend: part information
exchange, part film fest and  part family reunion.

There will be another Rockies Ruck in Leadville for
2007. And hopefully for years to come!

Photos will be posted tomorrow.


************************************************************
The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust 
caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
--Thoreau
http://www.magnanti.com