[pct-l] Introduction

[Jeff Jones <jjonz@gte.net>]

Howdy listers,
I mostly lurk but have posted a time or two.  I enjoy the list as a way
of keeping alive my hope of finishing the PCT.  I hiked 3 months on the
PCT in 1979 before aching feet ended my trip at Belden, CA.  Even though
I fell short of my goal (finsihing), it was a highlight of my life.  In
those pre - Jardine book days, heavy packs were the norm.  I left the
Mexico border with a 50+ lb pack.  And I still remember that felt
heavy.  As the hike progressed, I added gear as my condition improved.
I was intimidated by hiking the passes through the Sierras and took too
much gear.  At the Kennedy Meadows store, my pack weighed 93 lbs.
Ughhh!!!  I could only lift it twice a day - in the morning and after my
lunch time break.  But even that heavy stone on my back didn't take the
joy out of the high Sierras (at least not all of the time).  Eventually,
I whittled the pack weight down to around 70 lbs after supply drops.
But the heavy pack and stiff boots finally beat my feet into
submission.  After my PCT attempt, I got into triathlons and competed in
the Ironman 4 times.  During my training, I used to wear a daypack
containing my work gear (about 12 lbs) when I ran the 4 - 5 miles to
work and back.  That got me to thinking about ultralight gear.  I
eventually got my weekend backpack gear down to where it fit in a large
size day pack and weighed 15 lbs or so.  And that's pretty much how I do
it now when I can squeeze in an overnighter.  I mostly dayhike now
around my home near Palm Springs, CA.  I can see the Desert Divide part
of the of the PCT from my home office window.  My other outdoor
interests have included or include ski mountaineering, hunting, coaching
my son's AYSO soccer team, fly fishing, mountain biking, rock climbing
(after my shoulder heals from recent surgery), and endurance
motorcycling.  I tend to pick one the above activities and concentrate
on it almost to the exclusion of everything else for several months at a
time.  Hopefully, this list will sometime point me back onto the PCT for
a couple of months to the exclusion of all else.
         Jeff Jones

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