[pct-l] Trail report

[Arkay7@aol.com]

	In keeping with the recent discussion of trail reports and their
significance, I present a brief TR of my hike this past week of the PCT from
North Fork Ranger Station to Messenger Flats. Admittedly, this was a short
hike, only a total of 15 miles over two days, but for me, it was a return to
my old friend after several months absence. This is what I wrote in my trail
journal that night:

	"This is the first time I have hiked the trail since that fateful snowpacked
day last May (I bombed off above Idyllwild after having hiked from the
border), and although both my physical prowess and stamina have diminished
over the preceding six months, my sense of awe and endearment towards the
trail remains as strong as when I left it. Amid all the confusion and
frustration of life that stirs in my breast, there is one sure and simple
truth - someday, sometime, I will hike the whole damn thing, from one end to
the other. The only thing that would prevent me from doing this is either
death or some incapacitating physical ailment. 
	Although I've hiked other trails over the summer and fall, I simply feel more
at home on this one. I can feel its pulse beneath my strides, and although it
neither beckons nor bars me from walking its dusty path, I can feel its soul
every step of the way, completely in tune with my own. With every step, my
destiny calls."

	Messenger Flats, for those of you who haven't had the privilege of camping
here, is one of the most scenic and idyllic spots I have seen. I had the added
pleasure of being totally isolated - no one else was crazy enough to hike this
late in the season, so I took full advantage of the situation. The view is
incredible - definitely make this one of your stops when you thru-hike.

	It was a beautiful couple of late fall days, and although chilly at night,
the conditions were ideal for hiking. For those of you who live in more
temperate climates, I urge you to embark one last foray in the wilderness
before closing out the year. No one else is out there, and it will get your
blood pumping for next season and all of its infinite possibilities.

Keep on keepin' on,
Ryel

PS Check out November's National Geographic - good article on American
Wilderness Areas.

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