Re: [pct-l]Cheers!

[Brick Robbins <brick@fastpack.com>]

At 10:43 AM 2/3/99 -0800, you wrote:
>>Did anybody out there enjoy the southern portion enough to WANT to do it
again.  

I did. I've re-hiked the PCT from Campo to Big Bear (Van Dusen road) since
my through hike. I did it in two different week long section hikes.

The desert sections are not any worse than the mountain secions, just
different. The so-cal foothill-chaparall sections can get sort of
monotinous, but then again, so can the endless rolling pine covered hills
of Oregon.

The only bad things about the southern secions are lack of water, and urban
encrochment. The first had less effect on me than the latter. 

Remember that the PCT is NOT a widerness trail. You will hike through short
sections (usually near, or along roads) that are very skanky. Litter, spent
shotgun shells, empty beer cans, damage from OHVs, tunnels under freeways,
that sort of thing. This had a big negative effect on me the first time
through. (I think of those sections when I read posts obsessing over LNT. )

Now it just makes me appreciate the pristine parts more. 

I think that one of the reasons the first few hundred miles of the trail
are considered difficult is the added weight of carrying the next 2500
miles of trail in your mind.....

hike your own hike.

-Brick
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