[pct-l] thru hikers

["JoAnn M. Michael" <jomike@snowcrest.net>]

To anyone who knows Andy and Lia, thought you might like to know I saw
and spoke with them at Carter's Meadow on Monday, August 2, 1999, about
7:30 a.m.  They looked great both physically and mentally. Had big
smiles, appeared uninjured and are having fun.

Also, on my four day trip through the last portion of Section P, I saw
and spoke with Barclay Henry, Jeff "Smokey" Tuske, and Walt and Karin
Harmon.  The four of them were all a part of saving me from a near death
experience .  Walt was the one who put himself in extreme danger to
actually rescue me from where I'd spent 20 hrs. on a 2'x3' rock.  A bear
was within about 30' of me off-and-on all day and night. And, I was not
hit by lighting that was thundering all around me. I had tried to go
around snow on the trail and went too high and too far. The best we can
figure is I got myself on the wrong side of a wrong ridge trying to "go
around" the snow.  It is a much longer story but will not bore you with
the details. May I take a moment to say I owe my life to these four
people who between all of of them and misc. public safety people got me
off the rock that I was hanging on to for almost 24 hrs. My voice, three
days later, is still exceedingly sore due to have yelled "HELP, HELP,
HELP" time, after time, after time.  I made such a big mistake to not
have stopped sooner and gone back when it was an option, but, when it
game down to taking care of myself till help arrived, I did all the
right things. Yelling "help" in groups of three, my bright red backpack,
having the needed food (low on water), all the needed rain gear (there
was thunder and lighting that night, also!) and didn't give up, i.e.,
just kept calling for help and yet planning for not being found for some
days.

I guess I did bore you with a "few" details, sorry!  I can barely talk
about what happened to me without some tears sill coming to my eyes. 
Smokey and Barclay went on after taking so much of their time getting me
to a safe place.  Walt and Karin were our guests over night and are
being driven to Siead Valley where they'll do the big push that will get
them out of CA and into OR by my husband, as I type.

All four are well. Not sure who might know any of them but I did want to
share the information with all of you in case you know any of them.
Barclay lives in So. OR, Smokey is from VA, and, Walt and Karin live in
Utah.  I do know Walt and Karin have done the AT, also.

JoAnn, the Truly Thankful backpackers.
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