[at-l] ECT Season

[Bluetrail@aol.com (Bluetrail@aol.com)]

It's ECT season in central Florida. Two sets of hikers, all women, have now passed through the Orlando area, heading north.  

First set was Magellan & Jo-Jo Smiley (journal on the trail journals website)about two weeks or so ago.

Last night Mallow and Go-Go (both have done the AT) were encamped in my guest room. It was a great evening with LOTS of food consumed. 

At least one more hiker, Chris Stephens, should be hitting the Orlando area soon.  

It appears a couple of hikers may have dropped out after the pounding road walks between Key West and the start of the FT.  With the exception of a three week period after Christmas, it's been an unusually hot winter in Florida, but the hikers seem to be coping just fine.  

The FT-L list just had a very complimentary post from Del Delahunty who did the ECT last year (and continued his 11-month trek into Labrador).  A snippet:

" Contary to other
 ECT hikers last year I really enjoyed my time in Florida, most just bitched
 about it. I'm unsure as to why. 
 I liked the idea of walking through a climate that I wouldn't firstly
 associate with backpacking."

He thoroughly enjoyed the untamed trek in Labrador but wasn't as fond of the "cushy" AT; methinks he likes his hiking on the wild side.  

Joan
bluetrail@aol.com