[at-l] PA Ruck?

[spiriteagle99 at hotmail.com (Jim and/or Ginny Owen)]

Dave Hicks wrote:
>I hesitate to join in on this thread, as I will skip the PA RUCK again this 
>year.

Hey, Dave - you're pretty sharp for an "almost senior citizen" <G>

>I'll be going to the SO RUCK.  As some of the old timers may remember, I
>supported the idea of additional RUCKs to help take the pressure off the
>Pine Grove Furnace facility, get RUCKs back to smaller sharing events, and
>reduce the travel distance for some, who found Pine Grove Furnace a bit of 
>a haul.  I still have hope that additional RUCKs will come to be and will 
>reestablish the earlier RUCK format.  I will continue to walk-the-talk.

If my life wasn't so out of control timewise this year, I'd have been 
looking for someplace else to start Ruck III so we could continue what this 
business was supposed to be about - multiple small local rucklings. It's not 
gonna happen this year - but watch out for next year cause the Mother Ruck 
will  get some competition.


>Unfortunately, the desire (of some) to attend both the PA & SO RUCKs
>resulted in different weekends and, alas, part of the reason for additional 
>sites is diminished, again IMHO.

Uh huh - you're right on - additional rucks were supposed to happen on the 
same weekend so that situation would NOT happen.  But I think most of those 
people have learned better.

>As to when -- had I my way, both the SO, PA and any additional RUCKs would 
>be "Stupor" Bowl weekend.

Uh huh - what he said

>IMHO, there is a is a statement being made when the "doers" of physical
>activity intentionally schedule something at the same time as an annual
>major spectator couch potato event.

Uh huh -

>However, there is no reason why those who want to set-up a RUCK on another 
>weekend should not do so.
>
>I think it would be great to have a string of RUCKs, on whatever weekend.
>
>If one feels strongly about other weekends, or locations, just do it.

Yeah, yeah, yeah - JUST DO IT.

Actually, there were other rucklings starting a few years ago in few places. 
  It's time to revisit those, whether this year or next.  I'm tired of 
wondering whether the format will survive past "this" year.  And the way to 
ensure that it will survive is to get away from the 
Mother-Ruck-everybody-pile-on format and get back to the small-group idea.

So I'm gonna throw this on the table - if anyone out there doesn't want to 
drive 100 (or 10) hours to get to the PA Ruck - then get some people 
together and have your own.  Use the Ruck site format for a guide (or not).  
All it takes is people and food.  The people are your friends even if you 
haven't met them yet and the food is ALWAYS good. The talk will come 
naturally if you're all interested in hiking.   Like Dave - I don't care 
"when" or "where" or even "how" you do it.  JUST DO IT.

Given my druthers, I'd be seeing these things in Virginia, New Hampshire, 
New Jersey, Georgia, Colorado, Michigan, Indiana, Oregon - and anyplace else 
there are hikers - or future hikers.

My$0.02 - well, OK - so maybe it was $0.05 -
Jim

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