[pct-l] My kind of guy

[CMountainDave at aol.com (CMountainDave@aol.com)]

Once we went hiking in the Grand Canyon after a lot of hassle getting a 
permit. Our permit said we were to camp at Boucher Creek for one night only before 
moving to another camp about 5 miles away. It got hot. REAL hot, about 105 
degrees. The party I was with decided it was just too hot to backpack to the next 
camp. All they wanted to do was sit in the shade all day. So there we were, 
subject to a big fine for camping in a reserved spot when along came a 
backcountry ranger. He checked our permit, listened to our reason for being there and 
then said the following: Down here is down here. Up there is up there. I 
realize you had to jump through a lot a lot of hoops and dot a lot of I's and cross 
a lot of T's to get that permit. All I care is that you have one. As far as 
I'm concerned you can camp any place you damned well feel like once you get 
down here. And then he moved on.
   The party that had the camp reserved finally came down. Actually, it was 
one guy who said "I don't think my buddy is gonna make it to camp. He hates the 
heat. The rest of my party turned back because of it." I asked him where they 
were from. "Phoenix, how about you." "Seattle" I replied (where it has never 
been above 100 - guess the moleskin people just didn't know any better than to 
hike 9 miles into the G.C. in 105 degree weather- but we were quick learners!)