[pct-l] ALDHA -East and the PCT

[pmags at yahoo.com (Paul Magnanti)]

If I may put in a shameless plug for myself... :-)

I will be doing a PCT Workshop again this year at the
ALDHA-East Gathering. Did one last year and it went
pretty well (if I do say so myself). A large part of
the success is that I had quite a few PCT veterans in
the workshop who also added input. Meadow Ed was there
as well, so that helped A LOT. (Thanks Ed!)

The workshop is "meat and potatoes". No slides, but
plenty of discussion of many issues that PCTers face
and/or fear. Go over desert treking, snow travel in
the Sierra and bears. Those seem to be the "Big three"
concerns of PCT hikers to be. Being at ALDHA-East, I
also go briefly into the AT vs PCT for those who have
some AT miles under their shoes.  We also touch upon
some other issues as well.

I strongly suggest you go to the Gathering if for
anything else to see other people who share similar
dreams to you. When I went to my first Gathering in
1997, it was the year before I did the AT. Like many
people about to do their first really long hike, had
some initial jitters. To see 400 people or so who have
"walked the walk" and/or share the dream thatI do?
Well, it was a shot in the arm! I knew that not did I
want to do the AT...I **HAD** to do the AT.
Seven years after that first Gathering, have gone on
not only to the AT but other trails as well. That
magical weekend helped me realize that it was OK to
want to spent weeks or months on these long treks.


By all means, bring Mom as well. Let her see the type
of people on the trail. College students, retirees,
moms, hostel owners, professionals, blue collar
workers, etc. (and 30 yr old computer techs who do not
work nearly as much as their parents think they
should. :-D ). Seeing that we are "tribe" who look
after one another, a tribe from all walks of life, a
tribe that is happy and content in what we do...well,
Mom should feel a lot better about your upcoming hike.

For more info go to:
http://www.aldha.org/gather04.htm

If you have any questions, please let me know.

Paul "Mags" Magnanti
ALDHA Board member-at-large

PS. One of these days, have to go to the ALDHA-West
Gathering! Living in Colorado, I have to fly to both! 


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The true harvest of my life is intangible.... a little stardust caught, a portion of the rainbow I have clutched
--Thoreau
http://www.magnanti.com