[pct-l] (OT) CCTG in Etna called a scam. whoa.

[Pea Hicks]

cmkudija at earthlink.net wrote:
> Jack, thanks for the post.  This reminds me of the "Moonies" in the 70s who
> congregated around Berkeley, attracting unattached young people like me to
> their "camp" in Booneville.  I eluded their clutches, but one of my
> housemates had spent time with them, confirming the cult-like reputation.
> This CCTG seems even worse.  Their purported hiker-friendliness is likely a
> front to seduce any warm bodies they can get into their profit-making cause.
> 
> Gawd, I lead a sheltered life.

i stayed at the motel in etna, and heard some of the local gossip from 
the motel owner, who actually had more to say about the town's mayor 
than anything else. apparently the mayor is an 
ultra-right-wing-evangelical-christian type who also owns the local 
newspaper, and had had been involved in his fair share of pedophilia 
scandals and other controversies. can't remember all the details 
exactly. but apparently the mayor had it out for the cctg folks, and had 
written several editorials accusing them of being a cult of some sort.

gq & switch were the only hikers staying at cctg while i was in town, 
and i went over there with them. we all found the people and the 
atmosphere to be very friendly and laid back, though at the time there 
were only 3 or 4 students staying there, and we never met whoever was in 
charge. at any rate, there didn't seem to be any sort of "brainwashing" 
going on at all- they just asked for a $10 donation, and for that the 
hikers seemed to get the run of the place, and access to their bikes to 
get around town. they let me use one of their bikes too, even though i 
didn't donate anything.

about the only thing that seemed odd to me was the high "tuition" fee 
the students seemed to be paying, especially given the fact that they 
were also serving as the entire staff for the place- ie, they had to do 
all the cleaning, cooking, etc. i think one of the girls told me that 
her six month "tuition" fee was something like $10k. seemed a bit high 
to me. so who knows where all that cash is going?

anyway, the students seemed like bright enough folks, but i guess i 
didn't spend enough time there to get a full impression of the place.


girlscout