[pct-l] The Herd is a FACT...

[Carl Siechert]

The idea of two KO events is actually quite interesting. It's true: the
ADZPCTKO organizers work their tails off to put this event together, and
putting on a repeat performance would be asking a lot. However, I have no
doubt that they (we) could pull it off.

But we couldn't ask the vendors to show up twice. (For those who haven't
been before, we invite a select group of small manufacturers of terrific
equipment ideally suited to long-distance hiking to show their wares. Many
of them are previous PCT hikers, and none has a large company or large
marketing budget -- if they have any marketing budget at all!) Similarly,
the presentations -- which encompass widely ranging topics including bear
cans, stargazing, Leave No Trace, geology, etc. -- would probably not be
available at both events. Class reunions would be less compelling. And so
on.

Still, an interesting idea to consider if this thing gets any bigger.

Carl
1977 Kelty Kid
ADZPCTKO webmaster, campsite coordinator, and unindicted co-conspirator

P.S. In another thread, folks asked about numbers of hikers surrounding the
kickoff. ADZPCTKO organizer Sam Merten last year reported the results of his
survey, as follows:

> This is my estimate of hikers on the trail Sunday after the kick-off. >
Sunday 15 to 19 left the border 40 to 45 hiker out from the kick-off -
> 15 to 20 were drop off in Mt.Luguna area 10 to 12 were drop at scissors
> 10 to 15 were drop off at Warner springs 10 to 15 drop way up the trail.
> I got these numbers from hikes and the ride board at the kick-off.


On 3/13/07, montypct <montypct at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> When interviewed for an article called "Busiest Hiker Town on the PCT", I
> asked Denise (Warner Springs Postmaster) what would make things better
> concerning the Kick Off.
>
> She said do it twice, two weeks apart, to which I brushed off as
> ridiculous
> considering the countless hour the organizers put in already including a
> lot
> of 24/7 throughout April.  A year of organizing starting the afternoon of
> the previous Kick Off.
>
>