[pct-l] Will we really do anything?

[Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes]

I've been thinking about the recent topic regarding how people behave  
on the trail. A few things have been sort of bothering me.

One is this notion that hikers will "do anything" to lighten their  
pack weight, including dumping excess weight on the trail.

I have lightened my pack weight but I have done it prior to leaving  
home. I've been hiking every other day or so on steep trails with my  
full pack with food enough for a week and at least 2.5 liters of  
water in order to really shake out my pack weight issues. My pack has  
lightened some because I replaced some of the heavier items, but also  
getting in shape has made my pack weight something that I can manage.  
I don't foresee tossing anything anywhere except in my bounce box at  
the next stop.

Embarking on 2700 miles of hiking without training and evaluating  
your load in advance isn't really "doing anything". It's a half-measure.

Another thing bothering me is the toilet paper issue. Hundreds of  
millions of people on this planet don't use it. Don't be afraid to  
wash your bum with water and possibly a little soap. And ladies, you  
don't need TP to go number one. Just bring a little squirt bottle and  
hose off.

The last thing bothering me is this fear of the desert. I imagine we  
all fear what we're not used to. I fear the snow and raging rivers  
myself. However, this dread of the "desert" section, as if it's an  
ugly hell on earth one has to endure to get to the good stuff, kind  
of baffles me. The desert is beautiful. I'm sure you'll see more  
variety of life there than anywhere else.

Most of this so-called "desert" people are dreading isn't desert at  
all. Chaparral isn't desert. It's an elfin forest. I promise if you  
go in to the desert -- even the real desert -- with an attitude of  
gratitude you'll see the beauty.

And if it is heat you're fearing, you can survive the heat. 100  
degrees really isn't that bad when you are in good physical shape.

I sometimes hike in hot, waterless conditions and the key (for me) is  
not to stop too much -- especially not in the sun, to sip (not chug)  
water all the time so I don't dehydrate (at least not too much),  
protect myself from the sun, and take advantage of any breeze and any  
shade. The reason I don't stop very much is because sometimes it  
feels hotter to stop than to keep going if there's no breeze. But  
when I do take a break it's somewhere breezy and shady if at all  
possible.

Thanks for letting me get that off my chest.

Diane