[pct-l] Fire Closure zones

[jeff.singewald at comcast.net]

Joanne,

Way cool!  Thanks so much for bringing this post that I made as a newbie to this list back.  I am glad to see that you find my posts interesting enough to archive, or in this case, to spend your time on a Saturday afternoon, pulling from the archives.  

The post reminds me of how ignorant I was (and may still be in some ways) back in 2004.  Back than, I think I had a total of maybe 300 miles under by hip belt.  I read the list in the hopes of learning more about this sport.  I learned a bit about the PCT, but what I learned more than anything else is that my PCT goals and dreams were much different than many others on the list.

I still choose to carry a bear canister when I enter the Sierra.  I still choose to believe that the PCT is oversaturated by unncessary water caches.  I still believe that many people begin their thru-hike under preparared and overwhelmed.  And yes, I still believe that each one of us must make our own choices on the trail that are best for us.  For the most part I am not a lawbreaker.  Yes, as I have already shared, I crossed through 2 fire closures in 2006 in order to fulfill my dream of completing a continuous nobo thru hike.  But, like Joe as indicated with regards to his 2008 hike,  I had permission of the authorities that were on-site.

Enjoy your day

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Joanne Lennox" <goforth at cio.net> 

Jeff Singewald Wrote to this list on 78-20-2004:( Regarding Bear Cans)

:"mr. courtway, I am not certain of the illegal aliens you are referring to, but staying on point with regards to thru hikers and cans, I find that there are many on this list that support the idea that thru-hikers should be exempt from the rules that have been set forth simply because thru-hikers are thru-hikers.  As a relative newcomer to this list, I may be speaking out of turn, however, in my opinion thru-hikers should follow the same guidelines as everyone else.  An extra 2lbs should not be be excessive, especially for folks that have made it the 700-800 miles to the sierra already.  Frankly, the difference in weight should be no different than what most carried in the south as they should be packing far less water.

I have come to the belief that the whole issue of cans and some of the thru-hikers that are so against cans is not one of discomfort or inconvenience, but rather one of rebellion, one of attitude and belief that thru-hikers are above the rules.

I hope to be a thru-hiker soon, but, for what it's worth, I will be a thru-hiker with a can, in the High Sierras.

Jeff Singewald "