[pct-l] A potential member of the ADZ herd

[Freiman, Paul]

This herd talk is annoying to me.  I'm a solitary hiker, but I loved starting with the group last year.  It is a great way to make friendships that you wouldn't ordinarily make.  (I didn't hike with anyone, but met them at water stops).  I think the herd is a good thing.  It's very easy to counter the herd if you want to.  You can start a week before the ADZ, then come back to the event.  You can start after the ADZ.  I really hate to ruin a cottage industry by not having the ADZ exist.  I think sales of the ultralight equipment would really take a hit without the ADZ.  I really appreciate Glen, Henry, Yogi and the others.  We need each other.  So thank you Strider, Kelty Kid, AsABat, Monty and the many others who give us the ADZ.  I wouldn't have found out about the love for the PCT in 2004 if not for this wonderful event.  

Capt Bivy



From: Laura Fox <laura.fox at yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [pct-l] A potential member of the ADZ heard
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Message-ID: <60645174-6FDA-4633-A0D7-BF839FD62817 at yale.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed

This "herd" discussion is interesting to me as I'm trying to figure 
out my start date.  It would be difficult for me to start before the 
ADZ and get a ride back to it (the earlier I start, the more of a 
pain it will be for me to deal with, for non-hiking-life reasons).  
It would be easy enough for me to start after the ADZ, sometime in 
the first couple weeks of May, but that would mean I couldn't attend 
the ADZ at all (I live on the east coast, and don't have the $$ to 
fly out there and back here for the ADZ and then out again to 
start ... I also can't attend Trail Fest for that reason).

I would be interested in going to the ADZ for the fun, camaraderie, 
etc., but also because I thought I was going to have a hiking partner 
for the whole trail, but that fell through, and not being a super 
solitary person I'd like to meet (and potentially hike with) other 
people (some other people ... not 100s of other people!).  I had been 
planning to go to the ADZ and start then, but this talk of the "herd" 
and LNT implications has given me pause.  I hiked the AT in '01 (with 
a partner) and started on February 24th, which was well ahead of the 
AT herd, so I'm not sure what it's like to hike with a giant clump of 
people.  I think maybe I'd be better off starting a bit later to help 
spread things out, but then I'd miss the fun and people-meeting 
opportunity of the ADZ.

Anyway, not sure what my point is.  What should I do??  :)
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