[pct-l] Trail Journal.1

[Alison Rose]

Dear Hiking Community ~

Many, many apologies to those who have taken offense at my earlier recommendations
regarding the components of a good trail journal.  I believe that the recommendations are
completely valid, though that are only one person's opinion.  To each his own, as they say.
However, the "whining" comment should not have made the list.

Whining.  There is surprisingly little true whining in the many journals I've read to date.  
Conveying ones hurts, struggles, difficulties and sorrows strike me as components of many
of the best journals out there.  'go-Big', for example, had a journey fraught with physical
difficulties: bee stings, blisters, feet problems, allergies, and a shin injury that nearly ended his
trek.  This guy struggled!  Yet most would not consider his writings as whining.  I found them
gritty, brutally transparent and moving.  His preachiness is another matter, of course... but
his is a very good journal.  All of the journals that are posted online, with rare exceptions, are
true gifts to the hiking community.

Last item:  #11 item of a good trail journal, in my narrow minded, ignorant and blissfully selfish
opinion is this:  tell the reader how many hours you hiked each day.  Again, this is just my 
humble opinion.

Happy hiking!
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