[pct-l] Billy Goat's lost poles

[Brian McLaughlin]

----- Original Message ----- 
> HELP:  Billy Goat's hiking poles walked away without him!  He was 
> northbound
> at the Red Rock water tank mile # 502.8 and he left his poles at the trail
> intersection.  After collecting water and returning to the trail they had
> mysteriously vanished.

As many have pointed out, it is hard to know what to do
with items found in or beside the trail, and picking them up
is often a better idea than leaving them. There's just no
right answer.

There is one obvious exception to this: when the "item" is
an entire pack. It would be rarer than hen's teeth for a
hiker, whether day hiker or backpacker, to walk away
from their pack unawares.  I am surprised that Billy Goat,
being such an experienced hiker, did not take this step to
avoid any misconception about his poles being left
inadvertently.

I wish him all luck in reuniting with his poles.

As for the idea that found items are "trail booty", even
in the face of finding their true owner, that is known
as rationalization. Isn't it amazing that, after you have
applied the process of rationailzation, whatever
it is that benefits you most, suddenly becomes what is
right, proper and correct behavior. It's like magic!

; )