[pct-l] 1-888-PC-TRAIL anyone else heard of this?

[Timothy Nye]

Hi Andrea,

Trail angels are the equivalent of the water catches in SoCal as far as
their impact on the trail and hikers. ( Putting aside that trail angels
provide the water catches themselves, as only part of the overall help they
provide on the trail)  A previous thread carried on at great length as to
whether such caches were a good thing or not. Purists vs non-purists.  In my
opinion it's up to each individual hiker as to whether they wish to accept
this help; personally I'm grateful.  But in the end, it is up to each hiker
to hike their own hike as they choose.  Whether the choice is made to rely
on a trail angel or a phone line regarding trail conditions.

Trail angels, myself included, mean well.  We can offer and/or be available.
 But it's a matter of the hikers choice as to what help, if any, they wish
to accept.

There was yet another previous thread about entitlement.  There are feelings
in the hiker community about entitlement. A lot of discussion was had as to
hiker feelings of entitlement.  There are also feelings of trail angel
entitlement.  We may, or may not, be aware of these as trail angels, but it
is elemantary psychology that when you do a favor for someone that you
become emotionally vested in their success..  These feelings all reflect
varying degrees of viewing the trail and it's community through a personal
prism not necessarily shared by others.  That doesn't mean that the
respective positions are valid or invalid; that determination can only be
made by each hiker individually.

In the end, your responsibility begins and ends at your property boundary.

On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 5:59 PM, Andrea Dinsmore
<zaqueltooocool at gmail.com>wrote:

>  I'm sorry. I went back and reread that 3 times and completely missed the
> connection in the point I was making. The hikers that have made it 2400
> miles are dealing with constant rain, cold and eventually snow are done
> acting silly and the partying is done. They spend most of their time
> deciding what route or road walk needs to be done to allow them the last 180
> miles. It's a whole different serious attitude up here than in So.
> California.
>
> PCT MOM
>