[pct-l] Erik the Black's Maps: They're Excellent!!!

Mon Jan 31 23:15:30 CST 2011

PITA,

I was rushed when I made my earlier post, on my way out the door for an
afternoon walk. After I had hit send I realized that I had made a bold
statement without backing it up with some proof/evidence. When I read your
reply it gave me pause. Had I remembered my experience incorrectly? I
decided to do a little research, prepared to retract my statement if I found
that I was in error. Here's what I found:

Unlike your experience, I was billed on Jan. 16th for my purchase, three
months before receiving my first book. The web-site claimed that it was a
finished product, at the printer. When I placed my order, Eric's site stated
a delivery date of mid March for the first two books and no later than June
15th for the third. I then read on-line that there might be a delay on my
delivery. I was leaving my home on April 8th so I sent an e-mail requesting
more info. Then on Feb. 17th I received this e-mail(in part):

Hi Jason,
I’m about 99% certain that books 1 and 2 will be to you before April 8th.
Right now I am aiming for sometime between March 15 – April 1. I should have
a more concrete date in about two weeks. I am aiming for between June 1 –
June 15 for Volumes 3, 4 and 5, so they will definitely be ready long before
you get to Tahoe, if you are thru-hiking northbound.

Eric was unable to meet this deadline and I was forced to print a pdf. file,
from Campo to Idyllwild, on my own dime and time without refund or much of
an apology.

As to my claim that Eric was using "early sales" to finance the printing of
the books: While I have no concrete proof of this action, and maybe should
have used restraint when making this comment, I personally felt that this is
what occurred. Below is two parts of an e-mail that I received while on the
trail. Take note of the date and Eric's own words regarding the fact that
the books were incomplete and not at the printer:

To: jmmoores at hotmail.com
From: orders at pctatlas.com
Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 15:26:18 -0400
Subject: PCT Atlas Vol 3 & 5 Shipping Update

Hi,

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. If you emailed me in the last
week or so and I haven't responded I apologize. I have been working
seven days a week on the Atlas and I just now got a free moment.

So, here's the latest:

Volume 5 (Washington) is done and being printed right now. Volume 3
(Northern California) will be done and sent to the printer by the
end of this week. I expect to have Volume 5 in-stock around June
20th, and Volume 3 in-stock around July 1st.

I won't know the exact date to expect them until the printing
company notifies me that they are finished and on the UPS truck,
but that is my best estimate. As soon as I know more, I will let
you know.

I'm working my way "from the outside in" to accommodate both
northbound and southbound thru hikers, so Volume 4 (Oregon) will be
pulling up the rear. I am hoping to get that one in by July 15th.

####and further on into the e-mail:####

If you need any other section aside from the northern part of
Washington or the southern part of Northern California, email me and
I will see what I can do. I can't make any promises and I won't be
able to get to it until the first week of June. If you need
anything before then you are on your own.

For the next week, I will be incommunicado. I have to concentrate
on getting these books done and eliminate the distractions. If you
email me, I will read it and file it for later, but I will not
respond.

If you are on the trail right now I hope you are having a great
hike! You can rest assured that I am working hard to get you the
info you need before you need it.

Happy Trails!
Erik the Black

Due to a serries of unplanned events on the trail, I was in Tahoe on June
15th and then again on the 30th. NO ATLAS! Of course, I had been warned but
was hopeful that he may have heeded my e-mail request for an early copy or
at least a pdf. like I used for the first 200 miles. I received 0 response
to this request and was left with his previous words: you are on your own.

Now this is not proof that he was using my money to fund his project, but it
also removes the blame from the printer. In the six months before demanding
a refund for the balance of my order, I received countless updates like this
one explaining that he was still working on the books! Six Months After he
placed them on sale! People can draw their own conclusions. At the same time
I received countless e-mails from his site claiming such things as: "Only 50
copies left! Buy now! - Time is running out!- Only 15 copies left at the
discounted price! Only one printing for 2009! and so forth. He hadn't even
finished the books! Again, people can draw their own conclusions.

I'll say it again: SHADY

Jackass

On Mon, Jan 31, 2011 at 5:24 PM, <enyapjr at comcast.net> wrote:

> from Jackass:
> > ...  I had issues with: cost, accuracy and quality of the maps
> > when shrunk to fit the size of the book. I also found Eric to be rude
> when I
> > met him at the K.O. and his ticking clock sales tactics/ using early
> order
> > money to finance the printing of the books(which arrived weeks later than
> > promised) shady.
>
> I also bought the set in '09, but I was not "charged" until they shipped -
> so he
> wasn't using "early order money to finance printing" IMHO...  If nothing
> else,
> an early-order system would allow him to guesstimate the printing run
> quantity...
> He did have somewhat of a problem with the printing outfit doing the
> relatively
> small runs & (not) delivering on their initial 'promise' dates - but like
> many
> businesses, they opted to fill much larger orders first by pushing his
> out...  We,
> the PCT thru 'audience', afterall, are a miniscule group - each "one in a
> million".
>
> As for accuracy, Erik's maps are more than sufficient - if you want to
> count every
> switchback going up to Forester Pass, then, yes, they are 'lacking' (but
> that is
> due mostly due to the map 'scale' - same as a state highway map can't show
> every
> bend in a road or highway)...
> One won't get lost (or should I say one "shouldn't" get lost) using Erik's
> maps...
>
> For me, Erik's PCT Atlas set is the 'perfect' compromise - very compact,
> lightweight,
> and with sufficient data points & info that I wouldn't 'need' to carry any
> other
> 'guide' material whatsoever - but, of course, I've already done my
> 'homework' ahead
> of time, too (read WP guides, downloaded Halfmile's maps, made a Google
> Earth trace
> with Halfmile's data before he did(!), just bought Ancient Brit's guide,
> studied
> Postholer's Data Book, etc., etc.)...
>
> To each his own, the usual YMMV, HYOH, yada yada...
>
> Happy trails!!!
> Jim (PITA)
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