[pct-l] Impact of WILD on PCT numbers

[abiegen at cox.net]

Stone Dancer wrote:

>IMHO, No Way Ray's book is way better than WILD for portraying the PCT 
>experience. ;-)  
 
>Shameless book promotion by Stone Dancer 

Yes, No Way Ray's book is an awesome book that truly captures the PCT experience. It was also one of three non-fiction autobiographical books I have read where the author inexplicably dies in the middle of the book. I was hoping, totally unrealistically, that somehow our hero would have overcome that obstacle, even though I knew better. It made the book so much more touching and painful. Thank you Stone Dancer. It captured my heart.

When Piper and I went to see Cheryl Strayed talk at UCSB, Cheryl started out by saying that her book isn't a PCT guide, and potentially it could be used as a guide for what NOT to do. She also mentioned that she thinks she is probably the only PCT hiker to shoot up heroin, hop on a bus to Mojave, strap on a monster pack and march out into the full desert heat. You can correct that if you know otherwise.

She talked about giving her talk in New York City and how things didn't go the way she thought that they would. She had done a few talks in the west and one of the readings she had done with great success was a list of everything that she carried in her monster pack. It got great laughs. Except in New York City. The audience just sat there quietly listening, some seemed to be taking mental notes about all the things one would need on a long hike. She said she had to stop and tell them that this was supposed to be funny, that all this stuff was useless. Hopefully there won't be any readers that will come prepared with all that crap this year.

Incidentally, one person who asked a question at the end of the talk mentioned Piper's PCT books which brought a smile and a wave from Cheryl to Piper. Piper said she had never been so embarrassed. Well she hasn't read this shameless promotion here yet.

TrailHacker
--
"When my feet hurt, I can't think straight"
Abraham Lincoln