[pct-l] Respect

[marmot marmot]

"Guide book". I believe there is something in this. Thinking of the trail as just the mileage points may contribute to the disconnection I have observed. We used to use lakes and mountains as points of reference. I still do  It's almost as if the hikers can't wait to get it over with.  I've always been impressed with those hikers who spent the most time out there not the least. I saw hikers skip miles of the trail so that they could road walk to one more town with bars. Kind of missing the point! 
But I have also seen immature hikers really grow and change if they allow the trail to do that. They are the lucky ones.  Marmot

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 26, 2014, at 11:07 AM, "Karl Jorgensen" <twizstix at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> JoAnn,
> 
> I agree with you on this.   When i hiked the trail in 2006 i tore the guide
> books apart and included the section that i was going to cover next in each
> of my resupply boxes.    Almost every evening after writing my journal
> entry (which i did on paper and sent home where it was added to my journal)
> i read what i would be covering the next day.  There were some sections
> that i reread the next day, because i came across something that i would
> have missed if i did not have the guide book pages with me.
> 
> I have been reading Shroomers journals as he adds to them when he is hiking
> the AT and he brings a lot of interest out because he adds a historical
> point to it.   This is what i enjoyed with the guide book pages.
> 
> jorgy  pct   06
> 
> 
>> On Mon, May 26, 2014 at 11:09 AM, JoAnn <jomike at cot.net> wrote:
>> 
>> I’m not always good at expressing my feelings but I’ll give this a try.
>> 
>> I have long maintained that not reading the guide books  (do most of you
>> even know what I am referring to?) runs the risk of a far lesser experience
>> with the PCT. For some years now the youngest thru hikers make reference as
>> to their location on the trail by just mileage numbers. I fear they loose a
>> lot of emotional and psychological connection to the trail by seeing it as
>> just numbers and not really knowing the trail. There are three books in the
>> series, two for CA and one for OR and WA. and the reading of these
>> addresses virtually everything having to do with the trail: history,
>> geology, rocks, biology, the role of fire, etc. It describes each section
>> of trail and warns of possible dangers. The guide book, though out dated,
>> has very inclusive maps and the authors give escapes routes in case of need
>> to leave the trail due to emergency. It gives mileage between landmarks and
>> gives step-by-step descriptions of the trail. Yes, again, it is a bit out
>> dated: it is missing a fair amount of trails washed out due to very
>> aggressive storms and miscellaneous closures. It is not the end all, be all
>> and yet, hiking the trail without reading it, is to deny yourself  a real
>> emotional identification and alignment with the trail.  With no attachment
>> to the trail I fear there are hikers who see no need to respect and protect
>> it. They are missing the heart connection to the PCT.
>> 
>> are wee there yet
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