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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Thank you, TJ. I respect your opinion
immensely, and appreciate the independent witness of what I’ve been
seeing. I also believe that the regrouping and bunching also occurs at favored
stops (ours included). Any suggestions on how that can be prevented? I’m
certainly willing to consider making changes that make a difference in this
regard.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>L-Rod<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
pct-l-bounces@backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces@backcountry.net] <b><span
style='font-weight:bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>joseph kisner<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Friday, February 29, 2008
8:21 PM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> pct-l@backcountry.net<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [pct-l] WHAT I THINK
ABOUT THE KICK OFF!!!</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>I have listened to about every
point of view imaginable, and have had an opinion of this issue for quite some
time. To begin with, I love attending the KO, and look forward to seeing
all of my friends who attend. <br>
<br>
Last year I started in late May and finished in early Aug., therefore I saw the
herd from the back, middle and front. All my
fellow Thru-Hikers were nice and well mannered, from my point of
view. But, the herd was far too bunched up. In a 100 mile stretch, [2 1/2] days
I met 129 Thu-Hikers. I like a good conversation while hiking, mostly cause I
basically hike solo, but for some hikers, it was ruining their wilderness
experience.<br>
<br>
Now it was a Fact that the majority of those hikers started on the weekend
of KO. But it is also MY observation that a lot of hikers tend to hike in small
groups and regroup in <st1:place w:st="on">Southern California</st1:place>
towns AND Trail Angels homes. In fact that is where I have always seen the
largest groups. So I believe the problem is a lot deeper than the KO. I
also believe that a lot of Hikers in general would find a place to group
up, and create a herd no matter when they departed. It is up to the PCT
community to frown on herding up, and make it known that it is making the
PCT a sour experience, for others. <br>
<br>
Most people attending the KO are not hiking at that moment. It is a great time
and place to bring back those memories and share them with your friends, and is
surely the place that has more previous PCT Thru-Hikers, than any other
gathering. It would be a shame to end the KO. But it is also a great place to
express our codes and ethics first hand face to face. I believe this year
will be another year of bunching up though, because of all the snow. Just my
thoughts,,,tj <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma'>Need to know the score, the latest news, or you need your
Hotmail®-get your "fix". <a
href="http://www.msnmobilefix.com/Default.aspx" target="_new">Check it out.</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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Version: 7.5.516 / Virus Database: 269.21.2/1304 - Release Date: 2/29/2008 8:18 AM<BR>
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