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Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off

Page history last edited by lmckeega@... 13 years, 9 months ago

ADZPCTKO (Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off), 2007


Greetings from the Red Leader,

The 2007 ADZPCTKO (Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick Off) was a total gas. This is an annual event to support thru hikers and give them a "shove" as they begin their hike to Canada. This year there were 583 registered with 151 thru hikers, and 112 section hikers. Click here for the ADZ site. 
 
I met Bill "Keep It Light" Davis on line at BackpackingLight.com. He lives along the PCT, near Mount Lassen. Bill mentioned a Trail Angel that lives down the road. Her Name is Georgie Heitman. Trail Angels are people who take time to support PCT hikers in various ways. During the hiking season, several times a week, Lucky 5 has driven 55 miles, from his San Diego home and carried jugs of water about 4 miles to a structure he built, along a waterless section of the PCT. About 100 gallons a week. He then picks up the empties and carries them back home to wash and refill them. I understand that he's not even a hiker. Just a Trail Angel. Jeff and Donna "L-Rod" Saufley, in Agua Dulce, feed, wash clothes, provide showers, loan their cars, hold supply boxes mailed by thru hikers and provide shuttle services, among other things. All free. You walk in carrying a pack, you got a place to stay and rest up before heading out into the Mojave Desert. Just Trail Angels.

 

I was very fortunate that Keep It Light mentioned Georgie to me. I saw her name on the ADZ roster and walked over the campsite 31 to introduce myself. Georgie was the key to meeting folks you read about in newspapers and record books. One of them was Scott Williamson, the first person to Yo yo the PCT. He did it last year. Scott started at the Mexican border and hiked to Canada, before turning around and hiking back. 5300 miles in 197 days. NOTICE TO 2007 MEMBERS: Just in case you thought we might, CARRYING A GOOD THING TOO FAR does not hike like that.

 

Hanging around Georgie's camp I met 2007 thru hikers: Pygmy, Sprit, Trekker, Switchback, Nemo, Amtrak, Karma Suture, Fester and Stone Dancer. I also met past thru hikers: Gottago, Squatch, Armchair Hiker, Billygoat, Weathercarrot, and Girl Scout. (He's never been a Girl Scout.) I also enjoyed meeting hikers who haven't earned their trail names yet: Sandy & Scout and their daughter Jordie, Caitiln, and "just plain" George.

There were also several vendors displaying their light weight and ultra-light weight gear. I resisted the temptation and only came home with a commemorative ADZPCTKO paring knife, awarded for helping peel 300 pounds of potatoes and chopping endless celery and onions for Saturday night dinner's potato salad.

 

Red Leader out

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