Great Things...

The Omnibus Public Lands Management Act of 2009 (H.R 146) was awesomely passed late last month. This Act will affect 86 rivers and over 2 mil. acres of land across the nation whose future had been in seriously limbo. Read more about it here.

One of the main draws of the PCT for many people is the ability to traverse such a huge tract of epic wilderness in relative safety, experience just about every climate and alpine landscape imaginable, and revisit the romance that is the American west without encountering serious language barriers or political unrest. This is so completely unique - where else in the world is this possible? And while parts of the PCT are still under threat of "deformation" (re: clear cutting etc.), this Act will absolutely help. It's a great trend at the very least after hideous 'environmentalism' of the Bush legacy.

In other news, my PCT wardrobe is now dialed. I owe all inspiration to this man:


(this daper gentleman originally through-hiked in 1974. Sam Abell, the National Geographic photographer responsible for this exceptional documentation, later stole this guy's girlfriend - also a through hiker. His wooing technique? Even shorter shorts.)