Hiker in Need!! can you help?

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Hey Don,
I just wanted to say hello and wish you all the best. I managed to get a little more work so far this year, but things are still tough… I recently had to move to a cheaper apartment to save money… What I'm trying to say is that some really great people were very generous in helping me a few months ago and I promised to pay it forward. Unfortunately, at this point I'm still not able to do that. I do understand your situation and I wanted you to know that my best wishes go out to you and your mom.

Btw I too have extremely limited internet access. It has been very difficult to get online. So, I get it. I haven't been able to replace my pc since it crashed in Sept. So, now I have to go to Fedex Office and pay or when I get work I can get online. Otherwise I can keep up with my emails daily on my Blackberry. Reading BPL on my Blackberry is difficult as I have an older model. I also can't even afford to go on an over-nighter right now. Anyway, take care my friend and happy trails.

Kendall,
Good to see a post from you, I hope your doing well. I know things have been difficult and yet your outlook and spirit remain strong. I will work to be more like you. Please email or PM anytime.

Thom

Thank you, Thom. I really appreciate that.

I actually thought of you, Kendall, when we all piled on the bandwagon to help Don. There are a lot of people who would benefit from each other's good will, but some go more unnoticed and unhelped than others for various reasons.

I know Ben was trying to organize a generic system for passing along gear to each other, but I don't know what came of it. Even something as simple as posting available gear and the interested people responding by PM would be a help. We don't necessarily need bylaws and a board of directors for it to work.

I wish you success in finding sustainable employment.

Kathleen:

The spreadsheet I put together was for Don. However, if folks are interested, I can add a generic one as well.

Thank you, Kathleen, for your kind words. That's really nice. Thanks to Thom Darrah and other very generous and kind members of BPL I only need one piece of gear for my kit to be complete. And, that I can get on my own.

As for sustainable employment, something will pop. I'm sure of it. I am grateful for the work that I have been able get since this whole thing started.

It will be shipped in the am!Have fun!!!!!!!!

Honestly I don't know why I lerk here anymore. I don't backpack much anymore, busy family life and what not. Then I read a thread like this and realize that you all are fine and generous people and I respect you for that.

As a natural skeptic I was worried that Don was taking advantage of everyone, but I completely believe his sincerity. I even feel guilty that I have nothing to donate. I work hard and all the gear I have is all I can afford.

Don this is for you,
I hope your journey is a revelation and not just a quick escape from your problems. You have been through some very tough times but there is a fine line between running away and a well needed break. I hope your journey shows you more paths then the just the trail. Go and find your center and make these people proud to have helped you.

hello everyone..
sorry for the long break in between updates but my sister has been on her vacation this past week or so.
anyway, alot of gear has arrived I want to thank
Cola.V for the tarp and pack (I will be returning the pack)going with the GG pack..but thank you so much
Jack.F for use of the tarptent
Patrick.M for the filter..got it!!thanks
Terry.T for sending the guides and info
Evan.C for ursack and bug bivy
Jeff.K..gloves and fleece
Dave.S and Tony.W and George.C and Heesoo.C all of you Thank you!!
I know I missed some people.. but really each one here thank you, without BPL this hike would have never been possible,I honestly thought my hiking plans were done until this happened
as of now, the plan is the same I will start the trail April 17th and give it my all..I wish I had more time here to really explain my feelings and reasons for this hike along with my hopes,fears and expectations of myself, but I don't and maybe thats for the best.
I play this hike out every night in my mind,the HOW?
and it changes nightly
I have all the needed gear,the means to eat while on trail and the WANT..along with the NEED to do something different
because what I have been doing clearly is NOT working.
as of NOW..my mom is doing great and I feel she will be fine for awhile without me.
I have no work in the near future and to much time on my hands.
my kids are grown and making their own mistakes.
and for the first time I can remember, no one to depend on me!so I think it is ME time
just in the last 10 years sooo much has happened and I made it!!
how?…by the grace of God.it's the only way I can explain it..why ME? so I take things as they come, and this hike has come!!
I dont know how I will be changed by this trip, but I am sure something is in store for me!!good or bad it is meant to be.
I will probly be on here 2-3 times before I leave, I hope to keep everyone informed as to how the hike is going
I want to keep a journal for the hike and would love to find a transcriber here..any volunteers let me know
anyway..thank you everyone again, if I missed you..sorry I lost my list of who sent what and am trying to remember now..lol
if anyone would like to talk or contact me..feel free, my info is in the 1st post and on the sheet of gear Ben made up
thanks to everyone that responded with gear or just well wishes and understanding..THANK YOU
I will do my best to make BPL proud. God Bless
Don

Get to it man, enjoy the journey and soak it all in! Amazing bit of humanity assembled here on this humble forum—-sort of restores your faith in our species.

couch

Yeah, Don- ENJOY

From one Mississippi boy to another- Get the hell offa Point Cadet and get your butt in the woods!

I've got a spare current-edition OR/WA PCT guidebook (Shaeffer, et al) if you need it. Email sent and spreadsheet updated.

Don- hey man the weather is great out here in SoCal! Come on down! Hope to see you at kick off!
Evan

Hey everyone..
well I made it out here to San Diego and I start the trail in the morning I am staying with terry.t tonight and he is dropping me at the border tomorrow, I wanted to thank everyone again for all your help, without this site, this trip would have remained a dream,but here I go!!
wish me luck..and I will do my best to make BPL proud!
good luck to all this years class I hope to meet lots of you along the way..I will be back for the kick off next weekend hope to see some of you there..THANKS AGAIN
AND GOD BLESS US ALL!!Don

Step by Step.

Savor it. It may easily be the great adventure of your life! Good luck and Godspeed.

Go with God, Biloxi, knowing that a lot of BPL folks are rooting for you. You'll do fine…

Good luck Don–Enjoy the trekking poles..I will be by HWY 108 and HWY 4 several times in June and July if you are up there at that time..I could help out with a resuply if need be….Have fun and Enjoy Dude!

-Jay

Don:

Have tons of fun!!! Post updates and pics when you can!

Just an update to let everyone know that I dropped Don off at the boarder at 6:30am this morning and plan to pick him up in Warner Springs on Wednesday in the am and take him to the ADZ kickoff for the weekend. He was in much better spirits this morning after a good nights sleep and removing 13lbs of unneeded stuff from his pack.

We all wish him well!!
Terry T.

I met Don at the kickoff and even shared the same campground with him. He is an awesome guy, and we became quite the good trail friends! Hopefully, I'll do some hiking with him in this coming PCT thru-hike!

You guys and gals did a great thing for Don/Biloxi and he is so thankful and couldn't stop talking about all the BPL members!

Zombie- PCT 2010 hopeful

This is a great story guys. Makes me even more proud of the hiking community. I hope all goes well.

I got to meet Don at the kick-off as well. He was in pretty good spirits. I also saw him featured on the attached local SD news report about the bad weather in the Lagunas about 40 miles north of the border (click on 2nd page of Videos Gallery for video titled "Storm dropping rain, snow and temperatures")

http://www.cbs8.com/Global/story.asp?S=12345793

hey everyone..I am still alive and on the move.
right now I am in Temecula staying with a former thru Tall Paul 04 great guy. having some knee issues but got cortisone shots 2 new braces, new shoes and will be back to resume from Warner springs..yep only 109 in so far I missed 3 and half days to kick off and 2 here recovering and resupplying and 1 on trail zero after some TERRIBLE weather.I have had it all,
hot start,freaking blizzard thru laguna,rain and some wind send from hell,blisters,knee problems,and I sat on a freakin cactus..talk about fun..
but I had 2 corndogs in the rain and things magicly were better, so I climbed from scissors in a wind ALL day to a semi secluded area ,battened down and stayed for 2 nights, had my 1st break down and took off, it's been better since, nice hiking the last couple days into warner.
the kick off was great..got to meet some GREAT people,
alot of thoseI had always said I would like to meet
BILLY GOAT
MEADOW MARY
YOGI
WARNER SPRINGS MONTY on and on and on….
the PCT is special the people , the volunteers,the organizers..all I can say is WOW
I have witnessed the trail angels leaving water, they hauled in to 3rd gate, the unbelievable trail work a short way from the border.
the tremendous effort it takes to even pull off ADZPCTKO
and I feel so blessed to be here.
as I have said before, I couldn't be here if it were not for BPL with all the help I recieved.
THANK YOU ALL.
anyway I am learning more as I go, getting used to my gear
letting my body dictate my pace, I am listening to it
I will continue to progress and get stronger..I sure am not 20 anymore TOTO but I made it this far, so no reason I cant do it.
on a side note ..when I started I weighed 200lb I weighed tonight and I am 182.5lb thats alot since the 17th with 5 zero's..but I am not hungry..I force myself to eat..o'well I guess the HIKER HUNGER with kick in eventualy.
I want to thank Terry Thompson for picking me up and getting me started aswell as cutting my weight and saving me on Laguna and just being a good person..thanks Terry
and Tall Paul 04 for getting me back to Laguna and letting me heal at his house and getting me back to Warner tomorrow
anyhow I was able to meeet alot of hikers, ALOT..
and it was cool, to explain to some just how this BPL community came together to help a felloew hiker even be there, choked me up a few times..
thank you all ..well its now 4th almost 5th and and I am behind of where I thought I should be..but you know what I am just where I am supposed to be
109 down..lots to go..KEEP PUSHIN
Biloxi

ps.ZOMBIE.thanks bud..missed you

Don,

It's great to hear you're doing well despite the challenges. You knew they had to come! In the end, you'll be a better man for "it all".