Just want to state the obvious.

It's been cold here in Denver the past few weeks and to keep at least the mind active, I've been reading what I consider the gem of the Internet, and that is blogs by hikers on those trails I've always dreamt of doing.

I've been reading the posts the past several weeks -- whenever I've got a lull in my winter schedule (and there are several lulls) -- of someone who has done a hike or long thru-hike of someplace I'd love to have done.

I'm always pleasantly surprised at how good these posts are. Example: The blogs of BrianLe, who is a frequent contributor to this forum, who has done the PCT and AT (and soon to do the Triple Crown with the CDT in 2011). I think I'm at about Post 30 of his PCT hike, and it is a most enjoyable read. It is possible to spend every moment that we might have spent with a novel or other book, just reading these incredibly informative journals of the hike we've ALWAYS dreamt of doing but haven't done, be it vicariously through their daily posts on the trail.

I've never met or even PM'd Brian, yet he's provided me with an incredible 1st person account of the PCT . . . that I know there is only the slimmest of chances I'll ever do. And he's given this all to me for FREE.

Twenty years ago we'd have paid $15 for a typo-infested, soft-bound book of these exploits. Now we can read something as good or better in these blogs for nothing.

I feel like I need to send a donation somewhere.

Thank you, Brian.

Again:
BrianLe's PCT journal
His AT journal