Brits on the trail

imported
#1

hi everyone,
im only a newbie so be gentle! i live in South East London and have been working toward a PCT hike for some months. the main obstacle however is my total unfamiliarity with all things American. there is much talk of of Lipton and Ramen which is totally alien to me as well as references to gear manufacturers who simply dont exist over here.
my quesiton then is how hard could it be for me to adjust? is there anyone else from the UK here who hopes to hike in 05? if so, wanna get in touch? it might be good to have a meeting of minds?
the logistical challenges of a pct first timer are daunting enough without throwing a different society in so i could really do with some help!
im physically up to the challenge (i hope!) and will be following convention and going lightwieght, but id love to hear from any compatriots who hope to hit the trail next year!
thanks in advance
Paolo

paolow

#4

Well, the first thing you need to know is that we speak English here. I’m not attempting to be funny either. My experience in the Balkans taught me that the Dutch, Danes, Norweigans, Spanish and Germans all spoke clearer English then the English. Very weird. The Scotts and Irish were even worse especially after a couple pints of Heifer Weissen. Also weird since they had Guiness and Bass on tap.

Speak slowly and bring a pad and paper so you can write messages for us. The Yankee and Brit versions of English look nearly identical fortunately except drop the ou in words like colour and armour

Next, go out to Hannity.com and take a look at the maps of which counties voted for Bush and which ones voted for Flipper. What You’ll discover is that it’s mostly the people who live in large cities who followed his cohort of Wormtongues. Fortunately for you, you’ll be spending a good deal of time in counties where God is acknowledged and sometimes even revered.

God be with you.

Tu

Tu

#5

Geez, i’m an ex south east Londoner living in Maine. If you need any help or advice email me privately, I’ve hiked about 400 miles of the PCT so know a little bit about being out west to. Speak to ya soon.

Cheers

Cheers

#6

“The British are coming!! The British are coming!!” so said Paul Revere…

Well, first let me say, ignore Dan (read above) 49% or so of us voted Kerry, and 51% Bush, somehow I don’t think all of that 49% came from California and such…the only Jesus (pronounced Hay-Zus) I know was my Hispanic cell mate in county a few years ago, and I always thought those WWJD neck-things meant Who Wants Jack Daniels? Anyways…

I know quite a few Europeans staying here for studies, I think the only problems you will have is the slight accent thing, which a) chicks love those accents here, b) Brit/Aussie/NZ accents make you welcome at most any bar, and c) well, make something up, just have fun with it.

Enjoy your hike and no worries…I want to hike Adrians Wall in UK next summer, I have the same fears but will hope to work through it…

-xtn

:cheers

airferret

#8

Now, I’m not a bigot, but it’s a proven fact that the majority of people in Great Britain prisons are Brits. Are there many Brits on the trail? Are they dangerous? How should I react if I see a Brit on the trail? There aren’t many Brits where I live and I could use some advice.

(Sorry if you missed the original post and this doesn’t make any sense, but I couldn’t resist!)

Joel

#9

They’re coming to take all our good women for themsleves!; women that make us laugh, women that make us money bread. They do have better beer than us, though. Cheers, send me an address for some of my chocolate stout I just brewed.

Paolow, get with Cheers, he’s top notch from your side of the pond.

Bushwhack

#10

Paolow; did you ever figure out what the words Ramen (noodles) & Lipton (soup and other mixes/noodles) refer to? Both are staple foods on the trail that many; not all folks get real sick of; but still find themselves eating lots of…easy to make, cheap & adaptable to many recipe variations. Oddly, despite many Americans eating ramen noodles; I don’t think they’re originally an american food…Asian? Not sure. Lipton is a company that makes lots of food products; from soup to tea.

leah

#11

Just tell everyone that you’re the only ally we have left (which is true). People, both jesus and non, will love you. I hiked with a Brit for 3 weeks in Virginia. He kept calling people “Yanks”, southerners were not amused. After he used the “your only ally” line they loved him.

Blue Jay

#12

For the record, the first 3 counties the PCT travels through are San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino.
All 3 counties were carried by Bush (not even close) and are part of Jesusland…otherwise known as Gods country.

Tim H

#13

WOW!
thank you all so much for your replies, i really didnt expect such a response! its so very encouraging to have so much support when the planning is so daunting! Thanks also for all of the suggestions on who to speak to and what to do to find out what things are.
Interestingly the hiking ethos in this country is to go ‘heavy’ with big boots and 20 kilo sacks with all kinds of kit youll never use. itll be a fair jump to move to lightweight hiking - but certainly one ill welcome! to that end ive my heart set on a P-2 pack with the mindset that “if it doesnt fit - its not going and i can do without”. you guys just wouldnt believe the monumental amount of kit ive seen some take on a day hike!
Im also interested that theres such a strong political/religious theme in this thread. i didnt realise that sentiments ran so highly! Its gonna be interesting meeting you guys!
thanks again for all your help
Paolo

paolow

#14

Well, Paolow…

a brit’s view of the pct. I intended to hike it this last summer but only got to KM (700 mile mark.) Getting back to hiking and not this political in-fighting…what is it like? (all based upon the bit I walked - the rest may be different!)

Well - boring…not the scenery you pass through but the trail and the stop off places. I hiked the GR11 through the Spanish Pyrenees 2 years ago - tough varied hiking from sometimes along ancient ways to non-existent paths…“just head for the next pass somehow”, gradients more than the predictable PCT 10% max, beautiful mountain villages full of varied culture and foods…etc. The pct on the contrary never really climbed or descended steeply - it’s built for horses - days of walking along something near a pavement…the stop off points are handy for hamburgers or Mexican food. Great if you’re into this. The endless switch backs to keep a level…it is an amazing bit of engineering - to gorge a scar in the land all the way from Mexico to Canada…It is worth going to satisfy your desire but also good to be aware of such before you go.

The scenery is amazing - all the way through the desert you see amazing stuff - even at the end of the first day - the lake is great. But the trail is just too flat and well manicured for long term enjoyment, it’s not rough, rugged and with the land - it imposes our mark on the land too much. Some people (a minority) seem to walk the entire trail never camping by themselves - obviously getting into the real “wilderness experience” - whatever this may be…perhaps this is emblematic of a trail that lacks walking enjoyment?

Happy hiking
Ben

(you may sense a brit’s irony?)

ben leake

#15

hey paolo,

i’m not a Brit but i’ll do what i can for you.

here is ramen: http://www.nissinfoods.com/top.htm

Lipton doesn’t seem to have a website that lists their noodle entrees, but they make a line of easy-cook noodle & sauce dishes that lend themselves easily to backpacking. they are ubiquitous in the supermarkets over here.

as far as gearing up, if the companies you are interested in purchasing equipment from are US-only, you could either find somebody to hold your purchases for you until you cross the Atlantic, or buy some things when you get here. there will be at least three small gear manufacturers at the ADZPCTKO (the kick-off party, which is held every year in April). Gossamer Gear (www.gossamergear.com), ULA Equipment (www.ula-equipment.com) and Six Moon Designs (www.sixmoondesigns.com) will all be there with equipment available to buy. combine them with the outfitters in San Diego (where you’ll probably fly or bus into before getting to the trailhead) and you can probably get everything you need in S. California.

oh, and most of California will be much, much drier than you are used to. that’s not to say that it never rains, but the air is very dry. lip balm is important.

good luck!

tarbubble