I'll have to ask what he weighed when he started. If he loses 50, he'll be skin and bones!

SO here at 1:15 PM, I've gotten a little worried, since there are no SPOT signals from either unit. I contacted Thumper's wife, though, and she reported they started out this morning about 9:30, and they're hiking in a group of 6 (4 PCT hikers, 2 just for 3 days on the first leg).

I am guessing, now, that both spot units are being used minimally -- turned on, message sent, then off. And the units often do NOT work in that mode -- either no satellite overhead when the signal is sent, or they're in tall forest, so the signal is blocked.

Edit: 3:10 PM -- FINALLY! They are back into Washington. Talking to Thumper's wife and my daughter, they are hiking in a group of six. Four are PCT hikers, two are cousins, going along for the first leg (3-4 days) only. I hear they had 60lb packs, and Brett took them to REI and made them get some lighter gear. A group like that moves only as fast as the slowest hiker.

Last edited by Steve C; 06/25/10 03:32 PM.