The PCT Class of 2009 bandana.

Every year following our Pacific Crest Trail 2002 through hike, three of us 2002 hikers representing the Class of 2002, Cupcake, Yogi and I have provided the current year PCT hikers a free bandana at the ADZPCTKO weekend the last weekend in April. This photo shows the bandana I just ordered for the PCT Class of 2009.


Here is a link, if you are interested in how this tradition of making the bandanas started and what role each of us hikers (Cupcake, Yogi and I) play in the gift of giving back with a bandana.(The new Class year yellow bandana has not been uploaded to the ADZ website Carl maintains yet.)

This year we changed from using three colors to two colors on the bandana. In previous years' bandanas we had filled the 3 states in with white. The bandana looked pretty that way as the states really stood out but Cupcake heard from a through hiker last year that the white color filling the states prevented one of the handy purposes of the multi-purpose bandana....to absorb the condensation water from inside the hiker's tents.

We had no idea when we first made the bandana this PCT Class bandana would become such a tradition. Every hiker is excited about getting their bandana. I noticed on the online PCT L digest forum there was discussion about what the color of the bandana might be.

I made up 708 bandanas (59 dozen). I decreased the number I'd previously made since this year Yogi, Katy and the other registration desk helpers are going to be vigilant about only giving out free bandanas to the 2009 hikers, ADZ organizers and trail angels. All others will pay $5.