I was asked awhile back for this recipe and I apologize for taking so long to publish it.
3
zuchinis shredded
1 cup parmesan cheese (powder)
1small box of cooked pasta
Black pepper, salt, & green chilis to taste
Add any other seasonings or red pepper flakes you might like
Mix & dehydrate 6-8 hrs.
If it looks
imbalanced adjust
amt of each ingredient accor
dingly.
Enjoy!
Its monsoon season in the pacific northwest. Today I cancelled yet another flight for weather and went for a run. The clouds hung in the sky at 900 feet. Shades of gray mingled with a hint of blue sky. The sun was trying to shine but the wind blew bringing darker clouds and rain. So I ran. There's a little park near the airport where I go. It's quiet there. Leaves covered the path. The ducks waddled out of my way, splashing into a small pond and quacking thier protest at my intrusion. "Hello ducks" I said. And then the rain came, & the wind blew. I'd make no $ today but my heart sang. Keeping it real.
I've been home now for five weeks. Here's what its been like. Hot dogs, ice cream, frozen yogurt, pizza, fried chicken, potatoes, coffee, lattes, enchiladas. So much food! Horns blaring, brake lights flashing, cars crashing, music. Everything fast, loud. Crowded sidewalks, everyone in a hurry. Sensory overload. Geese, ducks and other birds hanging out on the creek by the library, giant grin on my student's face, friendly people, commuters on the train reading & napping, flying, dancing to a country beat. Stillness. New job, new faces, old friends and old places. Running in the rain. Adapting, adjusting, learning to walk on streets. I've started flight instructing at a large busy flight school. The other day I was in dispatch and the dispatcher says "Lisa, do you have a car?" "No" I say. "Why?" "Well I saw you walking one way and later the opposite way and wondered what the heck is she doing!" I had walked to the library and later Albertsons. So I explained about taking the max rail, riding my bike, staying with friends. He said "You're just keeping it real aren't you?" And I laughed. Keeping it real.
Lightheart Gear Solo Wedge tent - I loved this tent. I became emotionally attached to it. It's easy to set up. I only got condensation once and it wasn't the tents' fault. Never camp in a Cascade meadow. It's spacious for its weight. It's not the lightest UL tent but the space was worth the weight. The wedge or canopy version is also worth the extra weight over the standard version.
Granite Gear Vapor ki backpack - overall it performed well. The seams were ripping out in a couple places by the end of my hike. Biggest gripe is the size of the side pockets. It was difficult to get my water bottles in and out while my pack was on. Also the load lifters had to constantly be readjusted. I liked the roll top closure. The capacity was sufficient even in the Sierras when I added the bear can.
Garmin gps 62s - I bought the garmin PCT trail map sd card and at kickoff, Halfmile loaded all of his waypoints into it. It was a good thing he did as the garmin trail track was sometimes inaccurate. The gps itself performed well. I never had trouble receiving a signal from sattelites.
Cook system - I used the MSR pocket rocket stove and cannister fuel. It always fired up and had good boil times in all temperatures and elevations on the trail. It was very reliable and I would carry it again. The titanium pot was lightweight but to big for my needs. I would get a smaller single person pot.
Sleeping pad - my z-lite did not have the reflective coating on one side that newer ones have. That would make a difference in r-value. By itself I was cold & didn't sleep well. Used with my pro lite inflatable however, I was comfy and warm. Both lasted entire hike. Although I threw away the z-lite at the end. I would try just the z-lite with the coating next time. And it doubles as a great sit pad.
Marmot down 15 degree bag - great sleeping bag but too warm for most of the hike. A cooler bag, maybe a 25 degree bag would be more versatile as you can always sleep in your warm layer on colder nights.
Tyvek ground cloth - awesome! Strong, light, and protects the tent floor well.
Brooks Cascadia trail runner shoes - once I got the right size I had only 1 blister in 1300 miles. My feet didn't hurt. They handled the weight of the pack on my back. Comfortable. A lot of them on the trail. When in doubt about which trail to take follow the Cascadia footprints!
Clothes - I'll just say I wish I hadn't waited so long to break down and buy a down puffy jacket. I love my Montbell jacket. It's super light and warm.
Headlamp - A bright one for night hiking is a must & worth the weight.
Trekking poles - Leki poles that twisted to lock couldn't handle the daily lengthen & shorten process. My tent sets up with them and the locking system kept breaking. I switched to Black Diamond poles with external locking and they worked great.
Post hike & looking ahead, I now question each piece of gear. Can I go lighter?
Base Pack weight at start, 15lbs.
Base pack weight in Sierras, 17lbs.
Base pack weight after Sierras, 14lbs.
Number of hiking partners, 12.
Longest distance with same partner, 600 miles.
Longest solo stretch, Timberline lodge - Manning Park Canada.
Favorite trail food, Dark Chocolate Sesamee Snaps & Zucchini Casserole.
Favorite trail CA, Mt Whitney - Selden Pass
Favorite trail OR, Three Sisters Wilderness.
Favorite trail WA, Rainy pass - Harts pass.
# of rainy days, 0 on trail & 2 while in town.
# of snow days, 1 night & 1 Hr in the afternoon.
# of Zero days, 12
Favorite gear, my tent.
Hardest section, Socal desert from Hiker town - Walker pass.
Unexpected, how social the trail is and the community that is the PCT.
Would I do it again? Or a different long trail? You betcha!
I've been bitten by the bug and I am a thru hiker. Next time I'd learn from this first one and hike lighter, smarter, & hopefully stronger. But nothing planned.
Right now I'm focusing on finding a job and re-entering the "real world" with its faster pace & sidewalks instead of trail. I start tutoring an ESL student this weekend. I will substitute teaching too. And I'll be looking hard for a flying job. I definately want to fly. In my free time I plan to write. So I will be a busy girl which will help ease the transition.
It took 12.5 hours to get home to Oregon. A typical hiking day. Only I was sitting on a bus instead of walking. I took Greyhound to Vancouver B.C. and then the Bolt bus to Portland with a short stop in Seattle. It gave me a chance to reflect on my journey and think about next steps. I intended to go straight to Seiad Valley to finish those miles of trail I missed from being sick. So I worked out the logistics of getting to the trailhead. I knew a fire had broken out last month north of Seiad Valley and that there was a road walk detour. When I went on the PCTA website to get the details I discovered that the fire closure had been expanded last week. There is now no way to walk around the closure. The instructions were for hikers to take the bus to Ashland and pick up the trail there. So my hike is officially complete. I confess my initial reaction was relief. Cause I'm tired! But my heart is still on the trail. I have friends still hiking. I miss it. And I wonder why did I push so hard to finish? I could still be hiking! Aah but I'm happy to be done and its time to move on to other things. I have learned and grown so much on the trail. It was an amazing experience. It's great to be home and sleep in my own bed! Also I will do a gear review soon and post it.
Canada! I made it! There was a tough climb right off the bat this morning. Old trail staying up high to Woody pass had been abandoned and was unsafe. Instead, new trail switchbacked down into the valley and then back up to the pass. It was one of the harder passes in WA. After that it was an easy and beautiful morning. I passed a small lake and after that there weren't many views as the trail descended down into the trees. The PCT monument 78 is at the US/Canada border at mile 2660.1. About a half mile away I met Southern hiking back southbound. We high fived each other and shared congratulations and smiles. I was happy there was someone to share the moment with. The monument was in a very peaceful spot which seemed fitting. I thought about my friend Daryl who dropped me off at the southern monument in Campo. I thought about all of the trail angels and strangers and their kindness. I thought about my hiker friends who I shared miles of trail with. I wish them safe travels. Then I wrote in the register. And it was on to Manning Park Lodge. My feet had wings. At the lodge I was given a box breakfast for morning since the bus to Vancouver leaves before the restaurant opens. Shower. Laundry. Food. But first I had to get on the hotel computer and let family know I arrived safely. There's no cell service or wifi here. Eating dinner at the restaurant it all seems so surreal. I can't hardly believe I'm here. Of course I'm not done. I still have to go back and do the last 68 miles of California. This is the section from Seiad Valley to Ashland that I skipped when I got sick. But for now I'm enjoying this moment and celebrating!
I'm going to Canada! I'm gonna make it! The swelling in my knee was down this morning and everything felt better. It wasn't till I did the 10 miles to Harts Pass though that I knew for sure I would make it. I had just sat down on a rock to have a snack when an suv pulled up and a dog with four people piled out. One guy came over and asked if I was a thru hiker. He hiked the AT in 09 and was out with his friends taking pictures of the PCT. Then he asked how my gear was holding up. I hesitated then said "well my backpack is ripping out at the seams in a couple places but its holding together and my knee is falling apart at the seams too but holding together." I smiled and we both laughed. And that's when I knew. It's been a great day of hiking. I met a lot of great people who encouraged and congratulated me. I saw Carpenter and his hiking partner as well as Willway/Archie on their way back to Harts pass from the monument. Not everyone continues on into Canada. The section from Rainy Pass to Harts Pass is definately my favorite part of WA. It is awesome north of Harts pass too. I'm tired, happy, excited about tomorrow, and a bit emotional. 23 miles to Manning Park. There are a lot of hunters out. I'm camped next to four of them in a big white canvas tent. I was happy to find water here. My map said that water was seasonal only and therefore unreliable for a 27 mile stretch. So I had anticipated a cold dinner. But, water was trickling down and the hunters had made a pool with rocks. So its lentil spinach curry with ramen noodles tonight.
I took Sunday off to spend time with my sister and her family. We drove to Leavenworth, which is east of Skykomish. It's a Bavarian styled village surrounded by the cascades. Every building and decor looks Bavarian. There are a lot of shops and restaurants. Bratwurst anyone? It's a three hour drive to Spokane so they left for home at 4. When my sis hugged me goodbye she said "you got this Lisa, you got this." That meant so much to me. My family, friends, & community have been supportive and encouraging. Knowing they have faith in me is awesome. I'm very thankful for them. I intended to hike out Monday morning. But it was raining, cold, and windy. Since the forecast called for it to clear up by Tues morning and sunny skies the rest of the week, I decided to stay another night.
I am thrilled and wowed by what I am walking through. This is my favorite section of WA I think. All rocky peaks. It reminds me a little of southwest mountains. I met a couple of fun girls, Lauren and Claire, who I had lunch with. They are camping here with me too. So my knee is in bad shape and the climbs are slow. The pain is not constant but when it hits its excruciating. It feels like it wants to collapse. It's swollen. Harts pass is 10 miles away so I'll evaluate when I get there in the morning. After looking at the elevation profile for the rest of the hike though, I am hopeful. It's not terrible. I've been thinking today that there aren't always guarantees and not everything is certain. That's where faith and hope come in. But I want to try to not take anything or anyone for granted. Life is wonderful. And I am grateful that I've been able to hike this summer and meet so many awesome people. So I will make good decisions tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
I slept in til 630. I packed up, got coffee at the restaurant, and took the shuttle to the bakery. The bakery was awesome! I got a lot of food. Breakfast first and a lunch for the trail. I will be dining well on the trail today. After all, I'm going to Canada! I saw all the people I met on the bus last night at the bakery. I really enjoyed talking and spending a bit of time with them. I got back on trail at noon. Cascade National Park is really incredible and I would like to come back and explore it more and take the ferry from Chelan. It was easy trail today but the steep stuff is coming. I'm camped at Fireweed camp. It's a big camping area in the park that accomodates stock. I'm very happy that the knee wrap is helping and my knee is working. I was worried enough this morning that I had an 'exit the trail' strategy if it failed me. Highway 20 at Rainy Pass is only 4 miles from where I'm camped. I think I'll be fine. I'm going to Canada!
The trail continues to inspire and amaze me. It went from open, rolling green hills to old growth forest. In between was a snow covered lake, rivers and waterfalls, and rocky mountains. There were some places that got my heart rate up. I had to cross a couple of icy snowfields. The trail got narrow along a cliff edge. And finally a section where part of the trail had broken off and slid down the mountain. Trail crews built a new section of trail and a new bridge across the Siuattle river. It added 5.6 miles to the trail. But its a beautiful bridge and it was nice to have easy trail for a change. I met some people on horseback this evening. Always nice to see people. My body is like my Tyvek ground cloth. Dirty, wrinkled, patched and worn but still strong and getting the job done. I have knee and hip pain that is getting worse and my feet hurt. Yet my spirits are high and I'm happy I've been able to experience this trail. It's a great trail. I've been thinking about my journey and my mind can't really comprehend what I've accomplished so far. Canada still seems a dream away. But as the miles go by beneath my feet and another day is over, I'm one more day closer to the border.
I've been seeing a lot of furry creatures that resemble marmots but I'm not convinced they are. They hang out in the rocks and talus slopes. I got up early this morning because I hoped to catch the 3:00 shuttle to Stehekin and get to the PO before it closed. As I was rolling up my tent I noticed a hole in the side. Turns out a creature was after my food and took a bite out of my tortillas. It must not have liked it because it only took one bite. I patched it up with duct tape. The trail was fast and easy so I made good time. It basically descended down down down to the valley at 1500 feet. But not before giving me a couple last views of the mountains. Then it was just green and wet. My knee gave out and I can feel parts moving around. I told it to work cause we were almost there. And it did. I will have to ice it and tape it though. I made the shuttle! Last Minute, Grit, and a lot of other hikers got off it. It was so great to see them! I've missed being with other hikers. It's been a long, lonely stretch. I met some great people on the shuttle. Dayhikers and fishermen. I hung out with them after I got my resupply box. One guy had an extra knee support wrap that he gave me. It'll get me to Canada. I'm told the bakery is as good as advertised. So I'll stop there in the morning on my way back to the trail. The hotel was full so I'm camping in a small campground. But it has showers and bathroom. Stehekin is a cool place and the lake is beautiful.
Last night was the best sleep I've ever had on trail. I slept all night without waking up once! So, thoroughly rested, I started out the day with, of course, a climb. I'm hiking through the Glacier Peak Wilderness. It's rugged, wild, and breathtaking. The trail has been difficult with a lot of downed trees and overgrown with plants. But I had lunch on a ridge with a panoramic view of snow covered mountains and rocky spires. I crossed grassy hillsides and descended into valleys only to climb back up again. I saw two bears in the rocks high above me in the afternoon. I passed a few hikers but its been pretty isolated otherwise. I'm camped with Happy Plate, a section hiker who is hiking Ashland to Manning Park. She's super nice. I wish she could do bigger miles, I would enjoy hiking with her. I have to say I have discovered I like trail mix after all. Especially if there are lots of m&ms. It's like desert.
It wasn't raining, but everything was wet. The trail was overgrown with tall wet plants and it was cold. So on went the rain pants and fleece. I hiked all morning in warm clothes. The trail was gentle today which really surprised me. Or maybe I'm just so used to the ups and downs now that I hardly notice. I felt very mellow today too. The trail was mostly in the trees but there were a couple of high alpine fields that I crossed which had great views of the surrounding mountains. I stopped early tonight. I should have hiked a few more miles but I was getting cold, tired, and hungry. I came across a good campsite and didn't feel like rolling the dice that there would be another one further I'll make it up tomorrow. I hit the 2500 mile mark today. How cool is that?
It's twenty miles to Stevens Pass. I had a more relaxed hiking day. I slowed down, took more pictures, and had a longer lunch break. I ate lunch by a nice lake. The hills were more gentle today too. The last climb of the day took me to the top of a ski lift. There was a good view up there and I imagined it covered with snow. Stevens Pass is a small ski place. I was supposed to meet my sister and her family at the pass this afternoon. They weren't there yet but I was early so I went up to an outdoor grill at the ski place. I had a sandwhich, turned on my phone and there was a message saying they wouldn't get here til 7 pm. No problem, I'll hitch to Skykomish, I thought. Skykomish is 15 miles away on hwy 2 & the closest town with lodging. Two minutes later I'm getting my pack together when a voice says "hey are you a thru hiker?" I look up and it a guy in a blue t shirt with dark hair and a beard. "Yes" I say. "Need a ride to Skykomish or Baring"? Seriously ? "YES!". Trail magic. He hiked the trail two years ago and had just finished a day hike. So he swung by the trail head looking for hikers. We picked up Tony from Belgium too. I'm staying at the Cascadia Inn. Chili and Pepper are here too. Our resupply boxes were at a trail angels house, the Dinsmores, but they brought them over to the hotel. And my sister! Right at 7 they got here. Soooo happy to see her. She has been so supportive and I havent seen her in a long time. This is the sister who moved to Spokane. An old friend of mine from a year I spent in France in college lives there with his family. Small world, my sister and her husband met them not knowing the connection. They sent me homeade fruit leather in an envelope with writing in French all over it. I will be entertained deciphering it.
Aahh, I have legs of steel. There was another 3000 foot climb through forest right away this morning. When I got to the top it felt like I was walking into spring. There was green grass. Flowers were in bloom. A bird was singing. And the morning sun was shining through some short pine trees. It was a mellow, lovely morning. I saw a lot of grouse. They would run down the trail ahead of me trying to escape this two legged giant.
I pushed pretty hard today since the terrain slowed me down so much yesterday. But it turned out to be easier trail and I was able to get miles in. This is a popular section. I met a lot of southbound section hikers. Since its been awhile since I've fallen, it was time. I took another trail dive. I'm just scraped up a bit. I gotta stop it though! Too close to get injured now. All in all another great day in the north cascades. I finished it off with the perfect campsite too. Perfect is flat, high, no bugs or mosquitos, and water.
Climb, climb, up, up, and up some more. It was a 3000 foot climb this morning with a lot of smaller ups and downs. It's incredibly beautiful in the North Cascades. It reminds me a lot of the alps. I couldn't stop taking pictures. On the climb up I stopped for a snack and a very aggressive bird came looking for crumbs. I met three dayhikers and chatted with them while we took turns getting a picture at an overlook. The trail got really rocky. I crossed a lot of talus slopes. It felt like miles and miles of rock. It hurts my feet since I wear trail runners. It's also tiring as you have to constantly watch where you put your feet. There was a waterfall on the long descent to Lemah meadow. Once down in the valley I had to ford Lemah creek. The water was cold but my feet liked it. Once across I checked my gps and saw I was 3/4 mile off trail. "What?" "How?" It ended up being a good thing though as there was a side trail that hooked back up to the PCT. The PCT bridge over the creek was washed out and would have been a more difficult crossing. So yay. I wanted to go further today but the trail starts another big climb and there wouldn't have been anywhere to camp. It was too late and too far to get up and over.
Lesson learned. Don't camp in a meadow. At least not a Cascade meadow. My tent was dripping moisture this morning outside and in. I strapped it on top of my pack so I wouldn't get everything else wet. The trail was very rocky and crossed a few talus slopes and clear cut areas. So it was slow going. I'm getting better at hiking over rocks though. On the plus side there was a lot of water. I passed a trail maintenance crew. They were working hard and I really appreciate their work. I passed a couple of friendly grouse hunters too. I told them I hadn't seen any and they were bummed. There were also a lot of people out picking huckleberries. One day hiker said to me, "The weather is going to be great the next couple days so don't stay to long in Snoqualmie Pass." She was right. I'm going to take advantage of the weather and hike out first thing in the morning. Snoqualmie Pass is located off of hwy 90. It's a ski area. Besides that, there is just the Summit Inn, Summit Pancake House, Chevron station, and small grocery. There are a lot of hikers here!
A good day begins with a good breakfast. I had oatmeal and breakfast biscuits this morning. I had good energy and a strong day. Of course I was motivated too by the closeness of Snoqualmie Pass. But I was enjoying the trail, the views, and just being, that the miles flew by. There was a lot of climbing today too. I didn't see any other thru hikers, just section hikers. Water was a little scarce. I was low on water and couldn't find a spring listed on the map. The next water source was grungy. Beggars can't be choosy. I strained it through my bandanna to get out the muck. Then I put a little extra bleach in it. Next I added packets of True Lemon to make it taste better. It got me the 8 miles to the next spring which was good water. There was a swamp that had a spring but I got all muddy trying to find it and gave up. So it was the day of water divining. The trail was mostly forest but there were a couple of rocky exposed sections. Each day of good weather is a gift. It was sunny and low 70s. I've had no significant weather on my entire 4.5 months of hiking. I know I'll see rain before I'm done but I'm amazed at how good I've had it. I'm camping for the night in a cleared area in a small meadow. There's a campfire ring here but I won't use it.
I woke up this morning to the sound of elk calling to each other. As I hiked down the trail they continued to bugle. Then I saw one ahead running down the trail and out of sight. The sunrise over the mountain was a blush pink color. The trail seemed to go up most of the day. I lost and found the trail a couple of times. It crossed over hwy 410 where there was a parking area. Consequently, I saw a lot of day hikers. I hiked with Scalpel. He hikes a lot faster than me but stops often to smoke. We are doing the same miles so it works. We stopped to rest near a spring and he made us yarrow tea. It's supposed to act like ibuprofen. I felt pretty good after the tea. I hiked on expecting him to catch up but he never did. I'm camping on a flat spot where the trail widened out. As I was setting up my tent a couple of kids came up the trail. They were probably in their teens. They were lost dayhikers. No map. No shelter. So I got them sorted out with my maps. They were 9 miles in the wrong direction and it was getting dark. They assured me though that they had food, warm clothes, and headlamps. I hope they will be ok.
It was wonderful to sleep in a bed and sleep in. But it was another beautiful day for hiking. The weather forecast is for this nice weather to continue for at least the next five days. Being a holiday weekend, there were a lot of day and weekend hikers out. What surprised me though was the horses. I saw at least 20 horses throughout the day. Ten miles up the trail I was looking for a good place to eat my lunch. I came around a corner and there were six thru hikers sitting down eating. So I joined them. We all hiked on together and are camped together. I hadn't met any of them before. There is Lisa Peru, Rabbit, Salty Snacks, Estero, Gourmet, and two others. I passed a lot of small lakes today. The trail entered the Mt Ranier park. That is cool.
It was an epic day! I am beyond elated. I made it to White Pass in record time. I got here at 230 today. This morning I got up early and was hiking with the sunrise. It was cold and windy and the frost crunched under my feet. I crossed several big snowfields as the trail climbed and went around Packwood Glacier. Then the trail switchbacked up a very steep rocky face. At the top it split into the stock PCT and the hiker PCT. The hiker PCT went across the "knifes edge". So named because its on the rocky spine of the mountain. It drops off on both sides and the descent along it is very steep. There is a lot of snow. It was insane, thrilling, sketchy in places, magnificent views, and a little scary. I loved it. I also hated doing it solo. It sure felt great though when I got down onto easier terrain. Huge pat on my back for that one. I gave a woop of satisfaction. The trail left the high alpine setting on a long descent back into forest and meadow. One more long 1500 foot climb and even longer descent and I arrived at hwy 12. White Pass is only a half mile from the trail but there was a dayhiker leaving who gave me a ride. It's hard to pick pictures to post. I got a lot of good ones today.
This morning as I was hiking, inspiration struck. I know what my book will be. It feels right and I'm super excited about it. There were a,lot of great views of Mt Ranier this morning. It and the surrounding peaks poked out of tbd clouds like islands in a sea. So awesome. I saw a lot of hikers today including Atlas. I'm happy he is still hiking. He'd gotten off trail for an injured foot. At lunch time I hit trail magic. A Mountain Dew is a great energy boost. And it was ice cold! I entered the Goat Rocks Wilderness this afternoon. I've been looking forward to it all summer. I've wanted to hike it for at least three years. It's got forest, meadows covered in wildflowers, waterfalls, and rocky peaks. I climbed over Cispus pass. There were snow patches on and off the trail. It was fantastic. I'm camped at 6000 feet on a flat area overlooking a canyon.
,I woke up to frost on the ground. But then only a mile up the trail was a great morning view of Mt Adams. What better way to start my day. I'm hiking in the Mt Adams Wilderness. The views today more than made up for the days without. There were a lot of close up views of Mt Adams. But late afternoon I was also treated to a view of both Mt St Helens and Mt Ranier. Gorgeous. Most of the hikers I've seen this week are resupplying in Trout Lake . I have enough food to get to White Pass so I'm pushing through. When I got to road 23, a father was dropping off his son who is hiking the trail. He offered me a ride into town. It was really tempting! But I said no and kept walking. Two big reasons were 1. I didn't need to go and would just spend money. 2. The weather is perfect! I want to get as much hiking in and miles in as I can while the weather holds. Washington is called the hiker wash state for a reason. Rain. Lots of rain. Well it was a great hiking day. I'm camped with Big Bird and a couple of section hikers who are very friendly.
Hang on! It's another roller coaster trail today. Early in the day there was a wicked long climb up to 4000 feet. Just a lot of up and down. I caught up to Last Minute, Grit, and Anchor Man and hiked with them for awhile. Then I caught up to the Three Caballeros and hiked with them for a few miles. It was really great to see them again. They're fun, intelligent guys and I hadn't seen them since the Sierras. The green tunnel finally opened up as the trail climbed and got a few views. It's been cloudy and cool. Good hiking weather. I was starting to feel tired and losing energy when I came upon trail magic. There were two buckets labled 'PCT hikers' on the side of the trail. Inside were fritos, pretzels, and chocolate. A bag of pretzels and a twix bar later and I was energized again. It worked better than caffeine. I met three ladies on the trail who were section hiking. They were friendly and enthusiastic and I really enjoyed talking to them. I'm camped tonight with a couple I just met, Ripple and Peregrine. They started the 16th of April. I did 31 miles today by 530. I got cold when I stopped to rest so my breaks were short. Walking. Comfortable. Sitting. Here. I set up camp early and it is nice to relax in camp.
Happy Birthday to me! The last few hundred miles since I got sick have been a battle between my desire to finish the trail and my desire to quit. I never thought I would feel like quitting. I'm so glad I hung in there. This morning as I crossed over the Columbia River Gorge on the Bridge of the Gods, I teared up. I made it to Washington! It feels good, right. I'm happy to be hiking. There's a good group on the trail with me. Yardsale and Dirty Feet were packing up when I left Shrek's this morning. They will meet me in camp tonight. I caught up to Colors and Quirk. They're the married couple I met near Shasta. Last Minute and Grit are 6 miles ahead. And Tony from Belgium is camping here also.
The trail today climbed from near sea level at the gorge to 3500 feet. It's been up and down 1500 feet at a time the rest of the day. It was a green tunnel today. The trees obscured any views of the Columbia I might have had. In some places the ferns and plants were as tall as me. And there was a lot of water. I thought today about my video entry for next years kickoff. I've got some good ideas I think. I also thought about writing a book. If I wrote a book, what would make it unique and stand out from all of the other books written about the PCT by hikers? What would the title be? "A Backpackers Guide to Falling". I humour myself. I forgot to mention Sesame. He is also camping here and he gave me a couple temporary tattoos. So I'm rocking a couple of colorful dragons. I'm home for the night. Time to sleep.
It rained last night so my tent was wet. It was wet and misty out so the valley below the ridge I was hiking on was obscured by clouds. It was cool to be above it. The trail crossed several talus slopes. As the morning sun came up it shot a starburst of gray laser beams through the trees. It gave the trail a rainforest feel. The guide book recommended another alternate trail called Eagle Creek. I took a two mile insanely steep side trail to get to it. The Eagle Creek trail follows the creek as it winds down a canyon. There are a lot of waterfalls. The trail is high above following the river down. It was like walking along a cliff. Two waterfalls were unique. Punch bowl falls and Tunnel falls. Tunnel falls you walked through a tunnel behind a very high falls. The trail ended at the Columbia River Gorge. A two mile paved bike path led east to Cascade Locks, OR. There is a trail angel here who calls himself Shrek, Trail Ogre. His hostel is Shreks Swamp. He's still building the place up but there's space for hikers, shower, & laundry. It will really be nice when he's done building it though.
I got a late start this morning but extra sleep and breakfast are good things. The PCT coincides with the Timberline loop trail for awhile. So I saw a lot of day and weekend hikers. It's a beautiful section. It's mostly forest but there are also steep canyons and valleys. There were also a couple of tricky river crossings but I didn't get wet. I took a lot of pictures of Mt Hood. I'd like to do the Timberline trail around the mountain one day. The guidebook recommended a two mile alternate trail that hooked up to the PCT. It went by Ramona Falls and it was the perfect lunch spot. The trail had two steep climbs and descents that wore me out. First day hiking after a zero day I have to remind my legs what their job is. It's chilly tonight, windy and overcast. It might rain but I'm snug in my tent. There is another thru hiker camped here named Sesame. I met him a long time ago. When I was in town I washed both my sleeping bag and backpack. What luxury! They don't stink. Speaking of town, it was a bit overwhelming. REI and the mall were crowded and noisy. It was a shock to my system after the quiet of the woods. Re entry into the real world after my hike is going to be harder than I thought. I think I've grown a lot and learned a lot these last few months. In the coming weeks I'm going to be thinking about how I can apply what I've learned on the trail to regular life and what changes I should make. It's too easy to slip back into old habits and I want to keep moving in a positive direction. I feel good though. And resolute. I'm coming Canada! I'm solo at the moment but hope to find hiker(s) in Cascade Locks to hike Washington with.
Quest and I expressing our frustration with trail closures. A morning picture from the ridge before Timberline. Picure of Rem. Ruby Locks truckin down the trail. Forest Ranger checking permits in Three Sisters and doing trail work.
It was cold this morning. The group couldn't decide last night when we'd hike out - 6 or 7. So I split it and was ready at 630. Only no one else was up. Everyone sound asleep still. Of course I didn't want to wake them up and it was to cold to wait. So I took off. I was really looking forward to Timberline lodge and seeing Portland friends. I'll be in WA for my Aug 28 birthday so we are celebrating early. I'm glad I got up early because I was treated to a fantastic early morning view of Mt Hood. There was a PCT trail register at hwy 26. So I signed it "still spinning" with a simple drawing of the spinner on my hat and my trail name. Then it was 4 miles to Barlow pass at hwy 35. Then only 4 more miles to Timberline! But oh, the last mile was killer. It was uphill in deep sand. It was like climbing an Oregon sand dune. But I slogged on and what was that noise? Music? Here? There was a DJ spinning rock music and talking over a loudspeaker. I could see lots of cars and colorful flags across the ravine and the lodge in the background. Mt Hood itself was on my right. Turns out the Hood to Coast relay race was beginning. I got there just in time to hear him say "30 seconds" and then "runners, get outta here!" There were a lot of people around. I picked up my two boxes at the gear store, got lunch in the lodge, plugged in my cell phone, and waited in the lobby for my ride. Last Minute and Grit got in an hour later. I never saw Rem and Ruby Locks though. I was sorry to miss them. But I will see everyone 'up the trail' I'm sure. That's how it works. My friend Doug picked me up and we got all my usual errands done. Then it was Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner! Then we watched one of my favorite movies on Blue Ray, 'Apollo 13'. So nice to spend time with good friends. Tomorrow will be a trip to REI and planning the last legs of my journey in WA. So exciting! Goodnight.
The last part of the detour had us bushwacking through the forest following pink flags. We finally arrived back on the PCT at mile 2065. It felt good to be back on trail. Road walking is hard on the feet. There were helicopters flying around most of the day getting water to fight the fire. We were told there were 600 firefighters working on this fire and it was only 5% contained. It was a great day for hiking. We had cool temperatures and good trail. We were also treated to our first good view of Mt Hood. Yay! We passed lake Timothy, which is a large lake with good camping. We kept hiking though as it was to early to stop. Then there was little crater lake. It's a small lake with water so clear you can see way down to the bottom. It's also 35 degrees. Cold water. I treated it anyway! I'm really looking forward to getting to Timberline Lodge tomorrow at Mt Hood.
We met Brian at 730am for our ride to Detroit. Detroit is on beautiful Detroit Lake where people come to fish, camp, sail and enjoy the outdoors. It's also a good stopping place on the drive from Salem to Bend and I've been there many times. We had a nice breakfast at Cedars, bought food at the convenience store, and then Brian drove us back to the detour. It was so kind of him to wait for us. A new trail angel. So the long road walk began. We hiked 12 miles north on hwy 46 which is a scenic road through National forest. We entered the Mt Hood forest. Then we turned east on road 4690 for 7 miles, then north again on road 4022. We've hiked 4 miles on this road so far and are camped off to the side. Tomorrow, we will be back on the PCT after a few more road miles. I'm so glad I'm with friends. Its made what would have been tedious, much more fun.
The Jefferson Wilderness is one of the highlights of the PCT. Mt Jefferson rises high above lush meadows and green forests. The wildflowers are in bloom after the late snow melt. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see the most scenic part of this area because of the waterfall II fire. So the adventure within an adventure continues. Initially the fire affected ten miles of the PCT. However, we met a southbound hiker who told us the fire had spread and that Lake Ollalie had been evacuated and was closed. This was a big concern as everyone was planning a resupply at the resort there. That combined with a long detour meant we didn't have enough food. Well we'd find out. The first part of the detour was to take the Breitenbush trail west to a dirt road, then a long road walk north to another trail east. The Breitenbush trail was rocky and downhill. I felt very clumsy and it was slow going. When we got to a trailhead parking area there were signs posted confirming the bigger fire and a longer detour. It was getting dark and the trail was hard to follow. So when we discovered a dirt road paralleling the trail we walked it instead. Turned out to be a good decision as it was the right road. Around 930pm when we were almost to hwy 46, we saw a camper with a light on and a couple sitting outside. Rem went over and said hello and the man Brian told us where a good place to camp was. It turned out to be a great spot but we were all so tired we didn't care. No sooner had we gotten our tents set up when Brian drove up in his truck. He offered to give us a ride to Detroit Lake in the morning to get food. How awesome is that? Trail magic.
I saw a bear today! It was a black bear on the trail not far from me. He turned, looked at me for a second, and then ran off. That makes my 5th bear. At hwy 20, Santiam Pass, I caught up to my friends Last Minute, Ruby Locks & co. There was trail magic there. Steady's husband had subway sandwhiches, soda, and chips for us. I'm hiking with the gang again and its nice. Santiam Pass is the start of the Mt Jefferson wilderness. The centerpiece is Mt Jefferson but there is also Three Fingered Jack. At one point on a ridge looking back south I could see the Three Sisters, Mt Washington, and Three Fingered Jack. There's still some snow up here but not much. It's melted pretty quickly in this heat. We are camped with a great view of Jefferson. Definately a good day.
I spent the day with friends and family. What could be better? Darlene and I went to Starbucks for coffee. Then we went shopping and I bought a new hiking shirt. My old one was falling apart. We had lunch at Madelines Grill with an old coworker and good friend Scott Granger and his wife. The rest of the day was spent lounging by the hotel pool. There is always such a contrast between trail and town, it can feel surreal at times. I'm heading back to the trail now to hike over the lava field in the cool of the evening. There's a three mile stretch left.
Oregon has turned out to be an adventure within an adventure. First there were the two fires. And there's another fire further north. Then today there was thunder and lightning west of the trail but no rain. It's kinda exciting. I was thankful for the cloudcover though as it kept the temperature cool. In the Sisters Wilderness is a place called the Obsidian area. It's a restricted area to protect it from overuse. You have to have a permit to camp there. It's my favorite place. The obsidian sparkles when the light hits it. There's a spring that flows out of the mountain, acroass the meadow, and then plunges off a cliff as Obsidian falls. Beautiful. I hiked through there this morning and stopped to fill up all of my water bottles from the spring. Delicious water. I hustled this morning in order to meet my cousin Darlene at Mckenzie pass. The pass is on hwy 242 a seasonal rd and the Dee Wright Observatory is there. The observatory is made out of lava rock. You can see all of the mountain peaks from it on a clear day. Lava rock surrounds the pass and its very hard to walk on. Even on the trail you have to be careful not to twist an ankle on the loose rock. I met a friendly section hiker on the trail, retired, who is passionate about the outdoors. He quizzes.me at length about my hike and I didn't mind. Even though I was hurrying to meet my cousin, it was inspiring to talk to him because he was so enthusiastic. It felt great to get to the observatory because its a real mile marker. I got there 10 minutes after Darlene. She had icecream! Turns out my hiking friends Last minute & co. are here. So good to see them. We met for dinner after all of my errands are done. They are leaving before me tomorrow but I should be able to catch up and hike with them. Right now its just nice to spend time with my cousin when I'm not sick & we can enjoy our time together. I'm so blessed to have support from my family, friends, & community.
