August 19, 2011

Zero day in Ashland

Today started and ended the way every day should: enjoying good food with good people. This morning we were treated to waffles and fresh fruit, along with the company of Ken, Melissa, and Helena. The rest of the morning was spent doing computer (journal/picture) stuff.

Since Ken had taken the day off, he graciously took us out to lunch and then chauffeured us to the grocery store, so we could buy, and he could take in the spectacle of us buying, resupply food for all of Oregon (18 days). It went fairly quickly, and before we knew it we were back at the house. Soon after, Ken, Melissa, and Helena left for the Loftus family reunion up at Silver Falls State Park.

We continued to box up our food, and Mitzi came over and took us to the Post Office to send the food boxes just before the PO closed, and then took is out to dinner at Standing Stone Brewery.

I know I've said it before, but the hospitality of everyone was fantastic!

Sent from the PCT

August 25, 2011

August 25, 2011

Start: 1856
End: 1881

This morning we passed by the trail junction leading up to the top of Mt Thielsen, but decided to put off climbing the mountain for a future day. From the base of Thielsen we could see the Three Sisters in the distance to the North, as well as Diamond Lake and Peak to the West. The rest of the hiking day was mostly forested and we crossed from the Umpqua NF into Deschutes NF. Bend is getting closer!

On another note, there is a guy, Sam, trying to raise money for Parkinson's research by running/hiking the entire PCT from Canada to Mexico in sixty days starting today! He will need to average 44 miles per day in order to reach his goal. I am very interested in seeing how it goes for him, although I don't know how realistic it is. Regardless, I wish him the best of luck in completing his journey and meeting his monetary donation goal! For more on Sam, check out his website: www.runwhileyoucan.org

As a tribute to Sam, at some point on the trail I am going to try to do one 44 mile day, just to see what it's like. I can't imagine doing that for sixty straight days, though!

Sent from the PCT

August 24, 2011

August 24, 2011

Start: 1830
End: 1856

Today we awoke to more of the same from yesterday. Mosquitos buzzed us and made a full rain suit necessary just for the skin protection and sanity. The climb up to the rim was buggy, but soon after we got up there, they seemed to die down.

It was quite a breathtaking sight to see when we reached the top, and it felt good to be back somewhere that was familiar to me. As we made our way along the west side of the rim we got to see how the lake looks under various conditions. It changed from a silvery color when there were clouds overhead, to a deep blue as the clouds cleared off and the sun shone down upon the deep water. (1932 feet deep, deepest in the US and 7th deepest in the world!)

After hiking the west side of the lake, the trail departed the rim and continued north toward Mt Thielsen. As we neared Hwy 138, we were treated to a lightning and thunder show! It got as close as 1/4 mile, judging by the time between lightning and thunder, and the lightning was nearly blinding, and the thunder rumbled deeply. The thunder has continued off and on the rest of the evening as we are now camped. Luckily the storm(s) didn't bring much rain with their show.

Sent from the PCT

August 23, 2011

Start: 1806
End: 1830

Today was dominated by insects. From the beginning of today until now (laying in my tent) there has been a continuous stream of different annoying pests. It all started with mosquitos, which buzzed us all day, followed by flies at each snack stop, and finally there are crickets or some other such insects that are continuously buzzing/hissing/whoknowswhat. Thank goodness for earplugs!

Today we also hiked into Crater Lake National Park and picked up our resupply boxes, but have yet to actually reach the rim and see the lake. We stopped in at Mazama Village for our boxes and, fortuitously, a buffet dinner at the restaurant. We lounged around for a while prior to heading back towards the trail and finding a place to camp.

Tomorrow I'll see the lake for the first time in 7 months, when it was draped in snow. I can't wait!

Sent from the PCT

August 20, 2011

Start: 1727
End: 1750

Today we got back on the trail after a wonderful time in Ashland. Mitzi gave us a ride back to the trail, and we were off!

The miles seemed to fly by fairly quickly today. Early in the day we passed near Pilot Rock, then continued through the rolling terrain to Hyatt Lake. The reason that things went so quickly for me is due to audio books. I started listening to "Catch Me If You Can" by Frank Abagnale, Jr., and it has been enthralling. The things he was able to get away with are amazing. The book has much more of his story than the movie, I can't wait to hear what happens next!

Just before we got to camp I started thinking a little bit about the end of the trail. I know there are still many miles, but yesterday we worked out our projected schedule for the rest of the trail (projected finish on September 28), and it seems much closer now than it did when we crossed the Oregon border a couple days ago. It's a little to sad to think it will be over in just over 5 weeks, but at the same time doing nothing for a few days in a row sounds pretty good too... Maybe after the Portland marathon. :)

Sent from the PCT

August 22, 2011

Start: 1776
End: 1806

I'd like to take a moment today to talk about food. I know, I know, nothing new here. This time though, it's about the resupplies. It seems that each resupply leads to two situations: feast or famine. Let me explain...

The last resupply from Seiad Valley to Ashland was a feast. I had my resupply box, plus food from two care packages, all of which I wanted to take with me, but more for future resupplies rather than the few days it would take to get to Ashland. It was great. I don't mind carrying a little "extra" weight if it means I can eat anytime I want.

This section, however, from Ashland to Crater Lake, has been the opposite. The first couple days were fine, but I realized yesterday that I only packed three cooked meals, rather than four, and the same for Clif bars. Since realizing this, I have been keeping careful track of what I've been eating so I can spread out my food consumption over the remaing time. It isn't all that big of a deal, but it's not as much fun when you have to ration. You can be sure that hiking out of Crater Lake I will have a feast for the next section!

Sent from the PCT

August 21, 2011

Start: 1750
End: 1776

The miles today were pretty easy. So far since Ashland, things have been flat, or climb gently for no more than 1500 vertical feet. It has also been mostly forested and, therefore, the scenery is essentially unchanging. If variety is the spice of life, than this section is a baked potato without all the accoutrements. That is, until this afternoon...

An old friend made an appearance today: huckleberries! The bushes lined the trail for miles, and while not all bore ripe fruit, there were enough that did, and we snacked on them occasionally, picking as we walked. They were delicious! As another hiker said in a trail register, I might not make it to Washington because of all the huckleberries, but I'm OK with that.

Sent from the PCT

August 18, 2011

Start: 1710
End: 1727
We made good mileage yesterday, leaving us with an easy 17 mile hike to get to the road, and a ride into Ashland. We got started hiking around 7am and almost immediately found a bit of trail magic near Mt Ashland, where a couple of hikers
from years past had left two coolers full of cold sodas! They were delicious! It was all downhill from there, quite literally.
The rest of the miles went easily and we stopped for lunch around noon before hiking the final 4 miles down to the road. Right before arriving at the road we came across our second helping of trail magic for the day. A fellow hiker, Holden, who was taking a couple days off, left some PBR and soda just before Old Hwy 99 crossing. It was great to see, especially since 12 Ounce and I had bought beer for him in Etna and just told him to pass it on!
Once at the road, my great-aunt Mitzi picked us up and drove us into town. We mentioned that we wanted to go to a thrift shop to find outfits to wear to the play that night, so Mitzi suggested the Goodwill, which turned out to be a treasure trove of dapper dress. I will simply let the picture tell the rest of the story.

After Goodwill, we went back to Mitzi's for a late lunch and to get cleaned up before heading over to Ken and Mellisa's for dinner, and then on to the play. The play we saw was "The Imaginary Invalid" and it was fantastic! But perhaps more importantly, we got some great comments on our attire from the other patrons. After the play we went out for FroYo at the Yogurt Hut and then off to bed, well after hiker midnight.
It is always fun to come into towns and experience a little of what they have to offer, which in this case was the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the wonderful hospitality of Mitzi, Ken, Melissa, and Helena. Thank you all!
Sent from the PCT

August 17, 2011

Start: California (1680)
End: Oregon (1710)

Today marked the last day of hiking on the PCT in the great state of California. It was kind of strange, and wonderful, to finally make it through the state, and I found myself in a contemplative mood. After having already passed the midpoint, and with less than 1000 miles to go, I thought that there would be some sort of excitement and fanfare associated with the milestone, but after a short break we just continued walking, the same as I've been doing since April 29. No fireworks, or balloons, or congratulations, not that I was necessarily expecting any of that. Instead I settled for a drink of water and a Clif bar, and then on with the hike.

Next up, Ashland!

Sent from the PCT

August 16, 2011

Start: 1662
End: 1680

It was a rather typical day in Seiad Valley. The dirt was dusty, the air was dry, and the sun was hot. Within minutes of hiking I was dripping with sweat, which glistened like diamonds on my taut, sinewy muscles. -- I apologize for that digression. We just finished reading Brazen (romance novel) and it really got my juices flowing, the creative juices of course.

I also finished listening to an audiobook today, at the opposite end of the literature spectrum: "The Theory of Everything" by Stephen Hawking. It was very interesting to listen to, and really made me think about how small each of us are on a universal scale. It's fascinating to hear Hawking's perspective and explanation of various scientific theories, including general relativity and quantum mechanics, relating to how the universe was created, as well as how God may or may not fit into that picture. This is particularly interesting given that Hawking is on the leading edge of quantum physics as well as a devout Christian. It all leads to current times where scientists are searching for a unified theory of physics to explain everything. The last line of the book is something to the effect that if such a theory is discovered/proven than we will know the mind of God; crazy stuff.

On another note, I picked my first huckleberries of the trip today! They were slightly under-ripe, but delicious nonetheless and they have whet my appetite for the multitudes to come soon I hope! Despite what many have described as one of the worst climbs, as well as hottest of the entire PCT, I found that I enjoyed pretty much all the hiking today, including the climb. It might have something to do with the fact that I feel fully rested again after the 100 miles in 71 hours, but whatever it is, I like it and hope it continues!

A bonus for the day came just after dinner. We had eaten near a road, and just as we were packing up, a truck drove by, stopped, and a woman got out. We weren't sure what to expect, but it turned out that she was a very nice lady on her way from Williams, OR to Seiad Valley, CA to see her boyfriend. And she gave us beer! It was a great way to wind down the day. Truly magical!

Sent from the PCT