Short trip back to the REAL WORLD

Haha Konnie =-) Short posts are sent from my phone whenever I can't get to a computer to compose a full manuscript.  With the end in sight, I am back east for a short time for a family emergency.  Life doesn't always fit into a schedule.  I am super lucky to have been so far ahead of my original plan and now have plenty of time to finish the trail before the weather gets too cold, in theory.  I head back to the west coast tomorrow where 2 wonderful trail angels have offered to pick me up and drive me back to the trail, WOOHOO!!!  It is barely september yet and I have already heard a few hikers comment that fall is coming early in the Pacific NW this year... Pray to the weather gods for me.  I (only) have 320 miles to go, which will take anywhere from 2-3 weeks depending on how much I need to get my "trail legs" back.

Through Oregon I hiked 30 miles a day because the trail is fairly flat and easy on the feet.  With so little of the trail left and some of the most rugged terrain in front of me I decided to slow down and savor the last piece of my trip.  The huckleberries are just starting to ripen and they are everywhere along the trail. A great excuse to stop and graze with the bears for some yummy berries. YUMMM

Southern Washington has been absolutely wonderful.  Before Cowboy and I left Cascade Locks, we went to the Eastwind Drive-In for the biggest and tastiest $4 breakfast burrito we've ever seen.  In the brisk morning sunshine we frollicked across the Bridge of the Gods into the lush green mountains of southern WA.  Not long after skipping past the Trailhead we come across a white 5 gallon bucket with "Trail Magic" written on the lid.  We peal off the lid with smiles of anticipation to find it half full of VooDoo Donuts that were melted together in a mass of sugar that was hard to know what to do with.  Should we get our spoons out or just break off a chunk?  I may never see another bucket of donut soup again but it was sure a great welcome to WA!

Peace, Love, and Happy Trails
~Beads

Whites pass and still happy as a clam

WASHINGTON!!!!!!

Greetings from Cascade Locks, OR and the Bridge of the Gods.

From Sisters I hiked through a lot of recent burn areas from last year north of Santiam Pass, around Three Fingered Jack, and up to Jefferson Peak and Jefferson Park.  Just north of Jefferson is a fabulous little mountain resort on Olallie Lake (which is currently for sale..... someone needs to buy it and turn it into a HIKER HAVEN).  True to her name, "Trapper Keeper" kept our feet up for most of the day enjoying the company, beverages, and of course the view.  There was even another Trail Angel, Sandy, who also arrived with carbonated high fructose corn syrup (soda) and a 20# bag of snacks that we dove into head first.  I laugh every time because these are all things that I would never eat in the "real world".  But out on the trail, concentrated forms of sugar and fat are staples of our diet, something that the american diet specializes in.

Mt Hood and the Timberline Lodge were a fabulous high point of the last section.  The Timberline Lodge is a stunning historic landmark that many people spend lots of money to visit and stay for a night or more.  We set up our tents in a nearby cluster of trees and sit on the deck enjoying the sun and a few drinks just like everyone else.  Some tourists even start asking us about the trail and offer to buy us drinks as well.  Life is good indeed.

My last night before Cascade Locks I was walking along a ridge.  At about 5pm I had a view of Mt Hood behind me and it was covered in dark black clouds and the weather front was coming northward.  I hurry my pace as the thunder starts to rumble and I make it to Indian Springs just in time to set up my tent before the rain started, perfect timing.  The 15 miles into town the next morning was a beautiful stroll down Eagle Creek Trail, a favorite detour that includes Tunnel Falls where the trail literally goes behind a 200 foot waterfall.  It is a stunning sight and of course the pictures hardly do it justice.

This morning I sat at the local greasy spoon drive-in devouring a huge breakfast burrito and gazed across the river to Washington State.  It is a little overwhelming to realize that I only have 500 miles left, this journey has been absolutely incredible and I certainly don't want it to be over.   In about 3 weeks I will be at the Canadian border wondering where to walk next because there will be no more north.

Peace, Love, and Happy Trails
~beads

Three Fingered Jack

At 7000 feet above Jefferson Park

Sign at Timberline Lodge - a stormy morning

Tunnel Falls, yes that's the trail cut into cliff

The Bridge of the Gods - BAM!!

2,000 miles and Bend, OR

Hiking the PCT can be just as much about experiencing the culture and people as it is about the hiking.  Trail Towns and Trail Angels are an important aspect of the journey and learning more about amazing places here in the US.  In Ashland, hikers were invited to an incredible BBQ feast where we relaxed and got our toenails painted.  It's not everyday that we are invited with open arms into a complete stranger's house and treated like family, THANK YOU SIERRA!! 

I arrived at the rim of Crater Lake in the evening and the smoke was so dense that I literally could not see the water, it was certainly an incredible site.  That night I actually slept up on the rim and was able to catch the sunrise with much less smoke than before.  It was easy to visualize the massive caldera spread out below us.  For anyone who has never visited Crater Lake, it is certainly an incredible site to see and not to be missed. 

Further north and just before McKenzie Pass (where I hitched into town) is the Three Sisters Wilderness and some of the best wildflowers I have seen as yet.  There have been a few afternoon thunderstorms, that have also started small fires nearby, but nothing to be concerned about for the moment.  It is already getting late in the season for the fires to be allowed to get too big so we actually ran into smoke jumpers (back country firefighters that jump out of an airplane to access remote areas.  As a matter of fact, Kiddo and I were in a small thunderstorm one afternoon and there were a couple lightning strikes within a few miles of the trail.  Later that afternoon we were on the other side of the valley climbing up the side of Diamond Peak and we were able to look back at where we had come from that day.  There was a column of smoke not far from the ridge we were on that was definitely not there when we passed through.  There is always something to keep us on our toes!!!

In mid-Oregon there is the small town of Sisters and also Bend that is fairly easy to hitch-hike to.  Sisters is well known for it's small town charm, many tasty eateries, lots of local art galleries, and of course ice cream.  Bend is extremely well known for it's many local brew-pubs, which is a must for a thirsty thru-hiker.  I had the pleasure of enjoying both of these towns with 2 other hikers, Kiddo and Cowboy, making for excellent company indeed. 

Only 650 miles left and it seems like such a short time left on this awesome trail.  It will not be long before I am in Washington State where internet and cell phone coverage are scarce.  Of course I will do my best to update my progress but rest assured that I will be walking north and enjoying every moment of it.  Peace and Love and Happy Trails
~Beads

Mountain Lupine with South Sister Peak

Playing with the Locals

Fellow hiker Kiddo on trail next to a rock cairn marking a side trail to a water source

Sunrise over Crater Lake with Wizard Island in the bottom right

Morning fog while walking through an area burned 2 or 3 years ago

An original PCT marker