Month: August 2023

Start: 531.2

Stop: 555.6

Today’s miles: 24.4

Total PCT miles: 743.5

Welp. I definitely slid a lot last night. I’d roll over and then have to kick a leg out and push my sleeping pad back up to the “flat” spot. Other than that, my sleeping quilt kept me toasty warm and I slept ok, considering. I did wake up before midnight to go pee, and was afraid I’d wake everyone else up, because it was completely silent out there. Weird.

Margot and I got moving around 7 and came across Marquis by 8. He slept in, knowing we’d be behind him, and had just packed up his stuff. Good timing indeed. We all set out hiking in the cool morning air, with frequent views of Mount Jefferson off in the close distance.

Marquis quickly got away from us, Margot and I leapfrogged each other off and on all day. We had 3 climbs of the day, the first one being not bad, the second one being brutal and the third just frustrating because I was ready to be done. The two of us ate lunch together, early, sometime well before noon. I was starving. My hiker hunger has 100% kicked in. I cannot seem to get enough to eat. I usually just stop because either I don’t have enough to continue eating or I’m just tired of chewing. My stomach stays growling, though.

At the bottom of that first climb’s mountain there was a sketchy ish river crossing. Originally I was ahead of Margot, when we passed Ramona Falls (gorgeous), but then I missed the turn and went over a half mile in the wrong direction. Once I realized it, I backtracked.. UPHILL.. and then a man stopped me to tell me in way too many words that “the Australian girl” was waiting for me at the sketchy crossing. Cool cool. Sorry Margot!

I rushed to get there, and I was glad she was ahead of me now.. because she told me where to go to safely cross the rushing water. That grey silty water is awful to cross, not only is it too dark to see the bottom of the stream bed, to know where you’re stepping, but it’s also got so many tiny pebbles that your shoes get filled with them. Meh, whatever. I got across and we walked up trail a bit and stopped, so I could clean out my shoes.. she already had while waiting on me.

That second climb was a rough one, and it came during the heat of the day. Some parts were exposed and steep.. and so much sand. This whole area looks like it’s one wind blow away from dissipating before our eyes. I got cell phone service somewhere in this second climb and called to make a reservation for us for the breakfast buffet at Timberline Lodge in the morning. I tried to do other random things, like venmo Curmy for our resupply boxes, but I lost service again.

Coming down that mountainside, we had to cross another stream, soaking our feet. It wasn’t a bad one, but I waited for Margot either way, to make sure she felt comfortable crossing it. It’s a good thing, too, because she wasn’t certain that I was ahead of her, so she would have waited for me there. Sometimes it’s really hard to remember where people are when you back and forth so much, and when she and I are both known for going down the wrong trail sometimes.

From there, we were on that third huge climb of the day. It was kicking my ass, but I didn’t have to stop and take breaks like I used to. I was able to just keep moving.. occasionally pausing only to let other hikers coming towards me safely pass. After that whole “slip down the mountain” deal yesterday, I only stopped where I knew the ground was stable. There was mud and huge sand steps to take to get up this thing, it was steep and I was exhausted. My feet were throbbing, but the only thing keeping me moving was learning that I could order a glass of wine at the bar at the Timberline Lodge until 10pm.

Every northbound person I passed, I asked them about the lodge. How was breakfast? When do they stop serving dinner? How late is the bar open? Do they serve food? Haha-I was a woman on a mission. Somewhere around the top of that last climb, I could see ski lifts and I had service. I called Mom and chatted while I walked, which ultimately caused me to go the wrong way and have trouble finding where Marquis set up camp.
Eventually I did make it, after circling the lodge twice. Margot had passed me in my wanderings.

We set up our stuff quick, and then went to the lodge. I was under the impression that I wouldn’t be able to order food, but boy oh boy was happily proven wrong. I ordered a glass of wine and a pulled pork sandwich with chips, always the epitome of class! Haha. Margot ended up getting a huge bowl of tomato bisque and it looked so good too. I devoured my food entirely too fast. Then got a second glass of wine.

We sat, ate, drank (wine, beer, soda, water), laughed and got warm enough to brave the cold temperatures outside. It’s been chilly at night here. I’m glad I kept my warm leggings, although I didn’t break them out tonight-I probably should have. In the morning we have an 8am reservation to the all you can eat breakfast buffet. My stomach just growled again while I wrote that. How ridiculous. Meh, ok, time to get some sleep. Goodnight y’all!

Start: 555.6

Stop: 569.8

Today’s miles: 14.2

Total PCT miles: 757.7

Just after midnight, three hikers came down the trail and started setting up. They kept their bright headlamps on, and frequently glared at my tent.. causing me to stir this way or that to get their lights out of my eyes. It was real annoying. That, plus my feet throbbing from all the elevation change yesterday really had me frustrated. Eventually their stuff was up and their lights were out.. and I finally fell back to sleep.

I woke up around 6:55 and immediately rushed to pack, for two reasons: 1. Breakfast buffet! 2. I had to pee and wanted to do so inside. When I got out to pack my tent, Marquis was still asleep! I could hear Margot starting to pack and all it took to get him moving was a, “Marquis? Breakfast?” And he was up, out of his tent and almost completely packed before I finished taking down my tent. His hiker hunger has kicked in, too.

We walked down to the lodge together, with Margot trailing not long behind us. I used the bathroom, scrubbed my hands, brushed my teeth, washed my face. It’s the little things. Once Margot was there and back from the bathroom, too, we went in. Breakfast was good, nothing fancy or phenomenal food wise-just regular breakfast buffet foods: bagels with cream cheese, ham, sausage, eggs, potatoes, quiche, fresh fruit, pancakes, and a waffle maker.

It was beautifully laid out-although trash would look beautiful if on display here-it’s a gorgeous property.. and we each got several platefuls. Plus unlimited coffee and water, too. We stayed there for what felt like forever. Once we were certain we couldn’t eat one more single bite-we hung out in the lodge’s main area.. comfortable cushioned sofas around a massive fireplace (that wasn’t on).
We relaxed, let our food settle, and finally headed back to the trail around noon. I had to purchase some overpriced batteries in their gift shop, my headlamp died last night and I didn’t want to risk not having it available.

When we started hiking, I was slow moving until my legs realized what was happening and decided to start working again. We went mostly downhill all afternoon, starting with sandy exposed trail and ending in the deep, thick, forest. It was easy going and we passed a lot of people out and about.. I felt real cruisey, even if my feet did start their throbbing by the end of the day.

When I got to where we had planned on camping, I saw a sign in the pine needles.. “I Push” which had to be from Marquis. As I waited for Margot to catch up to me-to decide on staying or going-mosquitoes found me and started their relentless torture. I started spraying my picaridin and swatting like a lunatic. When she arrived, maybe 5 or so minutes later, she said she didn’t want to push, and I gratefully went to set up my tent.

I had it up and me and my pack inside it within minutes, cursing the bloodsuckers the whole time. Margot would have been in hers even faster but where she originally wanted to set her tent was a tad too small so she had to move it. We set up camp before 5:30, and it’s now 8:15.. dinner has been eaten, Stache appeared out of no where, other people I don’t know have showed and I’m pretty sure that’s Henry and Pamela down at the end. It’s been filling up so fast lately. I’ll be happy when we’re out of the criss crossing bubble with both NOBOs and SOBOs.

Anyway. I was trying to wait for the sun to set to sneak out and go pee-for both mosquitoes and the people I don’t know.. but I don’t think I can wait. Thankfully, Poptart text me today and told me how to make sure my phone charges and wont drain my power bank.. so, since I don’t have to wait for this baby to hit 100%, I think I’ll go pee and go right to sleep! Sweet dreams, y’all. Pray the pests don’t attack me too harshly.

Start: 569.8

Stop: 597.9

Today’s miles: 27.7

Total PCT miles: 785.4

I slept pretty dang good.. I mean, I still tossed and turned, but the in between sleep was solid. I didn’t want to get up, when I opened my eyes I peaked across at Margot, saw she was still sleeping, or at least pretending to sleep.. so I let myself fall back to sleep, too. We both didn’t get up and start packing until just after 7am.

We filtered some water and headed out, saying bye to Pamela and Henry, the only ones still in camp. We cruised along pretty quick, until I had to make a pit stop to dig a cat hole. By the time I saw Margot again, she was coming back from the little side trip to see “Little Crater Lake.” I still went down the side trail to see it for myself.

It was small and very very deep. Our app says it’s 45 feet deep and always 34 degrees cold.. I didn’t verify, but I can say that the water was extremely clear and you can see that it does go down for a LONG way.. whole fallen trees were in there.. I found it spooky, almost like waiting for a spirit to come floating up or something. Anywho, I said hi to Stache and his two friends that he was chatting with-his first time seeing them since they were all hiking in the desert.

I didn’t stay long, mainly because the “lake” freaked me out. I headed back to the main trail and coasted through the rest of the morning. It was mostly downhill or completely flat, all pine needles, soft dirt and duff. Everything felt good and easy and completely perfect. It wasn’t too hot or too cold.. there was a stunning huge lake that I walked around for several miles. It was simply a fantastic day.

Margot and I leap frogged again throughout the day.. and we ate both meals together. However, we never caught up to Marquis. That part is the only part keeping today from being perfect. We both missed him. I’m sure we’ll find him at Ollallie Lake Resort tomorrow. Or, we better! I think we’d both be pretty sad if we didn’t. Plus-I’m still wearing his shorts! Hahaha Andrea mailed me my other pair from her house and I’ll get them in Bend in a few more days. I hope they’re more comfortable than my other ones have been.. or I may have to pay Marquis off and keep his.

Anywho. We ate lunch sitting in the shade on my ground sheet. Afterwards, I hiked 7 miles with only a sip of water left-because I’m ridiculous and couldn’t stop myself from chugging it at last minute-when I knew there wouldn’t be any more for a while. After lunch, the only thing I thought about was getting to the river for more water. I moved pretty fast, passed 7 women on horses (several were trotting instead of walking, it was weird), and finally came to the river.

I tossed my bag down, got water to filter, and sat on a log next to two guys hiking NOBO, here doing the same thing. As we sat, filtering and then chugging, then filtering again, several more hikers appeared and then Margot did too. We were all chatting about nothing in particular, some people carried on.. then one of the original guys randomly asks me if I’m a nurse. I had said nothing about anything related to my career, so it was quite odd.. even Margot seemed shocked! He said he had been wanting to ask me since I showed up, because he had a feeling..

Once pressed, he said he knows a lot of nurses and my vibrant personality seemed to fit, but he also usually just has a knack for these things and with me he had a gut feeling. I almost asked him if he could see my aura and if so-what color it was.. lol.. seems strange, but the people that are intuitive like this always amaze me.. there’s really something “extra” they see or sense and honestly, I wish I had that ability, too. It was a pretty neat interaction. I might have a trail crush now-too bad he’s hiking the wrong way! Haha

From there, Margot and I climbed to the “top” of a mountain.. the only real ascent of the day and it was pretty easy going for the most part. At the top we ate dinner, then carried on downhill to the campsite we’re currently at. We passed through a big burn zone, then back into forest.. there were blueberries too. Yum.

We’re crammed into this site with 8 other tents besides our two. The two girls that are camped up front were super nice when I showed up, asking how big my tent was and saying if we needed to, I could set up closer to her to make room. We worked it out though and I actually do have some space. Stache is next to me, too.

The only thing I don’t like is that I can hear dead trees swaying a bit, and those two girls talking quite loud.. hopefully none of the trees fall tonight and the girls hush soon.. And with that, I think I’ll pop in my earplugs and get some sleep. Fingers crossed I don’t hear the sway once they’re in! Goodnight 🙂