Yesterday, at the end of the day, I forgave Washington for the harsh elevation changes, because Washington presented me with a peace offering – a mosquito-free night. It was incomprehensible that less than three weeks after mosquito hell, the mosquitoes had vanished. I have heard that there may be more on the trail ahead, but […]
PCT 2021
Pacific Crest Trail blog entries and information
Day 50 – Bridge of the Gods
I stayed up until 2:30 finishing my blog after watching the final game of the NBA finals in my room at the Columbia Gorge Inn. For some reason, I still don’t sleep well and awaken at 6:30. I try to go back to sleep for an hour, but that is no good. I walk down […]
Day 49 – Eagle Creek
More than California, Oregon has been a test. I came into Oregon amid the worst heat wave in the state’s history. With fires springing up behind me and beside me, I pressed ahead. As I neared Central Oregon, three issues remained. What is the best way to circumvent the closed burn sections? What is the […]
Day 48 – Stan By Me
My alarm goes off at 4:50. Within minutes a creature goes running by the foot of my bed. It is tall and wearing a headlamp. It is one of those crazy night hikers. It vanishes almost as soon as it appeared. Did that really happen or am I still dreaming? I get up to pee, […]
Day 47 – The Road to Washington
I awaken in Portland. I had hoped to be camping by the Timberline lodge last night, but Stan, my hiking partner for the next few days, had forgotten his sleeping pad so we made the drive to Portland to pick one up at the REI. Stan’s girlfriend, Christie, has a condo in Portland where we […]
Day 46 – Skipping to Timberline
I sleep for 9 hours, shower and eat my leftover “slambowl” from the Black Bear Diner. I expect Stan will arrive mid morning to take me up to Hwy 35 where I will take the PCT north to Timberline Lodge area to camp for the night. Then it’s on to Washington. Expectations I am working […]
Day 45 – Bend Redux
At the Days Inn I stay up late watching John Wick movies. Those things are a hoot, with all the cartoonish orchestrated violence. I eat an entire large three-topping pizza during the movies. As the movie plays, I wash my clothes. I run back and forth to the laundry room to make sure they are […]
Day 44 – Oregon Returns
First, I owe you an apology. Yesterday was not pretty at the end, and I certainly let my frustrations show. One of the cardinal rules of the trail is “don’t drag people down with negativity.” If I weren’t writing this blog I would have gone to bed and hoped for a better day tomorrow. But […]
Day 43 – The Missing Finger
I slept well last night. I did not need the head net although I had to put DEET on eventually. The nighthawks stayed with me all night. They were not diving in the morning, but their famine peent, peent was all around me. I get out of camp a little late because Patti calls. She […]