Day 39 – Connections

I have achieved an uneasy truce with the mosquitoes. I set up my defenses at 7 pm when I hunker down in my quilt. They attack for a solid 3 hours. And then we all retreat to our corners until 4:30. Using this method, I was able to sleep pretty good last night. The southern Sister is peeking into my campsite as I rouse.

A velvet-horned buck stumbles by on his way to the lake for water. I munch on a breakfast bar as I huddle under the quilt with my head net on. I manage not to push the head net into my mouth even once. As I break camp, I look across the water at the camp made by three high school boys last night. No sign of movement there.

Let’s go

I have finalized my plans. I am going to get to the trailhead at Lava Camp near highway 242 and hitch into Bend today. I will be there one day early, but I don’t see a good reason to spend another night on the trail, just to avoid town. The hitch is pretty long (40 miles), but I have had good luck before and I think I can have success again. Even if I do look like a n’er-do-well.

A mystery revealed

At about 5:45, I see a tent by the trail. I call out softly, “Good morning.” A voice inside replies, “Good morning.” It sounds a little like Levon, so I say “Levon?” A head pokes out of the tent. “No, it’s Bram.” The mysterious Bram! The man Toad has been discussing for two days. The man tantalizingly out of reach. The Belgian enigma. Bram. I mention that I know of him from Toad. He smiles and says maybe we will meet up further down the trail. Hmmm, so he thinks he is going to catch me, huh?

The obsidian

I reach the Obsidian Wilderness. This is one of the geologic highlights of this area. Obsidian is a black shiny volcanic rock that splinters into shards. It can be used to make tools like knives and arrowheads. The obsidian is everywhere on the ground and beside the trail.

This area also has some other attractions. Why is water falling over rocks so endlessly fascinating?

There are lots of day hikers on the trail. They are so refreshing with their open relaxed faces, unlike the determined harried faces of thru-hikers. This young couple spent last night camping on a tall hill near here. Today they head back home.

I finally see all three sisters at the same time. The imperious northern one is on the left. The shy middle one is tucked down center. The garrulous southern one is on the right.

At mid morning I pass a milestone.

Bram of Belgium

Not long after that I hear a scrabbling noise behind me on the trail. It’s the enigmatic Bram.

He asks if we can hike together. I am delighted. Bram sold his chemical engineering company and is now taking time off to travel. He is the only person I know who has hiked the Big Bend Trail in Texas. We walk together for miles, discussing everything from hiking gear choices to our current political gridlock. He is very thoughtful and time passes quickly as we hike. He is much better on the inclines. I go faster on the downhills of loose scree. We are about equal on flat areas. I despise the volcanic areas. He likes them and wants to do more. “When else can you walk on volcanic rocks?” he asks. “Never, I hope,” Is my reply.

We hike to our last water stop before a long dry stretch. There sitting on a rock by the lake is a forest service ranger: Ranger Jack. We chat happily about the trail and it’s conditions until we get around to his purpose here – he is checking permits. It is the first time I have been asked to show my permit. He looks them over. He notices that Bram is from Belgium. I assure Ranger Jack that I have been keeping a close eye on him.

Not everyone at the lake is so happy to see Ranger Jack. A couple is fumbling for an excuse for why she doesn’t have a permit and how he lost his permit at Mount Shasta. Thankfully, neither claims that their dog ate it.

Bram and I part ways at the Lava Camp parking lot trailhead. I wish him well, and I am sorry to see him go. Happy trails, Bram. To the south are the mountains I will visit next.

The road to Bend

I hike down the access trail to the Lava Camp parking lot. Nobody can give me a ride. I go out to the highway and watch a dozen cars go by until a couple of guys in an overstuffed Jeep Compass pull off the road. Hallelujah! They can give me a ride to Sisters (halfway to Bend), or all the way to Bend if I can wait for them to grab some lunch. They ask if I would like to grab some food them. Deal. My ride to Bend is secure, and these guys are really cool.

We end up at a Mexican restaurant. When we get the check, all our orders are combined. We ask the waitress to separate them. “We don’t do that,” she says. Our jaws hit the floor. Blake gets up and goes for the manager. The checks are split. Later, Blake tells us that manager kept repeating, “We don’t do that,” until Blake, his eyes steely, threatened to not pay. “In your case, we will make an exception,” the manager concedes. The way Blake tells the story is hilarious and we laugh like crazy.

They take me to Bend where I try to get into the hostel. The rooms are full, so I get the Dirtbag special (their term) – I get to sleep in a hammock outside by the street. It’s still an upgrade, so I take it.

I get a shower and walk around in my flimsy wind pants, wind shirt and a waist towel while my clothes wash. The hostel has a beer garden. I meet a former thru-hiker who buys me a beer and offers to ask a friend of his if I can stay with him when I get to White Pass in Washington. I will definitely do that.

I cash in my free beer. As I order, a (drunk?) man at the counter next to me asks me why I am avoiding him because I backed away from the counter after ordering. “Is there something wrong with me?” he asks. I tell him that he does not look that dangerous. This is the wrong response, and he squares up to me and says, “I don’t know about that!” I avoid eye contact, get my beer and shuffle away. Sheesh.

Tomorrow is planning, resupply and rest. I am going to start scheduling my blog posts so they are not do bunched up. They will be delayed by about a week instead. I think that is better for everyone.

• July 10
• Starting mile: 1966
• Ending mile: 1982
• Daily PCT miles: 16
• Total PCT miles: 610
• Animals: Respectful deer, 2 macho men