Heart Oregon

I finally arrived at the Oregon border after walking three months to the day across California. I certainly got my fill of the state, and I'm very happy to be on familiar trail again. As one would imagine, there were many highs and lows over 1700 miles of walking. California offered so many amazing mountains, views, and memories, and I'm grateful my body and mind allowed me to reach  the end of one state, and the next step of this journey.

From the OR/CA border, it was 25 more miles to I-5, where we arrived yesterday morning. As we descended from Mt. Ashland, I thought about all the experiences I have shared with Furniture and Ishmael, and how fortunate I have been to have traveled with great friends for three months. I can only imagine what future adventures we will embark on together.
 Before hitching into Ashland yesterday, we had coffee and a breakfast beer at Calahan's Lodge, and thought about all our good times, and how how our hikes would change as we parted ways. We spent the night at the home of ultra runners Erin and John, who took us in with great kindness and hospitality. After coffee this morning, I rode with Erin to take Furniture and Ishmael back to the trail,  so they could continue their quest to reach Canada before late August deadlines. We said our goodbyes and Erin and I headed back to town.

Im hoping to have all of my administrative duties finished before Jessica arrives on tuesday. Im very excited to be able to walk the rest of the way to Canada with her. We will leave Ashland Wednesday morning  and walk to Crater Lake, where if all goes well, we will get to spend the day with  my parents.

Over all things are going very well, and I'm having lots of fun. So I guess its been a successful trip so far. Every day, when its really hot and my feet hurt and my legs are tired, I remember how fortunate I am to be on the trail where I have chosen to live for the summer. I can tell already that its going to be hard to leave the trail lifestyle in only 6 more weeks.

I want to thank every one who cares at all to read this blog... it means lots to get those positive and encouraging comments and emails. It certainly helps keep me going when I'm down.

 If anyone wants to come visit Jessica and I on the trail, this would be a good time to let me know. I have a pretty dialed in itinerary for Oregon, and I would be able to give pretty specific days and locations. So if a 25 mile day hike, or a car camp on the PCT sounds good, call or email me sooner than later and we will set it up. come play!

I just posted a couple pics from my phone too, so scroll down!

hope everyone's summer is groovin along!

Rally

Photographs

Here's a few photos from the last 400 miles that I took on my phone.



Officially in northern California... Furniture and Ishmael demonstrate what we do best... Walk




Lawn art



The half way post




Lodging at the Heightman's in Old Station,Ca. My dream house really!




A bit less trail, but still important.... Caldera brewery, Ashland

Whoa! Mt Shasta

The last couple of weeks have been lots of hiking and very little time in town. It has been very enjoyable, but it hasn't allowed for blogging. So while I have a quick moment here in Mt. Shasta,  I will give you a run down  on what a typical day has been like for me.

I usually wake up around 5:45 or 6, then lay in bed until my eyes open all of the way. I put on my pants, deflate my sleeping pad, and stuff my bag. For breakfast, I usually have a gourmet Cliff Bar with peanut butter and honey on it, and a chocolate instant breakfast mixed with water in my bottle. I like to be packed and walking before seven, but some days it just doesn't happen.

I will walk for two or three hours, then have a short break for a snack attack. Then I will walk 'til 12 or 1 or later, and its lunch time. For lunch, I love burritos! I usualy have a tortilla with cheese and some pre-sliced meat. I usually add mustard and hot sauce to make it delicious. After lunch I walk some more. Dinner time comes around 6 or 7 depending on where the nearest water source is.  Dinner is usually a Lipton side, with a potato bomb (instant mashed potatos dumped on top) or couscous with tuna. I love dinner.

I will walk a while longer, lately til dark or around 9 pm, set up home for the night in a nice patch of  not always flat dirt, and then the whole thing starts again the next day.  Its a simple life, and a little gritty at times, but it works for me.

Its only 200 mile from here to Ashalnd, and I'm hoping to make it there in 9 days. Once I get there, I will be taking a few days off and Jessica will be coming to join me for the rest of the trail. I can't wait. At that point, Ishmael, and Furniture will be continuing at there amazing pace to get to Canada before their Fall commitments. I'm really excited that California is almost behind me, having been here for two and a half months already. Time to feel back at home, on some familiar trail.

More to come from Ashland in a short 9 days. Im hoping that I can label all the Flikr photos and do other good stuff like that.

New Photos

Post from Eugene HQ: 100 new photos and 32 videos have been posted here: Flickr. The new images are posted in the set called Set III-Sierra Mountains to Lake Tahoe.

Sierra City, mile 1197

Ishmael and I made it ti Sierra City this morning in time for breakfast. We arrived at the cafe to find Furniture, Bojangles, Lakewood, Clifhanger and Milksheik, and Ed. It was great to see all my friends in town. For breakfast I got biscuits with gravy, hashbrowns, and eggs all on top, with a load of hot sauce. Great morning for sure. Taking the rest of this holiday off to relax, and see some live music in Downieville, and eat pints of Ben and Jerry's, thanks Ed!




For something different, here's a journal entry from one day of this last section.

7/2
Woke up today on a damp patch of dirt with the location of the trail unknown. As darkness descended the previous night we thought we had located the path, but as we went that direction this morning it was no where to be found. When I looked at the compass I realized we had been heading west, down a drainage, while we should be going north on a separate ridge. After backtracking, we found a patch of trail, then more snow, but we were headed in the right direction. We bushwhacked for what seemed like hours, knowing we had to meet Macy for lunch 12 miles further ahead and not knowing what we would encounter.
Often we would see short bits of trail, and follow it around a bend, and my heart would again sink as it would be burried. We made it to a south west face, and enjoyed a few miles of mostly clear dirt and mud. Ed caught us just before Highway 40, and we crossed a bit more snow. We made it just in time to meet Macy, who brought us huge burritos and beer, and good distraction from the hard traveling. By the time we left it was 3 pm and we decided to go to the Peter Grubb ski hut, only 7 miles further. It was so nice to get to camp before dark, and have some time to relax a bit, with out feeling rushed. We made dinner and stared at a fire in the wood stove, and had a great sleep in the warm loft. Finally a good day.



Peter Grubb hut