Three Generations

We wanted to get an early start on our hike, knowing we only had two days to cover the 42 miles. So, alarms were set for 4:45 and we were on the road by 5. There wasn't much traffic on the way to Timberline so we got there ahead of schedule. After a quick stop at the lodge, and some identification and admiration of the surrounding mountains, we were on the trail by 6:45.

I feel like we cherry-picked one of the more beautiful parts of the PCT for our hike. The trail started behind the lodge at about 6000 feet up Mt Hood. There were lots of wildflowers, the weather was perfect, and the trail itself was very nice. I was wishing my mom could have been there with us. 

The southern portion of the PCT could definitely take some lessons from this section. This was hiking like I remember from when I was a kid. There were mountains, rivers, and trees. It was so beautiful. It seemed like we were hiking at a good pace but Dad's watch proved otherwise. Maybe I was taking too many stops for pictures :)

At some point it dawned on me that we had three generations on the trail--my dad, me, and my niece. Very cool. I wondered if there would be a four generation hike at some point in the future. 

At the start, we were on the south side of Hood with a great view of Mt Jefferson to the south in Oregon. Shortly afterwards as we rounded around the west side of the mountain, our view changed to Mt Adams and St Helens to the north in Washington. Views of Mt Hood came and went. 

We had a couple creek crossings that challenged us. Sandy River is a notoriously sketchy one. There was a lot of water and it was really moving. We scouted out a spot upstream where the river broke into three smaller sections. The first two were navigated with some rock hopping, the third required a walk over a small log. Thankfully we all made it to the other side completely dry. It was quite a feeling of accomplishment. Unfortunately I didn't get any pictures or videos of the crossing of Sandy River as we were all busy helping each other get across. 

We enjoyed the lunches Mom put together for us. The spot we chose for lunch was near a trailhead for a trail to Ramona Falls. We saw lots of day hikers taking advantage of the nice weather to hike to the falls. I had hoped to see a PCT thru-hiker but didn't. The herd of hikers is still well south of Mt Hood, so I knew it was a long shot. I kicked a few rocks off the trail when I thot about the PCT hikers who would soon be hiking this stretch. (You are welcome, Fire Ball!) Earlier in the day we saw a guy run/walking the Timberline Trail which overlaps the PCT on the west side of Hood. It's a 40-mile trail around the mountain. He only had a little food and water, planning on completing the route in one day. I think I'd like to try that...minus the running!  Summer days are long in the Northwest so there's enough daylight to make a 40-mile day possible. 

We were around mile 16 when my niece's knees began to protest. At mile 20 the trail crossed a small road. She didn't think she'd be able to complete the hike and so I tried calling my sister but had no cell service. There was a car there with three guys on vacation from New York. They offered to help. Two of them stayed behind and the third took us down the long 8-mile road into the little town of Zig Zag where I was able to call my sister. The willingness of people to selflessly help others isn't seen that often but when it happens it's very touching. He refused gas money asking instead that we pay it forward. 

So, just like that, the hike was over. We are all limping around, the result of too many miles without enough training. But it was so worth it for such a beautiful day of hiking.

I'm back!

Tomorrow I'll be back on the PCT. I can't quite believe it. My family is having a reunion in Oregon. The temptation to add a couple days and take a side trip to do a little more hiking PCT was too great to resist. So, I left Houston this afternoon and had clear skies flying into Portland this afternoon. Had a great view of several mountains on the way in. I'm guessing they were Mt Hood, Adams, and St Helens. They were still covered in snow. Hard to believe considering the heat we've been enduring in Houston for quite awhile now. 

I will be hiking with my Dad and niece, Kayla. Our alarms are set for 4:45 so we can be on the road by 5. We hope to be at Timberline on Mt Hood by 7 am. We will be hiking north to Cascade Locks on the Columbia River which is the border between Oregon and Washington. It's about 42 miles. We are bringing two days' worth of food. The reunion starts Friday so between the limited food and the start of the reunion, we are motivated to get it done in two days. In our favor is the trail is mostly downhill. 

It's 11:15 pm which is well past "hiker midnight", and especially late for those who woke up in Houston this morning. Considering the early alarm tomorrow, I should have been in bed hours ago. So, with that said, it's lights out for me. 

Happy Trails

I'm not really sure how to write this post. It's one I never planned on writing. 

I left Agua Dulce yesterday...in a car.  I am off the trail. I woke up this morning at my parents' house and tomorrow I will fly home. 

My PCT experience was one I will never forget. There were some great moments, but they were not enough to mask the monotony and loneliness I felt on the trail. As my enjoyment diminished, I felt a growing need to be home. I missed Tom and the boys and the dogs and my pillow and cold soda and...  My decision to hike was a selfish one and when the scale begin to tip away from enjoyment and towards the impact it was having on my family and what I was missing at home, it became harder to focus on the trail. Even when my sister was hiking with me, I many times felt alone and bored with the hike. 

My expectations and reality were not in sync. Knowing it was an especially high volume year for hikers on the PCT, I had thought it would be hard to find an available tent site or even sneak behind a tree for some business without being seen. In reality I was alone most days and camped alone most nights. That's a lot of solitude for a "people person"!

I kept thinking I would adjust to the loneliness, or connect with other like-minded hikers. I did meet some great people, and leapfrogged with them on the trail. It just wasn't the same as a bond or relationship. At the end of the day, no one knew or cared if you were safe or accounted for. Maybe that escapism is appealing to other hikers. I just felt alone. 

I stuck with the trail in spite of these thoughts, knowing it was a good learning experience for me and that I would maybe adjust. I also didn't want to pull the plug too soon, before I fully experienced life on the trail. I honestly feel that I have a pretty firm understanding of the life of a thru-hiker. Yes, the scenery would change, the weather would change, and the other hikers within a day of you might change, but the day-in day-out head down solitary life would be a constant. 

I am pleased with how well my body responded to the physical stress of the hike. No blisters except for one deep tissue blister that was absorbed. Of course there was some pain and soreness, but my body held up well and was always ready to hike in the morning...albeit after a slow start most times!

The PCT will probably hold a spot in my heart forever. I would enjoy being involved in it in some way again. Maybe the life of a trail angel would suit me better!  I may get the shot at that later this summer when I plan to be in the Pacific Northwest. 

I feel some disappointment but I have confidence I made the right decision to abandon my quest for a PCT thru-hike. Thank you for your encouragement, support and for following along on my adventure. 

Thanks, Double D

Thru-hiking is exhausting!  My daily mileage didn't suffer a bit and I gained the much-appreciated companionship of my sister these last 85 miles. Not too many people could jump on the trail and hike along with the thru-hikers without missing a step. Very impressive!  She earned the respect of the hikers...and a spot to nap at Hiker Heaven. 

Hiker Heaven (aka The Saufley's)

Double D and I put ourselves in a great position to get to Agua Dulce early today by extending our hiking day yesterday. We just had ten miles to hike today. The first few were much like the last few yesterday.  We knew we needed to cross a freeway but the trail kept taking us lower than the road. I joked that there would be a tunnel way down low under the road. Well, wouldn'tcha know, there was a tunnel way below the freeway!  Cool!

Before reaching Agua Dulce, we walked through the Vasquez Rocks. These rock formations, caused by a fault line, have been featured in many movies including many westerns and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. 

No sooner had we left the Vasquez Rocks than we entered Agua Dulce. It's a small desert town with a variety of houses, most on acreage with dogs and horses. The trail goes right down the main street of the town. As we walked we saw hikers at tables outside the Sweetwater Cafe as well as a sign out front welcoming PCT hikers. We didn't need much of a conversation to decide if we should stop or not. Double D had a great looking burger and I had breakfast. Mmmmm, so delicious!  And the drinks were served in quart jars--they have probably learned how much soda thru-hikers can consume. 

It was just a one mile walk off the PCT to Hiker Heaven. This family has turned their yard, garage and trailer into all the space and services a thru-hiker could want. Laundry, showers, computers, cots in covered and/or enclosed large "tents", trips to REI and the grocery store (hey, wait! some of these people are coming back with in-n-out cups!!!), and bikes available to take to town. It's just amazing. Hikers can spend up to two nights here resting and recovering. The Saufley's are the original, and considered by many to be the best, Trail Angels. 

Twenty-Seven Miles?!?!

We started the day hiking a side trail from the campground to the PCT. Thankfully we woke up to clear sunny weather and it lasted all day. 

The lesson of the day was to take a designated lunch break which involved laying down and taking our shoes off. Ahhhhhh...

We almost stopped for night at mile 412, but after another break with our shoes off, we decided to push on for six more miles. 

We had another road walk detour that left us exhausted, but with a nice camping spot near a fire station. 

Joey earned her trail name today:  Double D. By the time she goes home, she will have hiked almost the entire Section D of California and has endured its many Detours. 

Hiking With My Sis

After a great breakfast at the Cajon Pass Best Western, Mom and Dad brought my sister and I to the trail. We stopped in Wrightwood to pick up Tower who was starting at the same spot. 

It was so nice to have my sister with me to share the hike. The hiking itself was rather boring, so it would have been miserable without her. 

We climbed to the top of Mt Baden-Powell, a 9399-foot peak. On one side the sky was clear and on the other clouds were building and billowing up. Most of our hike was on the clear side of the ridge but by late afternoon we were hiking in a fog. 

Near the top of Baden-Powell was a 1500-year old tree. Another hiker took our picture with it. Also there is a picture below of the most beautiful piped spring I've seen on the trail. 

This was the day of the confusing Endangered Species detour. There are a couple different options. By the time Jo and I got to the start of one of the detour options, the fog was pretty heavy and we were getting tired. We considered setting up camp at the picnic area where we were but decided to begin the road walk portion of the detour. We made it to another picnic area in the fog and decided to make camp. A couple other hikers came by as well as a friend looking for another hiker. She found her later and came back to get us. She said she could bring us to a campground in the sun at the trailhead where the side trail begins to join the PCT after the detour. We couldn't pack up fast enough!

The campground was great. There were trail angels there cooking spaghetti and garlic bread, and they had a fire burning. Five other hikers joined us in our spot and there were others there as well. It was a great ending to what could have been a wet, cold, miserable night.