PCT Day 38, Reese Lake to magical pond, 28 miles

What is in other people’s minds is not in my mind. I just do my own thing, – Audrey Hepburn I am awakened early by Bobby O faffing about in his tent, headlamp on red. The sky is lightening anyway, so might as well pop the air mattress and get on with it. I heat […]
PCT Day 37, below Lava Rocks to Reese Lake, 23 miles

If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun. – Katherine Hepburn The sun was up early, mostly because nothing blocked the horizon and its big pink orb appeared as I packed up in the lava dust. I can’t help but think of that scene in ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ when the man falls […]
PCT Day 36, Two Sisters overlook to below Lava Rocks (via Big Lake Youth Camp) 17 miles

To live will be an awfully big adventure. – Peter Pan A perfect night of stars and a little wind and some jerk with his huge ‘security’ light on in the valley wrecking the view. What is it with the need to leave a light on all night, especially one that faces up and out […]
PCT Day 35, Bays Lake to Three Sisters Overlook, 27 miles

I don’t believe in luck. It’s persistence, hard work and not forgetting your dream. – Janet Jackson The morning breaks with sunlight on my mountain and mosquitos up my nose. It’s a bit brisk camped here next to a lake, but that does not deter these kamikaze blood suckers. Argh, one just flew straight into […]
PCT Day 34, Lemiti Creek to Bays Lake, 22 miles

The final forming of a person’s character lies in his own hands. – Anne Frank I wake to find no one disturbed my food bag. Also, no one disturbed my drying undies hanging in a tree. The air is cool; the sky crystal clear and that means the mosquitos are still asleep. I make chococoffee […]
PCT Day 33, wee spring to Lemiti Creek, 28 miles

Dying seems less sad than having lived too little. —Gloria Steinem The morning comes before it gets light with my camp mates packing up under headlamps. The lovely men carry on in lowish tones about the day’s prep. “Do we need water?” “It’s a long way to the next spring.” “But I got water last […]
PCT Day 32, Lost Creek to wee spring near Forest Road 58, 20 miles

Cherish forever what makes you unique, cuz you’re really a yawn if it goes. – Bette Midler I slept poorly, even with beautiful, singing creeks in stereo; even with a flat tent site. It was likely the hot chocolate that popped me up in the pitch dark with all the recent nastiness crashing around me. […]
PCT Day 31, Indian Spring to Lost Creek, 25 miles

It is better to be looked over than overlooked. – Mae West Of course Zach is camping below. I saw him on my way to the privy. Life does improve when there’s no need to dig a cat hole. It’s a bit deep-in-the-bigfoot-woods here, but the sky looks crystal clear. It’s windy and cold, but my […]
PCT Day 30, Cascade Locks to Indian Spring, 20 miles

Instead of looking to the past, I put myself ahead twenty years and try to look at what I need to do now in order to get there then. —Diana Ross So cozy in a bed, but I eventually decide to get up and organize for a return to the trail and the start of […]
PCT Day 29, ‘zero,’ Stevenson, WA

You always had the power, my dear; you just had to learn it for yourself. – Glinda, the good witch of the north what I did on my vacation from the trail: 1. soaked in really hot water – four times, then one more time with epsom salts 2. ate a second breakfast (or was […]