peeps of the PCT: Tammy & John, caretakers
The trail wouldn’t be walkable without trail crew, especially ones as dedicated as these two.
PCT Day 50, Mt. Ashland to Bearground Springs, 25 miles
You can waste your lives drawing lines, or you can live your life crossing them. – Shonda Rhimes The morning is so – thankfully – mellow. I have a few tents near me, but the people in them are absolutely chill. We give a thumbs up to each other before I set off, then it’s […]
PCT Day 49, Highway 66 to little tent site above Mount Ashland Inn, 23 miles
The difference between successful people and others is how long they spend time feeling sorry for themselves. – Barbara Corcoran It was a bit of a whirlwind waking up and getting ready to go. I wish we had a week together to talk, make food, take some hikes and even see a few plays, but […]
PCT Day 48, Klum Landing to Highway 66 (Ashland) 15 miles
Knowing what must be done does away with fear. – Rosa Parks I had a purple sky lull me to sleep, the wind died and my tent stayed up with help from my phantom stake providers, but someone ran a generator all night and a guy was yelling bright and early. I pack up and […]
PCT Day 47, creek near Lake of the Woods Highway to Klum Landing Campground, 24 miles
If you can’t make it better, you can laugh at it. – Erma Bombeck I wake up all on my own, just the gurgling, splashy creek next to me and the sky lightening. It got chilly at night, so I zipped up the footbox, put on my hood and tucked in. I approach the day […]
PCT Day 46, stream near Seven Lakes to creek near Lake of the Woods Highway, 28 miles
Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement. – Golda Meir My spot is absolutely flat and I am, oh, so comfortable. Suddenly, a giant in snappy flip flops passes three feet from my head and shines his headlamp at my face. “Knock it off!” I […]
PCT Day 45, Crystal Creek to stream near Seven Lakes Basin (via Mazama) 23 mileso
You are the one that possesses the keys to your being. You carry the passport to your own happiness. – Diane von Furstenberg It was a beautiful night of a full moon lighting up my little clearing in the forest. My backpack slumps and jolts me awake as I shine my light and use my […]
PCT Day 44, Thielsen Creek to Crystal Creek, 28 miles
Without leaps of imagination, or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning. – Gloria Steinem The sun lights up the triangular rock fortress of Thielsen while I still lay in my quilt, cozy and lazy. Elgar’s ‘Nimrod’ fills my mind on this perfect morning. No one joined […]
PCT Day 43, Oldenburg Lake to Thielsen Creek, 26 miles (+2 off-trail water gathering)
If I stop to kick every barking dog I am not going to get where I’m going. – Jackie Joyner-Kersee My beautiful, private lake produced a layer of mist and the alicoop is cold and damp, but ali, herself, is cozy and cuddly inside the puffy quilt. I almost don’t want to get up as […]
PCT Day 42, Shelter Cove to Oldenburg Lake (via Skyline alternate) 16 miles
Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope. – Helen Keller I awaken in my cozy bed to the soft tump-tump of cat paws on the hardwood floor above me. I feel so good having seen my lovely friends and taken a day off to experience a bit of […]
