Updates from the Trail – Washington coming up!

I’m nearing the end of my Oregon experience.  The state has been good to me (mosquitos aside).  I’m hanging at timberline lodge to splurge on what has been rumored and confirmed to be the best breakfast on trail.  I’ll get breakfast in the morning, push a normal day, and get to Cascade Locks (where Reese Witherspoon ends her PCT trek) sometime the next afternoon.  I believe that puts me at a little over 13 days to walk Oregon.

  • Oregon is absolutely beautiful
  • my feet are throbbing but spirits are soaring
  • here comes Washington

Additional details:

I really can’t describe how amazing Oregon has been.  The trail is exceptionally well maintained, the forest is shaded comfortably, and the mountains are striking.  The Oregon peaks are all volcanic, so the level of prominence (they stand in isolation) is hard to beat.  The lava rock formations before Bend were also exceptional, and thankfully because I was rocking a terrific pair of Hoka shoes, my feet felt none of their jagged edges.

On the advice of a South Bound couple (SOBOs), I tried hitching from highway 20 into Bend.  It turns out the SOBOs misled me, and highway 20 is a terrible hitch.  Cars move at 65MPH and there is a very small shoulder with no real turnout.  After an hour and a half of failed hitching, I started googling for Bend trail angels, and found a terrific guy that’s running for Mayor of Bend that was willing to drive the 100 miles round-trip to pick me up!!! Wow!!

While waiting for the trail angel, Map Girl was able to connect me with some Bend friends I didn’t know I had!  I got hosted by the theme camp organizer of our neighboring burning man camp!  Cheryl (of clue bar) is one of the nicest, most thoughtful and generous people I have met!  She invited me into her home, made me a home cooked meal, lent me her Land Rover to drive around Bend for some errands, and let me clean away some of my trail dirt with laundry and showers.  Best unexpected, last-minute host ever!

I’m headed through Washington soon, where the food carries are long, and the passes are steep!  

With trail love,
Jeff

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