This leg was some of the lowest and the highest for me on the trail.
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| These little ground squirrels have been everywhere for hundreds and hundreds of miles, but they're really quick and this is the first picture I've gotten of one close up. |
Man in Black had a package waiting for him at the Shelter Cove resort, and there was a detour from the PCT that went by the resort. The app that I use for navigation, called Guthook's, didn't include the detour, so I was dependent on him for navigation through that stretch. We got separated and I ended up in Crescent Junction, almost ten miles from where I needed to be. I met some railroad workers and a friendly man named Dan took me for chicken dinner at the local bar. I was so frustrated by the day that I drank too much, and when a friendly local man named Danny volunteered to drive me to Shelter Cove, I showed up pretty belligerent and said some things to Man in Black that I shouldn't have.
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| Dan! |
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| Danny and I, after he'd delivered me to Shelter Cove |
In the morning, he was gone. After having waited three weeks for me to catch up with him, he left me in the campground at Shelter Cove while I slept. I didn't even have a tent with me, as I'd been sleeping in his and had mailed my own ahead again from Ashland instead of taking it there like I would have if I'd been alone, but I swear it only made me more determined to finish. I caught a ride with a friendly woman named Sid back to Crescent Junction, so I could walk back to the trail from there.
The day did not go as I had planned, but when I was at my wit's end and called someone I hadn't talked to for a long time, he came through for me - thanks Tom Hoisington for helping me out, and I'm glad we're friends again.
The next day left me with only a day and a half to get to Elk Lakes Resort. My friends Gloria and Pete in Coos Bay had been organizing a group to come out and join me for a section over Labor Day Weekend, and they would be there mid-day Friday. I somehow managed to do 46 miles between about 8:00 AM Thursday and noon Friday, I made it in about 10 minutes before the first of their cars did. I'm still hurting from it physically, but it so worth it to have that weekend with them.
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| The fanciest ski shelter yet - it had pots and pans, and, see below... |
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| Electricity! |
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| Having lunch with a a group of hikers that I'd been bouncing around with for a few weeks |
I met my friends at the resort and we headed into the Three Sisters Wilderness. It was a weekend of the beauty of the Three Sisters Wilderness, but more so it was a weekend of being absolutely ridiculous with friends. It was honestly all kind of blur so I haven't really narrated it below, but I have at least one picture of each person that's not too fuzzy, and here we are:
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| Pete (foreground) and Gloria (background), with "chicken of the woods" mushrooms |
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| Mushrooms were sprouting up everywhere in response to the recent rain, but I don't know how to identify edible ones. |
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| Pete sauteed the chicken of the woods, and we all ate some - they were amazing. |
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| The gang hanging out in camp the first night |
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| Bryan making dinner |
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| Bryan and Vance |
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| Bryan (most of the guys here have the same name) |
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| Kim |
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| Austin |
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| Jim |
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| Smokey Dog |
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| Brian (yes, there are three) |
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| Pete kissing Gloria |
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| Gloria kissing Pete |
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| Gloria |
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| Me being silly |
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| Me being sillier |
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| Pete, Vance, and Gloria |
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| Tyson the ranger, the first person on this entire trip to check my permit |
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| Vance and Bryan with a southbound thru-hiker |
Sisters Wilderness was by far the most impressive stretch of Oregon so far and I took a few pictures of the landscape, but took far more just of my friends, because that was what was special for me in his stretch.
Jim and Kim posing with some of the spoils
Sending all the positive thoughts and wishes to you that i can muster. You are an amazing, strong, wonderful person and i wish that i had thousands of dollars to send, but, alas, i don't. I keep going to the casino hoping that I'll win enough to send you something worthwhile, but i keep losing, darn it. I have no doubt that you'll make it. Best wishes!
ReplyDeleteThanks, but just remember, you can send me the money that you would have spent in the casino! :D
DeleteGreat to hike with you Busted, keep on Truckin, we miss you. Signed, One of the Bryans!
ReplyDeleteIt was so great having you all there, thanks again SO much for coming out for the weekend. My BryanDar is telling me this is Bryan Duggan - am I right? :D
DeleteNice talking to you at Bridge of the Gods. The further north you go, the better the scenery gets. Will look forward to your next batch of photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jon, it was great sharing my "finishing Oregon" moment with you - next batch of photos is now posted! :-)
DeleteI have no doubt you will have a fine trip across Washington and looks like you will have opportunity to use that tarp! We missed you after Timberline. Terry
ReplyDeleteHey Terry, I think you guys actually beat me into the locks - another hiker let me crash in his spare bunk in a basement room that night, and then I didn't get a super-early start the next morning. Thanks again for the advice, I've already started carrying both the tarp and the tent and have spent at least one night with the tent wrapped up in the tarp which did keep me dryer. It's getting really cold and wet but although I've only blogged as far as the Bridge of the Gods I've hiked as far as Snoqualmie, so I think there is hope! :-)
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