Month: July 2018

PCT 2018 Day 91, July 22, Sunday

Start mile 2144.2, Cascade Locks,

End mile 2166.5, flat corner at switchback

Miles walked: 22.3

Bruce and Beth drop me off at Cascade Locks, and I get on trail around 10:30AM, crossing the Bridge of the Gods Bridge over the Columbia River. The metal bridge does not really have a pedestrian walkway, like I had assumed. Through the metal grate road surface one can view the river below. On the other side, I am in Washington state! Blackberries, and later raspberries, are growing along the trail. Later, higher in elevation, I see ripe huckleberries. Bonnieville Dam can be seen in the distance, with hydroelectric generators and fish ladders for salmon. The trail passes below the summit of Table Mountain. Some clear-cutting is visible late in the day. I hike until dark, to offset my late start. Cans and Boombox, last seen at the Timberline Lodge breakfast, are camping nearby, and I see several southbound thru-hikers today.

PCT 2018 Day 90, July 21, Saturday

Start mile 2144.2, Cascade Locks, camp at Marine Park Campground

End Aloha, Oregon, visiting with old friends

Miles walked: ZERO

I have made plans to spend the day with Bruce and Beth, deareold friends from when I used to live in the Portland area back in the 1980s. Bruce picks me up at Cascade Locks, at the drive-in hamburger place. It has been so long, we hardly recognize each other. His spouse Beth has a function at the Guide Dogs for the Blind Oregon campus, so we go to meet her there.

Beth is raising Peaches (sorry if I get the name wrong), a candidate guide dog. Each dog is periodically evaluated for any disqualifying traits, and less than 50% successfully complete the program as a guide dog or breeder dog. The guide dog facility is as large as a small community college campus, and many other candidate dogs are there for a meet-and-greet. Beth is hoping to see some of Peach’s litter mates, but none are there today. The function has a space theme, pretty cute.

Later we go to their home in a town west of Portland, which was still being built when I left Oregon around 1986. Beth presides over a huge garden, and Bruce has welded many ornamental pieces for it.

Here is their view from the house, quite excellent.

Much conversation ensues.

Good day.

PCT 2018 Day 89, July 20, Friday

Start mile 2116.2, Salvation Spring and campsite

End mile 2144.2, Cascade Locks, camp at Marine Park Campground

Miles walked: 28

The morning opens cold, damp and foggy, a huge change from the previous evening.

I end up hiking wearing a windbreaker until noon, which means really cold indeed.

Artistic version of the morning. Mount Adams can be seen to the north and east. The trail swings near the base of the peak. On miles of switchbacks the trail goes from altitude 4k down to about 90 feet at Cascade Locks. Here is an early glimpse of Columbia Gorge. I was planning on camping at The Swamp, run by trail troll Shrek. Upon going to his house I learn that he is no longer hosting hikers. Upon walking away, I realize that is just what Shrek in the movies would say, and that I should have persisted. :-)

I end up camping at Marine Park and Campground, absolutely lovely right along the river. Good conversation with hikers First, Fabian (Austria), and Gust made a good finish for the day. I showered at the campground, and will do laundry in town tomorrow morning just before my friend picks me up for a visit.