Tag: PCT

PCT 2018 Day 92, July 23, Monday

Start mile 2166.5, flat corner at switchback

End mile 2196.5, corner at switchback

Miles walked: 30.0

The trail is shaded in trees nearly all day today, with views of more ridges completely covered in trees. The only exception is the view of Mount Adams in the distance.

Towards the end of the day the path goes along a lava flow, with collapsed layers often creating caves.

And also, I see regulations posted about mushrooms, which I do not remember seeing in other forests.

I am starting to notice the shorter days, making it harder to complete my daily thirty. Best to finish soon…

Completed audiobook Can You Forgive Her, by Anthony Trollope.

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.