August 24, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Southeast Spur of Three-Fingered Jack
Miles: 22

Adrian: The lava is everywhere we turn and there is no way to escape it. We resign ourselves to walking for miles on baseball-sized pumice rocks that challenge the ankles at every step.

Today was a relatively active climbing day, with a few 1,000-foot climbs. After getting out of the lava we entered a large burned area, which turned to green forest after a few miles. The wind is picking up and rain has been forecast for tonight and tomorrow. Because it was getting late and there was a long, windy, exposed area ahead, we camped in a spot sheltered by many pines trees, big and small. We bought a ground sheet for the tent and sealed more seams, so we should be good to go regarding rain. We might find out for sure tonight.

It's getting cold at night, sometimes in the low 30s F, and I'm glad we got our gloves, hat, rain pants and windshirt out of the bounce box. Now is the time to have the warm gear for the Cascades in autumn. The wind is whipping in the trees but our site is well protected.


I think I'll sleep well tonight. Tomorrow we're up early for a long day on the trail...

Kirsten: Since Adrian described our day so well I'll focus on other important subjects. By the time you all read this we'll be walking across the Bridge of the Gods into Washington. It's hard to believe our trip is beginning to wind down.

So now is the time for our readers to get involved. Many of you have signed our guestbook on the trailjournals.com site, which is awesome. I look forward to those little messages and every time we receive one it lifts my spirits.

Here is my final request: sign our guestbook if you haven't already. And if you're feeling motivated, send us a card or a treat. :) There are two opportunities in September to send us a care package or belated birthday gift (hint.)

We expect to reach Snoqualmie Pass around Sept. 10. We can pick up letters and packages at the Summit Lodge via UPS ONLY! Address the package like this: On the bottom put hold for PCT hiker, ETA Sept. 10.

Kirsten Korosec
c/o The Summit Lodge
603 State Route 906
Snoqualmie, WA 98068
(UPS only!)

Our last stop before reaching Canada will be Stehekin, a tiny town reached via boat. Send cards and packages through the U.S Mail like this:

Kirsten Korosec
General delivery
Stehekin, WA 98852

On the bottom write: hold for PCT hiker, ETA Sept. 20. From Stehekin it's about 90 miles to the Canadian border. Thanks in advance to anyone who sends us a note or package!

August 23, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Sisters Inn
Miles: 0

Adrian: Kirsten decided we needed a zero day and I did not protest.

We found out my family is going to meet us at the finish! The date we picked is September 25. I've done some calculations and we'll have to average 20 miles per day till the end to make the date. We've been doing lots of 25-mile days, so I'm confident we'll make it and still have a few zeros to rest and dry up after rainstorms. I'm very excited about them coming to Manning Park. It'll be great to have a cheering squad waiting for us. Now all we have to do is make the date!


We resupplied, ate, and rested. Tomorrow Lloyd picks us up in the morning, around 8 a.m. and we'll continue our hike north to Canada.

Kirsten: Sometimes you need to put your feet up. I'm looking forward to hiking again. I also spent most of yesterday running around Sisters and felt less than rested when awoke. So this morning I was relieved when Adrian agreed to a day off.

After breakfast at a nearby restaurant, we hit the grocery store to resupply for the upcoming 114-mile leg to Timberline Lodge at Mount Hood. We spent the rest of the morning and early afternoon sorting through our food and more importantly, cleaning my funk-infested backpack. Beautiful and Gorgeous called and we all met up for lunch at Sno Cap, a popular hamburger and milkshake joint on Sisters' main drag.

On my way to met them I ran into Lil' Wrangler, who had a wild karaoke-blessed night with Yeti in Bend. Apparently they bought some tight-fitting duds at a thrift store and got a ride up to Bend. After a detour to Sears to have their family portrait taken with the 20-year-old guy who gave them a ride into town, they hit a hotel bar for karaoke. It doesn't surprise me that they had the entire bar singing along.

Adrian and I are full of marion berry milkshakes now and are watching the Olympics. The trail awaits.

August 22, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Sisters Inn, Sisters, OR.
Miles: 5

Adrian: The tarptent was soaking wet on the inside from condensation. Airflow was good enough, but the nearby lake produced too much moisture for the single-walled tarp. We did the best we could to keep our sleeping bags from brushing the walls.


The hike to the pass was awesome with more lava flows and huge views of the Three Sisters, Broken Top, Washington Peak, Jefferson Peak, Three Fingered Jack, Mt Hood and Mt Adams. Unbroken forests sweeping in all directions with isolated peaks standing like islands in the sky. Clouds left over from the last week of storms provided a mystic backdrop. Basically some of the best landscapes we've seen yet.

We arrived at the trailhead rendezvous and waited for a while before thinking we might be in the wrong place. As we walked up the road, Lloyd drove by and picked us up. Lloyd is a trail angel in Bend helping out hikers in the Sisters area. We'll give us a ride back to the trail tomorrow.

Sisters is a theme town based on the old west that's totally touristy but full service for hikers. We picked up our bounce bucket, went through it, and shipped it back to Tucson. The bounce bucket is no longer needed because we are so close to the end. It seems strange to be nearing the end but there still is 661 miles to go. After dinner we watched the Olympics and went to bed.

Kirsten: We're sitting in Sisters just 10 miles shy of mile 2,000. Did any of us, did any of you think we would make it? I never doubted Adrian's ability. I always pictured him here at this point and beyond.


I wouldn't say I expected to fail. I wasn't completely void of confidence at the beginning or along the way. I wouldn't say I was overflowing with it either.

Somewhere out here I started to believe it was possible. Not just possible, that it would happen. I will be at the end.

I still can't say when or how I turned the mental corner. Maybe it was the number of miles I completed. It's hard not to be confident when you start passing miles 500, 800, 1,000 and then hit the halfway point. I think at least part of my "transformation" began when I stopped counting miles. And it sure doesn't hurt that my hiking partner embraces my good moments and ignores any slips of faith.

August 21, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: South Matthieu Lake, Three Sisters Wilderness
Miles: 27

Adrian: I slept like crap last night and that does not help the effort required today to do the miles we have to in order to get close enough to McKenzie Pass to be there at 9 a.m. for a ride from Lloyd Gust, a trail angel from the Bend, Oregon area. We made it happen, even after a late start. Our performance today gives me confidence we can do some big miles in the next few days. We shall see.

Kirsten: Just so everyone knows I choose to ignore the run-on sentence above. I'm not going to cramp his style.

We got a ridiculously late start this morning. We woke up late and slowly packed up our things. Once we reached the junction there was another delay. Rooster's mentor She-Ra, who thru-hiked the PCT in 2006, set up a shelter and loads of trail magic. Beer, wine, whiskey, candy, snacks, fresh fruit and orange juice filled bags and coolers. I had some hot tea and strawberries, oh and a cinnamon roll. Awesome! She-Ra, you seriously rock. She had to lug all of that stuff a mile or more uphill in the rain. She set up yesterday and camped there overnight. We learned that Yeti, Wrangler and B & G hung out at the makeshift shelter for a while before heading off into the rain.

We left She-Ra around 9 a.m. and hiked through cold rain for a couple of hours. As we finished crossing a windy open area our friends were heading towards us. Last night they made it to a shelter and discovered it loaded with technical gear. A team of U.S Geologists was using it as a base camp. The girls, Yeti and Wrangler were able to stay overnight. The following morning, meaning today, they decided to tag along and help the geologists. The geologist promised the sun would appear today, and he was right.


The sun started to burn off some of the clouds and we were able to eat lunch in a semi-dry space. The scenery the rest of the day filled with volcanic cones and the summits of all three Sisters.

The trail at the end of the day wove through piles of volcanic rubble and pieces of obsidian rock. We crested a hill and there in a neat row were the peaks of Mount Washing, Jefferson and Three-Fingered Jack.

The clouds are beginning to part and as the sky clears the temperature will likely drop to 35 degrees. I'm looking forward to this after weeks of warm nights.

August 20, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Elk Lake Resort, Three Sisters Wilderness
Miles: 15

Adrian: Rain, rain, rain.

Kirsten: I had grand aspirations for today. The weather had other plans for us. The swarming mosquitoes and drizzling rain kept us moving all morning and we reached the junction to Elk Lake Resort by noon. I figured we could hike the mile down to the resort, grab a hot meal and dry off before hitting the trail again.

And then it happened. The burgers came, the rain continued to fall and we started the fun little math games all hikers play. "So if we had a really big day tomorrow then we could still make it to.... etc., etc."

It didn't help that Clearwater and Rooster also wanted to stay, which is exactly what we ended up doing. We were able to stay in a basic hiker cabin thanks to Free and Easy Going, a Washington couple in their 60s.

I was initially a little bummed we weren't heading out to hike. I changed my mind as the on-and-off mist turned to a steady drizzle and finally to driving rain. As I drifted off to sleep in the incredibly warm loft of the cabin I thought of our friends out in the watery elements. I was certainly happy to be in the cabin. I only wished we had the rest of our loosely organized gang with us.

August 19, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Cougar Flat, Three Sisters Wilderness
Miles: 26.5

Adrian: It rained a few times last night but we stayed dry. The tent was put away wet and the mosquitoes drove us back to the trail.

Not long after starting this morning I started feeling pain from a crack on my heel. Why it hurts now is beyond me, but hurt it does. I have to alter my step to compensate for the pain and that leads to more pain from stressing already hard working ligaments. Tonight I put Neosporin on it and have it bandaged. I'm not sure what else to do about it. I could use some super glue or new skin, none of which are now available.

We passed many lakes today, and they remind me of northern Wisconsin or Canada. They are usually clear with some sandy shore and surrounded by pine trees. I've heard many of these ponds have gross water for drinking, but so far they've been pretty good to us.

I've got to remember to get some new trash bags to line the inside of my pack. I'm pretty sure the holes are compromising the dryness of my gear. The weather is cold at night, maybe down into the lower 40s, so dryness means warmth, which in turn means safety. I'll get some good heavy-duty trash compactor bags with 3 mil plastic for puncture proofness.

I'm really having a good time as of late and enjoying the hike. I've got a good understanding of what I am able to do physically, so if I stay within those limits, I have more time to work on the mental challenges. More on that later.

Walk good...

Kirsten: The mosquitoes along this stretch are like tiny annoying ninjas. They strike fast - no meaningless buzzing around - and effortlessly find any exposed skin. I had pulled my shirtsleeves down past my hands and within seconds a mosquito found a spot on the tip of my finger.

We found a perfect lunch spot, which means it was sunny, dry and windy enough to keep those stinging bastards at bay. It was comforting to hike and chat with Beautiful and Gorgeous. It's not as if we're all best friends and totally inseparable. Our friendship does have an effortless air to it though and I see it continuing after this adventure is over.

We didn't end up camping together tonight. This is pretty typical among thru-hikers. We hike together for a bit, have a great time and then go our own way for a while. The best part comes days later when you reconnect and the cycle starts all over.

August 18, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: North Rosary Lake
Miles: 9

Adrian: Last night the rain fell hard only a few times for a short period. Wrangler, Lorenzo, Clearwater, Don't Panic, and us were camped on a small spit of land on an unnamed lake. The mosquitoes never let up. These guys are more aggressive and faster than their Sierra counterparts.

We had a short hike to Shelter Cove Resort on Odell Lake, a spring fed, glacial lake. Our boxes were there as planned and we are doing a three-night trip to Sisters from here, a 92-mile jaunt. We'd like to get there by Thursday night if possible, but Friday morning would work too.


At around 5 p.m., Gorgeous found us a ride back to the trail. Gorgeous and Beautiful had rented a cabin at the resort and not only let us use their shower, but they also made breakfast for us. Thanks you two!

We hiked in rain and then hail for a few miles before calling it quits at a nice campsite between middle and north Rosary lakes. A big campfire kept us warm and dried us off before going to bed.

Kirsten: I concluded days ago we weren't going to see Beautiful and Gorgeous anytime soon. I was happily shocked to see Gorgeous walk into the store at Shelter Cove. She had heard from Johnny Cache and Raifiki (Chris) we were most likely coming in today. Within 15 minutes of our arrival, we were all sitting comfortably in their little cabin watching Gorgeous make French toast.

Today was relaxing and felt a zero. I prefer these stops - the ones at lodges and resorts - to towns because everything is consolidated and there isn't much to do. I was able to sort through my food box, enjoy a couple of lattes, wash our clothes and make a few phone calls all within a few hours.

We met some new PCTers today including Professor Party Tent, Hatchet and Steamroller. All of us sat under the covered porch of the store as the rain started once again. During a brief break in the story weather we hit the trail with B, G, Wrangler and Don't Panic.

About 10 minutes later the rain worsened and turned into hail. It was exhilarating and, I don't know, sort of freeing to hike through weather like that. I found myself humming along as I made my way through the forest of mountain hemlocks. I may have even danced to Singin' in the Rain.

August 17, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: North shore of pond in Diamond Peak Wilderness
Miles: 22.5

Adrian: The rain is starting to drip through a few seams on the tent as the droplets increase in size and speed. Kirsten is applying seamsealer to the problem areas but it's clear we'll have to wait until tomorrow when, hopefully, it will dry. We're running low on sealer so we have make it last. So, then, until tomorrow morning, drip, drip, drip...

We are camped at an unmapped and unnamed pond about 4 miles from the road to Shelter Cove.

Kirsten: We took it easy today and wiled away a couple of hours at Summit Lake before moving back onto the trail. It was a wonderful swim and the water was brisk. After I got out and dried off I looked into the water and noticed a leech. As I announced my discovery there were pants dropping everywhere as a leech check ensued. Luckily, we all came out unscathed.

Lorenzo's prediction was right on and around 6 p.m. tonight the thunder, which had been rumbling at a distance all afternoon, was soon right overhead. Large raindrops soon followed and everyone (Lil' Wrangler, Lorenzo and Don't Panic) bailed into the shelters. I think Lil' Wrangler ended up hanging out in the rain and building a fire because after the rain stopped I got out of the tent to discover a raging campfire.

Tomorrow we'll head into Shelter Cove where I hope to run into Beautiful and Gorgeous. Oh, that reminds me ... my birthday is coming up and I know you all probably want to send gifts. For those of you who are interested send gifts to me Kirsten Korosec, general delivery Cascade Locks, OR. Not that I'm expecting anything. :)

August 16, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Saddle near lakelet, Mt. Thielsen Wilderness
Miles: 25

Kirsten: Our loosely formed group has stayed together for another day and I think everyone is enjoying the company. Adrian seems to get along with Lil' Wrangler and Don't Panic well and they all have a fairly similar hiking style. Don't Panic is a mellow and patient guy, just like Adrian and I can see those two becoming friends.

The day was fairly uneventful until late afternoon when a thunderstorm developed. We all hiked towards the saddle as the clouds, which had been threatening to unload most of the afternoon finally did. Thunder cracked and a light rain fell for maybe a half an hour. At one point I turned and looked behind me just as a bolt of lightening struck several miles away. The thunder exploded less than 30 seconds later right above our heads as we hurried along the trail. Moments later the sky quieted and we made it into camp. Lorenzo predicts a bigger storm tomorrow and I wouldn't be surprised. The rain today was short-lived especially in comparison to the widespread cloud buildup. It seems as if the atmosphere is still unsettled and has more storms in store for us all.

August 15, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Thielsen Creek, Mt. Thielsen Wilderness
Miles: 20

Adrian: Today I climbed Mt. Thielsen with Don't Panic, Clearwater, Walker Wolf and Mark. It's a magnificent peak with great exposure and is without a doubt one of the best peak bags on the PCT and features a steep ridge on ok rock and a steep headwall to the summit. The weather was perfect and we could see Crater Lake to the south and Sisters to the north. A fire burned to the northwest about 20 miles away and a westerly wind blew the smoke toward the trail.

The berry season is upon us and it will get much better in the coming weeks. We had the sweetest blackberries in the lower elevations and now huckleberries higher up. The huckleberry is a relative of the blueberry and grows on a similar bush except that it is a bit higher.

We had a campfire and were very close to an ice cold spring fed creek. A great ending to another awesome day.

Kirsten: Another great day on the trail. I did have a few struggles in the middle of the day because of the heat. I had imagined Oregon as a lush Rivendale. The trail today and the few days coming into Crater Lake have been hot and dry. We spent much of the morning and afternoon walking through the Oregon desert, a waterless and lodgepole pine stunted forest north of Crater Lake.

Once we reached Mount Thielsen the day improved. The heat subsided and we all relaxed at the Thielsen trailhead. It was wonderful seeing Adrian so excited to tackle the climb. I think his enthusiasm rubbed off on some of the others and soon a whole group was headed up the hill.

I opted to stay behind and after 20-minute rest headed down to the creek. I can't explain how relaxing it was to wash up by the creek and then set up camp before dark. Lil' Wrangler, Kach and Chris set up camp in the same area. Adrian and Don't Panic showed about two hours later and we all enjoyed a small campfire before heading off to bed.

August 14, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Along rim of Crater Lake
Miles: 14 miles

Adrian: We hiked into Crater Lake National Park, our 5th of the trip, and made our way to Mazama Village. Here we collected our resupply box, had a beer and organized our food for the next 84 miles to Shelter Cove Resort, where our next box will be. We also ate at an all-you-can-eat breakfast, took showers and did laundry.

We thanked Moonpie for caching some water for us on the rim, thus cutting about 7 miles out of the 25-mile waterless section coming up. After that we hiked up to the rim.

This park is amazing. A bunch of us stealth camped right on the rim and enjoyed one of the best sunsets we've seen yet at the same time the full moon rose over the lake. One of the best nights on the trail yet!

Kirsten: I'm not sure if it was humming along to Bolero with Lorenzo, Lil' Wrangler, Adrian and Don't Panic or our campsite overlooking the Crater Lake. Maybe it was the sky with its charcoal wisps of clouds that slowly turned orange and then gold. Or the nearly full moon that rose over the east rim and cast its shadow over the lake below. Hell, maybe it was the wine. Whatever it was I could say this has been one of my best days on the trail.

It started with our arrival early this morning to Mazama Village, located within Crater Lake National Park. We hit Annie's Creek restaurant first for the all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. After we had our fill we walked to the camp store where we collected our boxes, took showers and did our laundry.

We hiked the steep 4.5-mile trail up to Rim Village and ate one more meal before setting off again. I had an embarrassing moment at store in Rim Village. I had just showered and washed my clothes so when I was browsing the racks of souvenirs I assumed the funky cheese smell was coming from Lil' Wrangler, who was nearby. He turned to me and asked if it was him that smelled and it was then we realized that both of us reeked. It seems that all of us including Adrian are suffering from moldy backpack straps. This is a new development and after 1,800 miles shouldn't be a surprise. Still I was shocked and disgusted by my stinky shoulders.

We left the overpriced cafe at Rim Village and hiked for a few hours until we discovered a camp spot located on a saddle overlooking the rim. We cracked our Gatorade bottles filed with wine and took in the views - first to the east where Crater Lake lay below us and then to the west as the sun lit up the clouds as it sank into the horizon.

August 13, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Just inside Crater Lake National Park
Miles: 27.5

Adrian: The sting has gotten better regarding the swelling, but the itching continues. It feels so good to itch it.

The mosquitoes are back and while they are hit or miss, when they do they hit hard. We used deet for the first time in a while. Our supply is running low so we'll have to pick some up in Mazama Village at Crater Lake. Our box is there too.


We've done some decent mileage today and are in great position to get into Mazama early since its only 5 miles away. Our plan is to do laundry, shower and eat.

We've been hiking and camping on and off with Lorenzo and Clearwater. We are all having a great time and casually running into each other all day.

The trail has been staying quite high and traversing the tops of many ridges. We've left Sky Lakes Wilderness and entered Crater Lake National Park. We are excited to see the attraction and plan to camp on the rim for sunset and sunrise viewing.

Kirsten: We had some of the best views in Oregon this morning as we walked a ridge in the Sky Lakes Wilderness. We met our first southbound thru-hiker along the ridge.

As we descended the ridge into Douglas fir forest the butterflies were thicker than the mosquitoes at times. I occasionally had to slow down to avoid stepping on them.

My food situation would be a crisis if we weren't getting into Crater Lake tomorrow morning. I spent large chunks of the day hungry and this isn't fun for Adrian. I know what a lack of food does to me so I've been trying my hardest to keep my head. I've done a pretty good job of rationing. I figure if I ever get captured by guerillas this skill might come in handy.

August 12, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Sky Lakes Trail Junction
Miles: 25.2

Adrian: This morning the sting was stiff and quite swollen. On top of that, it itches like hell. All day it feels like this.

We hiked past Mt. McLoughlin, a magnificent peak. Kirsten, Lorenzo and I were tempted to do the 5-hour detour to climb it, but we were low on food and need to get to our boxes waiting at Crater Lake National Park.

In the evening we hiked a short time with Don't Panic, something we haven't done since Idyllwild. That's over 1,650 miles ago! He's a great guy.

I heard Sparky is way ahead. Too bad, I would like to hike with him again. On we go...

Kirsten: Adrian mentioned being low on food. This doesn't quite describe my situation. I'm not sure how I got so low on food. I think I put all my treats and such in the boxes sent to Crater Lake and Shelter Cove. I have good food. There just isn't enough.

Moonpie has affected my food choices probably more than any other hiker on the trail. This time around I have bagels, blueberry cream cheese, carrots, apples, peanut butter and pepper jack cheese. You're probably thinking "Cream cheese in a backpack?" If its placed far enough into a pack cheese and other products like it will keep for about four or five days.

August 7, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Best Western, Ashland, OR.
Miles: 16

Adrian: Got some great trail magic today in the form of three coolers with soda, water and beer. It's truly amazing what hiking will do for the taste of Natural Ice beer. I had two by 9 a.m. :)

I should backtrack and mention that we were camped with Beauty and Gorgeous (b and g from here on out), and Pothead. We were pleasantly surprised to see Moonpie and Uncle Lorenzo show up at about 7 a.m. I enjoy hiking with both of these fine friends and hope we can stick together for a while.

Kirsten and I were hiking swiftly along with our music players on and we totally missed a crucial spring before a long waterless section. I found our mistake on the map only when we were a half-mile passed the spring. Bummed, we took our packs off and quickly hiked back to the spring with our water bottles. Turns out the spring was gushing loudly just a few feet off the trail, though we were totally oblivious of that due to our music players. Thank God I found our error soon enough!

Moonpie had some friends meeting her at Callahan's and she took off for the road to Ashland. A few minutes later while we were all getting water near the Ashland Inn and playing with the resident Golden Retriever, Powder, I decided to take off after Moonpie who I know was trucking to catch her friends. Little did I know that Beautiful also decided to take off soon after me, so us three did some fast miles trying to catch one another. So much fun!

Kirsten: Meanwhile, Gorgeous and I chatted as we hiked along about where we should take our next trip. We discussed various hiking and kayaking trips, of course.

We arrived at the road about 15 minutes behind the leaders. B, G and Miss P. were not going to go into Ashland for resupply. So we said our goodbyes and almost immediately got a ride from two girls and a guy, who all work at Callahan's, a well-known restaurant and lodge.

Our hitch was amazing and as we drove through Ashland they stopped to point out the good grocery stores, coffee shops and eateries. As they dropped us off the two girls gave me their cell numbers just in case I had any questions.

The town itself is picturesque with its cafes, boutiques and theatres all tucked below rolling, forested hills. We decided to skip the hostel and get our own room at the Best Western next door. We ate a late lunch, picked up our box at the Post Office and bought some new shoes, a purchase I've been looking forward to for weeks.

Later we decided to eat dinner at the Indian restaurant in town. We were finishing our meal when the owner, Deep, a younger man from Indian, came over started chatting with us. Before I knew it he was handing me a colorful sari, which belongs to his mother. He insisted I take the sari, saying his mother, who lives in India, no longer wears these bright and flashy saris. Unbelievable. I get to Oregon and someone gives me a sari.

I should mention that our friend Stephen, who joined us for three days out of South Lake Tahoe, is a dad now. His wife, Saskia, had Conrad today. Go Saskia!

August 06, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: 5-way road junction on Long John Saddle
Miles: 26

Adrian:
Mini-series to be continued...

Today was historic for us as we passed into Oregon at mile 1,698.8 and celebrated with Beautiful, Gorgeous, and Miss Potato Head. Beautiful packed in two beers that we drank at the border. The line is located on an uphill section with a trail register and simple wooden sign nailed to a tree reading, "Oregon / California". We finally made it out of the state that lasts forever! It's an amazing state with such diversity and awesome natural resources. The fires have been bad this year, but they are a big part of what summer in California is all about. Thanks Cali, it's been a wonderful, long, strange trip.

Kirsten:
I got a little misty today thinking about how far we've come, how much we've gone through since leaving the Mexican border more than three months ago. I thought about how weak I was when we started. I actually a little surprised I made it through those early days. I wonder why I made it and others have not. The only reason I've come up with is my steadfast belief that it would get an easier as time went on. I really believed and still do that tomorrow will be better that today. It's a bit delusional, I know. There are still many days or parts of days where I think, "This is the hardest part yet." You'd think I would start losing faith. That's not to say I haven't absolutely miserable, break-down-and-cry-because-you-can't-pound-your-tent-stake-in kind of moments. Tantrums - silent or balls out fist flying scenes - happen on the trail. It's what happens after that seems to separate those who can rise above their bad moments and those who continue to pick at it.

August 4, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Seiad Valley Campground
Miles: 0

Adrian: Part three of a series...
Your pack is on, trekking poles in hand, and sunglasses at the ready. As you hike there are things to consider. Will you be talking? If so, you'll have to have to follow Kirsten close enough to hold a conversation, which means you'll also be close enough to breath in, and get covered by, all the dust kicked up by her. The dust comes from a mixture of soil, dried plant material and several different types of shit. Think cow, horse, bear, wildcat and human urine. So yeah, hike real close to Kirsten and take deep breaths between sentences. Sweat a bit too as this will help the dust stick to your face, neck and hair. We don't talk much on the trail when it’s really dusty. Pine needles, rocks and other materials can help keep the dust to a minimum, so choose your conversation time wisely. Otherwise, stay about 20 yards behind your hiking partner to keep yourself relatively free of the filth...or be the first in the line of hikers.
In about two hours you can start looking for a good place to take your first break.
To be continued...

After a fitful sleep, we walked to Bob's for breakfast and then came back to pack up and go to the Post Office to ship the bounce bucket up to Sisters, OR. I wanted to ship it to Ashland, but it might not make it there in time so it goes to Sisters about 3/4 the way through Oregon.

We caught the 12:22 p.m. bus to Yreka and resupplied out of a Riley's Food Store and a General Dollar Store. We bought some party hats and leis for picture taking at the California / Oregon border. That's right, in a couple days we'll be leaving California. It's been such a long state and I never thought about finishing it until just recently because if its vastness. We've been in it for over 101 days and 1,600 miles.
Thoughts of actually finishing the hike are beginning to enter my mind for the first time as well. I know we have another 1,000 miles to go, but spirits are high.

Tonight we are having a weenie roast with other hikers at the campground. Seiad Valley Cafe is home to the famous pancake challenge that Kirsten wanted to participate in. Alas, tomorrow is Tuesday and they are closed on Monday and Tuesday. Because of this fact, we'll be hiking out tomorrow morning instead of afternoon, which I prefer anyway as a pancake is just a pancake.

The hike tomorrow starts with a 4,200-foot climb in the morning! Stay tuned for that freak show...

Kirsten: If we didn't just have an awesome wienie roast I would be disappointed about the pancake challenge. The pancakes served at this cafe are one pound. The pancake challenge is five pancakes, therefore five pounds of delicious batter.

The owner of the store offered to contact the cafe proprietor to open the restaurant up for us. It's just as well as that it's closed. Five pounds of pancakes and a hot, exposed and steep climb out of the valley probably don't mix.

We've reconnected with Miss Potato Head, Beautiful and Gorgeous and will hopefully be together when we cross into Oregon.

August 11, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: South Fork Little Butte River
Miles: 26

Adrian: We got out of camp around 6:50 a.m. and made slow time all morning for some reason. I bought new Nikes in Ashland and am still breaking them in, so my feet are a bit tender. Things should be worked out soon.

We enter Rogue River National Forest, which features vast pine plantations. Section B gets sour reviews, but if you big forests mixed in with a small bit of logging, it's fine. Water is scarce here and we have to leave trail to get it most times. I'll have to increase my water capacity for after Crater Lake there are 25 miles segments without water.

While walking today I got stung by something fierce on my right calf, near the bottom. It hit and then kept stinging until I was able to swipe it away. It hurt. It hurt so much I had to look at it to make sure it wasn't a snakebite. So it continued to hurt all day and then it mellowed out at night.

Today we hiked through the Sky Lakes Wilderness, staying high above the numerous lakes below. A light breeze blew into the thick pine forest. Spanish moss look-alike hung from the tree branches and bright green lichen clung to the trunk.

Kirsten: Wow, Adrian let me know when you've traded in your skirt and are ready hike with the rest of us. Actually I hike in a skirt so I just ripped on myself. Although I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have cried like a baby after getting stung. His ankle does look a little nasty though.

We met a couple today from Switzerland, Mamma Mia and Philip. There are a number of overseas hikers on the trail. The Swiss couple, Lorenzo, a couple from Belgium called the Belgian Waffles, Germinator from Germany and a number of others. Mamma Mia was so positive about her time here. She said a number of people, all strangers, had taken them in along the trail. It's comforting to know these overseas travelers will leave the United States with a good impression. Our country certainly some positive PR these days.

August 10, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Just past a spring fed faucet
Miles: 22

Adrian: We got a late start out of Bob's place after dropping off Rooster at the hostel.

The trail wound up past Pilot Rock near Mt. Ashland, a ski area and into rolling Douglas fir trees.

We camped with Clearwater and Lorenzo next to a gravel road and slept well. We didn't get the 25 miles in we wanted, but we hope to make it up tomorrow with some bigger miles. We have no real schedule to keep and we have a little extra food, so we might ease up on the 25-mile days we planned on to make it to Crater Lake National Park.

I promise to bring back the mini-series soon. It has been hard finding the time to write during the day.

I weighed myself last night a came in at 165, about 15 pounds off my starting weight of 180. Not bad but I hope to lose a bit more before its over.

Walk good...

Kirsten: Getting started today was easier than I expected. I didn't have the typical town hangover and was excited to get on the trail.

Tonight we are camped with Lorenzo and Clearwater. Moonpie should be maybe two miles behind us. I expect she'll pass us tomorrow since she has to get to crater Lake by 5 p.m. Wednesday. Hiking with Lorenzo has been entertaining. He is always singing to himself and shouting exclamations like "I ah like ah too much" or "Bellisimo!" Sometimes his accent throws me off a bit. His English has improved significantly. Oftentimes I speak a Spanglish type dialect since he is fluent in Spanish as well as French.

August 9, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Bob's
Miles: 0

Adrian: A double zero! Boom! It will take eight 25-mile days to make up this time off. Guess what? Who cares, not I. This was worth it.

Yesterday, after a nice evening watching the opening ceremonies from China we slept well. In the morning we cooked blueberry pancakes, sausage, eggs, coffee, orange juice, and French bread.

We went into town for various reasons and spent about 3 hours there. After coming home I helped Bob fix some irrigation pipe in the pasture.

The gentleman who was with Bob, named Bob, visited this evening with his wife, Linda, and brought some home made lasagna. A great evening with great people. We rounded it out with some Olympics, watching Phelps capture a gold in the 400m medley.

Ashford is a great town. One of the best on the trail.

Kirsten: Last night as we sipped wine and stuffed our faces as politely as possible, Bob threw out an idea and then watched it bounce around our heads. "So, you know we have some hammocks here. Maybe you all should consider resting here another. You're more than welcome to stay."

And there it was sitting out in the open. No one said anything and dinner along with chit chat conversation resumed. Of course everyone thought about it and by morning most decisions were made. I needed another day of rest. I wasn't sure if Adrian felt the same way. So I waited. And waited. Our backpacks were sitting ready to go by the door. As our leisurely breakfast continued and I didn't notice any anxious fidgeting I knew we would stay after all.

Bob has been an amazing host. He should probably be sainted for his patience and generosity. I mean he invited five stinky hikers into his home. These are folks who typically eat on the ground, lick their cook pots clean and dig catholes to go to the bathroom. Bob, I don't know what was going through your head when you welcomed us into home. Whatever it was, thank you.

August 8, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Bob's House
Miles: 0

Adrian: One of my best friends and his wife brought a baby boy into this world yesterday. Steve and Saskia welcomed Conrad into the family yesterday. I'm so happy and proud of all three. God bless! I can't wait to see the youngster.

Thanks Tanya, Bostjan, and Mike for signing the guestbook. These three great people remind me of my home and heritage. Delafield, Kamnik, Slovenia, and Menomonee Falls...all great places with great people.

Sometimes you meet special people and special things happen. Bob has a wonderful home and made us feel quite welcome. His organic cattle pasture, pond and landscaping has made for a very comfortable stay. With Bob's persuasion, we are taking a zero here and staying for two nights. Thanks Bob!

Bob lent us his truck to resupply for Oregon. We are shipping four boxes to various points north because there simply are no towns close enough to the trail to resupply at. It was quite a job to buy so much food, box it up, and ship it out. Some shipment locations are only serviced by UPS and others by USPS. Yes, a logistical headache, but necessary.

Bob treated us to a wonderful dinner and opened a bottle of 1996 Paulliac that perfectly complimented the New York strip and shrimp.

Life is good right now...

Kirsten: Um, I'm not really sure what Adrian's implying. Special people? Special things happen? I'm picturing soft light and Hummel statues.

We have met some amazing PCTers and other folks including Bob Baumann. We met Bob at the Etna Brewery. He had just finished a hike with his friend, also named Bob. As dirty, smelly hikers we didn't exactly blend in. The two Bobs started asking us questions about our hike and before we knew it an invitation had been extended to stay at Bob No.1's house in Ashland. He handed us his business card and we went our separate ways. Enough trail magic has happened to us that we took his offer seriously. I no longer worry "Did he really mean it?" A common and cynical reaction many of us suffer from back in the real world.

When we arrived in Ashland I gave Bob a call and left a message. Within a couple hours Bob had returned our call and offered up his house and car. This morning Adrian, Moonpie and I shopped for our Oregon resupplies, about 470 miles of food, which we will ship ahead to various lodges and towns.

After we shopped and shipped, Adrian, Moonpie, Rooster, Clearwater and I went to Bob's, where we spoiled with wine, dinner, real beds and laundry. Nothing short of a miracle.

August 5, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Junction with old PCT, mile 1,684.5
Miles: 23

Adrian: Part four of the series will be continued...

Hi. I fell behind on the journal and won't be able to catch up, but I'll continue tomorrow. Please stay tuned.

Kirsten: What a slacker. To be fair I am usually the one who falls behind on the journal. I think about what I want to write while I'm hiking and will generally "catch up" every few days.

The climb today went well, largely due to our 6 a.m. start. We lunched with Beautiful, Gorgeous and Miss P. Later, Johnny Two Stoves, Lil' Wrangler, Cache and Chris showed up.

Beautiful has been carrying cardboard around with the intent of making small awards for some hikers. I think Lil' Wrangler was given smelliest fart. I concur with Beautiful's choice. One of these days I'll have to write about farting and pooping on the trail because I know you all secretly want to read about it. I mean, come on, it's the first thing that would pop into my mind if I had just met a thru-hiker. "So where do you ... um, you know, go to the bathroom?" Or, "How many catholes did you say you've dug?"

I'll spare our readers for now. Just know that at some point I'll write about the topic.

August 3, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Etna Motel, Etna
Miles: 14

Adrian: Part two of a series...
Out of the tent you go and as you do you grab your sleeping pad thus emptying the tent of all its contents.

Placing the sleep pad next to the tent and all the items you've placed outside the door, you sit down and prepare breakfast. Go ahead and take the stove and windscreen out of the cook pot and pour about 2 cups of cereal (usually granola or Cap'n Crunch Berries) into it along with about a half a cup powdered milk and finally a little under two cups milk. Stir and enjoy. When finished pour some water into the cookpot and wash it out the best you can with as much water as you can spare (sometimes you are dry camping in a long waterless section, sometimes you are next to a river). Yes, the next meal may taste a bit like cereal if you can't spare water, but the cereal tasted a bit like pad Thai from the night before so who cares.

Take an energy bar and some dried fruit out of the food bag for your mid-morning snack. Put that stuff into the mesh pocket on the outside of your pack so you don't need to unpack all your stuff to get at it in a couple hours.

Now, if things are regular, take the tissue paper and go for a walk off trail into the woods. Dig a "cat hole" 6 inches deep, make your deposit, and bury the treasure. Clean your hands with the gel alcohol...this is very important.

In camp, fold and roll the tent (hopefully Kirsten has pulled the stakes and poles as agreed upon). Pack your backpack by putting the sleeping bag in first followed by the clothing, food, stove/pot, windscreen, personal items, maps and wind breaker jacket. Fold and insert the sleeping pad into the back of the pack and close the top. Oh yeah, and don't forget to brush your teeth too!
Before hiking away from camp be sure to check the map for water sources and make sure you've got enough to make it. If you are on time, it should be around 6:30 a.m. when you begin the day’s hike. If you're not on time, you will have to make it up with fewer rests and more time at the end of the day. Enjoy the morning hours, as they are the best of the day.
To be continued...

Rooster left very early to hike into town and we left a bit later because we were going to hitch it. Rooster is going to hike around the closure tomorrow too while we take a bus. We've had enough of the smoke around the area and done with dangerous road walks.

We entered the Russian Wilderness and for a time re-entered a granitic realm that looks, and actually is out of place here. The tread was pretty rocky and there were many hidden climbs in the last few miles of the hike. The road was pretty quiet but we got a ride in about 20 minutes from a guy and his son who was running supplies to the fire lines in the area.

We stopped in the historic town of Etna and had some beer and burgers at the local brew pub. After lunch we went to the motel, did laundry (for the first time in a few weeks!), and hung out till dinner at Bob's Ranch House down the road (mediocre food).

Later we watched The Wedding Crashers with Squatch, Cache, Chris, and Landshark. Went to bed pretty late, but tomorrow is a zero day.

Walk good...

Kirsten: Moonpie came up with a wienie roast idea. Yes, three cheers for nitrates! I left a note for our friends (Lil' wrangler, Beautiful, Gorgeous, Mr. Clean, Chris, etc.)

The idea is meant to celebrate our "almost" crossing into Oregon. I'm calling it the "Damn-We're-So-Close-Oregon-We-Can- Nearly-Taste-It Wienie Roast."

Etna, by the way, is such a neat little Norman Rockwell town. The streets were emptied when we arrived because it’s a Sunday. The only restaurant open is the brewery, which offered burgers, salads and several locally brewed beers.

Guess what today's highlight was? Laundry. This may gross some folks out. I haven’t done laundry in a washing machine since Truckee. I've washed my clothes in rivers, sinks and showers. It's not like I'm a vagrant. Don't judge!

August 2, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Saddle on border of the Russian Wilderness
Miles: 26

Adrian: This is how a day goes on the PCT. Part one of a series:

Alarm goes off at 5:45 a.m., but you've been up 10 minutes prior. The sun is just rising, and if you have a clear view east you can watch it do so. This morning you're camped in Scott campground on a wooded saddle with no view.

You reach down to the foot of the tarp tent and grab the backpack that has all your loose items and the food bag and put it outside the tent.

Reaching into the clothing stuff sack, you grab the running shorts and nylon long pants you've been wearing for the last 101 days. The pants go on over the shorts while in camp because it's quite cold up in these mountains during the early morning hours. The long sleeve, lightweight capilene top comes off and the sweaty, long sleeved desert shirt goes back on. Whipping around in the tent you put the socks on that you rinsed in the stream the afternoon before and finally your shoes go on.


Everything else in the tent that is yours gets put outside the door of the tent. Then, out you go.
To be continued...

A section hiker came into camp late last night asking about the facilities. He turned out to be a nice guy doing the PCT in something like three or four sections. He was asleep when we left but caught up to us later in the day.

We leave the Trinity Alps Wilderness tomorrow and enter the Russian Wilderness. The nearby Quartz Wilderness is closed due to fire.
The day today was hard with lots of ups and downs. I felt like we earned all these miles and that there were no "gimmes" today. We did well and there are only 14 miles till Etna Summit road where we hitch into town!

Stay tuned...

Kirsten: Adrian forgot to mention how part of his morning routine involves gassing out the tent before quickly ducking out. I'm convinced he does this in an effort to get me moving in the morning.

I'm pretty bummed about the fire closure. We haven't skipped a single section yet. Although I suppose one could argue that the biking portion wasn't a "hike." I'm letting Adrian decide what we should about the closure. I'm pretty sure we'll end up taking a bus from Etna to Seiad Valley.

I don't want to skip. I also am sick of walking through smoke and haze. I'd rather hike on the actual trail. So I hope to return to this area on hike this section without the fire.

August 1, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Scott Mountain Summit, Highway 3
Miles: 31

Adrian: A record day for on trail miles! After what might be the best sunrise of the trip, Moonpie, Kirsten and I started hiking at 6:40 a.m. (Moonpie a bit earlier) and finished at 8:30 p.m. (me a bit earlier). We all felt solid right to the end and could have put more miles in if we felt we needed to. We are trying to minimize the miles required on Sunday into Etna so we have more time to do town stuff.


The smoke was worse today than it ever has been on our trip. Visibility was about 1 mile and our throats; nose and eyes were feeling the effects. It feels claustrophobic with no views due to smoke. I hope the wind changes tonight.

38 miles to Etna Summit, where the closure starts and we hitch into town. I can only hope the smoke clears...even just a little bit.

Kirsten: I was convinced I was getting a head cold. And then I realized I've been hiking through smoke for days. My throat has been scratchy for the past day and my eyes feel red. I say, "feel" because I don't have a mirror.

I can't believe how good my feet are holding up after 31 miles. I only hope this is a sign of what's to come.

July 31, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: View of Lake Siskiyou
Miles: 22

Adrian: We started a 4,200-foot climb first thing in the morning. Just when you think your 4,000-foot plus climbs are over…boom! It took from 7 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. to do 7 miles. It was uphill all day, and we hiked for 13 hours with only about 4 short rests to make 22 miles by dusk. Not the most productive day mile-wise, that's for sure.


Moonpie, Chris and Clean hiked with us. We found a nice large spot without too many cow patties. It faces east so sunrise should be wonderful with Shasta in the background.

Kirsten: It was a rough day for me. For one, I decided to take gum with me, courtesy of Lil' Wrangler. I chewed so much of it as I tackled the climb that my jaw was almost too sore to eat dinner.

Our progress was slow today. It was as if we were back at Campo. Tomorrow is supposed to be easier and I hope to put in some big miles.

July 30, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Sulphur Creek, Castle Crag Wilderness
Miles: 12

Adrian: This morning I woke up to a diesel engine firing and workers talking. Camped just inside Castle Crags State Park, we were a bit too close to a logging zone. Earplugs helped for a small time but fear of a 300-foot redwood crashing down on our tent prodded us along.

We completed the quick 5-mile jaunt down to the I-5 and to the small town of Castella. Todd, an eccentric citizen of Orange County, gave us a quick ride to the Chevron where we resupplied for the 100-mile hike into Etna. The fire closure is still in effect from Etna Summit northbound, and people are recommending a bus trip to Seiad Valley, thus skipping 55.8 miles of the trail.

Today we entered Castle Crags Wilderness and left Castle Crags State Park. Towering white granite spires are the gem of this park.

We took showers and clean some clothes at the park campground while other hikers caught a ride into town. We wanted to get going so we could be in Etna by Sunday night. That way, if we needed to, we could catch a bus to Yreka and onward to Seiad Valley.


We hiked up the Bob's Hat trail to the PCT and met up with Moonpie again and met Rooster for the first time. We camped at Sulphur creek, which was very nice and quite spacious for all four of us.

Kirsten: I've discovered a new trick for getting through tough parts of the trail. It's called daydreaming. I did this yesterday and got so involved in my daydream that we had completed 15 miles before I even realized it. My daydream got pretty random. It went something like this: I was hiking out to the Canadian border with Beautiful and Gorgeous and I was maybe 400 yards ahead. Then out of nowhere I see a dark blur moving toward me. A bear! It knocks me over and I barely and able to yell, "Bear!" And then the bear swipes at me, scratching my arm. Out of nowhere the girls run up and fight off the bear. Chaos ensues. Fast-forward two weeks. I hold a gala dinner for them at some fancy hotel with dinner and dancing. I meet Tony Bennett in the elevator and convince him to entertain for the event.

So this is what happens when you have a lot of time on your hands.

We reunited with Moonpie today! It's funny how everything works out. I was sort mad at Adrian for making me hike out of Castella instead of going to the new Batman movie with Lil' Wrangler, Beautiful, Gorgeous and Johnny Two Stoves. And just as I was starting to get over it we run into Moonpie. If all goes well we will be hiking with B & G and the rest of those guys soon.

July 29, 2008 Pacific Crest Trail

Destination: Just inside Castle Crags State Park
Miles: 25.5

Adrian: A special thanks to Steven, Suzy, Sven, Cuddles and Holly for signing the guest book. We miss you guys!

So, I should start by saying that today we hit the 3-month mark of our trip. It's been a great few months with many ups and downs. I can honestly say that I truly feel trail hardened and accustomed to life on the PCT, which makes life a lot easier. We need to pick up the pace and reduce days off if we want to finish by Oct. 1, but we couldn't be more pleased with how things are going. I no longer wonder if I can finish the trail, I know I can, I just need to stay healthy.

What a difference a day can make with smoke. Today it was totally hazy and visibility was cut down to about 3 miles. Shasta, which was in full view yesterday, is completely hidden from view even though it is only 15 or so miles to the north. Ouch.

We ran into Miss Potato Head today, hiking with her the first time. We had a great time-sharing new trail gossip and news about old friends on the trail. We also found out Beautiful and Gorgeous are not far behind while Lil' Wrangler, Squatch and a few others are heading southbound for a bit and will be catching up with us in or around Castella.

We arrive Castella tomorrow after a 6 miles morning walk. We were thinking of hitching up to Mt. Shasta City for a motel and meals, but we've decided to try and resupply out of the store in the small town of Castella. We'll save time and money employing this strategy, but will not be able to do laundry and have a good selection of trail food. A world of trade-offs.

Today's hike started with a 1,500-foot climb followed by a 1,300-foot descent followed by a 2,100-foot ascent followed by a 2,000-foot descent. The trail was well graded so the climbing was not too hard and the descents not too punishing. There are still plenty of springs in the area, so water is plentiful and safe to drink untreated.

Tomorrow we'll try and still do 15 miles even though we need to hitch, take showers, do laundry by hand, eat, resupply and relax. We also need to get info on the fire near Etna that has the trail closed. Let's hope for the best!

Kirsten: So I want my $20 now from any of you who sided with Adrian and thought we would head into Mount Shasta City as originally planned.

We met - as Adrian mentioned - Miss Potato Head and hiked with her for most of the day. We passed through quite a few clear-cut areas and our campsite is surrounded by logging operations. Toward the end of the day we found ourselves crawling over recently downed trees and branches. I realize that logging operations are bound to happen. Walking through them is a bummer especially when the trees are lying haphazardly along the trail.