Over the past few weeks I’ve been hiking with “Nobody’s Friend”. With my upcoming hike and my plan to get to Sisters OR to meet Matthew we both knew the time was coming when we’d split up. So at Crater Lake his package arrived and mine didn’t and it was time for him to get on the trail. He’s also been wanting to do longer days of 25 miles or more. We said our goodbyes over lunch and I only have the very best wishes for him on this life changing journey and adventure. Safe trails, Nobody’s Friend.

I’m now walking through groves of pine forests and the pine needles make the trail soft to walk on.

The dark gray rock with a brick red lava rock trail. Pretty! If the PCT has a “trail designer” then this section was very nicely designed.

Walked around a corner and BLAM this is what I saw: Mt. McLoughlin. Awesome!

Thinking of all my Rogue friends as I am hiking the PCT. If you think Marathon or Ultra as long distance then try hiking 2650 miles in 150 days doing about 18 miles every day week in and week out.

“Nobody’s Friend” and I arrived about 9 AM on Friday 7/18 in Ashland and headed for Callahan’s on Interstate 5 where we had a big breakfast and waited for Christy and Marcus to arrive. After we all finished stuffing ourselves we drove into Ashland and dropped off “Nobody’s Friend” at the Post Office. He would later find his way to the Hostel and then to stores to shop and ship his resupplies before the PO closed for the weekend. I headed home with C&M. Talk, more talk, shower, change of clothes, lunch, haircut, and then dinner out ensued.

On Saturday 7/19 I took a zero day, my sixth, and we had breakfast out. I planned my next 13 days and phoned Matthew and Justin so they would know how Matthew could meet me in Sisters OR on 8/1. Now I just have to execute my plan. The stumbling block is the lack of campsites on the trail at my daily 20 mileage completion distance which might make me go further and arrive earlier. I’ll do my best to make it on 8/1. Then it was time to do my resupply with the food Kathy and Katie shipped here. With a few additional purchases I prepared 5+ days of food. [As Marcus and I were doing errands we saw a hiker walking down the road and stopped to help him and we learned it was Snail Trainer, who I know well, who had just arrived in town. We got him to the Hostel but it was full so we dropped him off at a local campground] After doing a few miscellaneous chores, like putting Velcro for my gaiters on my shoes, I was done and we went out for BBQ. It is so nice to have family here and a place to relax.

So on Sunday 7/20 early early early we’ll go pick up “Nobody’s Friend” at the Hostel at 5 AM and then we’ll drive out and be back on the trail heading for Crater Lake.

Looking at myself in the mirror today I’ve lost a lot of weight. I look like a starving victim from a prisoner of war camp. My ribs are showing along with my hip bones. I need to get more calories. So while in Ashland I got a triple scoop with nuts. Yum!

I threw out the “holely” pair of shoes and replaced them with a nice new pair. Now all I have to do is attach my “dog tag”, and attach Velcro for my gaiters and I’m ready to go hiking! These should last me through Oregon.

Here is what happens to Brooks Cascadias after hiking in them from mile 942 to 1727 – holes, holes, and more holes that let in dirt, rocks, pebbles, sticks, and twigs. Note: those aren’t my toes, but my fingers sticking out through the holes.

The Oregon border is at mile 1689.9 so it was only a short time before I crossed the 1700 mile mark. This was on the trail put there by some earlier thru hiker (who was probably European, because of the way the 7 was written).