Hey friends, I hope you're doing well.  Its crazy how quickly a week goes by on trail without weekends, when each day is just a number on the trail or a day of the month time really flies and blends together.  

In this past week I have escaped California, hiked a monster 43 mile day, enjoyed some good Oregon trees, hiked in 105+ heat, and even had 2 interviews.  For a couple days it was really smoky but the wildfires appear to be calming down and things are good in Oregon.  

Day 81 [1602-1631]

I just couldn't get a ride out of Etna and frustratingly ended up being at the coffee/ice-cream shop for longer than I wanted.   This did, however, allow me to write the last blog update.  Once I got hiking I began to see all the smoke on the horizon.  At worst this smog was foreboding and ominous of bad trail ahead, more often it was just spooky—things didn’t feel real.  

I moved slowly and didn’t make it to my camp until dark. Once there I enjoyed the food from my awesome/ridiculous care package and  bathed in the lake naked—hoping the many hikers around the lake didn’t  shine their headlamps towards me (it was very cold)…. 

Once again the deer are fearless and crazy.

Day 82 [1631-1663]

This day had the most absurd Topo map of any day on trail, it was all downhill, then a valley, then all uphill(see below).  When I made it down the hill it was around 5:00 pm and I saw a thermometer in the shade under a tree…it said 105!!  I ran into a man hiking in a dress and gave him some medicine and snacks. Then I went to the Seiad valley post office to pick up some new food and get a snack.  All they had of ice cream was half gallons so I ate/drank one entire.  

I was overjoyed to find a resupply package from my sister Kackie, some very long letters from my grandmother and her friends, and a box from my friend Charlie.  I think these care packages on trail surpass any Christmas/birthday presents I have ever received.  

Then with a stomach full of ice cream I climbed several thousand feet uphill, got hissed at by a huge rattle snake, and went to bed in the dark after a long day.  

Day 83 [1663-1693.5]

Today was the day I was to conquer California!  I slept in late after my long night of hiking and was leapfrogged by hikers I had passed in the dark.  At the top of the mountain I got cell service and realized that I needed to get to a town by Wednesday for an interview—this gave me something to do and think about and was exceedingly motivating.  

I ended up finding a group of (more normal than average) hikers to cross the border with and we celebrated the accomplishment.  As we were celebrating someone coming south told us there was trail magic a half mile ahead.  At this our celebration ended and we bolted ahead as fast as we could.  Arriving out of breath at a dirt road several minutes later we saw at least a dozen hikers around an old man “Sam”’s truck where he was giving out fresh fruit, fireball, and a cooler of beer to celebrate.  

It was a party, and because it was a good party I (to my huge surprise) met another recent UGA graduate who was hiking the trail.  He had started at mile 300 right after graduation and joined his group there.  They were way slower than me so I knew we wouldn’t stay together, but it was really awesome to share some beers with someone who felt familiar.  We have made plans to rendezvous in Washington to watch the first game.  Their group also had a sorority girl gone granola from Alabama (still very ditzy and very blonde).  She let me borrow her charger (totally into me?).  

—This was my favorite night on trail for all of the reasons

Day 84 [1693.5-17201]

Today I had to fly past my newfound friends to get to town early so I could shop, shower, do laundry and prepare for my interview.  The terrain was exactly the same but my attitude was better because “Everything’s better in Oregon”.  Foolish as the mantra may be, it works.  

While I hiked today I saw a girl who had been part of the big group from the night before and eventually started talking while we were both filtering water at a stream.  She very tentatively asked 

“So are you like, pretty religious” to which I answered

“I’m trying to be” —and then turned to show the cross hanging from my pack. 

Then she asked 

“Are you…. A..uh… Catholic?” 

to which I answered

“kinda both, well no, for the sake of conversation I might as well be. So you are or were?”

-Then she revealed that she herself was a Catholic and that she gets a hard time from her tramily for it.  I have had a few encounters on the trail where people have quietly “come out” as a straight, conservative, patriotic or Christian to me.  

There are normal people on the trail, hiding in the shadows of a performatively “woke” granola culture.  They don’t carry a cross, a flag, or reminisce about the south so they don’t give themselves away so freely or openly as I do.  This isn't to criticize blending in or finding common ground.  I myself often talk about my love for psychedelic rock, my hate for Trump or Bibi, or the failings of capitalism—but even still people have a pretty set opinion of me at first glance.  

Day 85 [1721-1733]

Today I woke up, had my interview, went to lunch, ate 4 cheeseburgers, got back on trail, and began hiking.  After just a few miles I realized that I needed a replacement pair of shoes, then I realized that I was several hundred miles from the next shoe store.  I called 11 shoe stores in Oregon and NONE OF THEM HAD SIZE 15s.  Then I spent hours on the phone with shoe companies and then eventually Zappos to try to quickly ship me a pair.  That was exhausting and I ended up going 10 miles less than I hoped.  I still don’t have shoes and am just hoping UPS doesn’t fail me.

The sunset was stunning, but I was alone so it really wasn’t that special.  There was also a meteor shower, that was more special.  

Day 86 [1733-1775]

Today I began to see southbounders on the trail carrying news from the north and beards just a month or two old.  Also today I checked my email and saw that I had been asked to do another interview—the problem is that I was going to be out of service the next week and was still 43 miles from the nearest road to hitchike. Brazenly, I accepted the challenge and began my great quest.  

I was flying all day, my pace near 4mph at times. I made it 43 miles as it was getting too dark to hike and slept by the road to hitch in the morning.  

During this push I made it to the ⅔ done mark.  This felt really big and made me happy

Day 87 [1775-1788]

I woke up and quickly got a hitch to a trailer park with a restaurant and wifi.  I took a quick shower, ate 3 breakfasts, and then had my call.  Success! (See my desk below)

I got back on trail that afternoon but I was so exhausted I was really dragging.  

I have begun setting up my tent again because the woods are spooky in Oregon and rain is now a possibility.

Day 88 [1788-1822]

Today I cruised 34 miles to Mazama village at crater lake and met up with a guy named Paper Trail, who is hiking the trail with only a Nokia flip phone and a paper map (so badass).  He hikes fast, went to Georgia tech and likes country music so we get along pretty well.  I ended up having beers and talking late into the night (for hikers) like 10 pm!!

  He has been working in Investment Banking in New York since college (with the exception of the AT) and is an interesting combination of hyper hard working/competent and also calm, hiker naturalist.  Talking to someone leaving corporate high society is much more interesting than someone who would/could never try it.  We talked about everything from Hank Williams, to banking, to his loathing of dating apps, to college football, to his past romance.  

He informs me that “I’m scaring the hoes” on trail by carrying a cross and an American flag. 

This made me laugh.  It’s not a phenomenon that's completely unique to the trail….

What is the power of mountains? What is the purpose? What is mine?

Why the heck am I doing this?

-I’m not quite sure 

Love,

Treebeard