After too long I am finally writing to you from Cascade Locks, a small town surrounding the bridge between Oregon and Washington.  Two days ago my sweet mother came and met me at tunnel falls and walked the last 6 miles of the state of Oregon with me.  Since then I have left the couch once or twice, eaten 5 meals a day, taken 4 showers and enjoyed 2 baths.  Oregon was not hard, in fact it was very “cruisey”.  However, I'm not one to relax on trail and so I attempted to speedrun the state of Oregon in less than 2 weeks….

The mother-mandated rest was very much needed.

[[as always I have trouble controlling the ordering of the photos and editing on my phone so I apologize]]]

Day 90 [1850-1888]

I woke up and hiked up to a pointy mountain with a glacial stream. Later in the day I met some funky SOBOS and shared an early dinner with them before following their advice on an alternate route that goes by a big lake. On the way to this lake I called my old roommates and they heard the confusing sound of me running, falling, screaming, scratching, fighting, and suffering—I accidentally kicked a wasp nest, tried to escape, and got bit 9 times including somehow inside my shirt and pants?

I made it to this lake as it was getting dark and enjoyed the surprisingly beautiful progression of the sunset with some random car campers. They befriended me and had me to their RV for some food and drinks and the exchanging of stories. Every year they rent that campground for a week and have all their friends come and relax in the mountains—I liked that.

Day 91 [1888-1926.5]

I slept in late after the big day before and then made my way to a lake marina/store for some new food and a hot meal. There I found some funky German dudes, some strange Florida Men, and my friend PaperTrail. The Germans had purchased a lot of beer and made me technically explain the mechanics of the American phenomenon of “shotgunning beers”. Their trick did work and I was duped into having 3 lunch beers by the lake—but it’s hard to really be mad. Then, as the casual lunch beers turned into not leaving the lake beers for my new friends I made my way out after a swim. Feeling behind, I raced 20 miles after 2 pm to make it to beautiful Lake Charlton.

Day 92 [1926.5-1954]

I woke up very early to a beautiful sunrise over Lake Charlton as I had planned and then began my way towards the highway at Elk Lake.

The burn scar was looking/feeling extra spooky today. The smoke from the northern fires over the desolate landscape with the volcanic mountains looming in the distance all worked to give the feeling of MORDOR.

Once at the highway I worked for about an hour trying to get a hitch into Bend. I was beside the lake’s turnout so people had to drive slowly past me and within about 15 feet of me while they rejected me. While this is an effective strategy for guilting people to give you rides, it is also more soul crushing than ever for the 40 or so cars that I could tell had space who awkwardly rejected me. (the only place this road led to was the town I was going to).

Eventually a sweet old couple picked me up and I was so charming that the man offered to drive me 40 minutes back to trail in the morning!

I also thoroughly enjoyed the town of Bend and the funky hostel which let me sleep in a hammock, do laundry, and shower for $15.

Day 93 [1954-1988]

Mike (the man who gave me a ride) came to pick me up and then took me to breakfast too!!!

He told me his life story, about how his father had been a minister, how he left the faith because he “tries to be cynical”, how his first marriage fell apart and how he has found philosophy late in life. I don’t want to make little of this man or his kindness or to over psychoanalyze him, I really really liked him. However, I could tell he was upset that he and his second wife never had kids of their own and that he felt he was missing something. He said as much. He partially raised his second wife’s kids-both in the normal, loving, modern way. One went transgender and became a man, the other fell in love with an African Muslim in New York and now exclusively wears a burka. He says that he reads a lot of stoic philosophers now—that makes sense. He needed something much stronger long before…

I don’t think he is alone in his fate. Poor guy

After crushing some French toast I went back to the trail and got moving again. Today turned into quite the volcanic venture, an igneous exploration. I waked over all sorts of obsidian, passing volcanoes, lava fields, BOWSERs CASTLE (it’s not called that), and more. At the end of the day I ran into 4 girls (1 couple) who had hiked the trail the year before and they also offered me beers and conversations. I really wish more people had chocolate milk or soda or something, but in certain cultures it is very rude to refuse a free beer so I obliged.

Day 94 [1988-2017]

I woke up early in the strange smoky lava landscape and began hiking. Today the trail passed by a seventh day Adventist camp that serves a buffet—I ate 4 plates of biscuits and gravy and didn’t move quickly again today.

Around mid day I passed a girl on the side of the trail who saw my cross and excitedly said “Oh my goodness are you my first fellow Catholic on trail” to which I said “non-Catholics can hypothetically also have pretty things…. But I’m close enough 👍”. Then she said, “wait, can I please hike with you” and I obliged.

She liked Lord of The Rings, poetry, the church, and obviously the outdoors so we had a lot to talk about. We exchanged poetry that we knew to pass the time hiking amongst a myriad of other conversations. At one point she asked if I had ever heard of A River Runs Through It? I laughed at the latest in a long string of common interests and then proudly recited the last 3 pages of the story which I memorized for my high schools speech contest.

She was definitely an A+ trail friend, albeit very slow

At camp we met her friend who runs a Christian kids camp and who’s wife and him were hiking the Oregon section of the PCT. I was so happy to have such friends but I had gone much slower while talking to a short girl who does not have “ent-strides”. I knew I had to meet my Mom in a few days so I decided to eat dinner with them and night hike to catch back up.

As I ate dinner and listened to the two of them talk, the conversation shifted to my favorite topic. The nondenominational, evangelical camp director let slip a comment that revealed his thoughts on salvation. I jumped in to press him and he, to his credit, humbly and honestly admitted he thought at least half of Catholics wouldn’t go to heaven for believing in “works based salvation”. This is not a position that is unfamiliar to me coming from the evangelical south, but rightfully was one that was shocking to this sweet Catholic girl from Oregon.

Claiming both Protestantism and Catholicism as my heritage (Anglican) I was fascinated to mediate between the two devout Christian’s debate. {interestingly all 3 of us quoted the great apologist and Anglican CS Lewis}

Needless to say, I did not have time for night hiking. This was however, spiritual, social and intellectual food for a starving Treebeard and I don’t regret it.

Day 95 [2017-2065]

Me and “boots” the camp director agreed to wake up at 4:30 to push big miles so he could meet his wife that afternoon and I could make up on time. We had a great 8 hours of hiking and deep talking and friendship. We started early and smoothly and cruised 12 miles by 9:15!!

Many PCT hikers attempt a 24 hour challenge where they hike without stopping. Because I am alone and afraid of injury I wasn’t going to attempt one. “How mature I am” I thought.

-Of course, hiking 18 hours straight off a short night of sleep and after long days before and after is definitely worse than 24 hours with rest on both sides. I also picked a very steep, rocky day for my challenge..

Nonetheless I left boots at around 3 to his wife and kept pushing along solo.

After a few miles I found and fought a forest fire, but more on that separately!

Anyways, by 11 pm I had made it 50 miles in one day, carrying a heavy pack, crossing a significant mountain, stopping for a resupply, and fighting a fire. I was very tired, check stats below. Luckily I had some buddies call me on the way home from the bar to entertain me for 2 of the last few miles ❤️ (our lives look very different right now)

Day 96 [2065-2098]

I woke up feeling horrible. I was malnourished and dehydrated and under slept and normal sore.

Today was supposed to be the easiest smoothest stretch of the entire trail. I suppose it must have been because I did it when I was so tired…

Anyways, I still pushed 33 miles the day after 50 miles and 8300 calories burned. Working on building my pain tolerance…

Also, the smoke from the grasshopper fire was probably not helping my cardio. That said, I sure love the old growth forests. Pictures can’t do their mystical feeling justice.

Very Fangorn (which is my real name of course)

Day 97 [2098-2018.8]

Knowing I needed it, I slept in until 8. Then, actually feeling much better, I walked the 2 miles up to the famous Timberline lodge (see the Shining) and enjoyed 2 delicious breakfasts. For the second one I invited a Slovakian hiker named Jan to eat with me. We talked about America, language, and the Soviet Union. After that I went to Ramona falls, caught another glimpse of the very smoky mt. Hood I had just been on, and went to bed knowing I would see my sweet mother tomorrow. I did have to eat my macaroni with a tent stake because I lost my spoon 😢.

Day 98 [218.8-2150]

Fall comes early to the mountains and the leaves are already changing. Perhaps I will have fall in the mountains now, later in Raleigh, and then finally a third time in Austin. I hope so

I woke up at 5, hiked 17.5 to Tunnel falls by noon, met my mom, gave her a hug, walked across the bridge of the gods into Washington, ate early dinner burger, ate late dinner sushi, ate a pack of cookie dough, showered 3 times, and slept in a bed. That’s peak!!!

Day 99

I did literally nothing and it was glorious. Nothing like mom to make you rest. Also, apparently this is the wind surfing Mecca of the US?

Day 100

Today I begin the state of Washington. The bottom 250 miles of trail are completely open and only partially smoky. I will do those quickly. Then the last 250 miles of trail are closed due to wildfires. I am planning alternate routes around the fires.

I will find a way to get to that border, I just hope it doesn’t mean walking by the highway. Right now it looks like national forests will get me the way. I would say pray for rain, but then I would be cold…

I’m about ready to finish, it’s time for society. Nonetheless, I am doing well mentally, spiritually and even physically?

Love

-Treebeard