Ups and Downs and Up&Downs

First I would like to apologize for taking nearly a month to update the blog. Computers have been few and far between and its hard to find the motivation to do anything other than eat and pass out at the end of a long day so I havnt really written anything down.

I'm currently at Snoqualmie Pass at I-90, mile 2401. These are my old stomping grounds as we're just 45 minutes up the road from Seattle. Since I gloated and bragged about my speed and total domintion of the Oregon PCT, the trail quickly flipped on me and let me know who is in charge...

Upon returning from the "break" weekend in Portland and Casacde Locks, the pacific NW rains began to set in. And made for by far the most miserable week (to that point) of the trail. Miles of snow feilds and blistering desert heat dont compare to constant rain. Eventually everything gets wet, everything. The worst part was that we missed some of the best scenery OR and the trail had to offer; Three Sisters, Mt Washington, 3 Finger Jack, and Mt Jefferson. We basically had to keep our heads down and power through the 20 feet of visibilty for over a 100 miles.

Our luck did began to change when we arrived to Cascade Locks (this time hiking in) and spent a couple days drying out and hangin out with Brandon. The Eagle Creek trail coming into the town was one the coolest parts of the trail. You basically follow the creek down a gorge to the border. The trail offers plenty of waterfalls and bridges but the jewel of the trail is Tunnel Falls where the trail actually goes through a blasted tunnel behind the 150 foot falls.

After crossing the Bridge of the Gods into Washington a group of about 14 thru-hikers and I decided to take the "alternate" route through the towns of Stevnson and Carson, which saves about 15 miles and basically becomes the unofficial PCT Pub Crawl... long story short we raged it pretty hard in all 3 cities and celebrated properly for making to WA.

Our first week in Washington was easily the most scenic and rewarding week on the trail. I've been hiking steadily with Train and his childhood friend "Croation Sensation" and his girlfriend "Not a Chance" (both have thru-hiked the PCT before) and the one and only "AssFace". We all have a lot of fun together and its made for a very uplifting week. Hiking around the lower slopes of Mt Adams was incredible. Nothing so far has compared to the Goat Rocks Wilderness though. Its been awhile since we've been in high alpine country. But the vistas from the tops the Goat Rocks of Rainier, St Helens and Adams were in my opinion the best views of the entire trail. This wilderness also includeda couple glacier crossings and a 2 mile section called the "Knifes Edge" where the trail strattles a ridge that has shear drop-offs of 1000 feet down each side.

But once again the trail does what it wants, and while we got an extremly rare clear and sunny week in southern washington (most hikers rarely get to see the 3 stratovolcanoes from Goat Rocks) the gloom and doom of the NW rain came back with a fury and the 4 days of hiking since leaving White Pass have been extremly difficult and depressing to be honest. The rain here has been colder and harder than the Oregon section. And walking through the over-grown vegitation is like walking through a human car wash. My feet are taking a beating, Train has developed Trench Foot and mine arent doing much better. Even with proper rain gear (which i now have, I didnt in Oregon) everything gets soaked through eventually; my clothes, tent (inside and out) and my sleeping bag. Its been easily the most miserable week of my life. And every morning i wake up cold and wet, this trail tests my resolve to the fullest. Its hard to find motivation to keep going. We've taking a few days to dry things out and watch some football, but going forward continues to a difficult task.

I'm in limbo and need some sun. Fingers crossed that this weather breaks and I can continue a bit more happily. However the weather forcast looks liek rain the rest of the way. Just 10 days of hiking left and i've purchased my ticket back to Albuquerque for tuesday the 5th so there is a definitive end in sight. I just dont want to hit the finish line miserable and unhappy with the trail. Got to get back at it, this next section is one of the most difficult sections as far as climbing goes. We'll see.

Fording the River, the Oxen drowned, Brandon got Tuberulosis

Camping at Cascade Locks, you literally stare into Washington, separated only by this tiny little river known as the Columbia River. You know, the last river you have to ford in Oregon Trail to win the game. Oh you don't? You must've had a broken axle or ran out of food already.

Flying out to meet up with Caleb and Train, I realized this was going to be a different type of journey. Meeting up with them, I realized, they were, as its known in the movies "in it." 30 mile days, 4 mph walking pace, a beard that would make a Canadian blush, and a trail reputation to back up their exploits. It took us a few days to meet up, as it was dumping rain the first several days (it does that in the Pacific Northwest) and they were coming down from Mt. Hood, around yet another fire detour, and coming to their lowest point on the trail, seeing me again. Wait...

I was fortunate to get to spend some time in Portland with a good friend of mine, John. And, I take full credit for discovering that the only public transportation route from Portland to Cascade Locks. However, once the rain had resided, and as I was sitting at Cascade Locks after hiking the infamous Eagle Creek Trail, talking with thru hiker after thru hiker, tracking Caleb and Train only as a knowledgeable ex-thru hiker can, I realized to myself, I was no longer "in it." My drive, and motivation, had somehow vanished. I'm not sure if it melted with the rain, or if it was the lure of other adventures, but I realized that I would only stare at Washington, that Washington was saved as a crown jewel for those who had scraped through the entire state of California, and torched Oregon in their paths.

So, John graciously drove to Cascade Locks to pick me up so we could go into Portland and catch the Tennessee opening game. Approximately midway through the 3rd quarter, I could sense it, a creature resembling Harry and the Hendersons sat right next to me with a joyous "How ARE You?!". It was Caleb. My god, what a beard this man had grown. Caleb, Train, John, and I enjoyed a night out on the town in Portland. The next day, we made it to breakfast, and then the airport where I was given a fairly sweet deal on a rental car for the next several days. It was my full intention to hike Mt. St. Helens and drive down to Crater Lake, hiking around the rim, before I returned back to Tennessee. I've always dreamt of visiting both places. The destruction at Mt. St. Helens is absolutely humbling, and Crater Lake is something every man, woman, and beast should see in their lifetime.

So, in summary, if you were asking yourself the question "What is going on here?" This is what is going on. Brandon spent nearly two weeks self-exploring the Northwest, spent close to a week with Caleb, who can feel the end of trip. I would note, for those whom text with him, that cell phone coverage will be very spotty as his next stops are White Pass (rumor has it he is already there), Steven's Pass (Snoqualmie near Seattle), Skykomish, WA, and Stehekin, WA. And then? Well... that's it.

If I were betting, I'd bet he has 3 weeks left. If you pray, pray for good weather for Caleb. If you don't, cross your fingers for Caleb.

Blevins. Out.