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<\/a><\/p>\nBridge of the Gods at night<\/p>\n
Cross-State Logistics <\/p>\n
In retrospect, it would\u2019ve been cheaper and more comfortable to arrange renting a car with other hikers.\u00a0 I had to get a shuttle 60 miles to Grants Pass skipping Ashland, where I had a Motel 6 room.\u00a0 Walked a mile at 3 am, then rode 5 hours on the no legroom Greyhound.\u00a0 I got dropped off at Union Station in Portland.\u00a0 I walked 6 miles through the verdant city (by choice, as there was a tram) to Gateway Station.\u00a0 Once there, I picked up the Gorge Bus which dropped me off at Cascade Locks. <\/p>\n
Luckily, I found a ride back with a hiker who rented a mini-van, a more comfortable trip back. Though, between early morning, logistics, and reuniting with fellow hikers, I was tired before the first day of the festival.\u00a0 Fortunately, I was like the fourth person on Thunder Island this year, so I got a great tent-site.\u00a0 Important as I saw a few hats go into the river from the wind.<\/p>\n
One of the salt licking menace<\/p>\n Broken Promises<\/p>\n Day One of PCT Days went well for me.\u00a0 Not a drinker, so I didn\u2019t attend the pre-festival bar party.\u00a0 Chilled and charged batteries in the sparse outlets before they became overwhelmed.\u00a0 Got the free breakfast the morning of, played in a hiker-golf tournament, and got second breakfast. <\/p>\n I had a few goals for PCT Days.\u00a0 Mostly gear replacements, namely my pants.\u00a0 Of all the gear I have, my pants were the only thing that truly saw every step of California.\u00a0 My socks and shoes have been replaced multiple times, but my pants I\u2019ve sewn, sewn, and re-sewn countless times.\u00a0 So much so that \u2018These pants are making it to Canada\u2019 has became a catchphrase of mine.<\/p>\n More Than Pants<\/p>\n However, they got to the point where the pants were ripping from being repaired.\u00a0 It truly broke my heart to replace them.\u00a0 I find that in modern society, replacement is the first choice while repairing is a less common option.\u00a0 I tend to operate in reverse.\u00a0 Where the average phone ownership is less than 2 years, I hold onto phones for a decade.\u00a0 More if I don\u2019t accidentally drown them. <\/p>\n To me, items that I\u2019ve had for a time own me more than I own them.\u00a0 The ripped pants I was so reluctant to replace were more me than my fingernails.\u00a0 I saw them every morning, night, lunch break, cat-hole episode.\u00a0 They served me well, keeping me cool during the day, warm at night, protected from the sun, defended from the bugs.\u00a0 There is no replacing the time, character, and sewn thread I\u2019ve developed with them.\u00a0 There is only replacing their function and I was saddened to do so.<\/p>\n A burn scar<\/p>\n Rest Of PCT Days<\/p>\n Other than gear replacement, there were some fun activities such as a cowboy camp set-up race, hang challenge, social scavenger hunt, and lots of spinning prize wheels.\u00a0 Some good free items, mostly glamorized trash, some raffled off gear, lots of expensive gear sold.\u00a0 Though I caught up with lots of hikers I haven\u2019t seen since the desert. Hell Yeah, Back Flip, Bedazzle, Karaoke, Dipper, Deuce, Battery Pack, High Tide, Chinchilla, Calendar, Rocket Sauce, Margarita, Da Queen and lots more.<\/p>\n It\u2019s weird how most hikers really only know their bubble, yet I felt I was acquainted with half the hikers at trail days.\u00a0 But I was exhausted by end of day 1, laid in bed most of day two, crawled out, had a few interactions which landed me right back to exhaustion.\u00a0 Took High Tide up on her offered ride back and stay at her place in Portland that night to get away from the crowd.<\/p>\n Portland<\/p>\n Back At It<\/p>\n Whilst fun, I felt ready to get back to the woods and mountains.\u00a0 After a comfortable ride back to trail in the rented mini-van, I found myself in an endless pine forest trail only interrupted by other occasional dirt paths.\u00a0 The lichen growing on the branches, the soft shade, sandy soil, and red stones.\u00a0 Wasn\u2019t a bad few dozen miles.\u00a0 Met back up with Pack Rat, who took time off to see family. <\/p>\n Got to Crater Lake, or Mazama Village more precisely, last night.\u00a0 Just in time before the scoop shop closed.\u00a0 Though packs a little heavier from the extra weight of my old pants.\u00a0 I said they were making it to Canada, and these pants are making it to Canada!<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n