Photo 7. After my excursion I wanted to go all out and still follow my original program, so I was wanting to go 8 or 9 miles without a rest. (I usually rest, including usually shoes and socks off and feet allowed to air and dry, and some time in an inverted posture. Usually also including a meal or snack. ) so we had a long conversation between the "foot soldiers" and the "general." Representing the foot soldiers was a sergeant who said "with all due respect, sir, the enlisted men need their rest and provision. It wouldn't be right to penalize them for officer error." The general thought over that one and capitulated. We were however hiking through a burn area with absolutely no place to rest without getting covered in soot.
Photo 8. Finally we found an oasis of green trees in the midst of the burn area. It is always amazing to me how good it feels to lie upside down and look up through the treetops to the sky.
Photo 9. I think that might be the lake I hiked down to -- it looks a long way off from here. Close up, more rock. But the lava rock was lighter, grey and gold and red, and I liked it a lot better than the black yesterday. Or maybe I was just in a better mood? Some of it looked similar in texture and shape to yesterday (kind of chunky) and some was in smooth pieces that seemed broken from a one inch or so thick layer -- I don't know for sure this shale/slate/like stuff was originally lava or not. I liked it a lot. I especially liked the way it clinked and rang when the pieces collided as I walked through.
Really wishing I knew some geology.
Photo 10. Klamath Lake. I wondered if it could be Crater Lake, but my compass said it was south and that pretty much ruled it out. Then I met some hikers who told me. They were day hikers and kept telling me how awesome I was to be hiking the whole trail. It embarrasses me and made me feel very good.
Photo 11. This is a triple wow. That means I came to this pass and said "wow" out loud. Then I looked around and said it again. Then I looked more and said it a third time. So Oregon too has its "wow"s.
I'm in my tent now at the place I stopped-- not where I'd planned before the excursion but not totally impossible to hike to Mazama tomorrow if my body is feeling good. It would be an 18.47 mile walk and it includes, as is usual with the PCT, some significant climbs. I've had a really beautiful way despite getting lost -- I've loved being out here and took more than twice as many photos as I felt able to post. My one big disappointment though was that I was looking forward to cell coverage today -- but I had misread the cell coverage report, it was based on the "old" PCT mile numbers and I had assumed it was the new ones. The actual coverage was 10 miles back from where I was expecting it.
So I am glad to at least be able to write this, not knowing of course when I will be able to post it, and missing being able to talk with Chris and hear her voice.
Wishing you happy trails,
River
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