Riv's 2015 PCT, Day 35, July 30

Day 35, Thursday, July 30. From  PCT mile 1875.75, elev. 5821, walked 19.56 miles to PCT mile 1895.31, elev. 6964. Total up/down +3125/-2013. 

Dear Trail Friends,

It is just past 9pm and I am in my tent. Not nearly as tired as previous day's even though I hiked as far. I think one big difference is that I had a wonderful two hour mid-day rest at a lake that included both a dip and a chance to rinse out my clothes. I can really see how water became sacred imagery for rebirth. I was so dirty and it felt so wonderful to be washed clean. The water totally transformed how I felt. 

I had walked further the last two days just so I could arrive at this lake in the mid-day heat and go in. 

Photo 1. I come to a pass and get a view of a lake -- no, several lakes. I wonder which one will be Summit Lake, the lake the trail skirts. 

Photo 2. I am watching the gps and knowing the lake will be soon and eager and suddenly I realize through the trees I see blue that is lower than sky would be and that I am almost there!

Photo 3. I arrive. The lake is wonderful. John, who I have camped with two nights in a row (he lives in Bend and is out for a spontaneous 7-day hike, after biking with friends near Crater Lake and deciding he wanted to hike home to Bend, joins me a little later. (He hikes faster but I get up much earlier. Started at 5:15 this morning). I ask if he minds me skinny dipping and he tells a wonderful story of a wedding he went to in a circle of friends who have a tradition of "streaking" at their weddings -- old, middle-aged, young running through totally nude carrying sparklers. He said it was wonderful. I wade put in my clothes, take them off, squeeze them out a few times, dive under and swim a few strokes, wade out, wrong wrong everything out and drape socks, bandana-towel, pants on evergreen boughs to dry in the sun. I wear my shirt and underpants and they dry quickly. I enjoy such a leisurely time there doing this and that I can't even recall what but feeling totally relaxed in pressured and deeply refreshed--almost transformed--by the water. 

John says he plans to hike 8 more miles and that is exactly what I hoped to do if it was not a push, so I could arrive tomorrow in Shelter Cove with time for laundry, shower , sorting through and repackaging my resupply box, and be able to hike a mile or two and then camp or stay overnight and start early Saturday. We realize we are thinking of the same campsite, so I ask him to save me a space. Our friends G and G (George and Gail) from BC decided not to hike so far. George is having bad blisters from shoes he got that are not a good fit. I had a nice conversation with George ( quite a few of us camped last night at an area with quite a lot of sites just beside a very welcome water cache that we had heard about from a southbound hiker and that meant we could carry a lot less water weight--a real blessing. ) last night. I noticed he talked about how much things cost and I said he reminded me a little of my father and Scottish relatives for whom thrift was practically a sacred virtue and wondered if he was Scottish. Turned out he was, both his maternal grandparents born there, and his sister had done a lot of genealogy work -- in fact had gone back to school and gotten a second degree in genealogy. He told me they had planned their PCT hike for last summer and then his sister was diagnosed with late stage cancer and he had to stay to see her through. He broke down in tears and apologized. I told him he was expressing feelings I had inside me but was afraid of. 

Anyway, I found John waiting for me at the next water stop, a beautiful creek, and I so enjoyed the walk today. I so loved the mountains, the woods. And felt a love for all the Oregonians who love their state so much and want to hike the Oregon PCT. John enjoyed pointing out mountains to me and telling me their names, and he let me borrow his phone which had coverage to let Chris know I'm alright and helped me get a little rock out of my "dirty" water bag. He is quite gregarious and clearly takes joy in giving. Part of me wanted to slip away and camp alone after two nights camped around other people. But part of me decided to accept the gifts the trail provides. 

Photos 4 and 5. Little lily ponds beside the trail as we left Lake Summit behind. Later, just before the 1500 ft climb there was a large pond and I walked in and dived under with all my clothes on (not my barely dried, newly washed socks) so I could have wet clothes to help cool me on the hot uphill hike. I also listened to music -- I've decided to just trust I will have enough battery backup ( and be able to recharge my backup in Shelter Cove) and to give myself the gift of music. Like water it is transformative and rejuvenating. My breath, heartbeat and spine all seem to connect with the rhythm and come to unity as the Quakers might say and move together as if they were dancing. What are the words from that Pink Martini song -- something about when we dance I sway like a flower in the breeze -- a sense of a deep harmony in my body between breath and heartbeat and the sway of my spine as I walk. 

Photo 5. At the tentsite John points out with excitement the three Sisters -- three Oregon mountains (also known as Faith, Hope and Charity) which are very near where he Lives. In fact he runs up the southern sister (the one who has a top that shows she has been known to be a little bit explosive in the past and who is over 10,000 ft). The other two have the wonderful pointy tops that I so love in Oregon mountains. John says I will hike right by them. This photo shows John with the southern sister behind him. 

Photo 6. These two lovely young people -- Chelsea/Chickpea and Evan/I-Nominate--stopped briefly at our campsite to introduce themselves. They are the young people from Orcas I had heard so much about who are thru-hiking from Mexico! Can you believe they found me? She has been working at the elementary school in a very progressive and creative farm to food program, he has worked at the local coop and The Kitchen, a wonderful local restaurant with both a health and a creative flare. They both plan to go back to college and finish up their degrees at Prescott College in Arizona, a school I had not heard of but one that sounds like a perfect match for them with progressive programs and lots of older students.  

This was a near perfect day. I know the water and music and beautiful mountains and trees and weather and people all helped. But I also suspect that my exhaustion the last few days was due to poison oak to which I am very sensitive. I had big swollen red welts on my ankle and couldn't figure out if they were poison oak or Mosquitos. But o have been applying my "mean green soap" (a remedy for poison oak) regularly and it seems to give real relief and i suspect  that's another reason I feel better. 

But a really sad thing. I have been unable to post these blogs via wifi and my internet connection via AT&T is not working at all, even in those rare moments when I have coverage. I hope at some point to call AT&T ( who will no doubt say it is an iPhone problem) and Apple, to try to fix it, if I ever have coverage. Meanwhile I go on writing and imagine you here with me reading, even if there is a long time lag. And I thank you and love your presence. I would not take the time to reflect on my day if you were not there listening. Thank you. 

See you tomorrow.