7.28.18

You dont always know who you’re sleeping next to . . . or sometimes you do, and just don’t know it!

I had got into camp late the night before. All 3 people there were already asleep so I set up and went through my nightly routine as quickly and qietly as possible. In the morning I woke early as usual and started to pack up. With my bag on my back I noticed that 2 of the 3 were still in bed and probably woulnt have known I was ever there. The third was getting ready just a bush away. As he rounded the corner I noticed it was Bearcan!

“Hey man!” I exclaimed in a wisper. We were both delighted to see each other, and I didnt think I would ever catch up to him. In our excitement I looked over and noticed the person cowboy camping sat up, it was JellyBones! The guy in the tent was Trout! It was so crazy to think I camped next to all 3 people I knew and also was trying to catch up to. We chatted on shortly and Bearcan and I hiked out.

The mornings miles went quickly. The air was cool, the pines were pretty, and we chatted on as the trail seemed to take us as a roller coaster through the landscape. We stopped for a quick break and water before pressing on. Bearcan was in a hurry and wanted to get north quickly so he headed off. I said I’d catch him Seiad Valley.

The trail dive bombed from the nice temps at 5000 feet down to the bomby, humid climate od Seid Valley at 1300 feet. There was smoke in the air as well. It seemed to just get thicker as I decended. The canyon I was decending was lush and green, tons of ferns, plantlife of all kinds, and of course blackberries! I found a few bushes and paused for a while stuffing the tasty sweet morsels into my mouth.

After exiting the bottom of the trail I saw Penguin and her group (Flipper, Froggy, Tiny Slice, Snacks, and TrashQueen) just getting dressed after a swim. I wished I had time to dive in, but I wanted to get to the store before they closed at 7 and there was still a 5 mile roadwalk ahead of me. We chatted for a bit and I pressed on.

Soon Froggy caught up with me and we chatted on, walking the last miles quickly into town. The store was a little beat up and there were The Great State of Jefferson signs all about the place. It was interesting, but they had food that I needed and a place to charge my battery bank. Bearcan and the rest of Penguins group all assembed outside, chatting on and getting new food stores for the days ahead. We were all buzzing about Oregon being in reach.

The group pushed out, and hoping my battery would charge more I stayed until 9 before hiking out. I hiked in the dark 2 miles up the large climb. The first camp I came to had 2 tents and not much space. The hikers were already alseep, so I decided to hike on. Just a quarter mile later I found a spring and a flat spot where I could put my tent. Bingo! Within minutes I was set up and crawling into my tent. What a good day!

Hiker Profile:

Froggy – 26, from Columbus Ohio, and most recently Denver CO. A fun loving, and very particular fella, he enjoyed history podcasts and generally just learning about theworld around him. After a breakup with a long time girlfriend, he decided to hit the trail and sort things out. A quick hiker, he speeds on the downhills and whistles as he does it.

Podcast reccomend dation: The stuff you missed in history