Day 108: On the Trail Again
Date: Fri 8/3
PCT Start Mile: 1718.7
PCT End Mile: 1750.6
PCT Mileage for Day: 31.9
Total PCT Mileage: 1750.6
The Highlights: Ted, mellow hiking, and lots of forest views
Back to the trail today! After eating the continental breakfast at the hotel, we packed up the last of our stuff and hit the road, our thumbs up at the corner of the on-ramp to I-5 South. For ten minutes or so, absolutely no vehicles made this turn at all. Ugh. Finally, a pickup was in the turn lane to turn onto the ramp and he promptly pulled over to pick us up. Yay!
Our hero driver was Ted. He drove a four door pick-up with a pop-up camper over the bed and helped us to put our bags in the back before we all climbed into the front seat, his back seat full of travel stuffs. He was originally from California but had been living in Ashland for just over a year and was on his way down to Santa Cruz for a week. He was a super friendly, happy guy and it came as no shock to us when he mentioned he had worked at the local ski slope as a “ski host”, the job of which is basically to greet and help people and make sure everyone is having a great time. He had just the personality for this job. Great guy.
Dropping us at the trail head, when we took our bags out of the back of his camper, it seemed one of my water bottles had leaked. He didn’t seem worried about it at all, but wanted to make sure I had enough water, so refilled my bottle from a giant jug he had in the camper. We thanked him again and he was off with a wave and a smile.
We also saw several familiar faces at the trail head. Pilgrim and Bang had just gotten dropped off, as well as Foxworthy. We had last seen Bang in Mt Shasta, but hadn’t seen Pilgrim for a ways before that. Foxworthy we had only just met a day before we went into Ashland. We chatted with them all briefly and then it was time to hike.
It was just before 8:30am when we started down the trail. Or should I say, up the trail. So far we have not seen this flat Oregon that we have heard so much about.
We spent the day undulating through the forest – up short, but mentionable, climbs that typically lasted anywhere from a few steps to a mile. Luckily, while there were short steep sections, overall the climbing was fairly mellow – or at least short enough – to keep up a good pace, and we kept up about a 3 mph pace all day.
Leaf water spout.
The majority of the hike today was actually fairly boring, mostly through forest without many open views. While the morning seemed fairly clear, the afternoon views were shrouded in a vail of smoky haze once again.
Lunch break in the shade of the shitter. It didn’t smell, otherwise we would have found a better spot!
While most of the hike had been a little less than inspiring in the scenery department, the evening sunset was very pretty. It began as pink light filtering through the trees and across the trail. Eventually more and more color filled the sky around the red sun. It was hard to get a photo with so many trees, but the photo couldn’t do it justice anyway.
Tonight we were almost camping alone – the first time in awhile – but right as we got in the tent to go to sleep, another hiker showed up and set up camp nearby. We were actually surprised there weren’t other hikers in the site when we arrived, since it can fit several tents, but there were also some campground options not far off the trail that some may have taken advantage of tonight.
The days are starting to grow shorter and where there was still a small bit of light in the sky at 9:30pm only a month ago, tonight it is mostly dark. Tonight is also nice and cool – great for sleeping.
