Pano shots

Traveling from north to south seems to ease you into the scenery.

While Yosemite seems epic at first, after travelling about 60 miles out of the valley, you escape the hustle and bustle and really settle in to spectacular scenery. Each pass and col I reach seems to be more epic than the last.

Unlike other hikers who usually plan a set mileage per day, I like to stop if I find a great camps pot, or push on for longer days of I'm feeling good.

Here's a couple of my favourite shots from the first 100 miles.

Yosemite valley to Reds Meadows

I woke up at 4am to do Half Dome Summit before starting my hike out of the valley. Normally, you need a permit, but Annalyse told me she did it and if you get to the trailhead before 8 am you're in the clear. It was way steeper than I thought and the cables looked like they would be hard to climb back down but I just kept saying to myself "if Annalyse can do this I can do it!"

It seemed like Cathedral Lake to Touolomne Meadows was mostly downhill and in the shade so I had a long day and made it 20 miles.

Ashland to San Fransisco with Marybeth

"Just let go. Let go of how you thought life should be and embrace the life that is trying to work its way into your consciousness. " Carolyn Myss

Before Elizabeth Gilbert and Cheryl Strayed there was Marybeth Bond. And before Marybeth there have been countless other women who have decided to go out alone and see what's out there; to break out of a routine and to ask, "Is there more?"

It takes a tremendous amount of courage to do this. To explain to friends and family that you're going travelling alone. To some it may seem selfish or crazy, but in the end, these leaps of faith that start with tuning into your intuition are the most selfless acts because they can transform an individual onto someone stronger; someone who can love more and be an inspiration for all around them.

Sarah met Mary Beth at the IWF conference in Ashland, and naturally, they hit it off. The next thing I knew, Sarah was sending me a text saying, "I met a wonderful lady at dinner. She's a travel writer and she'll give you a ride to San Fransisco!"

Coincidentally, Marybeth's daughter Annalyse had done the JMT last year so the drive from Ashland to San Fransisco was filled with texts back and forth as Marybeth made arrangements with her husband Gary and Annalyse to have/prepare dinner that night. I got all the trail beta from Annalyse, and Gary gave me a printed itinerary he had made up for the trip which calculated distances and can locations which has been very helpful so far.

Once again, I was showered with hospitality on this leg of my journey. Marybeth juggled playing tour-guide and chauffeur so I could get some final supplies and Gary did some research for me on walk-in clinics so I could get some antibiotics for me blisters. If it wasn't for the antibiotics the next leg of my journey would not have been possible.

Gary and Marybeth compliment each other perfectly. It was such a delight to meet this couple.

Marybeth got me to the train station with my belly and bag full of yummy treats and my heart full and overflowing.

I have so much love and respect for this amazing woman. Thank you Marybeth for opening your heart and understanding the significance of this journey for me.

People Along the Way

Starting in southern Oregon in mid August allowed me to see and meet many NOBO's (Northbound) travelers around their 4 month mark. By this time they had hiked nearly 2,000 miles and mastered their pace, packing, and gear.


Although most hikers were only interested in talking water sources, and trail magic, I did meet and talk with a couple great characters.
Max aka "Friendly Green Giant".
I met Max at dusk after he had finished a 33 mile day walking from Mazama Village to Theilsen Creek. I asked him if he had any spare duct tape. I had used the last of mine earlier in the day and knew I wouldn't get very far the next day without it.  I didn't have much to offer him in exchange for the tape, but I let him know about the great campsite I had found just off the creek junction trail. We was grateful to find a flat and beautiful spot so we called it even.



In the morning we talked about the trail and gear. He had the same shoes as me which gave me hope that if he had made it 2,000 miles in his, I could surely do a fraction of the distance in mine.

He explained the "Friendly" part of his title was dropped after he became " a bit ornery" trudging through the snow in the Sierras. But I assured him he would remain "The Friendly Green Giant" in my books after offering me a generous portion of duct tape and lots of trail beta.



Later that day I met Garry, an older gentleman knows as "Monkey Wrench" who was walking north from Crater Lake to complete his final section of trail after years of section hiking. He had every inch of his skin covered  and was even wearing gloves despite the fact that it was 105 degrees outside.



Mama Lion and Boon
A mother and her son who was probably about 11 years old wearing a Davy Crockett hat. They had started in Mexico and were on track to get to Canada with the rest of the herd. I was blow away by their casual presence as she juggled talking to me, filtering water, and getting Boon focused for the next stretch of trail. She told me if I ran into "Mary Poppins," a girl with dreds and an orange backpack to tell her they were just ahead.   What an amazing duo! I never did see Mary Poppins, but I had visions of a girl on the trail pulling out endless luxury items like a cooler full of ice cold drinks, and pillows, and chocolate fondu from her little orange backpack.



Forrest and Veylah
I ran into this beautiful father and daughter while splurging on a root beer and a giant peanut butter cookie at the Crater Lake Canteen. They were not hiking the PCT but Forrest explained he made routine visits to Crater Lake because he too felt the lake had amazing energy and healing powers. He told me the wind spirit of the lake was called Llao.

He invited me to the Crater Lake Lodge for some appetizers before he and his daughter drove home. I accepted and we had a very interesting conversation about the Mayan Calendar, and how it's based on a 13 moon system as opposed to the Gregorian calendar based on 12.  Forrest was well versed in the writings by José Argüelles who is  recognized as one of the creators of the Earth Day concept and founder of the Whole Earth Festival. According to Jose's Harmonic Module, Forrest figured out that my Galactic Signature is a Blue Rhythmic Monkey and one of the meditations for this symbol is:
I am guided by my own power doubled.
I still haven't grasped how the calendar works, but I love this mantra! You can get your own galactic signature at lawoftime.org😊

"Who owns your time owns your mind; own your own time and know your own mind."
—Jose Arguelles/Valum Votan

Trail Magic: Mazama Village to Ashland with Sarah

"Start to view everything that happens in your life as potentially the best thing that has ever happened to you."
Carolyn Myss


After soaking in all the sun and moonlight I could at Crater Lake I was feeling recharged and energized. I refused to worry about how my blisters would impact the rest of my trip but did accept that carrying on all the way to Ashland could cause potential long term damage. The possibility of infection was high because I had used everything in my first aid kit, and the trail was going to remain sandy and temps were going to stay above 100 degrees for the rest of the week. I knew the next section was dry, and did not have as much to offer in terms of scenery and decided I was okay with ending my first section on a high note. I also felt the magic of Crater Lake wear off once I got to Mazama Village and saw some very unhappy campers, and haggard hikers hanging around the store.

It was Friday morning. Ryan had shipped my old shoes to Ashland priority post and I was determined to get there before it closed - and this is where the most amazing turn of events unfolded.


Unable to walk, and in the middle of nowhere with no public transit, I knew I would have to hitchhike. It's not something I would normally do, but I decided to give myself until 1:30 to get picked up since this would be the latest time that would allow me to get the package before the post office closed for the weekend. If I couldn't get a good ride before then, I would walk back to Mazama Village, get more water, and then find a place to camp along the trail a little further south and let my blisters dry out over the weekend.


I waited for about 1.5 hours in the heat of the day. The asphalt was so hot it felt like it was burning the soles of my already tender feet. Only five cars passed me and no one stopped. Finally a group of SOBO hikers walked by and told me my ASHLAND sign was so small they could hardly ready it. I decided to give up on the sign, held out my thumb, and when I could see the next car in the distance I gently whispered, "I'm a good person." To my delight the car pulled over.

The driver's name was Sarah and she was on her way to an International Women's Forum conference in Ashland.
   

She said she picked me up because she had just hitchhiked a week before to complete a shuttle after rafting the Salmon River in Idaho and knew how it felt.


We had a great drive. She was an amazing woman who had climbed, hiked and skied all over the United States and the world. The drive went by quickly and I was enjoying the air conditioning while looking at the thermostat reading 107 degrees outside.


Sarah took me right to the post office in time to pick up the package. Ashland is a major PCT hub and there were hikers everywhere mailing and packing boxes full of food and supplies. I was disgusted that I smelled just as bad as them, and had probably been on a trail for a lot less time!



Unfortunately, when I showed the woman at the desk my tracking number, the package was being held in Medford, one town back towards where we had come from. She assured me it would arrive Saturday and even though the post office was closed, I could pick it up at the back door.

Sarah then told me a bit about her weekend itinerary and mentioned she would see if her hotel room had an extra bed, and if so, I could stay with her. In the meantime she wanted to take me out for lunch before she met up with some of the other ladies.


We chatted about resort town politics in her hometown of Sun Valley Idaho, and Revelstoke. I had a delicious crispy chicken salad and we shared a burger. I thought my luck could not get any better.

But it did!....



I ended up staying with Sarah for the weekend in a beautiful hotel and picked up my package on Saturday after taking in the sights at the farmers market. Everything was so pleasant and everyone was so friendly. Sarah also lent me her car so I could get around and run some errands to help me get ready for the Yosemite portion of the trip.


This is when I realized that although I was sharing the trail with hundreds of other hikers, I was on my own path.


The generosity and trust Sarah had in me is unbelievable. So many things could have gone wrong: I could have been crazy, she could have been crazy, I could have been a snorer and kept her up all night, the list is endless, but in the end, I think this was a lesson in trusting your guts and opening your heart.


I have so many fond memories of my time in Ashland.

Here is Sarah hiking with pack llamas in Idaho. How cool is this!

This is a beautiful mural in Lithia Park, Ashland near the craft market. I love the colours.

An International Womens Forum in Ashland, and me having blisters is how I crossed paths with Sarah.

More trail magic and love at the Standing Stone Brewing Company from my server Mr. Furious, a PCT alumni. He not only comped my meal, but gave me some great resupply beta for the Sierra Section.

I found this stone with the exact colours from my Crater lake photos and had to buy it. The jeweler was a bit surprised because it was unfinished but he agree to sell it to me anyway. Luckily, it's not too heavy so I will have it with me for the rest of the hike.

If it hadn't been for Ryan sending me my shoes, none of this would have happened!

Beautiful tomato display at the farmers market.

Eating a super juicy peach at the market. It was so hot all my photos look hazy. You could actually see the heat.

Maidu Lake to Mt.Thielsen

Wow what an amazing day! I got off the Skyline Trail at Windigo Pass and hit the official PCT which was much more scenic. The trail wanders through beautiful pine forests, steep shale fields and hits the ORWA (Oregon /Washington) high point at 7,560 ft.

After leaving Maidu Lake I realized I forgot to "camel up" and had less than 2 liters of water for the day which didn't seem to last long in the heat. Theilsen Creek would be my next water source in 13 miles so I go into a rhythm and continued on. 

When I got to the creek I was blown away. Some hikers had told me about the cold glacial water that was there, but I didn't anticipate how picturesque the scene would be! 

I decided to soak my feet, eat some lunch and take it all in. I even washed a couple pairs of socks (downstream of course!). I watched other hikers fill their bottles, filter the water, take a quick snap shot and carry on and decided to take advantage of not being in a rush to get to any destination. I hiked up a little hill and found a beautiful campsite with a perfect view. 

It was almost a full moon and I watched it cross the sky until it was right over the peak of Mt. Theilsen on a perfectly warm and clear night.

The next morning I decided to do a side hike up Mt. Theilsen which stands at 9,184 ft. There was a trail to a lookout just below the peak and no ropes required. I stashed my backpack and just took some water with me. It felt good to walk with no weight and do a bit more uphill climbing to give the sore parts of my feet a break and work different muscles in my legs.

Their was a little scramble at the top but the rock had a lot of friction. It almost looked like lava, and I later learned that its spire-like shape attracts lightning strikes and creates fulgurite, a unusual mineral that is sometimes referred to as petrified lightning. The rock felt very powerful as I scrambled up to the lookout, although at that time I didn't know why. What an amazing spot. 

What a view to take in the almost full moon!

My little cairn overlooking Diamond Lake on the way up to the peak.

looking out on Diamond Lake from the sort-of summit on Mt. Theilsen.

Afternoon sun salutation spot.

DIY Gaiters

I think these turned out pretty well! I used some extra chord from the fly on my tent to attach to the laces. Unfortunately, my old underlayer had lots of holes already in the armpits which is the part I need to cover my shoes, so unfortunately, these will still let a bit of sand in. But for now, they're better than nothing. Here's a link to what they're supposed to look like:
https://dirtygirlgaiters.com

Sleevless icebreaker was more useful anyway in such heat!