Coming Back to the Hometrail

Monday, august 18
Mile 1940, Three Sisters Wilderness

This is our life.

Getting back on trail after a weekend of brewfest in Bend can be described in the following passage, as I remember from my stream of consciousness yesterday evening:

Trail treasures.

Fresh feet thump the dirt path, and the familiar creak of my pack, panting breaths, and tick-tick of my trekking pole bring me back into that old cadence. My ears are still feeling numb from the rides in pickup trucks that comprised our hitch back to trail. I'm sweating out the salt and toxins that built up after two days of rich food and beer. But slowly, the night drapes around and there is an overwhelming relief that darkness brings. Everything's softened at the edges, the sounds become soothing and rhythmic..

It's so good to be back.

More treasures.

Back with a bang!

Wednesday, August 13
Mile 1878, Mount Thielson Wilderness

Flash! .. Cracka cracka BOOM!

The sky lit up around me as I walked the rim of Crater Lake yesterday. It's the deepest lake in the US; one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, and we got to see it as the sky opened up overhead.

And it's been raining on and off ever since. Right now there's a steady downpour on my tent's walls that I narrowly escaped. I actually love the rain and what it does for the mountains I've been catching glimpses of throughout the day. The veils of mist give the hills a mystique that reminds me so much of the city I grew up in. I'll trade a little cold and tent anxiety for the beauty of the rain.

And hey, if worst comes to worst, I'll sardine myself into the Iron Dome with Stick and Laugh Track.