August 23, 2017
Mile 1854.3 to 10.2 on Oregon Skyline Trail (approximately Mile 1885)
Pacific Crest Trail Thru-Hike: Day 110

Slept poorly due to crickets. Found Sam again today and he is coming to stay at Corey’s with us. Currently on the Oregon Skyline Trail, which is wonderfully flat if a little buggy.

Taking the reroute because, if we’re missing the rest of Oregon and the only thing holding this hike together is continuous footsteps, then we might as well make these few a little flatter and easier. The official PCT route is more miles and climbs a huge hill. Normally, it has great views. But there are no views to be had in Oregon right now.

We are camping with Sam, Vice, and Boathouse, and a cool thing just happened! A bunch of horses just crossed the creek by our camp. Sam, Vice, and Boathouse set up camp too close to trail and had to quickly move their tents. A good thing, too! The first horse jumped up on the bank of the creek and landed right where their tents had been.

Vice and BH are going to look for an alternate around the fires in Oregon, and I’ve decided I am as well. I had started to accept that we would soon be breaking our continuous footsteps. Then I had that conversation. We started hiking, and suddenly I pictured a scene from some fantasy movie (Lord of the Rings? Harry Potter?) with a wizard or someone saying:

You must strengthen your resolve. Steel yourself for what’s to come.

Did Professor Trelawney say that? Gandalf? The LOTR lady in the woods?

Anyway, it made me feel like I need to look and take the initiative to find three route options around the fire closures before I make the decision not to go forward. To not give up yet. To at least put in a good faith effort before bailing out. And to at least go out and see it for myself.