Bend, OR via McKensie Pass, mile 1989.5

Just completed the longest stretch without a shower thus far:  270 miles.  Total showers total since we left the Mexican border:  13.  I think we might hold the record?

Deuter sent Keith the wrong replacement backpack - they sent him a ladies pack that was too small.  Lance, from a local outfitter in Ashland was so awesome & with his & REI's help, we were able to finagle a plan to get Keith back on the trail on the day we planned on leaving town with a working pack.  Unfortunately, though, the pack Keith ended up with is now ripping at some of the seams & so after another conversation with Deuter, they're sending him a new pack again!  But hopefully the right one this time!  Before leaving Ashland, we stopped to get some (amazing) gourmet pizza (where the waiter gave us drinks on the house because we were PCT'ers) & while scarfing the food down, we met a local woman named Heather (originally from the Toledo, OH area & had asked Keith about his shirt that says Toledo, OH on it) who offered us a ride back to the trail head.  When we hopped in her vehicle she mentioned that she was headed that way anyway to go to a local blueberry patch & invited us along.  So we spent the afternoon chatting with her while picking two quarts of blueberries to take back to the trail with us. 

I haven't had enough time or energy to write out every instance where we have met great people who have in some way or another helped us out.  There's been far too many.  This trail has again (like the A.T.) reminded us that people are good.  People want to help, they just sometimes don't know how to & when they are able to, it's a beautiful thing.

Walking through the diverse landscapes we've seen so far in Oregon has blown us away...we weren't prepared for the beauty & wildness Oregon has to offer.  Maybe that's what's made it so good.  Deep, old-growth forests with moss hanging off of every branch.  Crater Lake, which is not even possible to put into words - you have to see it for yourself.  We had hopes of taking a boat out to Wizard Island, the main island in Crater Lake, & spending the afternoon exploring the island, but the price was too high.  So we will have to come back another time...we will have to come back to a lot of these places.  The PCT seems to take us within range of so many amazing things...but there's just not enough time to veer off to see them all on this trip.  Most recently, we walked through the Three Sisters area, which has three very beautiful volcanoes surrounded by volcanic lava fields.  The North  & Middle Sister are connected to each other & although while we were walking through, the mountains were covered in clouds, we got a peak at Collier Glacier & that got Keith's wheels turning.  A huge mass of ice & snow & we wonder what these mountains might look like on a higher snow year, considering this has been a pretty dry year.  Again, another place we will have to come back to.

We've gone through a few more storms & are grateful we got our cold weather gear back.  We are loving the cold weather, reminds us of Michigan.  This is prime hiking for us.

Bend is lovely & has everything we could dream of.  Food, food & more food.  Plus locally brewed beer.  We just spent the night at Mill Inn, a B&B that has a backpacker bunk room & has the most AMAZING all you can eat breakfast in the morning - gourmet foods - quiche, eggs, waffles, potatoes, fruit, OJ, etc. etc.  A thru-hikers dream...or anyone's dream really, but especially a thru-hikers since it's all you can eat!  To save money, though, we plan on crashing on the floor of No Knees & Stinkbug's floor tonight.  We met them back in Independence while they were still on trail but unfortunately they had to get off in Yosemite because Stinkbug got a stress fracture of some sort (we've just learned).  Since they live in Bend, they've been enjoying hosting hikers at their home whenever they get a chance & we look forward to seeing them again.  It's odd how you meet people out here & sometimes you never know if you'll ever hear from or see them again.  Sometimes they pop back into your life, sometimes not.

We are loving the simplicity of this life as well as the freedoms that come along with it.  No alarm clock, we wake up when the sun wakes us up.  Eat, walk, collect water, drink, sleep.  And read.  We've been doing a lot of reading.  Under 700 miles to go.  Still planning on a finish date somewhere around October 1st-ish.  No official deadline until we have to book our train tickets.  The trail just seems to get better and better every day.  Next town stop will be Cascade Locks, OR - which is just on this side of the OR/WA border.  Until then...we'll just keep walking.

Much love,
Scat Tracker & Unicroc