Hannibal's Pacific Crest Trail Chronicle

What complement could be greater than being called a "scary dude" by a group of high school freshmen? Sister Julie (no one who knows you would suspect vocational change), I'll be sure to supply you with an even scarier dude photo at some point. Seriously, I am humbled to hear my hike is, in however small a way, shaping the minds of tomorrow's leaders. Let me address your classes' questions:

I have been waiting for someone to ask the 'what do I wear while doing laundry' question. The answer: Not much. I have been hiking with a tarp-type shelter that has a head hole because it doubles as a rain poncho, and wear this. It is effective at least, in covering my private geography (consider this the 6th theme of Geography). Of course there is a funny anecdote that goes with this...
In Southern CA, Idyllwild to be exact, I was doing laundry in this manner when the lady seated beside me, with no hint of sarcasm whatsoever, turned to me and said, "I hate it when I have nothing to wear". I answered, "You have no idea." I also found her admiring my newly muscled, bare legs...but enough, this is after all, not an Anatomy lesson.

Socks: I bought a bunch of socks before the hike knowing I would wear them out pretty fast. I have used those twelve pairs, and while in Portland, OR, bought two pairs of heavier-duty sock material that should last me through Washington. Interestingly, to me at least; the hot, dry, dusty and sandy nature of the trail from the Mexican border to Northern Oregon, particularly as I was wearing sneakers, ate socks up rather quickly. The much cooler, occasionally damp to wet weather I have been in since just before Mt. Hood has not led as quickly to sock destruction.

What do I think about? Loneliness?: In short, I think of everything. Current events, as well as future and past. For example, last week I was trying to name all the Supreme Court justices in the order of their ascension to the high court. I can name them all, but am stuck on who came first, Souter or Thomas? Yes, class, I am a nerd, just like your teacher. Or, I'll make up games to play...like the one I call Above-Average-Hiker (no relation, of course). Basically, what I do is keep a running average of my daily miles and try to exceed that value on my next hiking day, and then re-compute the average for the next day, and so on. It's not Chutes and Ladders but doing this math in my head keeps me sharp for the next restaurant bill I have to split. These are some rather innane things, but I also think about family and friends, etc...as far as loneliness goes, no, I never feel lonely...I do miss certain people, but this is not the same thing. I think some people find it easy to be alone with themselves, while some are more comfortable when they are around others. I am the former. Also, there are a lot of people you come across on the trail or resupplying in town. People stop to talk to each other much more on the trail than on a sidewalk in Anywhere, USA. So far, out of the 4 months I have been out here, there have only been 5 or 6 days that I have seen no one. The Appalachian Trail, by the way, is even more social. Eating, however, is still my number one mental pasttime.

What has been the most interesting thing you've seen/learned from the hike?: A very difficult question to answer. You know I enjoy the wildlife...and I can add mountain goats, an elk herd and an American Eagle to the list since I last wrote. The scenery is also fascinating. If you have lived your whole lives on the East Coast, as I did until recently, it is hard to appreciate how dynamic the Earth is. What do I mean by this? Well, the geology out here is not covered up by the forests. The landscape shows the scars and grandeur of glaciation and volcanic and seismic activity. Just in the past few days I have walked around Mts Adams, Rainer and St Helens. They are all three volcanoes, but the first two are dormant and covered in glaciers, while St Helens more than a decade before you were born, erupted dramatically, and continues to be active. Beautiful landscapes. The whole hike has been a lesson in geology.

Do you have any other major hikes planned? Yes, but according to my wife's witty comment/poetry, it won't be until I am 90 years old that I hike the Continental Divide Trail. There is also a hike in Northern Sweden, the Kungsleden Trail, or something like that...it is only a few hundred kilometers, but lies for most of its distance, above the Arctic Circle. And, I would like to do some tramping in Wales and Scotland. There are more, but that is the short list for now.

Thanks for your interest. I am glad to answer any more questions you might have.

No sooner did I arrive in Oregon, it seems, I am preparing to leave it. Tomorrow morning I will cross the Bridge of the Gods over the Columbia River, pass into Washington and start the last 500 or so miles of trail. I expect to finish sometime around the end of the first week of October. I find myself still very much enjoying the trek, yet at the same time looking forward to getting home...a healthy balance at this point in the hike.

The past week has been interesting. I hiked through a not-yet-extinguished forest fire in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness. It seems the current thinking of the Forest Service is to let these burn as long as people and property are in no danger. The flames were not too high...mostly the forest was smoldering, with a lot of smoke for a few miles. A wet bandana over the nose and mouth helped.

I encountered a few days of rain...the first I have seen since a thunderstorm nearly two months ago. It reminded me I am now in the Pacific Northwest, with Fall upon me. The precipitation culminated in an early season snowstorm on an arm of Mount Hood as I was arriving at Timberline Lodge. Very exciting. The next day I broke trail with 5 inches of snow on the ground.

And, as has been common in Oregon I have continued to encounter much "trail magic". I mentioned previously the invitation to visit a bed & breakfast. Jeff and Bonnie Rames picked me up at Timberline Lodge after I called, along with another hiker and treated us generously; including dinner, laundry, shower, and after a couple of cold, wet nights, a warm bed. What more could a hiker want?

Well, I was able to visit with Strider (remember her from the Appalachian Trail?) in Portland, where I was treated to a salmon dinner by friends of hers who also happen to be avid hikers. A very enjoyable evening. Thank you Strider and Perry and Deb for your wonderful hospitality.

Per a request from Dad, here are some stats:
To date, I have been hiking for 116 days. However, I have taken 33 (so far) "zero" or "near-o" days...days not spent hiking, as I take the time to explore towns and buffets along the trail. I have averaged just over 25 miles of hiking per day when on the trail. My longest day was 39 miles. I walk approximately 3 miles/hour. I have just put on my fifth (and last)pair of sneakers. I have worn out 12 pairs of socks. I have worn the same pair of pants, shirt and shorts every day for the past 116 days. No wardrobe decisions here! They are laundered about as often as you see a new post. Let me know what other curiosities you have...

By the way, the next time I write will not be for some time. There are no town stops for the next 3 or 4 hundred miles - only small stores located a short distance from mountain passes - so opportunities to utilize a computer may not exist for a while.

Until then...

For the sake of those readers less-than-lion-hearted, who found the last posting disturbing (I will not name names), I will refrain from discussing my rather good prospects for fire-walking in the coming week. Of course, you all must be aware that this has been a banner year for forest fires in the West. Enough said.

What I really want to talk about are Oregonians. And food, naturally. You will see how the two are (on the PCT anyway) often linked. While California was mainly about the scenery, Oregon, with the exceptions of spectacular Crater Lake National Park and the awesome Three Sisters Wilderness, so far, has been about the people. How does food come in, you wonder?

While the trail through the state has been fairly remote, it is blessed by a necklace of lakes extending through Central Oregon. These lakes have fishing resorts, and those fishing resorts have fine, PCT hiker-loving employees. The resorts, by a rather amazing coincidence (or maybe an Act of the Hand (read my father's comment for context)) are located about one day's hike from each other. On to the trail magic...

At Hyatt Lake, the gentleman operating the tiny store asked me why I was taking only one Budweiser, when the second one is free for hikers. "At least when I am working, anyway", he added. Budweiser, incidentally, has the highest calories/cost ratio, making it an excellent choice when Hefeweizen is not available.

The next day I hiked a couple of miles to Fish Lake. I ordered pancakes. The waitress, who actually looked like my paternal grandmother mentioned that she arose at dawn, picked fresh huckleberries for three hours...and while they do not normally do this, "Would you like me to have the cook mix some in the batter?" Note to wife: I like huckleberries. Not too sweet and just the right amount of tartness. Perfect for pancakes, or waffles for that matter.

Crater Lake. This seems almost criminal, but I wasn't the perp. So no guilt. After a long, hot hike I made it to the Italian AYCE buffet at dinnertime, and gorged on every type of carbohydrate-based food you can think of. When I was finished, the waiter and host came to the table and told me that dinner was on the house. They were both aspiring thru-hikers and said they did this for hikers when the manager was out. A big tip was left. The Crater in my stomach, filled.

The next day, in a non-food related act of trail magic, a hiker gave me the name and phone of the bed & breakfast he and his wife own further north near Mt. Hood. "We'll feed you, give you a bed to sleep in, let you do laundry, and pick you up and drop you off at the trail. Just Call." I will.

At Elk Lake, I ordered a double scoop of ice cream to finish off my meal. The waitress returned with something quite a bit more substantial, and handed me the bill with the most ridiculously exaggerated wink I have ever seen. The only items on the bill were my double bacon cheeseburger and plate of fries. No charge for the Bud or the ice cream. Forgive me Julie, but she got a wink and a smile in return.

And, on three occasions hunters have shared their beer with me.

This goodwill is astonishing...or maybe it isn't so unusual after all. There have been a large number of Oregonians on the trail, and to a person they are smiling, enjoying their time outdoors and glad to share it. Rather than the trail being populated mainly by tourists as it was in California, most here are locals. The time of the year is a factor, but I get the idea that this is not a seasonal phenomenon. Oregon has a reputation for placing a high value on the outdoors. I am seeing this in action. Hunters, fishermen, hikers and those employed in the outdoor industry along the Trail take care of their own. It is a pleasure to be in such good company.

A final word. Five years ago today I was somewhere near the Pennsylvania-Maryland border, in the midst of a thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. But, not unaware. I had been in the habit of carrying a small radio and was listening to the NPR news broadcast as the first reports of a plane striking the WTC came on. It is hard to believe five years have passed. It will, I suspect, always feel like yesterday.