From Sisters at mile 1989 to mile 1990
Since back in the desert I've been making plans to meet up with Tammy-one of the head rangers that worked at the state park I worked with as a ridge runner. After many messages passed back and forth she pulled up in a rental car in Sisters, OR.
The three of us went out for dinner at one of the many Mexican restaurants in Sisters. It was early and we were seated right away and our drink orders were taken quickly.
We talked about the PCT thus far and what is in store, we talked about Wild and Bill Byrson, we talked about the AT and the new ridge runners and the thru hikers on that trail. Tammy told us about her trip so far and what else she was planning to see-including Crater Lake. The food was good, and filling, but my hiker hunger is still missing so I wasn't too hungry anyway.
I did have room for ice cream though. It seemed like a wise idea to get ice cream, hungry or not. There are only so many stops left on the hike. The first shop we went to was closed, but there was another one across the street. I had a peppermint candy ice cream in a cone. It was a little bit of pink heaven surrounded by a waffle cone.
After I filled up my waters at the ice cream shop we piled into Tammy's car to return to the trail. Tammy had come over McKenzie Pass on her way to Sisters, but hadn't been able to enjoy the moon-like lava fields or mountain views. This time the sun was low in the sky lighting up the area.
At the pass we went to the observatory. The view was so different than yesterday's. The only cloud in the sky was a plume of smoke from a fire near the trail to the north of us. The mountains gleamed in the later afternoon sunlight. Tammy and Portrait had out their large cameras to take many photos. They seemed to be enjoying themselves.
It was getting late when we said our good-byes in the parking lot. Portrait and I both wondered where we would possibly camp in the middle of a large lava field. We set off the .2 down the road to the trail.
At the trail head we met up with Bluejay, who was mostly off trail, and was doing car support now for Doc and Clutch who I hadn't seen since the Anderson's (in the 400's). Seeing them was a little bit of a surprise, even though I knew Clutch had been making miles. We talked some, but they were going into town, and we were going into a lava field, so we wanted to get going.
The trail did go into the lava field. Two of the Sisters lit up a pink gold color as the sun set. We saw trees ahead, but I thought the trail would skirt them. Much to my surprise the trail didn't skirt them but went right into the mini forest. There were flat spaces everywhere. I was feeling good like I could hike for a few hours, but lava fields in the dark sounded like a horrible idea. We walked a little ways into the trees and picked one of the many flat spots to set up camp for the night.
Since back in the desert I've been making plans to meet up with Tammy-one of the head rangers that worked at the state park I worked with as a ridge runner. After many messages passed back and forth she pulled up in a rental car in Sisters, OR.
The three of us went out for dinner at one of the many Mexican restaurants in Sisters. It was early and we were seated right away and our drink orders were taken quickly.
We talked about the PCT thus far and what is in store, we talked about Wild and Bill Byrson, we talked about the AT and the new ridge runners and the thru hikers on that trail. Tammy told us about her trip so far and what else she was planning to see-including Crater Lake. The food was good, and filling, but my hiker hunger is still missing so I wasn't too hungry anyway.
I did have room for ice cream though. It seemed like a wise idea to get ice cream, hungry or not. There are only so many stops left on the hike. The first shop we went to was closed, but there was another one across the street. I had a peppermint candy ice cream in a cone. It was a little bit of pink heaven surrounded by a waffle cone.
After I filled up my waters at the ice cream shop we piled into Tammy's car to return to the trail. Tammy had come over McKenzie Pass on her way to Sisters, but hadn't been able to enjoy the moon-like lava fields or mountain views. This time the sun was low in the sky lighting up the area.At the pass we went to the observatory. The view was so different than yesterday's. The only cloud in the sky was a plume of smoke from a fire near the trail to the north of us. The mountains gleamed in the later afternoon sunlight. Tammy and Portrait had out their large cameras to take many photos. They seemed to be enjoying themselves.
It was getting late when we said our good-byes in the parking lot. Portrait and I both wondered where we would possibly camp in the middle of a large lava field. We set off the .2 down the road to the trail.
At the trail head we met up with Bluejay, who was mostly off trail, and was doing car support now for Doc and Clutch who I hadn't seen since the Anderson's (in the 400's). Seeing them was a little bit of a surprise, even though I knew Clutch had been making miles. We talked some, but they were going into town, and we were going into a lava field, so we wanted to get going.
The trail did go into the lava field. Two of the Sisters lit up a pink gold color as the sun set. We saw trees ahead, but I thought the trail would skirt them. Much to my surprise the trail didn't skirt them but went right into the mini forest. There were flat spaces everywhere. I was feeling good like I could hike for a few hours, but lava fields in the dark sounded like a horrible idea. We walked a little ways into the trees and picked one of the many flat spots to set up camp for the night.
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