Sat 7/27 Last night and this morning early, I had every intention of ending my hike at Cascade Locks. I felt awful. My body was beat up. On my way to take a photo of entering Washington, I thought, "I don't feel too bad. Let's get back on trail."

I hiked 19 miles from Bridge of the Gods (PCT mile 2144.4) to Rock Creek (PCT mile 2163.6) I camped at Rock Creek with Northbounders, Southbounders, people who flipped past the Sierras. I have no clue how many are camped here, but I'll guess a dozen anyway. I had a sweet campsite away from everyone (both he and the other campers were pleased by this).

After feeling bad enough to end the trip, I am thrilled to still be in the game and moving up the trail. Today hills, peaks above some elevation were in a cloud, mist or rain soaked the vegetation and made for cool but sloppy conditions.
Sun 7/28
The past three years with some 2,500 miles I have almost always been the first on the trail. Not today. Two hikers, Metric Ton, and someone else, came by my tent at 4:15 am. Lazy me didn't hit the trail until 4:56 am.

Today's hiking started with a big climb. My fresh legs did ok. Then there was a fairly flat five mile section to Panther Creek. Folks at campground really pushed for me going to the campground to get to the water-spigots. To get water, you have to pump like the dickens, water came out in a seemingly random pattern. It would have been great with a partner--one to hold the bottle and the other to pump. No way I could pump AND hold the bottle. Highly inefficient as only 10% or less of the water ended in the bottle.

After getting water I started the second big climb. Around 3:00 pm, I arrived as a road crossing, and then a water cache. I wish I had known about the cache as I would have carried less water up the hill. A couple -- Happy Bear and Lupine -- are staying here too. Perhaps others as well. My campsite is tucked away from the cache. At an earlier cache I got an apple. The apple was wonderful, bruises and all.
Started at Rock Creek PCT mile 2163.6, ended 2184.6 = 21 miles
Mon 7/29

Left camp at 4:55 am. First 4.4 miles was finishing the climb I started yesterday afternoon. After the climb the hiking was pretty easy. At mile 2199 I came to a sign for Indian Racetrack. I did not go because years ago, Harold and I did this section, and we went to the racetrack. Just a grassy meadow. No Grandstand, no loudspeaker, no cheering fans. Very quiet and unassuming. In its prime I'm sure the Indian Racetrack was grand and exciting.
Sometimes the Heart Wins
On a hike like this my head and my body are in lock-step--more miles, just one more mile. Today my heart won. Approaching Bear Lake was a young couple debating whether or not to camp at Bear Lake. Time was 2:48 pm--plenty of time to hike 5 or 10 more miles. But my heart said, "We've been pushing. Bear Lake is gorgeous. It would be a shame to push on." I'm camping at Bear Lake. I just won't get to Trout Lake as early tomorrow.
Southbounders
Southbounders start at the Canadian Border and hike south. In most years there are only a few hearty southbounders. NOT this year. Because snowpack in Sierras and low snowpack in Northern Washington convinced a lot of hikers to go SOBO.

Southbounders are shooting for 2650 miles. I'm only trying to do 1000 miles. Funny thing--today I crossed 500 trail miles from California border, the southbounders still in Washington are at 400-450 miles. My trip will be much shorter, but I've done more miles. Seems weird.
Started PCT mile 2184.6 -- ended Bear Lake 2205.7 + 21 miles.
What is Kevin eating?
Long distance hikes are a calorie-deficit situation. You are burning 5,000 to 8,000 calories. You can't carry enough Trail Food, so you supplement with Town Food when you can.
What Kevin ate at Cascade Locks:
- At the Ale House--salad, jalapeno hamburger, fries, Lager beer and ice water
- At Gourmet Hot Dog and Ice Cream Shop--Reuben dog with sauerkraut, Reuben meat and cheese. Also huckleberry ice cream in a waffle cone.
- Saturday morning = Breakfast burrito
- At Trout Lake - I understand hikers get very slow service. My resupply is at Trout Lake Grocery, so I'll get food there.
Breakfast
- My body knows it gets fed at 6:30 am
- 6:30 Sunrise Energy Bar from Costco--oats and seeds
- 7:30 Nuts
- 8:30 Main Breakfast--oats, multigrain muesli or Grape Nuts with raisins, craisins and milk powder (a mix of whole and non-fat mixed) Main breakfast goes in a freezer bag. Add water, stir, and eat
Dinners in a freezer bag
- Mexican--meat dish dehydrated (carne adovado, green chile, red chile) and Spanish rice (I cooked and dehydrated) and dehydrated refried beans (Pinto, of course). Also add a packet of olive oil
- Non Mexican--have done roast beef, spaghetti sauce and hamburger, pulled pork, Texas BBQ Brisket, alfredo with ground turkey. To non-Mexican meals, add dehydrated veggies (from Karen's Naturals), pasta (Whole wheat macaroni)

Pour hot water into freezer bag, stir, wait 15-20 minutes. Add Fritos to Mexican dinners; eat non-Mexican with Wheat Thins.
Pre-Dinners/Lunch
Peanut Butter with Wheat Thins or Wheat Thins with dry Italian Salami and Gouda cheese (encased in wax)
Between Breakfast and Dinner
Variety of granola/energy bars
Nature Valley--Oat n Honey, Protein Bars
Pure Protein bars
Clif bars
Kirkland nut bars
Kind Dark Chocolate and Cherry
Snickers
Pro Bars (1 per section)
Lunch stop: Wheat Thins with peanut butter or salami and cheese
Tues 7/30
Left Bear Lake 4:57 am, hiking in a cloud. Good hiking, the miles rolled by pretty fast. There was a 1,000 - 2,000 foot climb that went ok. I was at Forest Road by 1:15 pm or so
More to come soon.
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