Day 135
Day 2 in Washington was a beautiful walk in the woods! We slept in this morning because our campsite was too perfect next to the water not to. When we finally got going, there was another guy nearby filtering water. We ended up seeing it again half a mile later on some magical trail along the way! We all enjoyed a drink together (Gatorade for me) and talked for a while. He was from Ireland and would spend a few weeks in Washington. It looked so damn clean.
We continue all day through the forest. So many berries! I had another breakfast with berries added to my oatmeal and it was the perfect start to the miles we walked. There were a few areas where the path was clear and we had mountain views, but most of the day we spent through the forest. We walked over many bridges, stopping at the last one for a long rest and a nap. It was a perfect day with sunshine and a nice cool breeze.
After our long rest, we headed out of the valley into the sunset, stopping to enjoy the views around us. Our first full day in Washington did NOT disappoint! I feel very happy to be in Washington. It feels like home.
Today’s songs: “Manchild” and “Juno” -Sabrina Carpenter with a little Rene Rapp in the mix too
Day 136
It rained on us today and it hasn’t stopped since last night. We stopped very early and camped, and decided to wake up at 2am tomorrow to finish the last 25+ miles to Trout Lake. I wish I hadn’t slept in yesterday so I could have done more miles…
Unfortunately, who could have imagined that today would be like this? We probably would if we ever check the weather…! That’s another thing I’ve realized about this trail: we’ve been very lucky with the weather. I don’t know if it will continue in Washington because it is a humid and foggy state. It was pretty miserable walking in the rain today. It wasn’t too heavy, but we don’t have the rain gear that normal people have. Noah has an XL poncho that covers him completely, but I threw mine away after I bought my new backpack because it has a built-in rain cover. No rain pants, no rain jacket, just enough coverage to keep our stuff dry. We’ll see if we can make it to the end without changing the rain gear situation!
As miserable as it was to walk through the fog, mist, and rain, Washington is already my favorite and we’re only three days into it. It is changeable and beautiful. It looks like the cover of Taylor Swift’s ninth studio album, Folklore. What a VIBE!
The clouds were rolling in and we got brief glimpses of the mountains as we walked. We reached the top of a mountain and the clouds moved across it, wetting everything but also providing a new beauty we had not yet experienced. It reminds me of hiking in Bellingham when we lived there, and that place is very special to me. I’m really trying to find the beauty in a soggy day!
Stopping earlier than we wanted to helped morale. I know we are going to do a lot of miles tomorrow and we both didn’t want to continue once the rain got heavier. It was a nice and relaxing rest of the day, taking a nap and eating in the tent.
Today’s songs: The entirety of Taylor Swift’s ninth studio album, folklore. That. An atmosphere.
Day 137
Well, the 2am wake up was a success! We left at 2:30 and crushed the miles. We got soaked almost immediately walking through a ton of overgrown brush without rain gear. We make ourselves very funny, thinking we wouldn’t get wet. I cried – photo below.
We walked pretty quickly, trying to get to Trout Lake as quickly as we could. We hitched a ride along the road and reached the city at noon. Gil was there! He was with us all day and we camped together behind the church, up the street.
Looking back, today wasn’t too bad walking-wise, but I had a tough day mentally. My shoes are completely dead. I’m still wearing the pair a hiker gave me at Donner Pass! That’s about 1000 miles…not including the miles I had already driven. It was around the Eagle Creek alternative to Washington that I realized how much I need new ones. The terrain was extremely rocky and my feet were quite bruised.
I had ordered a pair of shoes for Trout Lake and when they arrived today I checked my email and saw the order was CANCELLED. Therefore, I am SOL until our next stop. I cried a lot, feeling frustrated that I had to walk another 100 miles in Washington in these shoes. I tried on a few pairs of shoes from the hiker box, but I haven’t decided if I’m going to trade them in yet.
Aside from the frustrating shoe problem, we spent a quiet afternoon outside the tent airing out all our things. We grabbed a resupply there (shit, it was expensive) and lay in the sun all day. We had dinner with Gil at the restaurant down the street. The blueberry smoothie did not disappoint! I hope my mood improves tomorrow. I’m feeling a little down today.
Today’s songs: “Levitando” – Dua Lipa
Day 138
Today was a much better day than yesterday. It’s really just what I needed after having to walk with someone else’s shoes on my feet. The weather was perfect, we had a great sleep and breakfast, Gil suggested we leave later and we all decided why not.
We spent the afternoon hanging out and took the 4pm bus back to the trailhead. There was a lot of trail magic there, all from some hikers who finished the trail! We got to see Breeze and Pie. The last time we saw them was at the top of Kearsarge Pass in the Sierra! Smokey was also coming in, so we were able to say hello to her.
Today we walked into the sunset and it was absolutely beautiful. I’m so glad we left Trout Lake later so we could experience a sunset while we walked. Mount Adams looked spectacular in the sunlight. It was really nice not to have a rainy day! The views were all encompassing, the flowers were blooming, the bees were buzzing, the trees SMELLED. Days like this remind me that every bad day has a rainbow at the end. Today was my rainbow.
And who could forget the distant views of Mount Rainier! I’m beyond excited to walk past that girl.
See you tomorrow! We are camping near some people from the town. One of the guys is actually the one who gave us our tags at the Mexican border! Pure Stoke is his name, definitely a memorable trail name and a memorable person.
Today’s song was “Not Like Us” by Kendrick.
Day 139
What a beautiful day it has been so far! We took a lunch break before our next climb and sat by the water. One of my favorite starts I’ve had so far on the PCT. THE VIEWS!
This morning we were moving along 630. We had beautiful views of Mount Adams and Rainier on either side of us. It was still quite cold and it was a perfect start to the day.
We walked up and down a bit through flower-covered meadows and then found ourselves in the forest. We took a breakfast break in a meadow overlooking Mount Adams and then stopped with Gil near a lava spring. The best water I’ve had on the trail so far. By far.
We are pushing ourselves to do more miles today and I think we will get there! We have already passed 14 and we have a little more than 15 left.
Back to camp and we finished around 10pm! Tomorrow we have 28 through Goat Rocks Wilderness, which I’m SUPER excited about!
Anyway, the rest of the day was great! It was hot there for a while, but we caught a glimpse of Rainier through the forest and it was really beautiful. We catch up with Gil after lunch but he’s ahead again so we’ll see him tomorrow.
I’m pretty exhausted today. My feet hurt and I just want some new shoes. :/ Tomorrow is going to be beautiful though! Seriously, I can’t wait to see it all.
Today’s album was Taylor Swift’s tenth studio album, ever. Also, my audiobook.
Day 140
Long, hard, exhausting and rewarding day. Today we traversed the Goat Rocks Wilderness and it honestly felt like the saw, when I had to seriously focus on hiking steep traverses with inclines. It was so beautiful but I feel so drained and exhausted that I’m frustrated, I feel like I didn’t appreciate it more.
It encompassed everything. Beautiful, spectacular, impressive, impressive. It made me feel small and big at the same time. It reminded me that the hard days are some of the best days. I would love to say more about this but I think this is one of those days where the photos speak for themselves.
We have been trying to build up the miles so we can get to Snoqualmie Pass and ride to Trail Days. After a tough conversation today, we both agreed that it was too much and that we would rather take the zeros to the trail than stress about getting there. I’m feeling pretty bummed because we have friends we haven’t seen since Tehachapi, but ultimately this decision makes the most sense for us to enjoy the rest of the tour while still finishing on August 28th. I also know there are going to be a lot of people and it will be overwhelming for us, so it’s probably the best decision (although it doesn’t necessarily feel like it at the moment).
Anyway, today was overall one of the most beautiful we’ve had on the road. I feel very lucky to have had a sunny day at Goat Rocks. We’re also about 10 miles from White Pass, so I’m excited to get there tomorrow! I think Gil may already be there.
Today’s songs: another Taylor Swift album. 1989! And my audiobook, of course.
Day 141
We walked the last 10 miles to White Pass with barely any food, but we made it! Today I cried on the phone with my mom. It’s been really hard to feel motivated to finish this journey. I really appreciate the visits we’ve had over the past few days, but I’m feeling really grumpy about not having my own shoes and still having trouble getting a damn pair of shoes delivered. I can feel so negative and I don’t want to feel that way, but the only way around it seems to be to end it right now.
As for the scenery, today was another magnificent day. Talking to my mom definitely helped, and I’m so glad I was able to walk and chat with her while enjoying some of the best views we’ve had along the way. I’m thankful that the weather has been perfect and that every time we have a scenic day of hiking it’s somehow not fogged or rainy.
Once we left the beauty of Goat Rocks, we hiked a few miles through the forest to White Pass. I could hear the road and I was so hungry I was practically running down the trail. Once we got to town we got to see Gil and Tarzan! We ate ice cream sandwiches and picked up our resupply from my mom. She made homemade cookies and chex mix, two of my favorite things we used to eat as a kid when camping in the summer. It was EXACTLY what I needed.
We spent the afternoon lying by the garbage can resting and eating our weight in calories. Hiker hunger is SO real. There are a lot of people here! We hang out with GTA and Marius, who are actually taking a trip to Rainier and then heading to trail days. I already feel better about the decision to skip it.
There are no songs today, I’m just grateful for the phone call with my mom. 🙂
And that’s a wrap for Week 20!! We are only a few weeks away from the end, I can’t believe it! Week 20 was a wonderful but rainy start in Washington. It was definitely one of the most beautiful sections of trail we’ve ever traversed, but we felt really exhausted. Deciding to skip Trail Days was a difficult decision, but I know it was the right one. I am very tired and my feet feel permanently bruised and sore all the time. We feel exhausted and ready to call it quits. I try to appreciate it every day, but it feels harder and harder with the end in sight. Oh, we keep walking! Until next week…
