July 18 to August 19 – The Trek

Bob is still on his way! It has just passed 2,100 miles! I update your progress in our IG @julieandbobgoforahike

I said goodbye to Donner Pass on July 18. Then I concentrated on what I would like to do before heading home. I asked his friends what he should see in the area, I wrote parts of the PCT that he still wanted to walk, and knew he would go to Portland and Seattle since he had never been. Then I made a list:

• RELAX
• I arrived at the bookstores
• Read books in beautiful places
• Eat delicious food
• Walk parts of the PCT
• San Francisco
• California coast
• Oregon coast
• Burney Falls
• Crater lake
• Timberline Lodge/Mt. Hood
• Bridge of the Gods
• Falls tunnel
• Portland
• Seattle
• Orcas Island

It happened that Livia/Sushi was heading to San Francisco at the same time as me. I was planning to take a week out of the way and evaluate whether I wanted to continue with the walk or not. Then Livia/Sushi and I went to San Francisco together.

During a couple of nights we stayed with Bob’s cousin and his family in San Mateo. We visit your aunt and uncle, we arrive at goodwill for other clothing options, and the mall too. We had a lovely stay with them and then we went to San Francisco as appropriate tourists.

We did all things; Golden Gate Park, Ghirardelli Square, Fisherman’s Warf, etc. We also use the Hotel Bicycles (individual equipment) and toured the bookstores, coffee shops and delicious food stops recommended by someone Livia met on the road. Livia taught me a card game. We continue playing cards almost every night.

We also spend time with David and Jane before returning to Australia after his decision to leave the way too.

We drove on highway 1 along the coast. We stayed in a very pretty city called Mendacino. A music festival followed that weekend, so we listened to the orchestra in the huge tent on the other side of our hotel street, on the coast. He felt magical. We stay there an extra day! 😉

We drove around the Giants Avenue, then to the Redwood National Park. We walk just 2 miles to the river and campaign. It was my first night sleeping alone in a tent.

We drove back to the south to Arcada to meet with Jay (member of the Tramilia) and Spencer in the farmers market.

Then we headed inland to Burney Falls. This is one of the stops near the PCT. At this point, Livia could join the road if she wanted to. My feet still limited my options. I was happy to be able to do it by car and walk through the short circuit. Livia decided to keep the road trip.

After Burney Falls, we conducted Ashland, where a friend of a friend (now our friend was also willing to receive us. We were thinking that we would only be there one night, but in the end we stayed three! While in Ashland we came up with a difficult plan for the rest of our trip. We went to a bookstore, a cafeteria and ate a delicious food: are you seeing the trend? road).

One to our way to Crater Lake, we went to Beckie’s cakes: mmm! We walk along Rogue River Gorge, beautiful! And camped in Diamond Lake Campground.

The path of Lake Lake hiking was so spectacular that we stopped again and again to take photos of the deep deep blue of that incredible lake! We arrived a day when the butterflies were migrating. We saw hundreds of butterlifes all day, all flying in the same direction. It was Magnificnet. I am disappointed in saying that the 6 -mile walk was hard on my feet during the last two miles. We took a break in the villa and we put a trip back to our car. The good thing is that we still had time to visit Umpqua Hot Springs, which we did!

We packed the camp and headed to the Yachatas, or on the coast. We had received recommendations for camping and food in that area. We stayed at Tillicum Beach Campground. We read on the coast, we ate delicious shellfish in Ona in Yachatas, and walked along the beach next to our camp. The next day we ventured to Depot Bay and saw whales! We were able to sit on the rocks on the shore and see them from there. Our second night we could secure a right camp on the coast! Magical.

In the morning we headed to Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock. I was very excited to see the famous movie from the movie The Goonies! This film had a great impact on Young Me. We climb to the coast and stay in a hotel very close to the beach. This was our best sunset! The clouds were kept out of the horizon enough time to enjoy the sunset.

The next day we go to Astoria, or. Another super pretty city. Another bookstore. 😉 Here is also where we saw Goonies’s house. It made me very happy to see him and it was one of the most prominent aspects of my trip. (silly)

We drove inland to the Still Creek camp, near Timberline Lodge. We went to the buffet in Timberline Lodge, again delicious and famous for PCT hikers, since it is right on the PCT. We walked on Mount Hood, we found a good place to read and then upload again. We drove to the government camp and have coffee at a Taco restaurant. 😄 And back to our camp.

The next day we headed to the bridge of the gods. We walk along the bridge. Then we go to Eagle Creek for our last night on the path. We walk the 7 miles for tunnel falls. Tunnel Falls was amazing! I knew it would be incredible. I am very happy to have made a priority to walk and see it! Once again, my feet began to hurt the last 2 miles and decreased speed. But we arrived at the camp with time to put our feet on the stream and read, so everything worked. We met 5 PCT hikers when they entered and stayed in that place. We went up in the morning, we arrived at our car and met again with 2 of the PCT hikers last night. They needed a trip to Portland, and we went there next, so we took a walk.

Once we were in Portland we went to Rei, obviously, Powell Bookstore, obviously, and then Voodoo Donuts, Duh! We took the hikers to their accommodation and went to pick up my sister and my mother from the airport! They joined us for Portland and Seattle! Great things can happen when people are available and flexible! ❤️

In Portland we returned to the Powell bookstore, of course, back to Voo Doo Donuts, Duh and we had delicious food that was recommended, and visited five nearby waterfalls.

Then we go to Seattle, through a panoramic route to see Mount Rainier from the way. We arrived at the Waterfront Hotel in Seattle and while we registered, my dad surprised us! He said it was «just a 11 -hour direct flight from Shanghai,» so he thought he would come and surprise us and join us during our two days in Seattle! I feel so spoiled !!!!

We went to Pike Place Market, we made the space needle, we went to a bookstore, we found an impressive place to read at the Convention Center and visited several coffee shops.

Livia left one day before my family. He went to Canada to get more adventures with his sister. Traveling with Livia was wonderful! I am grateful that I have been interested in making this road trip with me. I really enjoyed his company and felt lucky to have met.

My mom, dad, sister and I had a good dinner the night before my birthday. I am grateful to have been able to spend this time with my nuclear family. At my age, not everyone can do that. He was not planned and things joined perfectly.

Mom, dad and tina went the next morning. I spent two days in Seattle, again finding bookstores, beaches to read and eating a very delicious meal! Such theme!

I saw Orcas Island to keep the cousin and Bob’s family for a couple of days. What a gift! We went out in your boat and we saw whales again! Then I took a Hydroavion to Seattle and took the Amtrak on a 40 -hour return trip home. This was a perfect and slow transition back home.

Livia and I traveled 2,040 miles by car by turning it in Seattle. My mom, my dad and her sister joined me for my birthday was the cherry icing! 😉 I got home feeling that I did everything I wanted to do before returning home.

My PCT adventure was not how I thought it would. But I ended up creating a satisfactory trip that I would never know what I would take.

Thanks for reading.

Sincerely,

Julie