August 19th Evening
Trail Miles: 1045.8

Today started with sleeping in. It was the first time I had good sleep since I came back to the trail for this leg. I had planned to stick around at Olallie Lake, but I realized I was anxious to be done with this leg so I decided to head out.

I ate a big breakfast and casually sorted through my existing food, and my resupply box. Soon I had it all arranged, leaving a few nice treats for the hikers behind me in the hiker box.

Then I just sat on the porch. I stared out at the distant Mt. Jefferson over Olallie Lake while I listened to families plan their days of fishing and row boating. Around 11am I packed all my gear up and walked up to talk with James and Lydia. They were planning to hike about 10 miles today, like me.

Just after noon I set out to hike the ten miles to a campsite they would be camping at. Little did I know the trail was going to be so easily graded and free of rocks. I shot through those ten miles so quickly that I arrived with more energy and more time. I soon realized that I could hike another three hours and turn my four day leg to Timberline into a three day leg.

Naturally I continued. The trail was easy going and entirely viewless, so there was no stopping for photos or to implant a view in my memory. Well there was one view of Mt. Hood. In the end, I wound up hiking 21 miles. Not bad considering I started at noon. I, however, am a little sad that I did not get to talk with Lydia and James again. We did exchange emails though, so perhaps there will be another opportunity to hike, camp, or talk with them.

I was getting worried because it was getting close to dark, and I had no idea how close I was to the next campsite. I could stealth camp, but all the areas seemed pretty much on a steep slope or overgrown and coveres in fallen trees. I put my headlamp around my neck, just in case I did not get to the campsite with light still left.

Oddly enough, I arrived at the campsite about five minutes after I put my headlamp on, so I did not even need to use it. I had dinner with another couple of hikers, filtered water for tomorrow, and now I am going to go to sleep.

August 20th Evening
Trail Miles: 1069.1 Miles

Another mostly viewless day. Originally I had planned to hike to just past Highway 26, so that tomorrow I would only have 10 miles to hike up to Timberline Lodge. Then I hit upon an idea (as is apt to occur with all the free time to think).

First the day, then the idea. Shortly after I awoke, some neighboring campers brought me a cup of coffee. I think that was the first time I actually had coffee on the trail. I set out with high ambitions because I was feeling energetic, but like all days, after about 15 miles the original lofty morning goal seems virtually unattainable.

The grade of the trail was fairly nice, so I moved along at a decent pace. Before too long, the viewless trail dropped down to Timothy Lake, a large blue lake filled with boats. However this area seemed clean. Down at Silverwood Lake in California I was disturbed at the excessive amounts of trash and debris laying around. Here at Timothy Lake I did not see much trash, only mountain bikers on a trail that they were not supposed to be on, a tiny nuissance.

As I made my way around the lake, I took lunch at its northern end on a trail junction. I strategically planned this so that my lunch hour would be filled with short conversations with hikers from three directions.
After lunch I continued on into a forest of hemlocks, lodgepole pines, firs, and a few other types of trees. That was the most scenic part, about 10 different types of trees, otherwise the views did not exist until the last three miles. While the trail does have great beauty beyond its views, the views are what slows me down, makes me take a break. I enjoy the other stuff, but it is all the same hour after hour.

I continued on with hopes of making it to Hwy 26 to camp. My feet were tired and sore. It would seem that the lazy month has made my feet soft, for the blisters have come back. Nearing the highway I stuck upon an idea. I was dirty and tired, why don’t I just hitchhike down into Portland to heal my feet, take a shower and rest.

But more importantly, one of my dearest friends is moving to New Zealand in a week. She wanted to hike some of the trail with me, but couldn’t find the time and money to go out for a couple days. So my idea/plan is to take her on a day-hike from Timberline Lodge down to Highway 26. I hope that that will work well for her, or my hitch down to Portland will have been rather useless.

Plus if I hike those 10 miles southbound in a few days I might get the opportunity to see some of my thru-hiking friends who are behind me.

Now, time for some R&R, again.

Happy Trails, Inner Peace, & Harmony