Miles today: 27.9

Trail miles sum: 1392.6

Trail location: 2073.9

Elevation: 3369

Spinning on the turntable: Bleachers: Terrible thrills, Vol 2

Today was all about trying for speed and distance. I’m disappointed about yesterdays hike mileage being so low, so today was about bouncing back.

I started the day entering the Warm Springs Indian reservation.

The mist was comforting to me. It’s just like home! I didn’t mind hiking through it at all.

I had to snap a picture of this hiker who made camp a foot off the trail. Often these are the hikers that are hiking until dark and then grab an easy spot close to the trail. Noelle and I camped about five feet off trail during our first week out here.

Finally! Bear scat with berries! I’ve been curious why there’s been so little bear poo close to the ripe berries.

The huckleberries are delicious! You could easily pick a pint within just a few minutes.

My water fill up station this morning was a natural spring. I really enjoy the natural springs. Usually the water is cold and delicious. Although this site looked a bit sketchy, the water was great.

I had cell phone reception for a spell this morning so I stopped and made a few phone calls. I’m lining up doctor visits for our time in Portland next week and for after we finish the trail. Its odd to make calls from the trail, but a necessary evil.

Another hiker immediately claimed my good cell phone reception location when I vacated it. Maybe life outside of the trail doesn’t exist for some hikers, but I think it does for most of us. It’s just a juggling act of taking care of business that’s off trail but not becoming too immersed in it. Lots of hikers (including me) suffer sleep deprivation in town when we have cell phone reception.

Noelle hiked out to join me for the last few miles and we hiked back to the van together.

Reaching the Mt. Hood sign was special. We’re back in our known hiking ground. I think we’ll have about a 300 mile stretch of trails that are familiar to us in this area. We’ve been hiking on and around the PCT in Oregon and Washington for years.

I did laugh at these markers today.

Apparently the SOBO hikers have just a difficult time deciding distance as do the NOBO hikers.

As I head for sleep tonight it’s pouring rain with lightning and thunder. I really hope it stops by morning so I don’t need to hike in the rain.

Tomorrow I’ll hike to Timberline lodge and we’ll meet Trish and Ben, my brother and sister in law. It will be our first family “sighting” since early April.