As I watch the rain falling outside my dorm room window, I can’t help but feel the world understands what a tough day it’s been.

Where’s Chris kindly brought UB to Timberline this morning so we could see one another, say our goodbyes (for now), and for UB to pick up his last resupply box for the trail.

I think because of the drama that has surrounded UB’s hike, a lot of people have forgotten that he’s like every other thru hiker that came to the PCT with certain goals and expectations. UB isn’t an ordinary human being, so it should be expected that he set himself an extraordinary goal and had infinite expectations. People may shake their head and say what he set out to do was too ambitious, I say the guy’s got balls. Anyone that can freely dream that big will one day succeed in life in the most incredible way. I know his day is soon to come!

Anyone who says the PCT is a walk in the park obviously hasn’t hiked the trail in full. Anyone that says the trail shouldn’t be that dramatic obviously hasn’t dared to step outside their comfort zone far enough. Anyone who makes assumptions from things they hear or snippets they read should think before making their thoughts public. Anyone who thinks they know UB should think again.

I wasn’t able to comprehend what the end of UB’s hike really meant until he asked if I would carry his two blue birds to Canada with me. At this point we both burst into tears with the realisation that his dream was coming to an end (at least for now). It takes a brave person to be able to swallow this realisation, walk away with a smile and truly wish the best for their partner who must continue on with the journey. Heartbreaking is the only word that gets close to expressing how this feels.

I’m so proud of everything UB has achieved during his hike. I’ve seen him grow and transform into the person I know he wished he could be before the trail. The total number of miles he walked throughout this journey is insignificant to the experiences he will take from it. I’m excited to be a part of his world, with a front seat to watch him transform the lives of others with the lessons he has been blessed to receive from the Pacific Crest Trail.

I’m lying in a dorm room at Timberline Lodge after completing my longest day on trail (34 miles), to arrive here by 8:30pm. My whole body is aching and if it wasn’t for the two ibuprofens I took before the final 6 mile ascent I think my body would have forced me to stop. Darkness and the pending storm kept me going, along with a handful of Fritos and about a bajillion cookies.

My day started at 7am, but the terrain up until Little Crater Lake was relatively flat bar the first two miles. The lake did live up to its name, it was very small and incredibly blue like its big brother.

I had lunch at the lake with Cookie Monster, Rubbadub and Steamer who was diligently studying his PCT map to ensure we were on track…

After lunch it was all business. I’d done 14 miles but still had 20 to go. My mind was trying to convince my aching body to keep going, so that’s just what I did…

Then the rain set in…

The last mile was agonising in the dark, but it was too misty for a headlamp…

Needless to say I made it in safely and am so thankful I have a roof over my head as the weather outside is HORRENDOUS!!

After 29 miles today I didn’t quite have the energy to write a full post; but I pretty much summed things up in the video below…

I’ll also let the pictures tell the story…

According to the Guthook’s app I did about 5 miles upside down:

This bus analogy was shared to me this evening by Cookie Monster after I expressed concern for being at the back of the pack. I haven’t seen him since the kick off, and back then he was 100 miles behind me. I was happy with the 10+ miles I put in today to ease back into the trail, until Cookie Monster and four other thru hikers passed by my tent. Sure I stopped early and found an awesome spot near water to camp, but it didn’t help morale one bit. There can’t be that many through hikers behind me can there? I’ve been told there’s still a few, more than I probably expect, but I’m starting to experience some back of the pack anxiety as my biggest dislike is being or feeling rush. It doesn’t sit well with me.

It also didn’t help that Cookie Monster expressed how unbelievably fantastic his trip has been so far. What trail has he been walking? I’ve been told never to believe a thru hiker that says everything is peachy all the time, but he was definitely cruising faster and further than me today so I guess I let it get to me. Today almost felt like Day 1 for me. I’ve walked 85 miles in the last 2 weeks. That’s an average of 6 miles a day. No wonder my back, legs and feet were all complaining with a seemingly heavy pack and 10 miles of uphill. I’ve had lots of great food and rest over the last few days, but my muscles feel weak, and I’m definitely not at the same level of fitness as I was before I came off trail. I don’t think it will take long to get it back, but with Washington and bad weather on the horizon I can’t help but feel a little nervous.

Chris drove me all the way back to the trail this morning while UB went back to Urgent Care for a second visit. It was sad hitting the trail solo after having such an amazing time back together again. I thought 1000 solo miles was enough… but I guess the trail isn’t finished with me yet.

I passed a couple of south bound section hikers who asked if I was going passed Russell Creek. I had no idea it was only a few miles up the trail, so when they told me you should try to cross it before 10am I asked if there was camping nearby. When I got there an hour later I realised there was no way I was going to wait until the morning and was surprised at just how high the creek actually was.

The trail climbed for the next 5 miles, and I was lucky to catch a glimpse of Mt Jefferson when the sky cleared for no more than 20 minutes. When I reached the end of the climb at close to 7000 feet, the clouds and wind rolled in and the temperature dropped considerably. This was one reason I set up camp early. The other was simply because I’d had enough for today. I hope I can push out some big miles tomorrow and feel like I’m getting back on track.

My stomach is bloated and I’m feeling a little woozy… could it have been the two waffles and bacon I had for breakfast, the freshly ground Peet’s coffee, the pound steak with cilantro butter or perhaps the homemade apple pie with ice cream and caramel sauce I devoured last night?

The first image below is a video (I’ve been told sometimes my videos show up as regular pictures).

Apologies for the WordPress technical difficulties…

The more challenges the trail throws at you, the more you discover the extraordinary generosity, kindness and openness of human beings. I hesitate to use the word strangers, because the people who I’ve encountered throughout this experience, whether I’ve met them face to face or through comments on the blog, feel part of this experience and as close to me as many of my fellow hikers on the trail.

Once again I was overwhelmed by the comments I received on my last post. It uncovered such wisdom and understanding in so many people following this journey, that I almost felt guilty for the incredible mental boost and inner peace it provided me with. Thank you for sharing that with me.

Since the day I crossed the 2000 mile mark, forgave myself for the wrongs I’ve committed, and made a commitment to strive to be a better person, the trail has felt more comfortable. My relationship with UB couldn’t be stronger, and my body harnesses that same strength. I still feel a little pain from the nerve in my thigh, I have a knot in my shoulder and a slight muscle tweak in my neck, but considering what I’ve put my body through, these are minor ailments I can overcome.

The trail through northern Oregon has been breathtaking! The scenery through the Three Sisters Wilderness, Mt Washington and Mt Jefferson, has been such a contrast to the section from Ashland to Crater Lake which was the toughest for me mentally along the entire trail. The stunning views have helped maintain my mood, but having someone to share them with has made the real difference.

Our experiences recently have varied from minor hiccups, such as me making warm oats for breakfast with my dirty sponge in the bowl, to much more serious health issues which saw UB not being able to retain any food or fluids for the last few days and suffering from gastritis and dehydration. As men often do (sorry guys but it’s true), he tried to disguise his suffering until his constant vomiting and lack of energy was too much to continue. Unfortunately we were 20 miles away from civilisation both north and south with no phone signal. Once again I was in a situation where I didn’t know what to do (and obviously SPOT wasn’t an option!)

My one lifeline I knew I could call was trail angel Where’s Chris. Once we were able to get phone signal about half a mile up the trail I called her immediately and explained our situation. In seconds she had maps out, looking for alternate exits off the trail that her and her partner Charles could collect us from. Within minutes Chris had a plan, Charles was fuelling up the 4×4, and UB and I only had 5 miles versus 20 miles to get to a trailhead. It took us 3 hours to get there, and the entire way we were in total shock that people who we’d never even met before would drop everything in a second and drive 3 hours one way to rescue us from the trail.

The incredible generosity of Chris and Charles to travel such a distance, invite us into their home, shuttle us around and drive us back to the trail once UB is back on his feet is overwhelming. Even if I devote the rest of my life to providing for others I can barely repay the kindness we’ve received throughout this journey. Chris and Charles, you guys are unbelievable.