31 miles
The Scotts and Chip are awake when I get up, and I chat with them a bit as I break down camp. They tell me there is a nice shelter down the way that I should stay at, and when I check the map I realize it's 34 miles from here. That would be my longest day so far, but I make the decision to try and shoot for it. I say my goodbyes, and they ask if they can be my Facebook friends and follow my journey--of course! :)
I make 8 miles by 10:30, and get a text from Borealis that he hitched to a breakfast restaurant 2 miles off trail and that I should join him. I have no idea when he sent the text, but I decide to get a ride down there anyway, assuming I'm not going to make my 34 mile goal anyway.
I try for a while to get a hitch--a fancy sport car being the only car that drives by. I decide to just keep going, and just as I start to cross the road, the sports car comes back. The guy rolls down his window and says if I have a couple if dollars he'll drive me. I tell him I'm only trying to go a couple miles down the road, but I'll just get back on the trail.
He tells me he'll drive me anyway, and gets out to open the trunk to put my trekking poles in. The car is a two door, tiny thing, and it's crammed with camera equipment. He tells me he's on his way to shoot a wedding, and there isn't much room in the car, so I cram myself in, with my pack on my lap.
I can't really reach my seatbelt, so I leave it off, but soon the car starts beeping, and I have to awkwardly grab the belt, pulling little by little to get it around me.
He drops me off at the restaurant, but it's clear that Borealis has already left. I order a sandwich, and they tell me they give a free beer to hikers. It's still morning, but I can't pass up something free, so I order their lightest beer with green olives--Minnesota style!
I notice that no cars have gone past, heading back to the trail, and I realize it's going to be a difficult hitch back. I check my maps and notice that if I walk up the road 4 miles, it'll cross the trail, cutting off only about 3 trail miles. I decide this is my best option and head on my way.
Two older guys pick me up and give me a lift for the last mile, and as I'm filling up my water at the campground, I see Barrel walking towards me. I figured he was long past, but he says he got a late start and hasn't been going very fast. It's 20 more miles to the cabin and we decide to push for it. I suddenly have a craving for ice cream and wish we were closer to a town. A couple if hours later, we hear someone yell out to us. We pause, and I'm about to keep hiking when barrel turns around and goes back. Out of the trees emerges a sinewy old man, wearing nothing but a loin cloth, asking us if we want some trail magic. It was just as creepy as it sounds. I'm not sure what I would have done if I was alone, but having Barrel there bolsters my courage, and after the man introduces himself as Coppertone, Barrel recognizes this as legit trail magic. The guy leads us through the woods out onto a dirt road where his camper van is parked, and brings us out bananas and cookies while he makes us rootbeer floats. It is magical. He uses strawberry icecream, and I think I'm in heaven. Coppertone tells us he was just about to pack up when he heard us come walking by. He tells us he's headed up to Bend and then on to climb Mt Hood. We thank him and wish him well, and leave with full bellies and happy hearts.
The twenty miles goes fast with a new hiking partner, and we end up sharing stories about our lives, getting to know each other well by the time we reach the cabin. I realize I've done 31 miles today and I am ecstatic. Borealis shows up an hour after us, playfully giving me shit for the miles I hitched and the trail miles I cut out.
We meet another female hiker my age, Alpaca, and her dad, who's joining her for a couple days. Shredder is also at the camp, going slowly because he's feeing ill. Alpaca pulls out a wooden flute, and her and shredder jam out. They sound like a real band, and we all hang out for a bit, drinking Borealis' expensive whiskey and enjoying the company.
I feel tired but happy, and go to bed with plans for big mile days ahead.
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