12 miles + 25 of bypass
We wake up early and do a quick 2 more miles to the tiny Olalie Lakes Resort, which is really just a set of rentable cabins by a lake, and a small store for hikers and cabin renters. The entire place is managed by a woman and her boyfriend, and Barrel and I seem to be the only ones around. I try to plug my extra phone battery into a plug I see in the store, but they tell us the energy comes from car batteries that they charge, and propane for the refrigerators. They kindly plug my stuff into their battery, and we buy a few candy bars and a pickle. While we're waiting around the store, they give us free mini pies that are a day past the sale date, as they talk to us about their lives and annoyance with the new owner. They tell us that there is still a fire closure on the trail for about 25 miles, and that for this portion there is an alternate road walk of 30 miles, with only water caches to rely on for water. Barrel and I discuss whether we're going to do the road walk, or try to get a hitch around the closure. After very little deliberation, we decide to try and get a hitch, though they tell us this could be a bit difficult.
We have a couple more miles to go before we reach the actual bypass route, so we take the road up from the resort, thinking we might be able to get a hitch with anyone coming past this way. The woman at the store gave us a piece of cardboard to write our plea on, and we put the piece on the back of Barrel's backpack. A mile or so down the road and a car comes by that pulls over. His name is Ben, and he's a journalist for a small paper in the Eugene area. At one point as he's driving us, he takes a left, and Barrel wonders if this is the way to the main road that we were told to take. I think back to the directions they gave us at the store, and think that this sounds right. Ben drops us off at the junction of the paved forest road, and we get out and prop ourselves on the side of the road. The only shade is under a small tree about 15 feet off the road, so we take turns lying in the shade and standing in the heat with the sign. Almost no cars are driving past, and it takes about an hour and a half for someone to pull over. Our ultimate goal is to get near Timothy lake, and from the hand drawn map at the resort, this road was supposed to be a direct shot, so we've been surprised no one pulled over earlier. We hurry over to the large blue van that pulled over, and the side door opens to reveal an older woman in a moo moo, and the van gutted except for the driver and passenger seat, and a full sized bed taking up the back end. There are two large chests in the middle of a plywood floor, and Barrel and I awkwardly sit on them. Along with the woman are two older men, sitting in the front, wearing tie-dyed shirts with long hair. As we drive, and try to explain where we want to go, they tell us we're not taking a very easy route. Barrel pulls out the picture of the map he had taken back at the store, and after they point out where we are, we realize we somehow just went completely out of our way, and now have to take a much less traveled road to get where we want. Of course this hitch wouldn't be easy.
They drop us off, and we start walking up a narrow, hidden-looking road, not knowing when or if we'll get a hitch. The day is hot, and walking on pavement is even worse than walking through burn zones. The only joy are the many Thimble berry bushes lining the side of the road, but soon, not even they make the walk any better. We cross a wooden bridge, and Barrel tells me he's going to take a break. I'm in a "I just want to get this over with" sort of mood, so I keep going. Thirty minutes later, Barrel nowhere in sight, I hear a car coming my way. I quickly hold up my sign and they pull over. And then I see Barrel's shadow in the back. It's an older couple with their grandson, and they drive us to the trailhead after the closure. Along the way we drive past Hank, a hiker we met at the Youth Camp, and Ninja Tank. We feel guilty, since there is no more room in the car, but grateful that we got a ride.
The rest of the day is leisurely; we only walk another 8 or so miles, stopping at Timothy lake for a while to swim, and checking out Little Crater Lake. Little Crater lake is Windex blue, and you can see straight down to the bottom of the lake, close to 50ft. It's hard to show how amazing it looks from pictures, so you'll just have to take my word for it.
Little Crater Lake
We end up camping at a spot 15 miles from Timberland Lodge, because we run into a large group of other hikers, and are easily sucked in by the campfire and conversation. After talking to everyone, the consensus by everyone is to wake up early, do the 15 miles and get to the All You Can Eat lunch buffet at Timberline around 11am.
Barrel and I plan to get up at 5 and leave camp by 6 and crush the miles to the buffet. I retire early to relax in my tent, and Barrel comes by later and shares some of his delicious mac and cheese with me. We talk and keep interrupting ourselves to say we have to go to sleep. Eventually, we go to sleep with serious plans to wake up early. Anything for the promise of lots of food.
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