Oregon Is Complete

First, an apology for the lack of posts. We have been enjoying our experience to the fullest and blogging cuts directly into sleep time.

We are in Cascade Locks, OR, right next to the Colombia River and the border of WA. Since our last pathetic post in Ashland we have traveled over 400 miles and the entire length of Oregon. The travel has been easy compared to other sections but the days have still been long and focused.

We have seen Crater Lake, the Three Sisters, Hood, Jefferson and tons of other volcanos. We have swum in warm mountain lakes and feasted on huckleberries.

For several days the mosquitoes were really bad. We slathered on deet to ward them off. The late snow melt has delayed their peak for at least a month.

One of the big highlights was our trip to Bend. Our friends Kirk and Anthony were going to meet us at McKenzie pass to take us into Sisters but they weren't there when we got there. After getting in touch we discovered they were in Bend with a busted head gasket. However they had borrowed a car from a friend and ended up meeting us anyway. We ended up going back to Bend with them and staying with the aforementioned friend for two nights of fantastic and unexpected trail magic.

After leaving Bend we were two days behind and behind people we knew. The last part of Oregon has been great because we have finally started to hike with people again. There were a chunk of us determined to make it to Timberline Lodge in time for the breakfast buffet.

We made it but then discovered that the trail had just closed ahead due to a huge fire. The detour was way off to the East and consisted of lots of road walking. But due to the camaraderie of five other hikers the detour was actually fun and not just bearable.

So now we are waiting for the right people to show up. We want good folks around for the final leg of this trek. Either that or we get bored and go in to Washington anyway.

Just 500 miles left!