Sisters 8/13

Mt. Jefferson. 

I will talk about Sisters but right now I will recap our day today 8/17. No wait, even before I do that let us all wish Diane's brother Jeff a big happy birthday. It's his fiftieth and right this moment he's partying down in Noise I mean Boise. Wish we were there dancing and eating Carolyn's food. Instead we are beside Mt. Jefferson looking up at the red sky and clouds to match. There is a small fire burning in the valley beside us and a number of people have called in but so far no helicopters are insight and we're off to sleep.Burn baby burn. 

Our campsite view of reported fire. 

Plane circling to drop smoke jumpers on the fire we reported the very next morning. 

      Today was spent walking through burned areas, miles and miles of it. We got driven to the trail head by Blanche who I will introduce later (she has an amazing story) and now we are once again walking with Princess and Mr. Sandals. Besides beatiful views of Mt Washington and a swim for TC in some nameless lake where she saw something prehistoric, some kind of frog-like newt swimming underneath her, nothing much else was happening. It was a heavy day for us (5 days of food) and we carried a few liters of water for five miles. TC was not having a good day (heavy pack and  she smacked her ankle) FC managed to strain something in her left hamstring from doing nothing in particular which is scary because it may mean her liver blood deficiency is increasing and her tendons and ligaments might start snapping off. Oh well there is no Angelica to suck on or Moxa to burn so she'll keep on walking. TC is receiving an acupuncture treatment as I blog. Mainly for her emotional instability. FC who is not too stable herself is performing the treatment. It should be a good one. That's all for now folks.

      I forgot to tell you all we met a trailebrity on the path. His name is Scott Williamson and he has done the PCT 13 times and yo-yo'd (did the trail north to south then turned around and did it again). Princess spotted him and knew who he was from watching an video called "Go Tell it On the Mountain" while in Germany. He was trying to break a record, 60 days unsupported, that was set by a woman last year. We chatted for awhile. He said he wasn't much faster than anyone else but he walks from 4am to 10pm. FC looked at his long legs and thought,"Huh huh". He takes one step to every three of  FC's. He said his day job, a tree cutter, was much more taxing than the PCT. Princess wondered why he just couldn't move on with his life. We talked about it later. Who wants to do the PCT 13 times? Anyway, that's 2 celebrities we have met (remember Half Mile?)

3 Finger Jack. 

FC & Blanche

      The morning of our slack pack Blanche drove us to McKenzie Pass. We learned that she has 3 birth children,3 adopted children and 55 foster children. 55 foster children!!  Some are in prison, one killed himself (the most brilliant one) and many she hasn't stayed in contact with.Her husband was raised in foster homes so when their children became teenagers they started taking in foster kids. Amazing to FC who only has one cat and finds that trying. Blanche is 70 and is going on her first backpacking trip- she is hiking from Cascade Locks (where we are headed) to Crater Lake (where we came from). She has been doing her research for the past three years and has got it down. Go for it Blanche. We should cross paths in a day or two since we are going in opposite direction.

FC. TC. & Wayne

      One more person to mention is Wayne. FC stepped off the trail onto highway 242 and stopped the first car she saw. It took one second to get a ride. TC was still hobbling over the lava so FC called to her saying they had a ride. After chit chatting with Wayne on their way to Sisters he asked what we did and when TC shared that she managed the climbing gym in Pacific Edge a whole new conversation ensued. It turns out that Stevie D, ex- employee of PAC Edge is a friend of his and he even once belayed TC at a competition in Berkely in the 90's. He knew a lot of people TC knew from the old days. Wayne used to live in the Bay Area and moved to Eugene. How crazy that he was our chauffeur.

      One last story from Sisters. When we arrived FC called the number of a trail angel listed in Yogi's PCT Handbook. His name is Lloyd Gust. When FC called his son. Rod, answered and said that his father was in ill health and to remember that when talking to him. FC was confused but talked away. Lloyd sounded fine and took down all the info. He lived in Bend  but he said he had some contacts in Sisters. FC hung up and was quite perplexed because the conversation was fine; no evidence of dementia or Alzheimer's. It was later that day that Rod called back and said he had just left his father in hospice. Apparently Lloyd was dying and still helping PCT hikers to get rides. That was overwhelming news. When we related the story to Blanche, the woman Lloyd connected us with, she said she  thought he had already died. Thank you Lloyd for your unending care and consideration towards those who hike the PCT. A man arranging rides for hikers eventhough he could die at any moment. His son had come in from Jackson Hole so it was serious. Lloyd is an angel.