#ThrowbackThursday
This is part of a series of journal entries I have made while section hiking the Pacific Crest Trail since 2013 over on Trailjournals.com. I am moving them here to Must Hike Must Eat and updating them with photos (and maybe fixing typos). Look for them on Thursdays or you can head over to Trailjournals.com and read as many as you would like!
http://www.trailjournals.com/journal/entry/430637
Trip Miles: 424.83
Waking up at the High Bridge campground above Stehekin, Anne and I leisurely got up at 7pm, made breakfast, packed up, and walked down the road a short ways to meet the bus that heads into town.
There were already hikers waiting there, a boy scout troop from Enumclaw we had passed the day before. They had gotten up at 1:30am to to hike in 6-7 miles to make the first bus. Not the leaders’ idea, the boys had wanted to hike in the dark! 4 other hikers joined us before the bus arrived.
The National Parks Service runs a bus shuttle from the campgrounds above Stehekin into town 4 times a day. It stops at a ranch resort and the local bakery before arriving down at the landing dock in town. By the time we got to town, the bus was full, including a group of moms with their kids who had been hiking in the area. This was refreshing to see.
Anne and I both decided we wanted to check into the hotel first before stopping at the local fare. We were looking forward to being clean! We were glad we did, because we also got the last 2 dinner reservations at the Stehekin Ranch. Prime rib night!
After checking in and sending off emails that we had made it, we sauntered over to the restaurant to have lunch. Waiting to pay for our food, I look over and see familiar faces. A dad and daughter from our church, Darrell and Brenna Saxton on a father/daughter weekend, were eating lunch and waiting for the next boat into Lake Chelan. What a nice surprise! We joined them for burgers and fries and shared the adventures of our hike together.
After, Anne and I did laundry at a public place by the marina and sat in Airondack chairs on the lakefront. It was a lovely kid-free experience! When our clothes were clean, we set off back up the road 1.5 miles to visit an organic farm we love.
There, we were able to purchase vegetables, goat cheese and local honey from a barefoot farmer who runs out and picks the veggies you order. The only downside is that Anne got stung (again)!
The farmer was able to give her plant leaves to rub on it but it was quite painful. The price you pay for fresh, I guess. This cut our trip short from visiting the bakery, so we headed back to our hotel.
At 5:30pm, we got back on the bus and headed up to the Stehekin Ranch, another place you can stay in Stehekin, for dinner. You have several options for lodging in town, from free camping with the parks service to resorts. But, for the best meals, eat at the Stehekin Ranch.
It was a rustic dining room experience, complete with sawdust on the floor, large family style picnic tables, antlers on the walls and a wood burning stove. Afterwards, we had time to mosey on outside and sit with folks listening to a local play some old school country music (“A white sport coat and pink carnation…”) on his guitar before the ranch’s big white school bus drove us back down to the landing. We were happy, tummy-full hikers.
Anne and I sat on the deck overlooking the waterfront, watching the sun go down over the mountains and bats darts among the trees, chatting about how to take this peacefulness back home with us to our lives and families. Then we were off to sleep.
http://www.trailjournals.com/journal/entry/430641
Trip Miles: 424.83
Today is another zero day here in Stehekin. You may notice that the previous entries were shorter than normal. Stehekin is very secluded from the outside world meaning there is no cell phone coverage or WiFi and my internet is limited to the hotel community computer which has dial up.
It means I can’t conveniently cut and paste my writing from my phone and someone usually comes along to use the computer every 15 minutes or so. It, also, means no pictures. Probably not until I get home. I will be backfilling those entries as I can, so check back!
Not that I’m hanging by the computer.
My friend Anne (who joined me at mile 2561) and I woke up this morning and got in line for the bus to go to the Stehekin Bakery. If you haven’t been there, you are missing out! We both enjoyed some quiche and I had some yummy broccoli salad and a wheat free chocolate cookie. It is the place to be to see both locals and visitors talking about what they are going to visit that day.
The bus ride up gives a great view of the upper lake, early morning geese and swimmers with paddleboard guides. Stehekin is one of those places where everyone still waves as they pass on the road and there is only one speed, slow.
Anne left on the express boat down the lake at noon, heading towards Chelan where her family is picking her up at Field’s Point. It was great to both hike and relax here with her.
After she left, I wandered up to the National Park visitor center to check it out. This is where you get your backpacking permits for the national park campsites. I also made some phone calls (there is one public phone in town, a satellite phone) and got a hold of my mom to send some shoes with my resupply to Rainy Pass because the ones I have have gotten a little holey!
Then, I went back to my room to get some of the vegetables I purchased yesterday and headed down to a little waterfront area the hotel owns. I sat myself in the sun and watched the boats come and go in the marina.
I wasn’t there long before a familiar face was walking down the road. Charlie Dayhiker, who I met in Snoqualmie, on his way back from Canada! We sat and chatted for awhile and then headed back up to the hotel to see about dinner.
There, 3 other thru hikers had gotten off the 3pm bus from High Bridge; Lint (who is soon to be a 3 time triple crowner having done the PCT, AT and CDT 3 times now), Juice and Breeze (whose blog is Bree Hikes).
It was fun to sit and eat dinner with them on the deck of the lodge and hear some of their stories.
3 more hikers came in while we were eating. Charlie also gave a report on the trail conditions from here to Canada. We talked about the road closure on HWY 20, one of the reasons I am glad I had planned to stay a few days here in Stehekin in hopes it will be open and my resupply can meet me.
As I have been relaxing here, I have been thinking about the fact that I have one more week left on the trail, only 5 more days of hiking! I am looking forward to seeing my son and sleeping in my own bed. I am not looking forward to going back to work. This next week will probably mean no internet, so I might not be able to journal until I’m back home. Only 84 miles to go!
First post: Snuffy’s 2013 Pacific Crest Trail Journal July 20 &21, previous post: Snuffy’s 2013 Pacific Crest Trail Journal August 15 & 16. Look to next Thursday for more of my journey on the Pacific Crest Trail!
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