Snuffy’s 2014 Pacific Crest Trail Journal-Oregon Zeros Part 1

So, what did I learn?

I have been home two days now. After icing, Epsom salt baths, lots of lemon ginger water and a general sitting/laying around keeping my feet elevated the swelling has gone down enough that I can see my ankle bones and my legs are not one solid tree trunk. This probably sounds bad but it is not much different than last year. Only last year, I rested a day or two and then got right back out on the trail. I don’t feel any particular injury, other than my right ankle has a bruise where I smashed it falling at Sandy River. I have come to the realization that I am a klutz.

I think this was a good training section; it was quite flat with a little elevation to get the calf muscles working and the knees complaining. There were lots of side trails to bail if I needed to and more than enough cell reception being so close to Portland. Almost TOO much.

There was some gear that I took because I took it last year that I know realize I could leave at home. Since I am now using 2 soft sided Nalgene water bottles, I didn’t use my larger Nalgene water storage container. I like the water bottles because their flexibility is practical when getting water at little streams or springs (no need for a scoop). I liked the water storage container for having water at camp when there wasn’t a source right there but with doing more things away from camp, it wasn’t as important to have water. But I realize now it really was a habit carried over from my previous backpacking experiences when we spent more time in camp. I also brought a headlamp instead of my windup flashlight. The headlamp I have is really not lightweight (Costco) but it was more convenient than the handheld.

I also have to decide if I will continue to carry the Steripen or switch to the iodine pills or Aquamira. I have been thinking about Aquamira for some time, but the Steripen really is convenient. The Gossamer bag is great but not perfect. It doesn’t transfer weight to my hips as well, so I need to figure out how to do that more effectively. It also is not possible to pull my water bottles out of the side pockets while walking like my old pack.   The side pockets are high and my arms are just not the flexible. Trust me, I tried. I was used to being able to stop briefly to go to the bathroom and drink water without taking my pack off, but now the stops require removing my pack. This may or may not be a good thing. I found myself simply drinking more water at sources and when I left camp (stocking up) and less as I was actually walking.

I will tweak my food selection and work at bringing closer to what I actually need (not worrying about starving to death). I’d like to be better at having less at the end of my trips. Adding more salt and cooking the vegetables (cabbage, carrots, and kale) a bit before I dehydrated them helped to make the meals more palatable. The plantains were great with the chili, so no more corn chips for me. I am working on an orange/ginger chicken coleslaw recipe and possibly a cassava bacon chicken thing for next time.

Before I left on this trip, I ordered some packets of oil/vinegar from Minimus.biz, I hope to use those in the coleslaw. Also, I took Applegate pepperoni, sheep’s cheese from the local farmer’s market and some homemade seaweed crackers that turned out to make a great lunch for three days. I just worked on eating the heavier things first.

But most of all? I learned that I still got it. Maybe I shouldn’t have walked so far considering I hadn’t walked more than 8 miles at any given time since last August. Maybe I should have rested a bit longer on breaks on the trail. Maybe I should have been satisfied with 15 miles by 2pm (and setting up camp). But it was SO satisfying to hike each and every one of those miles just as I did. Is it something about not giving in to being older? Not that I can imagine in my wildest dreams doing this in my twenties. Sleeping by myself in the woods? Ha!

I read an article a few days ago about how our body is not a project but the paintbrush. I will treat my body as best I can, but it is for pursuing my dreams. What makes me happy. From my first step onto the trail, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of happiness. It brings tears to my eyes just writing these words. Sniff. The hardest part about breaking it up into sections will be these days in between. Don’t get me wrong. I love being home, too. But there is always a longing to return.

I’ll spend this week at home, maybe a day hike or two with friends and then head out again next week for another section. I know I’ll at least do Hwy 35 to Sandy River (northbound) and back and probably go south as bit as well. I’d like to go all the way to Ollalie Lake, and I am looking at the logistics of getting out there and where to leave my car. Then, in August, I’ll head southbound from Hwy 26 (or Ollalie) and go at least to Crater Lake before coming home.

It looks like I will be heading out again tomorrow for the trail. I have spent the last week preparing some more food. I added a ginger orange coleslaw and made some homemade crackers based on a tapioca/coconut flour recipe from Pinterest. My Minimus.biz packets came so I am excited to add olive oil and mustard to my culinary creations.

Thursday this week I went hiking with my friend Anne (who hiked with me last year into Stehekin) and Sheri (who I met last year at Snoqualmie Pass) for a short day hike at Snoqualmie Pass.

We just rambled up a few miles north on the PCT because Anne had her boys, then we headed down to the Aardvark for lunch. Dan has made some upgrades and is ready for PCT thru-hikers. He’s added a hiker box and register, and has a larger covered area for sitting. The food was just as delicious and he can’t wait to be a part of the hikers’ journey. He even mumbled something about letting hikers sleep under his covered area so they don’t have to stay at the hotel. But keep it on the down low…

I finished the stupid Divergent series. I don’t know why I bothered to finish but well, once I start something, I guess I have to finish it. I didn’t realize how bad the writing was until I got into my next book, Americanah. What a world of difference, finished that in two days. I picked up some more books on CD for the road trip and more Playaways to listen to on the trail.

I can’t keep on all the raspberries this year, most are just going into the freezer. I tried my hand at some raspberry jam that only uses chia seeds and a little maple syrup, turned out to be pretty delicious. My mom is having a fundraising yard sale, so I used it as an opportunity to unload more clutter from the house. That is one of the benefits of mixing in this many “zeros”, at the end of the summer my to-do list will be a bit shorter.

We are having amazing weather here in the PNW, almost too good. Looks like it will hit 100 degrees while I’m in the woods this next adventure, hopefully that translates into cooler temps in the woods.

My plan is to park at Barlow Pass (HWY 35) and hike down until the Timothy Lake junction and back, then my friend Elizabeth will join me and we will hike north to Sandy River and back. That way, when I actually start my southbound trek, I can start at Timothy Lake and head south.

For the continuation of this journey, visit Snuffy’s 2014 Pacific Crest Trail Journal-Oregon Day 5

To start at the beginning, head over to Snuffy’s 2014 Pacific Crest Trail Journal-Oregon Day 1