Hot Creek Rim: Most people skip Section O...

Trying to keep it cool in 100 degree shade at Cache 22 along the Hat Creek Rim. We pulled 35 miles that day just to wake to water at the Crystal Lake Fish Hatchery. If the Poison Oak and heat wasn't enough, many times this section of trail went Southwest or due West. Canada is in neither of these directions.

I've spent over a week now away from the trail, and even though the last section I completed is the most commonly skipped (read: Hat Creek Rim, poison oak, no water, +110 temps, poison oak, forest fire smoke, poison oak) by "thru-hikers", I miss even it in comparison with "the everyday". That said, in order to walk into Canada before the weather turns gnar, I've made the decision to skip the 200miles stretch from Castella to Ashland. At this point I've hiked over 1595 miles, have gone through 5 pairs of sunglassess, am on my third pair of shoes, walk like an 80yo in the morning while my feet warm up, and cannot even imagine stopping.

The trail seemed to be the most trying here, and for the first time I felt the first sensations of the"Why am I doing this?" bummer - something it seems a lot of my fellow hikers have already gone through or are going through. Each person has their own personal devil, and section of trail that really doesn't do it for em, and mine is apparently heat without cacti. I did fine in the first sections of desert, but it seemed that without the visually stimulating flora, I didn't do so hot. Also, much of the terrain was tear-your-face-off -if-you-fall lava rock, which chewed what remained of my shoes (those babies made it 1000miles!) to bits. However, the self-questioning abated quickly, and I'm glad that I didn't yellow-blaze the notorious Section O, aka Section Oh-F*&^. Especially since it ended with trail magic from the underground trail angel Budesa family!

Things are hot all over: 106 degree heat in hometown Portland, 110 heat had me flying into the headwaters of Burney Falls, marking the end of doom. (i.e. Hat Creek Rim).

The light at the end of the heat tunnel: Molly Budesa cooks up a fierce stir fry. The Budesas: Paul, Tammy, Molly, Abby and Ian (and later Alex and Emily in Shasta) felt like a whole new part of my family and served up the most relaxing and as lovely as any trail magic.

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I opted to leave the trail to climb Mt. Shasta, another +14,000 just south of the Oregon Border. Everyone we spoke to cautioned us about her, saying we'd need everything shy of the kitchen sink to make it up safely, and that our gear of shorts and questionable footwear, and ultra-light approach probably wouldn't fly. Turns out - as some of our crew flew past a team of 5, roped into each other and with about $5000 worth of gear each - the best piece of equipment you can really have is priceless and conveniently located on your shoulders. Shasta definitely dished out some mischief and was not a cake-walk, but was totally worth the blue-blaze. I'd probably wear a helmet next time though.

Left the trail last monday to climb Mt. Shasta, sans ice axe, helmet, and crampons. I did have a few holes in my shoes though, and gave them a vikings farewell as this was their last journey. This is the view up Avalanche Gulch.

The Bride and Groom's table.

After Mt. Shasta, I left the trail for good-friend's Kate & Pete's wedding in upstate NY. 40 hours or so of travel later, I happily arrived to the ceremony and got to visit, if however briefly, with some of the best people I can imagine knowing. This journey within a journey was a bit of reality check: I've been following one, sole, continuous path this summer and once in NY I found myself navigating every train in the alphabet going both directions. I had however, forgotten about the humidity of the east, and thought I might drown in the subway tunnels. I survived though, and so it would seem I've not lost all ability to live within society.

Almost full. The August "Strawberry Moon" Rises on the SE side of Shasta.

Despite my retention of civilized aptitudes, I can't wait to get back to that trail.

P.S: I've maxed out my Flickr account, but prefer Picasa anyway, so from now out all pic's'll be posted on my Picasa site. (You can find the link on the right side). I've also thrown up some video files, nothing huge, but something anyway. I apologize in advance for all the "Whoo!"'s you'll hear if you watch em.