Full night’s sleep helped.   All three of us were feeling chipper.   Goal today is to get close to Ashland so tomorrow can be a chill 5 mile hike in for breakfast.

Passed some busted up cabin that PCT’ers sometime sleep in.   I’ll stick with my tent.   

Made it to the border at 9.  There was a little welcoming party there.  Soho, Twigsy, and a German couple Keeper and Torpedo.   

Before crossing, I called across the border to see how the weather was over there.   They said it was 65 and cloudy.   Lied to again.   

This was a big moment for me.   When I started this hike I figured it was 50/50 that I’d make it out of California.   Well here I am…..Oregon. 

After munching on some brunch, it was back on the trail.   Twigsy and Soho took off ahead.   The views are not as good here.  Partly it is a little less rugged and partly due to smoke from other fires.   

So I’m not sure why, but as soon as we got into Oregon, the trail mellowed out.   It no longer is constantly routing us over the top of every damn hill.   Maybe the trail designers in Oregon prefer relaxing walks rather than peak bagging.   I like these people 🙂

Passed Soho sitting under a tree with his feet airing out.   Later he caught up to Twig and me at a stream for lunch.   My lunch sucked.  Stupid peanut butter on a tortilla.    I found a packet of mustard and another of pickle relish.   Added that in.   It was somehow better.

Back at Seiad valley this British guy gave us some of his resupply which he couldn’t carry.   So I’ve been eating some kind of fruitcake tasting energy bars with my meals plus something called a “mint cake”.    Didn’t have anymore mustard to put on the mint cake. 

Soho is getting ready to doze off.   Time for me to leave.  I got the fire back in me!  Mint Cake.   I was ahead of the guys for the rest of the day. 

Finally found some trail magic at the last big climb.   This was simply awesome. 

I plopped down in the chair and sucked down a 90 degree Orange Soda.   It was awesome.   Got Mobile service and gave Alice a quick call.  While we were talking a stuffed a Ginger Ale in my pack and headed out.

Passed through a bunch of wetland areas on the way down.   Huge meadows of wildflowers.   Really pretty. 

I decided these clumps were for Alice.   

Rest of the hike was chill.   I grabbed 3 liters from a stream for camping.    Figured it was going to be a dry camp since the owner of some water faucet on the trail was chasing off PCT’ers who tried to camp there.  

Got into the camp site.   Soho and Twigsy showed up a few minutes later.  They were almost dry, so I shared my water and we all had enough for dinner.  I had my nice, hot Ginger Ale to round it out.

Back up to high mileage today.   Did 25 and feeling good.   Thanks Oregon.