The Wait Is Over.

Monday 7/22/2013

PCT mile 1255 to 1263.5 

8.5 miles

Elev. 220 feet to @2,000 feet

Robin drove Peggy & I to Cascade Locks today.  We left home at 7am arriving at Bridge of the Gods at noon. After lunch Robin walked up to the bridge with us in order to take photos as we walked over to the Washington side.  It was really windy and there is no pedestrian sidewalk, you just face traffic and hang on!  We made it fine, crossed the 2 lane road once we got over the bridge and then saw this PCT sign.

This section of trail has to get us away from the Columbia River and into the mountains above so up, up, up we go for the next 2 days, about 3,000 + feet! We plan to go slowly for the first 12 days until we get used to the roller coaster trail that characterizes Washington (and because we don't normally hike big miles - we'd rather enjoy ourselves!)  So after hiking uphill for 8 miles (we'd already filtered water) we began looking for a campsite. It was 6:30pm before we came around a bend and topped out at a saddle with just enough room for us to squeeze 2 tents in the flat spot. 

It was beautiful with the evening light filtering through.   After set up we cooked dinner, ate and packed everything in scent locked bags so critters wouldn't smell the food or any item we carried that had a smell.  Darkness fell only about 15 minutes later!  The night was very quiet with a small breeze.  

We both agree that it's good to be hiking together again.  

Just as we were having dinner Robin texted me that he'd driven to a friends house instead of all the way home  after dropping us off in Cascade Locks.  They'd all gone out for Thai food so he sent me a photo of his delicious dinner.  Soooo mean!  I was choking down dinner with gluey noodles that weren't quite done...ahhhh, hiker food!