19 August - Day 118 - Happy Day of Felicities

From McKenzie Pass (Mile 1989.5) to cowboy camp along trail on mountain ridge (mile 2011.5) leading to Three-fingered Jack.

Total PCT Miles hiked today: 22

Dionysus here.

Today was a very good day. After spending yesterday resupply ing and eating in Sisters we were welcomed back to the trail with an abundance of generous magic.

For starters we were shuttled back to the trailhead by local trail angel Lloyd Gust of Bend OR. He picked us up from the bakery in town and returned us to the très cool observation tower at Mackenzie Pass. (The tower looks like medieval fortress built out of lava rocks, and inside there are viewing portals cut out of the walls so visitors can identify specific peaks in the area.) While we were loading in the car at the bakery a fellow hiker, Tom Sawyer, magically, unexpectedly returned a lost hat to Charles.


Then we started hiking and actually passed up an opportunity for magic because we didn't take water from a cache stocked by Mr. Gust.

Across the lava fields toward Mt. Washington.

But when we made it to the next road at Santiam Pass we encountered a whole string of magics that we gladly enjoyed: cold beer in a cooler first, then across the road another water cache, then the husband of another thru hiker was handing out cold drinks and Subway sandwiches in the parking lot. THEN after all that a couple thruhikers, Gerelict and Scarecrow, arrived fresh from town and brought a cooler of beers and fruit which they shared. What an amazing day of magic.

On top of all that we crossed the 2000 mile mark. After today we only have about 650 miles left. Which sounds like nothing to us.


Plus, we crossed a very cool lava field circa 300 AD AND found a load of ripe huckleberries which we picked by many a purple-stained handful. Huckleberries are far superior to many other berries, I must say! Wowie.



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