Day 111, mile 1850

Sunday, August 11, 2013
Leg 19: Crater Lake to Willamette Pass, Oregon

Waypoints: Crater Lake overlook and Highway 138 crossing

Oh, the joys of fully supported hiking!  During this 30-mile dry stretch, Becca and Maurine met our hikers twice with water, food, and resupplies as well as carrying non-essentials for the day.

Our thru-hikers broke camp and hiked about 5 miles before we met for breakfast.  On the way to meeting Maurine and Becca, they hiked up to the fire watch tower (and highly recommended the hike to the ladies).  Just as planned the Andrews met their personal trail angels near the intersection of Rim Road and North Entrance Road to enjoy lots of not-frequently-seen-on-trail snacks such as Greek yogurt, a gallon of Odwalla orange juice, whole canteloupe, chocolate milk, and homemade zucchini bread.  

Maurine, Flanagan, Becca, and Mathes (back)

After breakfast, we part ways for four hours.  While the boys hiked the twelve mile from the rim, down the mountainside, across the pumice desert, and up into the pine forest, Becca and Maurine drove around Crater Lake.  Well, not just a drive around Crater Lake; the ladies did the loop stopping at many of the turn-outs and reading the "readables" (signs with information about the view, history, science of the lake, etc.), checked out the meeting spot for lunch, drove back to "town" for chips & salsa and ice cream, and then returned to the meeting spot just north of Highway 138.

Becca & Maurine (Mo)

A long lazy lunch at the splotchy sunny campground entailed lots of eating, repacking food for the remainder of this leg, and maps on the sun.  That time with our boys was great.  Spending time recanting stories of the trail while lying under pines and watching clouds skirt by was absolute bliss!

Once the boys were ready to return to trail, Becca and Maurine decided to walk a mile or so with them.  A few minutes down the trail a white tent was spotted -- Pokey and Principessa made camp for the night a quarter mile from the parking lot.  P&P were offered them the remaining loaf of homemade zucchini bread upon Becca and Maurine's return to their car.  (Oh, who are we kidding, we offered them any and all the fresh food remaining.)

Our foursome walked about a mile down the PCT to the Forest Service Road.  It's always hard to say goodbye when Flanagan returns to the trail, but there are only eleven days until Becca and Andrew re-unite at Timberline Lodge.

As Maurine and Becca passed Principessa and Pokey and invited them back for a "Pauper's Feast" at the picnic table, Fun Size walked by on trail.  He was invited back to the parking lot to enjoy the feast and refill his water.  (The next water source wasn't for another nine miles, so this was a great relief to Fun Size.)  While these three thru-hikers feasted on the remaining beer, fruit, veggies, goldfish crackers, brie, triscuits, cookies, and orange juice, many stories were shared from the trail and from "Command Central."  Lots of discussion regarding logistics of the hike -- Red & Dufresne having lots of support with Becca packing boxes and helping coordinate deliveries, Pokey and Principessa packed their own boxes before departing and Pokey's mom mails them each week, and Fun Size is flying solo on this trail purchasing food at towns along the trail.  Overall, Principessa, Pokey, and Fun Size were amazed to know all the efforts happening behind the scenes to support Red and Dufresne, especially since the pair are so easy going on trail.  You, too, can follow these new trail friends at http://pctbolo.wordpress.com (the ladies) and http://gradyspcthike.weebly.com (Fun Size).  Lots of eating, sharing stories, and general good times. Becca got a trail name: Support Goddess!  (Not "Trail Goddess" because Becca didn't want other's to expect the same level of support that Red and Dufresne received.)

Principessa, Support Goddess, Pokey, and Fun Size (sitting)