Making it through the fire was a very strange thing, we had not entered any closed areas, we had not broken any laws or done anything, there in the middle of the Trail the fire raged and spread. Pretty scary!! After hiking through the fire with firefighters we reached our goal for the day, by this time it was late and we were not only exhausted but hungry and I at least felt a need to try and contact everyone I knew. I wanted to hear people's voices that I recognized and knew without this, sleep would be nearly impossible. My phone was dead, and the realization of I am out on a Trail, hiking from Mexico to Canada, I am living simply in a life where modern conveiences are decreased and charging my phone was not a option. Then I remembered that I am hiking the PCT to rid myself of the modern world, to challenge myself, to learn to listen to my primitive spirit and to reflect in a world of peace, because back at home in the real world, life is much more hectic and peace is seldom found. This is my my quest to try and find the balance between desiring elaborate adventures that disrupt the norm and living in the modern world, this is the hardest thing for me to do, but I must seek out balance and at that moment of realizing I could not just charge up my phone and call anyone I wanted I began to feel sadden. Though I love solitude and adventure, I am reminded that I am still a human being that needs to have other people in my life, I need to hear their voices. I don't want to be alone all the time and that night especially I wished to be back in my life at home with my dog, with everyone I knew and loved, back in a life I wanted so much to leave. In the morning, I continued hiking most hikers took an alternate route, less miles and easier terrain, but I followed the PCT. It was vital to me to hike the PCT, every mile, mile footstep, I was not going to take an alternate route to lessen the mileage even if it meant I was going to be alone. I hiked 33 miles that day to a resupply resort, there I met up with other hikers. I enjoyed sodas, and candy and phone service and I looked forward to almost being done with Oregon. I kept thinking about time and about mileage and when I expected to be in Canada. I was starting to become worried about not making it. I kept on doing big miles in Oregon in order to make headway and to allow myself to feel as I was making progress. By the time I reached the resupply point to go into Bend I was feeling strong again. I spent a few days in Bend and then headed back out on the Trail alone once again. There was a fire detour ahead and I wanted to make sure I met up with other hikers before then. I did and we spent the next days together. When we reached the fire detour near Jefferson park, there was a huge detour and we all hiked it. The Trail section of this detour ends and begins a road walk, others hikers hitched this road section and I hiked it, because I was going to hike each mile. I hiked the 25 mile detour and then found out the PCT had opened, I hitched back to the detour trail, hiked back up so I could hike the true PCT through Jefferson Park, it was so worth it. I was alone for days but going up and over in the cold morning was fantastic, coming down from this section I saw an enormous black bear standing alone in the trees, he stood there and watched me. I watched him for about 10 minutes or so and it was one of the best times in my life, it was a powerful event and just reminded me why I so loved the wild, why I needed it in my life.
But, now I was two days behind and I needed to hike, hike fast and keep hiking. I was bound for Timberline Lodge and wanted to get out of Oregon soon. I was dreaming of Washington and of Canada and could not afford anymore time to play around, no more fire detours, hopefully. I was now on marathon mindset to hike, to not stop, to go go go, no matter what. That ole black bear had given me a new found desire to stay out there and to keep going, the magic wild animals give out always helps me see the things in a new light, they inspire me and allow me to feel grounded. The spirit of the wild is all around me out there and it was time again for me to embrace it to love it and to follow it.
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