PCT 

Oct 2, 2014

• Sitting in deck chair on porch of Stehekin Valley Rancho.  How lucky to have found this place after a grueling walk on the trail from Skykomish.  Four days of rain, 3 of sunshine - and cold days as well.  Spent one night killing mice in tent (6!: 3 successive pairs.  Technique: wrap hand in rain pants, whack ‘em, toss ‘em outside.)  Spent another night at altitude in rain, my hands so cold I couldn’t pitch my tent.  “Merica” came along fortuitously, and helped me.  Toughest week on the trail.  Yesterday walked 21 miles to arrive at “high bridge” at 7:30 - the last bus was at 6:45.  So hoofed 2 1/2 miles to the Ranch, where Cliff (the manager, straight out of Central Casting) graciously opened up the restaurant, fed me, and put me in a cabin for the night (no electricity, canvas roof, light from a kerosene lamp, but oh so comfy).  Today had breakfast with lots of people (mostly women) in their 50’s & 60’s: eggs, bacon, sausage, yoghurt, granola, blueberries, coffee, etc.  Rode to Stehekin’s famous bakery on bikes provided by the Ranch, visiting the apple orchard where there will be a festival in two days to celebrate the first apple crush of the season.  300+ foot waterfall.  Famous Stehekin bakery (best anywhere!) for blackberry pie topped with huckleberry ice cream.  Saw mama bear and her two cubs, but had to wait because one cub was on the other side of the road from mama (we were rescued by a ranger in a pickup truck).  Glorious sunshine forecast for next 5 days.  Tomorrow will take boat to Chelan, provision, & spend the night there, then return the next day.  Tempted to stay another day (or two?) to recuperate & enjoy this little paradise on earth.

• So only 80 miles to Canada, & next five days sun is forecast.  Should I head north immediately, or hang here awhile longer?  Answer: hang here: need to reprovision, & especially need better gloves, both of which can only be found in Chelan.  Just hope the forecast of sunshine is on my side.

• To do:

⁃ repair tent

⁃ duct tape shoes

⁃ food: assume 15 day hikes (5 days, plus 1 extra):

⁃ breakfast (no cooking):

⁃ granola from bakery (7 days)

⁃ 7 pkgs “milk” (have 4)

⁃ 6 scones from bakery (brownies?)

⁃ snacks:

⁃ 1 lb almonds

⁃ 1/2 lb peanuts (have sunflower seeds)

⁃ 1 lb mixed goldfish stuff

⁃ 1 lb fig newtons

⁃ 1 lb ginger snaps

⁃ 1 lb cookies (from bakery)

⁃ dinner:

⁃ 2 couscous + spaghetti sauce

⁃ 1 instant potatoes & gravy sauce

⁃ 3 top ramen

⁃ 12 Swiss miss chocolate drinks

⁃ hefty plastic bags (both sizes)

⁃ toilet paper

⁃ 25’ nylon cord

⁃ fuel

⁃ gloves or mittens (!)

⁃ wet wipes 

⁃ do laundry

⁃ phone family

⁃ send postcard

⁃ phone Ron

⁃ clean Sawyer filter

⁃ make sure have Canadian entrance paper & passport

⁃ update Dana on schedule

⁃ flowers to Caren