After too long I am finally writing to you from Cascade Locks, a small town surrounding the bridge between Oregon and Washington.  Two days ago my sweet mother came and met me at tunnel falls and walked the last 6 miles of the state of Oregon with me.  Since then I have left the couch once or twice, eaten 5 meals a day, taken 4 showers and enjoyed 2 baths.  Oregon was not hard, in fact it was very “cruisey”.  However, I'm not one to relax on trail and so I attempted to speedrun the state of Oregon in less than 2 weeks….

The mother-mandated rest was very much needed.

[[as always I have trouble controlling the ordering of the photos and editing on my phone so I apologize]]]

Day 90 [1850-1888]

I woke up and hiked up to a pointy mountain with a glacial stream. Later in the day I met some funky SOBOS and shared an early dinner with them before following their advice on an alternate route that goes by a big lake. On the way to this lake I called my old roommates and they heard the confusing sound of me running, falling, screaming, scratching, fighting, and suffering—I accidentally kicked a wasp nest, tried to escape, and got bit 9 times including somehow inside my shirt and pants?

I made it to this lake as it was getting dark and enjoyed the surprisingly beautiful progression of the sunset with some random car campers. They befriended me and had me to their RV for some food and drinks and the exchanging of stories. Every year they rent that campground for a week and have all their friends come and relax in the mountains—I liked that.

Day 91 [1888-1926.5]

I slept in late after the big day before and then made my way to a lake marina/store for some new food and a hot meal. There I found some funky German dudes, some strange Florida Men, and my friend PaperTrail. The Germans had purchased a lot of beer and made me technically explain the mechanics of the American phenomenon of “shotgunning beers”. Their trick did work and I was duped into having 3 lunch beers by the lake—but it’s hard to really be mad. Then, as the casual lunch beers turned into not leaving the lake beers for my new friends I made my way out after a swim. Feeling behind, I raced 20 miles after 2 pm to make it to beautiful Lake Charlton.

Day 92 [1926.5-1954]

I woke up very early to a beautiful sunrise over Lake Charlton as I had planned and then began my way towards the highway at Elk Lake.

The burn scar was looking/feeling extra spooky today. The smoke from the northern fires over the desolate landscape with the volcanic mountains looming in the distance all worked to give the feeling of MORDOR.

Once at the highway I worked for about an hour trying to get a hitch into Bend. I was beside the lake’s turnout so people had to drive slowly past me and within about 15 feet of me while they rejected me. While this is an effective strategy for guilting people to give you rides, it is also more soul crushing than ever for the 40 or so cars that I could tell had space who awkwardly rejected me. (the only place this road led to was the town I was going to).

Eventually a sweet old couple picked me up and I was so charming that the man offered to drive me 40 minutes back to trail in the morning!

I also thoroughly enjoyed the town of Bend and the funky hostel which let me sleep in a hammock, do laundry, and shower for $15.

Day 93 [1954-1988]

Mike (the man who gave me a ride) came to pick me up and then took me to breakfast too!!!

He told me his life story, about how his father had been a minister, how he left the faith because he “tries to be cynical”, how his first marriage fell apart and how he has found philosophy late in life. I don’t want to make little of this man or his kindness or to over psychoanalyze him, I really really liked him. However, I could tell he was upset that he and his second wife never had kids of their own and that he felt he was missing something. He said as much. He partially raised his second wife’s kids-both in the normal, loving, modern way. One went transgender and became a man, the other fell in love with an African Muslim in New York and now exclusively wears a burka. He says that he reads a lot of stoic philosophers now—that makes sense. He needed something much stronger long before…

I don’t think he is alone in his fate. Poor guy

After crushing some French toast I went back to the trail and got moving again. Today turned into quite the volcanic venture, an igneous exploration. I waked over all sorts of obsidian, passing volcanoes, lava fields, BOWSERs CASTLE (it’s not called that), and more. At the end of the day I ran into 4 girls (1 couple) who had hiked the trail the year before and they also offered me beers and conversations. I really wish more people had chocolate milk or soda or something, but in certain cultures it is very rude to refuse a free beer so I obliged.

Day 94 [1988-2017]

I woke up early in the strange smoky lava landscape and began hiking. Today the trail passed by a seventh day Adventist camp that serves a buffet—I ate 4 plates of biscuits and gravy and didn’t move quickly again today.

Around mid day I passed a girl on the side of the trail who saw my cross and excitedly said “Oh my goodness are you my first fellow Catholic on trail” to which I said “non-Catholics can hypothetically also have pretty things…. But I’m close enough 👍”. Then she said, “wait, can I please hike with you” and I obliged.

She liked Lord of The Rings, poetry, the church, and obviously the outdoors so we had a lot to talk about. We exchanged poetry that we knew to pass the time hiking amongst a myriad of other conversations. At one point she asked if I had ever heard of A River Runs Through It? I laughed at the latest in a long string of common interests and then proudly recited the last 3 pages of the story which I memorized for my high schools speech contest.

She was definitely an A+ trail friend, albeit very slow

At camp we met her friend who runs a Christian kids camp and who’s wife and him were hiking the Oregon section of the PCT. I was so happy to have such friends but I had gone much slower while talking to a short girl who does not have “ent-strides”. I knew I had to meet my Mom in a few days so I decided to eat dinner with them and night hike to catch back up.

As I ate dinner and listened to the two of them talk, the conversation shifted to my favorite topic. The nondenominational, evangelical camp director let slip a comment that revealed his thoughts on salvation. I jumped in to press him and he, to his credit, humbly and honestly admitted he thought at least half of Catholics wouldn’t go to heaven for believing in “works based salvation”. This is not a position that is unfamiliar to me coming from the evangelical south, but rightfully was one that was shocking to this sweet Catholic girl from Oregon.

Claiming both Protestantism and Catholicism as my heritage (Anglican) I was fascinated to mediate between the two devout Christian’s debate. {interestingly all 3 of us quoted the great apologist and Anglican CS Lewis}

Needless to say, I did not have time for night hiking. This was however, spiritual, social and intellectual food for a starving Treebeard and I don’t regret it.

Day 95 [2017-2065]

Me and “boots” the camp director agreed to wake up at 4:30 to push big miles so he could meet his wife that afternoon and I could make up on time. We had a great 8 hours of hiking and deep talking and friendship. We started early and smoothly and cruised 12 miles by 9:15!!

Many PCT hikers attempt a 24 hour challenge where they hike without stopping. Because I am alone and afraid of injury I wasn’t going to attempt one. “How mature I am” I thought.

-Of course, hiking 18 hours straight off a short night of sleep and after long days before and after is definitely worse than 24 hours with rest on both sides. I also picked a very steep, rocky day for my challenge..

Nonetheless I left boots at around 3 to his wife and kept pushing along solo.

After a few miles I found and fought a forest fire, but more on that separately!

Anyways, by 11 pm I had made it 50 miles in one day, carrying a heavy pack, crossing a significant mountain, stopping for a resupply, and fighting a fire. I was very tired, check stats below. Luckily I had some buddies call me on the way home from the bar to entertain me for 2 of the last few miles ❤️ (our lives look very different right now)

Day 96 [2065-2098]

I woke up feeling horrible. I was malnourished and dehydrated and under slept and normal sore.

Today was supposed to be the easiest smoothest stretch of the entire trail. I suppose it must have been because I did it when I was so tired…

Anyways, I still pushed 33 miles the day after 50 miles and 8300 calories burned. Working on building my pain tolerance…

Also, the smoke from the grasshopper fire was probably not helping my cardio. That said, I sure love the old growth forests. Pictures can’t do their mystical feeling justice.

Very Fangorn (which is my real name of course)

Day 97 [2098-2018.8]

Knowing I needed it, I slept in until 8. Then, actually feeling much better, I walked the 2 miles up to the famous Timberline lodge (see the Shining) and enjoyed 2 delicious breakfasts. For the second one I invited a Slovakian hiker named Jan to eat with me. We talked about America, language, and the Soviet Union. After that I went to Ramona falls, caught another glimpse of the very smoky mt. Hood I had just been on, and went to bed knowing I would see my sweet mother tomorrow. I did have to eat my macaroni with a tent stake because I lost my spoon 😢.

Day 98 [218.8-2150]

Fall comes early to the mountains and the leaves are already changing. Perhaps I will have fall in the mountains now, later in Raleigh, and then finally a third time in Austin. I hope so

I woke up at 5, hiked 17.5 to Tunnel falls by noon, met my mom, gave her a hug, walked across the bridge of the gods into Washington, ate early dinner burger, ate late dinner sushi, ate a pack of cookie dough, showered 3 times, and slept in a bed. That’s peak!!!

Day 99

I did literally nothing and it was glorious. Nothing like mom to make you rest. Also, apparently this is the wind surfing Mecca of the US?

Day 100

Today I begin the state of Washington. The bottom 250 miles of trail are completely open and only partially smoky. I will do those quickly. Then the last 250 miles of trail are closed due to wildfires. I am planning alternate routes around the fires.

I will find a way to get to that border, I just hope it doesn’t mean walking by the highway. Right now it looks like national forests will get me the way. I would say pray for rain, but then I would be cold…

I’m about ready to finish, it’s time for society. Nonetheless, I am doing well mentally, spiritually and even physically?

Love

-Treebeard

Hey friends, I hope you're doing well.  Its crazy how quickly a week goes by on trail without weekends, when each day is just a number on the trail or a day of the month time really flies and blends together.  

In this past week I have escaped California, hiked a monster 43 mile day, enjoyed some good Oregon trees, hiked in 105+ heat, and even had 2 interviews.  For a couple days it was really smoky but the wildfires appear to be calming down and things are good in Oregon.  

Day 81 [1602-1631]

I just couldn't get a ride out of Etna and frustratingly ended up being at the coffee/ice-cream shop for longer than I wanted.   This did, however, allow me to write the last blog update.  Once I got hiking I began to see all the smoke on the horizon.  At worst this smog was foreboding and ominous of bad trail ahead, more often it was just spooky—things didn’t feel real.  

I moved slowly and didn’t make it to my camp until dark. Once there I enjoyed the food from my awesome/ridiculous care package and  bathed in the lake naked—hoping the many hikers around the lake didn’t  shine their headlamps towards me (it was very cold)…. 

Once again the deer are fearless and crazy.

Day 82 [1631-1663]

This day had the most absurd Topo map of any day on trail, it was all downhill, then a valley, then all uphill(see below).  When I made it down the hill it was around 5:00 pm and I saw a thermometer in the shade under a tree…it said 105!!  I ran into a man hiking in a dress and gave him some medicine and snacks. Then I went to the Seiad valley post office to pick up some new food and get a snack.  All they had of ice cream was half gallons so I ate/drank one entire.  

I was overjoyed to find a resupply package from my sister Kackie, some very long letters from my grandmother and her friends, and a box from my friend Charlie.  I think these care packages on trail surpass any Christmas/birthday presents I have ever received.  

Then with a stomach full of ice cream I climbed several thousand feet uphill, got hissed at by a huge rattle snake, and went to bed in the dark after a long day.  

Day 83 [1663-1693.5]

Today was the day I was to conquer California!  I slept in late after my long night of hiking and was leapfrogged by hikers I had passed in the dark.  At the top of the mountain I got cell service and realized that I needed to get to a town by Wednesday for an interview—this gave me something to do and think about and was exceedingly motivating.  

I ended up finding a group of (more normal than average) hikers to cross the border with and we celebrated the accomplishment.  As we were celebrating someone coming south told us there was trail magic a half mile ahead.  At this our celebration ended and we bolted ahead as fast as we could.  Arriving out of breath at a dirt road several minutes later we saw at least a dozen hikers around an old man “Sam”’s truck where he was giving out fresh fruit, fireball, and a cooler of beer to celebrate.  

It was a party, and because it was a good party I (to my huge surprise) met another recent UGA graduate who was hiking the trail.  He had started at mile 300 right after graduation and joined his group there.  They were way slower than me so I knew we wouldn’t stay together, but it was really awesome to share some beers with someone who felt familiar.  We have made plans to rendezvous in Washington to watch the first game.  Their group also had a sorority girl gone granola from Alabama (still very ditzy and very blonde).  She let me borrow her charger (totally into me?).  

—This was my favorite night on trail for all of the reasons

Day 84 [1693.5-17201]

Today I had to fly past my newfound friends to get to town early so I could shop, shower, do laundry and prepare for my interview.  The terrain was exactly the same but my attitude was better because “Everything’s better in Oregon”.  Foolish as the mantra may be, it works.  

While I hiked today I saw a girl who had been part of the big group from the night before and eventually started talking while we were both filtering water at a stream.  She very tentatively asked 

“So are you like, pretty religious” to which I answered

“I’m trying to be” —and then turned to show the cross hanging from my pack. 

Then she asked 

“Are you…. A..uh… Catholic?” 

to which I answered

“kinda both, well no, for the sake of conversation I might as well be. So you are or were?”

-Then she revealed that she herself was a Catholic and that she gets a hard time from her tramily for it.  I have had a few encounters on the trail where people have quietly “come out” as a straight, conservative, patriotic or Christian to me.  

There are normal people on the trail, hiding in the shadows of a performatively “woke” granola culture.  They don’t carry a cross, a flag, or reminisce about the south so they don’t give themselves away so freely or openly as I do.  This isn't to criticize blending in or finding common ground.  I myself often talk about my love for psychedelic rock, my hate for Trump or Bibi, or the failings of capitalism—but even still people have a pretty set opinion of me at first glance.  

Day 85 [1721-1733]

Today I woke up, had my interview, went to lunch, ate 4 cheeseburgers, got back on trail, and began hiking.  After just a few miles I realized that I needed a replacement pair of shoes, then I realized that I was several hundred miles from the next shoe store.  I called 11 shoe stores in Oregon and NONE OF THEM HAD SIZE 15s.  Then I spent hours on the phone with shoe companies and then eventually Zappos to try to quickly ship me a pair.  That was exhausting and I ended up going 10 miles less than I hoped.  I still don’t have shoes and am just hoping UPS doesn’t fail me.

The sunset was stunning, but I was alone so it really wasn’t that special.  There was also a meteor shower, that was more special.  

Day 86 [1733-1775]

Today I began to see southbounders on the trail carrying news from the north and beards just a month or two old.  Also today I checked my email and saw that I had been asked to do another interview—the problem is that I was going to be out of service the next week and was still 43 miles from the nearest road to hitchike. Brazenly, I accepted the challenge and began my great quest.  

I was flying all day, my pace near 4mph at times. I made it 43 miles as it was getting too dark to hike and slept by the road to hitch in the morning.  

During this push I made it to the ⅔ done mark.  This felt really big and made me happy

Day 87 [1775-1788]

I woke up and quickly got a hitch to a trailer park with a restaurant and wifi.  I took a quick shower, ate 3 breakfasts, and then had my call.  Success! (See my desk below)

I got back on trail that afternoon but I was so exhausted I was really dragging.  

I have begun setting up my tent again because the woods are spooky in Oregon and rain is now a possibility.

Day 88 [1788-1822]

Today I cruised 34 miles to Mazama village at crater lake and met up with a guy named Paper Trail, who is hiking the trail with only a Nokia flip phone and a paper map (so badass).  He hikes fast, went to Georgia tech and likes country music so we get along pretty well.  I ended up having beers and talking late into the night (for hikers) like 10 pm!!

  He has been working in Investment Banking in New York since college (with the exception of the AT) and is an interesting combination of hyper hard working/competent and also calm, hiker naturalist.  Talking to someone leaving corporate high society is much more interesting than someone who would/could never try it.  We talked about everything from Hank Williams, to banking, to his loathing of dating apps, to college football, to his past romance.  

He informs me that “I’m scaring the hoes” on trail by carrying a cross and an American flag. 

This made me laugh.  It’s not a phenomenon that's completely unique to the trail….

What is the power of mountains? What is the purpose? What is mine?

Why the heck am I doing this?

-I’m not quite sure 

Love,

Treebeard

This might be the biggest post yet but I promise it won’t be the longest. As I’m getting into my grove I just feel too busy to post more than once a week. 

This chapter has lots of gay people, some mentally retarded deer, and I went to the hospital. Always it was hard, often it was miserable, but sometimes it was beautiful and so I’d say in the end it was good. 

(Fair warning my substack is glitching a lot and I didn’t do a great job editing. Sorry 😬) ((just looks the pictures))

Day 71 [1375-1395]

Today I took too long to leave camp. I spent the morning writing the last blog post (I know they don’t seem like they take much time but they do). While I did this I ate several microwaveable burritos and a cup of ice cream from the store. 🤤 

Then I walked the 4 miles to the other half of the town of Old Station where I hit the gas station and headed to the famous “subway lava tubes”. Inside I had a beer with a hiker named “Monk” who is a grandfather working on his triple crown and is also from Georgia. The tubes were probably 40° colder than the outside air (so like 50°) and went on for several hundred yards. 

Then after the tubes I pushed for another 16 miles or so with the water I had gotten in town. (Yes water carries are back). The sunset was gorgeous and I got to camp late into the night.  I then had to hike a few miles in the dark to make it to a cattle trough repurposed for PCT water and sleep with the sound of cows. 

Day 72 [1395-1426]

Today I woke up early, stopped at Burney Falls guest ranch for lunch after about 15 miles, and then pushed to burney falls. 

Burney falls is unbelievable…

The tourists were surprised when they saw me dive in, the sensation may have turned to judgement when I started washing my clothes in the water. I don’t care, it was awesome!

At burney falls I met a guy my age from Georgia who is also a Star Wars nerd and likes cigarettes. Needless to say we quickly became friends over a smoke as I dried off from my swimming. 

Then I walked a little further and slept by a bridge. 

Day 73 [1426-1454.5]

I have reached the “bubble” and there are so many hikers. I passed 3 different “tramilys” of more than 5 people.  There were several idiots my age and it was really great to laugh with fellow idiots. By the end of the day I ended up near another tramily and they invited me to cook dinner with them. One of them recognized me from the sierras and asked about my badass sister (shoutout Kackie). They were totally missing the view of Shasta so I dragged them 20 yards over to watch it. Sublime. 

Day 74 [1454-1483.4]

I woke up to a 10 point Buck licking my urine up (they like the salt) from about 5 feet away. I talk to him, gently toss pebbles at him, and eventually throw a rock at him and he snorts and looks around confusedly. Finally when I scared him well enough he jumps over a tree and into a thicket of bushes where I hear him get stuck by his antlers and twist around to get out—-idiot. I guess I might say “

The sunrise was even better…

I ended up hiking with this group of 4 for the day. Two of them are gay women (but engaged to men), one guy is a software engineer from Seattle, and the last is a 45 year old hippie/trail runner currently living Atlanta. 

I had hour+ long talks with each of them throughout the day ranging from very casual to surprisingly complex. Inevitably the queer ones asked me about my thoughts on gay people because of the cross on my pack—I articulated the orthodox Christian doctrine of sex, procreation and marriage and they didn’t seem too upset. 

At night the leader of the group got actually mad about people who don’t wear sunscreen and furious at the idea of people smoking cigarettes (although indifferent to marijuana smoking). When I asked her about candles and campfires she readily admitted they should be done away with too for our own health and the environment. 

—To this I couldn’t help but think “what is the point of living if camp fires and sunlight are to be avoided?”

As a Christian I think campfires and candles are some of the best things in this life. I would suspect that if they actually do take anything from me that it is far less than they give. 

-Furthermore, to extrapolate this vision the “good life” becomes what, sitting inside away from danger eating edibles?  No, I think there are and must be plenty of things worth “trading some health for”. 

Day 75 [1483-1502]

Today I hustled 19 miles to a very strange Buddhist hostel in the town of Mt. Shasta that let me shower, do laundry and sleep on a futon for very cheap. 

After eating a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and a tray of cookie dough I ubered to the movie theatre and watched the Odyssey. I would love to write a review but I am too heavily influenced by the genius vision of Jonothan Pageau to have a truly original opinion. 

That night, I went to the music festival in the park. I was very tired, very sore, and very stiff. 

-A singular beer and some barefoot dancing with strangers did more to heal me than I could ever have imagined. 

I don’t really like dancing, but man do I love it when I do. 

They say Mt. Shasta is the holy mountain of the UNITED STATES. At least the Dali lama says so. I don’t know if this is true but it sure is beautiful to look at close after approaching for so many days. 

Day 76 [1502-1518.5]

After waking up in strange zen land I went to a lunch spot and wrote some letters before getting a ride back to trail. 

It was a pretty brutal 4000 ft climb to start out but I had a full stomach so I can’t complain. 

I bought some bratwursts at the grocery store to cook for my dinner that night and got to have my favorite trail meal to start off!  

Then I had a top 3 camp site of trail so far. The trail seems to reward hard climbs. 

I did feel empty watching this sunset alone and tried FaceTiming someone else to share it with. ⅛ 😢

—I’ve enjoyed far worse sunsets far more with better company. I think that’s worth remembering…

Day 77 [1518.5-1551.1]

By today, what had been a nagging itchy rash had turned into sickness. I had hardly even noted the rash before but tonight I couldn’t sleep I was so itchy. I tried to wash off in a stream but it didn’t help. I won’t go into detail to keep this PG, but the rash was spreading in dangerous/devastating ways and I was getting worried about continuing on the trial. 

All this said, I met a cool group of dudes to camp with and watch another great sunset. Sitting there watching that sunset I knew it was all worth it (the next 10 sleepless, itching hours I learned I was wrong). 

Day 78 [1551-1562]

I woke up exhausted but by the time the sun came up I was ready to go and sick of scratching myself raw without sleep. I had planned out my way to get to a hospital from the next town, it was 50 miles to the next town and I could get a bus from there. I would hike through the night and be there by the next days morning…

10 miles into the day we crossed a forest road where a former PCT hiker “Sea Gypsie” was giving out Gatorades. I realized he was driving out an hour (hero) to go get more gatorades to give away and that the nearest Walmart was the town I planned on bussing to. 

Sea Gypsie used the proceeds from the sail of his computer company in the 80s and has lived in a sailboat around the world with the exception of some time hiking. 

In the hour car ride we had the best trail conversation I have had yet. We talked about the responsibility to participate in society even if we think ourselves “mavericks”. That’s why he does trail magic. 

I probably won’t spend my 30-70s on a sailboat trying to woo new women into sailing the world with me— but despite my first impressions I found a certain wisdom with this strange old man. 

Then I got dropped off at the hospital. In the hospital I assured the nurse at the desk that I wasn’t homeless but actually a hiker—they said they would treat me the same either way. That was very humbling. (I’ve been spending hours thinking through why I really get offended when people think I’m homeless). The good treatment of strangers who seem homeless is part of all ancient religions including Christianity—I’ve been thinking about this too. 

In the waiting room I met an autistic boy “Kevin” waiting on his grandma and talked to him for a while and watched his YouTube chanel. I explained to him the concept of fireflies which he wouldn’t believe. I get along disturbingly seamlessly with the autistic… (it’s as if we speak the same language sometimes)

The doctor fixed me and gave me tons of drug prescriptions. Then I got a big dinner and quickly fell into a deep and much deserved sleep while I soaked my old infected clothes in the bathtub. 

Day 79 (1562-1582]

I woke up from my slumber and got a huge breakfast at the same restaurant as the night before. 

Then I took the bus back to Etna (the town I was going to hike to). From Etna I waited on the side of the road for an hour before getting a hitch from a hillbilly with his cousin/niece/daughter. They were great folks and offered me some beers as they drove up the mountain and told me stories about how the black bears in those parts had the taste of human. (Lots of stories about bear poop with blonde human hair inside)

Then I was back on trail!

I hiked with “Helium” for a few hours. Guess what-she’s gay too. And a nurse from Philly. She wanted to unpack why I didn’t like people thinking I was homeless, which was both interesting and helpful. 

She stopped early and I pushed on another 2 miles to a sunset view (hopefully away from the blonde eating bears). As I laid there an old couple (Kevin and Kristine) drove up on e-bikes from their campground with a blanket to watch the stars come out. So they laid near me and I asked them questions about the show I had been watching each night the past three months. 

Day 80 [1582-1602]

I woke up and hiked to Etna. The distillery there has the best food on trail. For lunch I had a burger with bacon jam and a pizza. Then I went and did laundry to cleanse my infected sleeping bag and gear from the pre-hospital era. There was great comradery in the laundromat. Then I went back to the distillery for another pizza. 

I also got a care package from some buddies from college. Shout out Drew, Henry and Mac. This is the greatest gift maybe ever!

I thought you guys would like to see my Garmin stats from lately too.

Sorry for the poor editing, I’m so sick of typing on my phone and the mobile substack app is glitchy right now.

We’re only a few days left in California, I’m excited to leave.

Love

-Treebeard

The trail has not been as pretty, it has been hot, dry, dusty, and absolutely overrun by thorn bushes. 

—But as they say in little league football…. “No pain, no gain”

Day 63 [1154.5-1170.5]

When last we spoke I had set off from Donner Ski Ranch with a makeshift knee sleeve and dreams of making good mileage before sunset.  My magic sock worked for my knee, and I made it 16 miles for a beautiful sunset—both dreams realized 🥰.  

Day 64 [1170.5-1204.1]

There was a cost to this beautiful site…neighbors.  There was a family of mice beneath the rock beside me and I had to periodically wack them away with my trekking pole throughout the night.  This kept me up late and so I overslept the next morning.

In the evening I still had to hike further, and farther than I expected. This meant I had to hike 2 hours or so in the dark.  In the fading light of dusk I passed within inches of 3 different rattlesnakes on a ridge.  Naturally, in getting hissed at, I tend to jump back in fear—in this case with thousand foot ravine behind me, my natural reaction was more dangerous than even the snakes. By the end I was the one who was rattled (snake pun but I was actually shaken).

Then after getting past the cliff face, the trail entered deep into the dark of the woods.  At this point my nerves were completely shot, and so when a deer and I startled each other, I stumbled in fright and fell to the ground yelling in terror.  At this point I thought I was losing it.

When I finally arrived at the stream, I fell in the mud… by the end of this day I was more angry/depressed/scared/tired/lonely than ever.  —Brutal

Day 65 [1204-1236.8]

Of my actions today I cannot remember a lot, I recall of the trail being long, slow and so hot, now instead of my actions I’ll give you my thought.

Externalizing negativity is extremely powerful-fight against an enemy and not yourself.  Instead of thinking about temptations and weakness as yourself, think of them as demons dragging you down.  This solidifies a real you as the one who fights against the evil and the weakness.  ie: I might think Treebeard is the one who will not quit, HE is fighting against the rattlesnakes, demons, and fatigue which are dragging him down.  

Saying the St. Michael prayer works for a reason, our conception requires an enemy.  Treating sin and weakness as a diabolical enemy rather than an internal feature works better than introspective “therapeutic” action in many cases.  This is why Religious Conversion is the only proven thing that can end addiction (if you don’t believe me then read the 12 steps in AA).  

You may get where this is going—on days like this the trail stops being a hard thing I do and starts being a war I am waging.  Fighting yourself is…self-destructive

(And look at the mossy trees)

Day 66 [1236.8-1267]

Last night I continually heard a grunting and footsteps heavy enough to break big sticks…steps big enough only for a bear or a person. Either would be terrifying. So every 20 minutes or so I would get up and yell at the shadow and throw rocks at it until I heard it run away. At one point it got close enough for me to see it, but my aim was true and I nailed it with a big enough rock that it didn’t return.

Today was another long day as I made my way towards Buck’s lake.  When I finally made it there it seemed like things were closing and I might not even be able to get food or a place to stay.  As I was walking a man pulled over and tells me to get in the trunk of his car and said he would take me to his lakehouse.  

-Without questioning I obeyed

He had been out fishing with his two young sons on the lake and told me that he loved to help hikers to show his boys how to be kind (inspiring).  When we get to his house his wife says he can’t do any more driving that day and so I get to spend the night!!!

I used some of their boat soap and bathed in the lake and swam off their dock, then they gave me leftover meatballs, tacos, and cookies!!  

I talked to the kids about sports and school and wakeboarding and quickly won them over.  The dad fed me beers (and offered much more than that) and then we all sat around the campfire.  I told the kids exaggerated stories from the trail and we sat there for hours.  I told them I was a 6x state champion s’mores roaster and then demonstrated this ability to earn my lodging, much to the delight of the kids.  

After the kids went to bed the dad kept me out by the fire to drink with me until early in the morning.  It was so crazy to me that I was completely the peer of this adult and not of his kids. It was also crazy that some men can be such great dads and such seeming degenerates—this gives me hope for many of my college peers.  

Day 67 [1267-1288.5]

I woke up in the boathouse where they had let me set up my sleeping bag (I may be treated like family and I may be pen pals with the kids now but I am still  filthy hikertrash 😢

I made it to Belden by nightfall, which is an old Gold-rush town turned trailer park (there are lots around here).  Here I was able to do laundry and get a beer which was nice.  

Day 68 [1288-1313.4]

Today had a 14 mile stretch of straight uphill, it was also the worst maintained trail I have ever been on.  Because of the fire, there were sometimes upwards of a hundred downed trees to cross per mile.  Furthermore, the paths were completely overgrown by sharp thorn bushes.  This had the triple effect of

1.  Causing you to scrape all the skin off your shins. 

2. Casing you to lose the trail and have to wander to find it.

3. Blocking your view of your feet causing you to stub your toes on rocks constantly

-This was a new height of misery…

Then I met “Loudmouth” who is hiking the entire trail without saying a word, and who carries a notebook to communicate.  

I met and hiked with a funny lesbian couple.  And then I camped with a husband and wife who rotate slack packing each other up the trail each year—and they gave me extra food in exchange for one of my bratwursts.  The husband is a retired entrepreneur from Minnesota, the wife is a German who loves Bojangles.  We talked about what makes a redneck, and why they thought the big cities screw them over.

Then as I was going to bed, the wife offered me a blankee to sleep with for the night, which I won’t even lie…was a great gift.  

No matter how bad the days are, a good sunset fixes everything…

Day 69 [1313-1346]

Today I crossed the halfway point, and it felt like a let down. “I can’t believe I’m only halfway there…”

But as I was sitting there a butterfly landed on my hand, perhaps that’s a good omen?

I ended today by approaching Lassen Volcanic National park.  I took a bath in the river while I cooked dinner and then hiked until it got too spooky dark.  There was a howling/baying sound in the distance and I was swarmed by moths.  

Day 70 [1346-1375]

I woke up early to hike to the geysers.  I spent too long trying to come up with a “Are you gay sir?” “yes I’m a guy, sure” Geyser joke.  As you can see I am bored and yet still unsuccessful comedically.  

After passing the geysers I stopped at Drakesbad Guest ranch where I paid to have all you can eat breakfast.  I had 4 plates, the food was mediocre, but quantity has a quality of its own as they say.  

I powered on through the night until I made it to the campground at Old Station where I was allowed to have a free shower (but no towel or soap).  [[Like a hobo, paper towels and hand soap did the trick]]

I ate dinner with my friend Jared the 45 year old engineer from San Diego and we talked for a record high 10 minutes (he’s quiet).  

I am very tired and these kids keep yelling as they ride around on their bikes, but they're actually making me happy and I don’t mind.  

Day 71 [1375

I am writing to you from a picnic table at the old station campground while I wait for the post office to open.  I hope to get in at least 24 miles by tonight.  

Thanks for reading

-Your very tired ent Treebeard

…but he wasn’t wrong.  

One of the saddest parts of getting older is finding out that most men don’t love their job, don’t love themselves, and love their wives rarely or barely. 

As kids we wanted to be knights, astronauts or athletes—how stupid we must have been.

Upon learning the reality of bills and statistics, we realize that true and actual greatness is unlikely for us at best.  Most of us accept this fact in highschool—the college internships become careers and the college hookups become girlfriends then wives. We realize that our parents weren’t so grown up after all and we pass through our mostly good, though accidental, lives like many before us—fine, thanks to good buddies and great weekends.  

But there are some who live differently…they “rebel against society” they “take their own path” they “choose adventure unlike all the sheep of society”. We live abroad, work on a fishing boats, become ski bums, and we hike the PCT. We know that “that life will still be waiting for us” if we ever want to go back.  We think ourselves the free thinkers, the unchained spirits.  

Explore the world, see everything, taste everything.  Maybe slow down when you’re older because thats what old people do.  This is what we tell ourselves as we look down upon “society”.

I mean for my case, trying to make life decisions based on my Christian faith—how can I make the argument that thru hiking is less Christian than Real Estate in Atlanta??

I wake up and praise God for creation while reading my Bible, then I walk with my cross and pray in silence for an hour, I memorize Christian poems and prayers.  Throughout the day I praise God. When I see people, I am nicer than I have ever acted in society.  I am not tempted by lust or greed or any of my other usual vices.  I am in the best shape of my life and I am the most sober (literally and mentally) I have been in years. 

If the Christian life is simply to love God and stop sinning then for the sake of my soul I should never stop hiking!

And for that matter, I was also more thoughtful and pious on my trip to Spain than in college. So I would be better off traveling. Furthermore, I am best off at our farm. 

“Society is the source of my problems and the solution is for me to stay away from it.”

Convinced yet???

Well, in my heart I know this cannot be so. The stories of Abraham, Moses, and Jonah hold timeless.

-Abraham was called into the wilderness for the purpose that he might become the man who founds society itself. 

-Moses is called up onto the mountain to hear the Lord and return to society and then save it.  

-Jonah rebels and flees to the wilderness to avoid the wickedness of society, and yet the Lord calls him back for his purpose in and for society.

I might be the least evil Henry in the woods but I will not be the most good. It might be good for me to stay out here, but my life is not for me. My life is not my own. 

The call of society to the Christian man should not be the promise of safety but of danger, not of ease but of struggle, of sacrifice and not of benifit.  

Fighting evil, saving the world, spreading the faith—these cannot be accomplished by any man in isolation regardless of the sunset from his campsite. 

I will never not love the thrill of a dangerous rock scramble. But starting a family too young, giving too much to my community, creating too ambitious a company—these are the dangerous adventures I know I must seek. 

And to most truly dwell in the presence of God is not something which is done standing alone on a mountaintop but kneeling in a church (although that’s another essay!)

((Hang with me for this closing))

Samwise Gamgee (the true hero of The Lord of The Rings) kills the spider spawn of primordial darkness itself, withstands ultimate demonic temptation, walks across an entire continent, and ultimately saves the world. And yet, his most important battle is a small skirmish in his hometown, and his greatest accomplishment is the replanting of trees, the grown height of which he will never see. This is no accident by Tolkien. Neither is it an accident that the book ends with his reward for all this. Sam returns home to his family and “he was expected”. Sam, to whom the entire world owes infinite debt wants no travel, luxury or wealth for to him there is no greater gift than to enjoy the peace and love of the community and family he created.

And so as I and many others “adventure” we must remember that these adventures out into the world are only preparation for the real adventure. The fighting and working done in and for the shire are the continuation of the struggle on mount doom, they may even have been the purpose of it. 

I must live in such a way that this journey is short and these mountains small by comparison.

-the notes in italics are (some of) my thoughts from each day.  

-Note the second person “you” is addressed to me, I am not lecturing my readers.

Day 57 [1018-1033.2]

I woke up in the bushes at Kennedy Meadows North, where I had “stealth camped” the night before, covered in dew from the adjacent stream. I spent the morning drying out my gear (and brain) from the dew and conversations of the night before. Then I got a hitch with a nice “Dave” who wears driving gloves and a cap, back to the trailhead. 

I made it 15 miles through some absolutely stunning wildflowers and had a beautiful campsite. 

Sometimes the sun will start to set before you reach camp and you will have to decide whether to stop and watch it or race ahead to catch the end of it. You will be satisfied with neither…or both—if you decide to

Day 58 [1033.2-1062.1]

Today was a long and pretty day. In the afternoon the trail crossed a highway where a group of newly retired dads were doing “trail magic”. They had beer, hotdogs, and PB&Js. Life was a dream…

-I ate 9 hot dogs and hiked slightly slowly afterwards. 

At the end of the day I got cell service and was able to have a 2 hour long talk with one of my oldest and closest friends. —It was a highlight of this entire hike. Friendship is truly everything. 

Satan means “scatterer” and Devil means “divider”. Sauron in the Lord of The Rings works and profits from the division of the Dwarves, Elves and Men who each are fighting against the forces of Mordor alone. I cannot help but think about the divided host of Christendom who, equaling the elf and dwarf kindreds, likewise have a long and painful history rightfully justifying their division. 

Carpentry is certainly a morally good profession, it was the profession of Christ. And yet he was killed with a wooden creation. 

Day 59 (1062-1091)

I woke up to a doe (a deer, a female deer) sniffing around my camp, that felt really cool. 

With the same service from the night before, I woke up to a call from 2 college roommates. What a gift!

Then I pushed the long day into South Lake Tahoe. Tired and dehydrated, I made it to my hostel in time to shower and hobble over to the beach to watch a beautiful sunset. 

The sunset was beautiful, but the people were better. Kids were playing and splashing in the water, old people were sitting in beach chairs, a group of friends on vacation were enjoying themselves at the bar, and at least 3 young couples were making out in the sand.  

There truly is something about a sunset which brings people so visibly and emotionally together. 

This romanticized visualization of society brought me so much joy, but also a coldness—because unlike everyone else on the beach I was very much alone. And although I have seen dozens of magnificent sunsets on the trail, I would have by far preferred the sunset in company which they were having. 

(See meme below as proof I know I sound dramatic)

Anyways…

Day 60 [1091-1096]

I woke up at the hostel feeling sore and went back to that same nearby beach bar. I sat down to watch and maybe write, and not wanting their mediocre expensive food I just ordered a beer. 

Today was Saturday and even in the morning the small beach was already filling with tents and games and people playing and drinking. 

Maybe it’s the fact that I haven’t spoken to a normally shaven/showered woman in 2 months but my waitress was unbelievably attractive. I talked to her about the town and asked for another lunch spot and she asked me about the trail. 

-“I’m glad we hit it off, maybe this trail beard isn’t so scary” I thought

/-Then I retorted: “it’s literally her job to talk to you moron”

—anyways, when I left my check had written on it “have a blessed day” so maybe I’ve still got it?

~it’s absurd how easy it is to lift my spirits sky high

I discovered an all you can eat Mexican Hibachi where you choose the meats and seasonings and they grill them for you. Upon revealing my Spanish skills the chefs became my friends. I had 4 rounds of food.

Then, stuffed, I went to a nice park overlooking the lake, then I went to a Saturday evening church service (the Indian Priest was not great, but he offered confession to me which I declined as a non Roman catholic)

Then someone from the church gave me a ride 25 minutes back to trail and I didn’t even have to hitch!

I only had 4 miles to go and so it was fine that I didn’t start till 7. On my 4 miles I had another great phone call with a friend. The sunset was beautiful as I walked.

My “campsite” was a public dock by a lake. At about 10pm I, terrified, saw a spotlight approaching me through the woods. Then “Peter” came out and sat down next to me. Peter is 82, lives in Hawaii and is the 4th generation in his family to take up the forest service lease for their cabin on this lake.  He talked to me late into the night about his life, family, and the history of the lake.   There are lots of strange friends on the trail…

Day 61 [1096-1126]

It started pouring rain at 3:00 am.  I grabbed all my stuff and hid under the ferry’s phone booth…the consequences of cowboy camping.   Peter did not offer to let me sleep on his covered porch, though I saw him come outside when the rain started.  However,  he did come check on me in the morning before I left and his wife even gave me some banana bread.  

I heard a dear running and crying trying to escape something chasing it, that was cool but I could not discover more.  

This ended up being a very long day and my spirits, and body, were very low by the end of it.  Sometimes I get so angry/sad/tired that I hate all of my music, podcasts, and audiobooks…but even moreso hate my thoughts.  This was one of those afternoons.  

-I found myself furious at myself for doing the trail, blaming anyone and everything for my misery.  I was blindly torturing myself for some goal that I could not remember why I cared about or commuted to in the first place.  “The person who promised to do this isn’t me anymore, I’m me so I should decide what I do” I thought.  (I am amazed how quickly my mind devolves into being such a horrible enemy)

The demon in your head convinces you that your past decisions, commitments, or promises are made invalid by new knowledge or feelings—this is a LIE.  The only way to persevere in such cases is not through intellect or emotion but blind allegiance to your word.  Personal integrity may feel like foolishness in the moment, in many cases it may actually be so—but it is integrity nonetheless—such is the nature of a strong charecter.  

—-In the Bible, David’s kingly dynasty (the line even of of our LORD Christ) is only established as true because he does not kill king Saul.  His lineage is redeemed despite its many sins because of the mercy in its beginning.  ———So too in The Lord of The Rings is Bilbo’s lineage able to be redeemed despite its failing because of his mercy to Sméagol in the cave in the beginning.  

(Also see, telephone booth, twisted deer, twisted tree, and moss rings)

Day 62 [1126-1154.5]

Today I woke up and the dark clouds (literal and spiritual) of the night before had passed.  I always move well on the days towards food and today was no different.  Today I left the Tahoe Rim Trail section and all the hikers on it and hiked more often alone and in silence.  I hiked through Palisades and several other ski resorts which was cool to see.  I wondered what they would look like in snow and it was clear from all the signs 20 feet in the air that their base layer is really deep.  This also meant that I had cell service so I had a long phone call with a buddy which is a new treat which I am loving.  

Finally I made it to Donner Ski ranch and got a boatload of food and a bed and the package I sent to myself from Mammoth.  New shoes!!!!!

I enjoyed some time with Jared the very sharp engineer/consultant, armpit the somaliet, and Evan the old guy with the biggest backpack i have ever seen.  

Today I thought a lot about samwise Gamgee, but you will have to read this afternoons essay to learn what…

Day 63 [1154.5-

I had a good breakfast and talked to the bartender while I ate, then I iced my knee and wrote to you guys.  I hope to do about 15 miles when I leave this afternoon although it looks like rain.  

My cardio is doing very well, my weight is stabilizing (25 lbs down), and I think/hope my knee is improving.  Spiritually I am maturing and my prayer life is growing daily.  I am lonely, but rarely cripplingly so.  The trail is getting easier but it will be getting hotter.  Everyone says the next month/600 miles are the worst of the trail.  I guess we will find out!

The poems of the week have been Death Be Not Proud, and Love iii.  Let me know if you have any more good poems to memorize.  

Love,

Treebeard

Anyways, the past few days since Kackie left have been new, interesting and I think worth sharing. 

Day 54. [944-964]

{I know this is a repeat day but there is more to say}

In addition to (“big”) Troy, I also hiked with “Cliffhanger” the Australian actor, entrepreneur, and filmmaker from Hollywood. He is writing a tv show about the trail (as I’m sure many think they are) and is quite confident in it. He gave a big speech about how people shouldn’t talk politics on the trail—-as he made his way into a long rant about his hate for Trump. —->I, as usual, agreed with more informed and equally passionate disapproval of him but from the position of one betrayed and not opposed. 

…anyways, he got too crazy so I ditched him and hiked past him. But there are a lot of people “in the film industry” on the trail and I thought I would share. 

Also, today, for the first time in the trail, it began to rain. This… was a new challenge. 

Day 55 [964-987]

Today, after my morning routines I skipped my normal podcast plan and began an old favorite of mine—The Fellowship of The Ring.  Unsuprisingly, I was still listening to it 11 hours later.  I have so many pages of voice memos and hope to find time to actually essay them.  

Today rained for the entire day, and with each (false) glimpse of sunlight behind dark clouds came new thunder and harder rain than before.  I was thoroughly soaked early and quickly it ceased to bother me.  

I didn’t reach camp until a very dark (from the clouds) 8:00.  I set up my tent and tried my best to do it fast enough to keep the inside dry.  For some reason, as I stood there at the end of a truly exhausting day, filthy and soaking I had a rush of adventurous joy.  I found myself yelling back at the thunder and laughing at it joyfully.  Then, seeing my tent site was near a small lake, I realized in a moment the only natural way to go about dinner…..

As I cooked my ramen beside the lake, I washed my socks and remembered that every night for the past month I had burnt my mouth by eating it too early.  So as it cooled I took off all my clothes and went for a swim, taking a small lap out into the lake and back to kick off all the mud and sweat.  Then coming back I knew my Ramen was ready I just ate it all right there and then—butt ass naked, alone in the mountains.

I was so content

In fact…

I think I’m growing to like this Treebeard fella…

But I still laugh imagining some Californian who for some reason was 40 miles into the wilderness in a thunderstorm who stumbled upon me having my supper.  [(I knew nobody could come from behind because I hadn’t passed anyone in 5 miles)]

Day 56 [987-1018]

Today I hit 1,000 miles! 

That’s so insane, but I promise to you I am actally far from it.

Today, as you can see, I was moving again.  It feels good to be going far and fast again.  (Except for my knee which is hurting very badly).

But my mind and pride feel as good as ever!

Today was also a goodbye to the “true Sierra Nevada” and an entry into “Northern California”

*See below*

I reached Kennedy Meadows North where I was able to ship my bear can home (lighter pack!!).  There I also got a 2 hot meals, new food for the trail, wifi (for you ❤️), and soft serve ice cream!

At the PCT campsite I met a bunch of people but one hiker Evan, lured me in with a free offering of leftover food and whiskey…..

Anyways, 5 hours later and we were still talking.  He is an ex infantry, great books Master degree from St. John, enlightenment humanist, leftist, defense attorney, who is hiking the PCT with his wife.  

Talking to someone ideologically opposed to me who has been traditionally educated was fascinating and nuanced and really fun.  Topics covered included Monarchism, Radical Islam, Normal Islam, Active Combat, the Judicial system, the constitution, the founding fathers, and the Christian literary tradition.  

Being in good spirits we essentially played the game of seeing how much we could agree on from our different ends.  He, having served on the streets of Afghanistan was forced to have the really unpopular liberal position of Sam Harris on Islam (which I recognized) and that was a starting point for our agreement.  

Making strange friends over immediately deep talk truly is, I think, the greatest thing a person can do to meet themselves and the world.  

Most importantly he too agrees with G.K Chesterton who said there is nothing for men to discuss BUT Religion and Politics, which is a sharp turn from the foolish rule of the trail and polite society to never discuss anything of substance or import.  

Then at 1:30 we ended our long discussion and went to bed. The heavens, from this view I judge, chose my side in the discussion…

One of the thoughts which is haunting me is the religious nature of “collectivism”.  To much outrage, Zohran Mamdami said earlier this year that we must replace the frigidity of rugged individualism with the warmth of collectivism"

However, I too oppose individualism, which I suppose is very un-American of me.  More fervently, I require the warmth of collectivism.  

I have an essay cooking on the subject so stay tuned.  

Everyone go touch a tree and thank God for it, trees are good.  

Much Love,

treebeard

I have officially completed more than ⅓ of the trail, Kackie has officially finished her portion of the trail, and now my Mom and Dad have come to Mammoth to visit and watch me eat a lot of food.  

Kackie’s section ended up being around 240 miles, almost 50,000 ft of elevation gain and at least 7 passes over 10,000ft.  Yeah….pretty badass for Kackie (Goggles)

Day 47 [881-883] We ended up going about 5 miles back towards the trail, keeping things light to save Kackie’s knee and help her ease back into it.  Beautiful cowboy spot by the lake. It looks like her knee was getting steadily better.

Day 48 [880-892.4] We slowly took the day to do Silver pass and were moving pretty well.  I saw a beautiful rainbow cloud thing.  Then we eventually made it to the beautiful Lake Virginia. This is my second time camping at this lake and it is undeniable. After taking a swim and jumping off some rocks we decided to move to the other side of the lake to wake up in the sun… we both fell in walking over and in our night clothes. (Aghhhhh)

As I was watching this rainbow which I knew could not last, I could not decide to write about the things (I thought) it inspired in me, to take a long video of its change, or to simply watch it. As I have no poem for you and only a poor picture, you can guess that I tried and failed at each…

Day 49 [892-909] Woke up very wet next to Lake Virginia and we take our time gliding down the 16 miles to Red’s Meadow where hot food, new snacks, and showers awaited us.  

As I walked ahead of my sister remarking at how fast and good of a hiker I was, I saw a tree and turned my head to look at it.  —-—Some gnome or demon (tree root) tripped me and I totally ate it.  I had a face full of dirt, a skinned elbow, a bloody palm and a bleeding knee.  I felt like a 5 year old and it sucked.  Kackie (who I had thought myself so superior to) was only about 15 seconds behind me and saw me getting up.  Then I was the slow and injured one…

At Red’s I had 3 great phone calls, 3 good beers, and a 5 minute shower.  Life was good

Day 50 [909-931] We realized that with only 35 miles left we could be back to society and showers and hygiene (at least for Kackie) by the next night and so we made a big push to sleep on top of Donoahue pass.  This was a hard day, but in it we got to pass the fantastic thousand Isdland lake and Garnett lake.  They were absolutely stunning.  More importantly, there was a duck and some ducklings to watch in the lake as we snacked.

By the end of the day that knee was seriously hurting, as was Kackie’s and it was a slog.  A couple hours later, however, and we were rewarded with the best campsite ever.  Perfect sunset, perfect stars, perfect sunrise, and an all downhill day to civilization—pretty awesome.  With some seriously premier cuisine (beef flavored ramen) we enjoyed our last sunset—Kackie’s last on the trail, and mine with a friend. It was awesome

I mean look at the stars, the celestial spheres.

I can only wonder how much easier our world has been secularized by the smog which obscures the true night sky?

Day 51 [931-943]

Kackie and I woke up and watched the sunrise from our sleeping bags atop Donahue pass and it was beautiful.

-then we ate pop tarts, sat around for a bit and by 7:30 began our final stroll down the mountain, through the family and lovely Tuolomune meadows and then back to society.

-we got a cheeseburger at the bottom, hopped on the bus, and then met our parents in Mammoth to celebrate Kackie’s journey.

—I ate several dinners, took the longest(active) shower of my life to scrub myself clean, and slept in my first bed in at least a month. That was pretty special

Day 52 [zero day]

I took today to sleep in, rest, enjoy family (and a bed) and eat. It was really awesome to be around people who knew me again.

Day 53 [zero day 2]

A lazy day felt so good and so needed, and knowing it may be another 1700 miles before I see family or friends again I rested for another day!! More food!!!

—I didn’t realize how badly I had missed talking to dudes like me with even vaguely similar mannerisms, worldview or sense of humor. So having a couple beers and joking around with my Dad was really special.

Day 54 [944-964]

My family and I woke up and went to the only church service we could find—the english service of a very Charismatic Latino Catholic Church. Even my dad, who was very surprised and unused to such a service, appreciated the crowd and the devotion of the priest.

Then my mom drove me to the trail, gave me a hug and I was off on my own again….

Just a Koon alone in the woods (with a new shirt!!)

—and then I met my friend Troy (who Kackie calls Big Red), who is a Railman(builds railroads), a jokester, and who lost 150 lbs last year when he did the Appalachian Trail (he started over 400lbs)

Having Kackie broke me out of my rhythms and got me into new ones. She got most of my thoughts while she was with me and I don’t regret it.

In the coming weeks expect deep and strange thoughts from myself, alone once more.

Love

-Treebeard

I say this because as I have left the desert and entered the high sierra, I have also gained a companion—an 18 year old girl.  My sister Kackie has joined me for the famous John Muir Trail—going from mile 752-934 with the additions of Kearsarge pass, Mt. Whitney, and Lake Edison.

Hiking with someone else is different than hiking alone, routines change or are interrupted, tent sites must be big enough for more than 1, hitch hiking is now for 2 seats, and now someone hears all your conversations with the trees and gnomes and such.  

It is remarkable how quickly unsocialized you can become, not that I have been alone or antisocial but I have adjusted to being a solo entity, largely without regard for others. It’s like returning home from college to your familiar house when both you and your mother have forgotten how you fit into that same house cohesively.  Deciding when to stop, our what pace to go, which water to collect, which route to take or where to camp are no longer so simply whatever I want—I have to be part of a team/family/society again.  

Luckily Kackie is very patient with me as I am re-socialized and she is also very tough and flexible.  

Anyways, the past week has been unbelievably good in so many ways….

(Also, there are so many more pictures I want to include that I just can’t load in this one that will have to come later)

Day 37 [N/A] I took my first zero day of the trail and waited in Lone Pine for Kackie to arrive.  I spent more time in the library and then once she did we bought our food and did a tapas tour (went between the Mexican trucks, Hot Dog Stand, and Ice Cream Store).  -The Mexican was top tier.  -The hot dog guy is awesome and travels around the country doing pop up specialty hotdogs? Bacon wrapped, Brats, vegan, with homemade toppings (inc queso) @worldwideweiner

Day 38 [752-767.5] Me and Kackie got bagels, then took a shuttle with some British brothers I have befriended (I have dubbed them publicly Fish&Chips).  We pushed a long day of 20 miles to get to the campsite at the bottom of Mt.  Whitney.  I also took one of my favorite pictures of the trail.

Day 39 [Whitney] Our plan to wake up at 4:30 to beat any weather failed when we slept till 7:30 and then ate breakfast and coffee till 8:30.  Nonetheless once we got going we were flying up the trail, and because the summit was off the PCT, Kackie left her pack behind and I carried mine with only layers and snacks.  

-Many hikers were already coming down as we were ascending but it was fine because it was a blue sky day with no storms.  

At the top we saw Fish&Chips and I even gave them  “fags” to smoke with me in celebration.  

—> Up here I can say that I am higher up than any other person in Continental America standing on ground (14,505ft)

Day 40 [767-787] Today was a long and beautiful slog.  I say slog because there were 3 different river crossings were most people have to take their shoes off to wade across.  It was absolutely beautiful and we had a great time.  

After the river crossings we also had Forrester pass (13,200ft) the highest point on the PCT!

Coming down was some pretty sketchy ice but after some teaching Kackie’s ice sliding/hiking abilities improved exponentially.  By the end of the day we were exhausted and non-verbal.  We were happy and chatty again after eating some food.

^someone’s turned a bit treeish

Day 41 [787-789.6] Today we woke up early, hiked to the Kearsarge Pass junction and set up the tent where we left all of our stuff and Kackie’s pack.  Then we hiked 7.5 miles over Kearsarge pass which was (like everything here) beautiful.  We did this all so that we could do a 1 day resupply and not have to spend a night in town.  

—When we got to the trailhead from which we were going to hitch we saw the most beautiful sight a hiker can ever see—a tent with logos doing trail magic.  Durston, Zpacks, Mountain House Meals, and garage grown gear, amongst others had paid and given food and supplies to “Mac” to have at a tent where he gave it all away as “trail magic”.  For those who don’t know, Mac is like the president of the thru-hiking community, his blog/website www.halfwayanywhere.com is the #1 place for gear and trail info for the major thru hikes because he runs the hiker surveys.  So that was awesome!  At this trail magic we each got 3 mountain house meals ($15+ each) countless snacks, and more.  Kackie got a new titanium spoon, I got a new pair of gaiters.  

Then we got a biker to give us a hitch into town where we could top off our food resupply for the 5 day stretch where we hit the gas station for food and snacks and the mexican truck for some hot lunch.  

—As we were hiking back up moved the pass to where we left our stuff, some ominous clouds obscured the top of the mountain…uh oh.  That in addition to my vastly heavier pack on the way back up slowed us down.  But sometimes foolish confidence works well enough and we made it up and past the clouds without getting struck by lightning or rained on.  {it did snow/hail that night}

Day 42 [789-809] I woke up to a slushy but sunny morning and sat by the creek and read my bible and worked on my poem memorizing while Kackie slept in. Then we got going and did Glen pass.  We had a bit of trouble mid day and we realized that Kaxckie was dehydrated (Bad leadership @treebeard).   After getting Kackie hydrated we actually had a very good afternoon and made it to just below Pinchot pass.  At this point we learned what happens when too immature egos collide.  We probably should have stopped for the day but neither would admit they were tired, and despite supposedly being the more mature older brother I did not concede.  So with 35 minutes to sunset 1.1 miles to the top I bolted off at top speed.  (Definitely seeming like I had ditched my little sister in the dark, in the wilkderness) and made it up in 15 minutes where I dropped my pack before the summit, ran down and grabbed Kackie’s, and ran back up with it.  We both summited together just as the sun was setting, it was beautiful and we both apologized and enjoyed the sunsets.  

Day 43 [809.5-826] I cowboy camped and woke up well rested but covered in frost.  Then throughout the day I hiked through King’s canyon up to Mather pass.  It was beautiful walking.   It has been cool to watch Kackie as she gets much better at river crossings and drinking water and tent site selection and everything else which is cool to see.  We did have to descend the famous Golden Staircase, we icy is a long steep downhill and that cooked our knees.  Today we took a 2 or 3 hour break where we swam, washed our clothes and slowed down to enjoy the scenery.  It is hard to describe how bad I smelled before…

Day 44 [826-846] Today was mostly the long ascent to the famous Muir Pass.  This is an ascent that just keeps on going, but its hard to complain with views like these.   At the top of Muir pass is the famous Muir hut where we took our break.  Sadly, some dark clouds also made it up and we didn’t stay for long.  On the way down we were entranced by a beautiful lake and were “forced” to stay there for an hour or so while I swam.  Today I convinced Kackie to cowboy camp with me (no tent) and it was a great choice.  This was the most beautiful day on trail yet.  

Day 45 [8467-866] I woke up to a beautiful sunrise over the mountain valley and I didn’t even b have to leave my bag to watch it.  Now that I have essentially retired from tent life (except for storms) my mornings usually begin with Bible and poems and sunrise for the first hour where its too cold to get out of my bag.  An absolute joy.  By the end of the day we made it to the summit of Selden Pass where we camped!!! It was an even better view and coolest campsite ever.

Day 46 [866-881] As we woke up it felt like the swarm descended, bugs were in every breath and even on the summit there was no wind to blow them away.  We were fired up for cheeseburgers at VVR and were moving fast except for the 2 river crossings.  Somewhere along the way Kackie’s knee started hurting and only got worse.  By the end it was pretty bad and I was carrying her pack.  With the help of the trail we ended the day with good fresh food, ice cold beers, and Toby Keith.  It seemed only me, Kackie, and the Chef knew Courtesy of The Red White and Blue but that only made us sing it louder and more often (we had the aux).  That and some Keystone light and I was a happy camper.  

Day 47 [881-886?] I am writing this day’s entry at lunch so I don’t know how tonight will go.  I am eating a large burger, I had a big breakfast, I am very happy.  Kackie has been stretching and icing and seems to be doing better so we are going to do 5 slow miles for rehab tonight. 

I’m not sure how brother-sister relationships are supposed to work.  All the brothers that hang out with sisters seem to do so with older sisters and are usually efeminized/socialized by them.  Aside from threatening to beat up their boyfriends in high school and eventually being the cool uncle there’s not much of an example set.  Because little sisters are still girls, but they’re also your sister.  What topics or behaviors are normal for brothers to little sisters?

I have no idea… So Kackie has been hearing lots of advice and a lot of farts from her big brother, but I am so carry heavy things for her and make her coffee.  This is the best i have figured out…

Koon thought of the week: iIf demons are real and inside of people then surely they must feed on attention.  But then, how does one fight something without giving it attention? 

-My best thoughts in this case are that against such foes we can use neither sword nor spear and that we instead turn our shields inside out like Archimedes and through prayer reflect that devastating divine light.  To use a strength which is entirely not ours. 

Love

-Treebeard

Every year for the Fourth of July, I try to make some sort of video or essay to post our share. Usually I talk about American exceptionalism, freedom, or morality.  Being the patriot at the party has always been a natural role to me. What can I say… I look good wearing the stars and stripes, I have no trouble drinking American beers, and I love to be loud.  Those things about me are still true (I’m even wearing my signature bandana right now) but for some reason this year I’m not feeling the same wave of patriotism.

Maybe it’s the hiker culture, or that I’m too far from the south, and maybe I’ve just grown cynical lately—but this year (even for the big 250) I’m really just not feeling it.  

As I’m trying to be fervently patriotic I cannot help but think of the disaster of the Iran war, the freemasonry of the founding fathers, the societal and political indifference to the Epstein scandal, and the sweeping cultural degradation, utter secularization, and demographic collapse of our nation.  I cannot help but ask sadly:

-Are we still the America I always loved so proudly? 

-What would the founders or the dead of Omaha and Okinawa say if they saw their nation now?

And worst of all

-Were we ever even that Nation on a hill or was it all a lie?

—This pessimistic state is where I was this morning. 

Today was the 4th of July and we were 15 miles from Vermillion Valley where cheeseburgers, cold beers, and surely some fellow patriots waited to welcome my sister and I to society after a week in the woods.  

With about 10 miles left we hit a wet and windless stretch of trail and found ourselves miserably swarmed by bugs, swallowing some with each breath.   After another mile, Kackie’s knee began to hurt, a few miles more and she was limping and in serious pain.  Eventually she was injured to the point where I was carrying her pack in addition to my own just so she could limp down the Mountain.  

With 3 miles to go, the trail joined a dirt road and after a while two trucks passed us and offered rides when they were coming back in a few hours, but hungry—we stumbled on.  

Then came a Grateful Dead stickered Jeep packed with 6 characters covered in piercings and colorful tattoos, a dog, and a roof rack overflowing with backpacks.  They immediately pulled over to ask if my sister was OK and upon learning of her struggle the three dudes and girl in the back hopped out of the jeep, and without even consulting the driver they volunteered the jeep to give her a ride while they waited on the side of the road.  

They fervently rejected any payment or compensation and acted legitimately happy to help us and to have met us.  We learned that they were locals and members of a reggae band (they smelled like they had been practicing), and that they each had permanent Fridays off in the summer to have time to hike.  They could tell from the cross and flag that I carry on my pack that we may have been different sorts of people but they didn’t care at all.  They were happy and eager to help.

As they drove Kackie the last 2.5 miles I ran as fast as I could (to maintain my continuous footpath).  While I was running I was so overcome with gratitude for these people that I was really becoming quite emotional.  

When they, returning, passed me running down the road, they stopped to say goodbye and that my sister was safely dropped off.  I thanked them and said to them emotionally what I had realized.

“I’ve been having a tough time loving America this week, but YOU GUYS ARE WHY I LOVE AMERICA”

-They returned to me “we feel the same about you my friend” and drove away waving and smiling earnestly with Rosalie McFall playing.  

This exchange may be meaningless (or worse) just cheesy to some of you, but I’ve been thinking a lot about it.  

Even if all the worst possible things imaginable are true about “America”.  If the American Empire is fading, if Trump is compromised by the Epstein files, if nobody will ever afford a house again, if the moon-landing was fake, if America was created by the Illuminati, if Mossad controls the CIA, if America will become a communist totalitarian technocracy—-it doesn’t matter.  It doesn't matter at because patriotism is a duty and more importantly it was never the government that I should have loved.

No matter how bad things are (or seem) to be—> I love America because of the deadheads who get out of their car to give you a ride.  I love America because of the veteran living in a wind farm who gives his well-water to hikers.  I love America for the waitress who gave me 14 water refills when I was dehydrated.  I love America for my Ommish hiker buddy, for my Marxist guitarist hiker buddy, for the trees, for the mountains and the park rangers.  

I don’t need to love our country for any reason other than the fact that it is mine and that I am its. Maybe next year I will make another argument for why America is “the best” but I shouldn’t need to.  Your mom’s pie recipe doesn’t have to be world renown for you to call it the best in the world—you just call it that because it is to you.  

We have been spoiled growing up surrounded by such American excellence that now in the digital age as we realize that we are only great and not perfect we feel cheated.  This happens to every kid when he learns that his dad isn’t actually superhuman, it doesn’t make the kid’s love less real afterwards but moreso.

So for today, the 4th of July, I love America because of deadheads and that is more than enough. To me, America might be a lot like those hikers who helped us. I disapprove of their sexual ethics and career choices, they disapprove of my conservative religious stiffness—but we both love the mountains and regardless of lifestyle the Grateful Dead are a beautiful American treasure.

Out of love I will fight for my way and they for theirs, but on the way I’ll return the favor and pick up stinky deadhead hitchhikers if I see them.

God Bless America

The best I can communicate is to say this–as you picture me these days, imagine me smiling ear to ear with my eyes wide open.  I am sticking my head in every stream, touching every sequoia tree, yelling at every marmot, cackling at every gust of wind, and stopping for every sunset.   I am thoroughly smitten once more by my old love, true mountains.  

But, much of my ecstasy in the Sierras comes from the relief they have offered to the final stretch of the desert which was absolutely brutal.  Somehow, we had it in our heads that the last 150 miles of desert were less desertish as they approached the mountains–this is far from the truth.  Those 150 miles were very hard.   

[[In these descriptions I got a little more descriptive than I would have liked so feel free to skip, skim, or even just browse the pictures.]]

Day 28 [566-576] As you may remember from the last chapter, I had been invited to stay with some people at their Airbnb.  Anyways, I woke up early to the violent radiance of the rising sun cooking me as I lay on the turf of the backyard.  Nothing makes you so aware of your lack of sleep, the coors banquets you drank, and your miles on trail, as such a wakeup by the desert sun. {I don’t always do a good job of resting on my rest days} Then I cooked myself a bunch of eggs and my leftover bratwursts(enough of Emriique’s restaurant quality French vegan)!!! 

I spent the next couple hours reading, journaling, and writing letters.  It was a very good day.  Then in the evening I ubered to the trail and began the steep ascent back up, 17 miles to water.  That night as I hiked there was my favorite sunset yet on trail and I listened to a Jason Isbell album and felt very cinematic-and don’t you dare tell me I wasn’t.   Then I thought: “It would be way more cinematic if all my letters hadn’t been to dudes”

Day 29 [576-608.8] I woke up at 5 to beat the heat and hiked the remaining 9 miles to a spring and chugged a couple liters of water as fast as I could filter it.  After this water carry there was another 20 mile stretch (ugh).  Those 20 miles ended up occurring throughout the heat of the day (mid 90s with UV of 11) and were very dry and very hot.  Throughout the day I would stop and talk to strangers and try to be nice.  And as always I found myself proudly picking up trash (treebeard environmentalism). 

-Yet, at the end of this monster day where I did everything right, something felt wrong–I felt bad, maybe even guilty.  I say this now because maybe sometime I’ll figure out why and tell you, for now let's just call it dehydration.  

Day 30 [608.8-635.4] Today was worse, a 23 mile water carry with no shade.  To make matters worse, I overslept and so had even less productive hiking in the cool morning hours.  This carry was very hard, and at the end the trail turned to soft sand which zaps your energy and slows you down by at least 35%.  But ¾ through the day I got cell service and found that I had some nice/any texts from friends and was so happy and energized that it turned my day around and I was flying again.  (I guess I’m not so complicated)  Then I cooked dinner by the water and hiked to the summit of a nearby peak where it was very windy–this meant no bugs, cold air, downhill to start the next day and I slept like a rock.

Day 31 [635-665] I woke up and was in good spirits to start (downhill!) I made it 18 miles by noon and was feeling great. I had planned on taking a siesta to beat the heat between 1-3, but when I found myself crossing the road at noon ahead of schedule I couldn’t resist and hitched myself a ride(still got it!).  In the town I found the divebar, got a double cheeseburger and a beer and watched USA beat Australia in Soccer with the noon Friday regulars.  I obviously had to get a beer to make friends with these beautiful (exclusively Mexican) new friends of mine.  1 beer, however was like a horse tranquilizer and I knew a second would put me to sleep and so I went next door to the ice cream shop.  I got a milkshake and an icecream sundae.  Then I hitched a ride with 3 nice hippies who were going to the trailhead.  (I later found out that they were a thrupple) ((the girl had the hairiest legs I have ever seen on a woman and top 5 hairiest for a man)) After this I cruised some evening miles with a full stomach and had the time of my life recklessly running down all the hills.  It is crazy how happy food makes me.  I love running downhill!

Day 32 [665-688.5] I slept in after my late night to bed but woke up covered in dew–the penalty of not sleeping in a tent.  Then I hiked casually for a while until about 4 when I saw a sign that said “trail magic ahead.”  There was a former hiker “Spilly”  a photographer from LA who loved hanging out with the community and who had a box full of chips and rice krispy treats, a cooler full of beer, and a winebag!  He also has a camera setup to take hiker portraits(mine will come in a week). There with him were a number of hikers whose ambitions had been spoiled by generosity, some of whom had become quite drunk.  I joined the commotion and made merry for a few hours (wisely avoiding the winebag) before night hiking another few miles ahead.  

Day 33 [688.5-704] I woke up and hiked downhill to Kennedy meadows.  I passed mile 700.  There started to be water.  At Kennedy Meadows I got a large pizza, a double cheeseburger, a pint of ice cream, a sleeve of oreos, and even charmed my way with the cooks to have their leftover Burritos de chicharrón.  

Day 34 [704-726] I probably sound like a fremen from Dune or a stoner or surfer or something but WOW! 

Water really is Life 

And WOW!!

Did you ever really see the color green?

And WOW!!!

I love the birds chirping, and I love watching the moon grow each night, and I can’t believe I have seen more deer today than rattlesnakes in all the desert

Yeah, it was that kind of day. And to further the (incorrect) suspicions that I’m on drugs, tonight when I cooked dinner I played a Grateful Dead album and for the first time I actually liked them.  Top 1 dinner spot so far btw

JUST LOOK AT ALL THE GREEN

Day 35 [726-751]  The great hiking continues… Also, I met a Polish girl named Alexandra with a 50lb pack who barely spoke English. I gave her lots of advice on what to throw away and how to ship much of the extra weight ahead.  Anyways, pray for her because she needs it.  (picture of her comically large pack below) Then I made it to another lovely campsite and fell asleep.  

Day 36 [751-752] Today I hiked down off the trail to meet my sister Kackie who is going to hike with me for the next few weeks.  I’m pumped to have a friend and a sister at that! More on this later.  

I don’t think I had realized the spiritual and psychological effects of the desert on me until I left.  Now I feel as though a weight has been lifted from my mind, body and spirit and I feel truly encouraged.  

Anyone, over the next few months feel free to

-text me

-send me books to listen to

-send me albums to listen to

-ask me questions to think about

-rent computing power from my head and have me ponder existential questions for you while I hike

-criticize my blog posts or other writing or thoughts or behaviors or actions

The Lord’s Prayer appears in both the Gospel of Mathew and the Gospel of Luke and in both cases it is given to us by Jesus.  In Luke 11:2-4, Jesus gives the prayer when his disciples ask him “how do we pray?” 

In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus gives the prayer as part of his sermon on the Mount when he as he is rebuking long, public, and extravagant prayer.  

Jesus says not to pray extravagantly primarily due to the reality that those who exalt themselves by the skill of their prayer make their blessing only Earthly: to enhance reputation. 

The less obvious reason Jesus rebukes extravagant, personal, emotional prayer is that “your father knows what you need before you ask him.”  This is the point that I think frames the structure of the prayer—that prayer is not about asking God for things but about coming into God’s will. It is about making ourselves want what God in his infinite wisdom gives us.  

This prayer is packed with wisdom and power and is found directly in the Bible. To me it is surprising that it is not the source of annual sermons in every church ranging from this most to the least traditional.  And yet, it is said blandly and often ignored by many.  But it has been a fascination of mine in the woods!

—So without further delay, let’s dive in line by line and just scrape the surface of the infinite wisdom of Christ.

There are two things I will ask you to keep in mind throughout this prayer, the first is the present tense of the prayer, the second is that it is said in the first person plural. +The collective “our” and “we” of the first person plural remind us that we neither are nor should be alone, this prayer and our live as Christians are not “individual” but “collective.” We are firstly members of the body of the Church, the bride of Christ, we are not individuals acting alone. +The present tense shows that the prayer is simultaneously a request, a promise, and acknowledgement/praise.

Our Father, which art in heaven,

God is our father, we are his sons and daughters, we are bearers of his divine image.  At the same time of our filial connection to God, he is also the transcendent divinity of the heavens beyond our existence and comprehension.

Hallowed be thy Name,

The Lord’s name is holy (obviously) and so we say this as acknowledgment and praise. But also as we pray this we vow to make it holy ourselves.  This is not a request but a promise to fulfill our responsibility as humans and as Christians. This is a calling and sacred oath for us to shape our lives around.  

Thy kingdom come,

The LORD’s kingdom is coming in the eschatological (end times) sense—yes.  But also, the kingdom is always coming and has already come in the person of Jesus.  “The Kingdom of God is within you” “the kingdom of heaven is at hand” etc.  This is less of a request for God’s action but an acknowledgment of it! It also reveals part of our responsibility.

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

And so this continues as we promise to make Earth like heaven.  This is not a boast of our power, nor fantastical Utopianism, it is a summation of the life of the Christian.  We are to bring the glory of the Lord into the world as the glory of the Lord has been brought into us!  This acknowledges both God’s supreme power that nothing can happen unless he allows it, but also our responsibility to carry out his will. Beauty, goodness, truth and love are the qualities of heaven and the result of God’s will being done—so too should they be the signs of a Christian society.

Give us this day our daily bread;

Here we acknowledge our own powerlessness, we cannot continue in our service without that spiritual food and drink of the Lord which sustains us.  We are in need of sustaining not once, not occasionally, but always, every day.  And so we return to Christ every day for this sustaining.  

The point of Holy Communion and the Christian life of which it is the summation is:

“that our sinful bodies may be made clean by his body, and our souls washed through his most precious blood, and that we may evermore dwell in him, and he in us”

We are to become little Christs by consuming Christ!!!

And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us;

And the reason we need this sustaining is because we constantly destroy ourselves through our sinning.  We ask for mercy with the promise that we will also be merciful to those who sin against us.  We promise to love and forgive not to earn our salvation but because of it.  

And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil.

The prayer ends with the only actual request that we really make for the future.  This request is not for prosperity, nor for happiness, but to give us a burden we can bear.  This acknowledges that nothing happens without God’s willing, God only allows as many demons around a man as he can withstand.  And so we pray for direction, and in our kneeling, looking up, and praising God we find our compass and the so prayer works.  

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, For ever and ever. Amen.

This addendum is not in the Bible but is a liturgical invention of the first century.  Roman Catholics separate this from the Lord’s Prayer by a few moments but still say it.  Either way it is an embellishment.  A beautiful, spiritual decoration.  The wording of seems to spiral up into heaven as we lift our hearts and minds eye spiritually to heaven for guidance throughout this prayer.   

Stay tuned for the rest of the thought…

It is said that “a man who lives alone is either a beast or a god”.  I would further this by saying the man who living alone becomes a beast begins to think he is a god.  

—The trail has humbled me enough to ensure I do not think myself a god and to avoid becoming a beast I knew I needed some friends.

Yes, I am writing this from an AirBnb that I am sharing with 11 other hikers as I enjoy a coors banquet.  Last night we all cooked a big dinner together, drank together, and sang together.  After a restful night of food and friendship with these people I will leave them to continue ahead and past them on my own pat as they stay for a full rest day.  

For reference this group has

-2 Australian couples

-a French chef

-a critical race theory scholar/ guitar player

-a ski bum

-a very familiar seeming triple crowner from Wilmington with his online girlfriend

-an overwhelmed Omish 18 year old

-a nuclear physicist/former college trackathlete

A group which is very strange for reality and very common for the pct

Day 23 [454.7-478.3]- Woke up in a hammock at the weird “Oasis”, hiked 23 miles to the fire station which hosts hikers.  Because the fire station is such a good place to stop I went less far than I might have—this gave me extra time to write and to socialize. I then withdrew to my own spot for some quiet space to camp.

Day 24 [478.3-504.5] Every day at the fire station there is a kind Christian man who cooks pancakes for hikers at 6am.  At least a dozen hikers grabbed a flapjack, me and a group stayed for about an hour and ate our fill.  This forced even more fellowship. I passed the 500 mile mark. I explored a cave. I also love that because the trail signs are steel they serve as pistol targets. I ran into the track physicist at a water source (the water now is in underground cisterns like in Dune!) at the end of the day and ended up in a long conversation with him and then ended up cooking dinner and camping with him and two others.  It was pretty nice not camping alone.  

Day 25 [504.5-517.8] Today was just a short 12 miles to get to “hikertown”.  Which is an abandoned movie set/hiker waiting spot at the beginning of the Mojave desert crossing.  Hikers usually rest here before hiking the LA aqueduct across the desert through the night to avoid the heat.  I had slowed my pace to be able to hike the culturally iconic aqueduct night hike with a group.  On my way down to the aqueduct I hiked with a Dutch-German man who studied/worked as a global economist, and was an Olympic rower!  Very interesting conversations about both subjects for a number of hours. Hikertown was very sketchy for a number of reasons but they did have an old limo to drive us to a gas station burrito???

Day 26 [517.8-549.7] A group of at least 14 woke up at 2am and began the trek across the dessert.  The first 6 miles or so were across the metal aqueduct before it went underground and then we walked on the concrete above it.  Hiking at night with a group was fun, the vibes were very high.  Then as the sun came up we were approaching 20 miles of continuous hiking!

As the sun rose the group began to split up as people veered off to use the bathroom or have individual conversations and the blob turned into a stretched line across the desert.  The aqueduct also turned into a vast expanse of wind farm with the strange whirring and occasional screeching of windmills. From 11-4 we napped under a tree.  Then we hiked another 7 mile to water. The feeling of community was fun and encouraging for such a long day.  

Day 27 [549.7-566] Most people woke up at 4:30 to make it the 16 miles into town before the sun got high.  I slept in till almost 6 but caught up to them.  We got into town by noon and then hit the bottomless Chinese buffet for $16.  (Yes I got my money’s worth, yes my stomach was ruined) Then we went to walmart to resupply which was overwhelming compared to the gas stations we are used to.  Then we went to the Airbnb and the French chef made us some food and I cooked bratwursts and drank some beers.