Day 110: Cascade Locks

 25.4
2144
Really early start today!

 My left shoe always gets destroyed first. I don't know why. Just have to make it another 140 miles in these before I get new ones.

 Dense trees down all the way from the ridge to meet up with the Eagle Creek alternate route. I pooped behind a boulder and mid poop noticed a hornet's nest a few feet away..... I thought it's fine I'm not bothering them and everything is all good. Nope. They had a problem with me. I got stung center forehead hairline area. Not fun.

 The trail followed a pretty sweet gorge once it met up with the alternate trail. Lots of water falls and swimming holes. It would be nice to spend a couple days here and walk down by the water.

 Tunnel falls! Fantastic!

 So cool! Awesome way to end Oregon!

 'High bridge' is very high.

 So high.

More waterfalls!

Very interesting tiny salamander? lizard? Not sure.

Arrived into Cascade locks and picked up some snacks and food to cook for tonight in our little motel/cabin place we got for the night because this could be out last chance to sleep in doors for the rest of the trail. There aren't very many amenities on trail in Washington. Only 514 miles left! That number finally doesn't feel overwhelming! Although the total up/down remaining still does: 111095/-107405ft. I've heard several south bounders and section hikers call Washington a 'beautiful monster' and I can't wait to see it for myself! Cascades here we come!

Day 109

2118.8
24.2

Hello there earth shadow.

Had a slow start and had to deal with day hikers almost all day. It's ridiculous how few people know about right of way.

My feet got me here! Awesome feet.

 A little windy today.

Camped with Ring Tail, "42" (he got 42 bug bites on the first day of his JMT hike), KT (Tape), Echo and two people showed up in the dark, (Bear Claw and Lemonade, I met them in the desert).

Day 108: Timberline Lodge

2094.5
25.5

Fanciest trail sign yet!

 Checking the notes left for people.

 A new mountain! (Mt. Hood)

 Goldie from Austria checking out the trail magic cooler by a highway crossing. He is very excited about root beer. I was too.

Last resupply in Oregon! I'm very excited to get to Washington and the Cascades! Woohoooo!! (Ankle is not holding me back, it's all good!)

Day 107

2068
27.4

Neon and Dragon asked if we were section hikers and when we said no they said Oops sorry, you guys are just so clean for thru-hikers. Dragon has a carabiner through his ear and Neon has a fox tail. There are some strange strange people in the world.

The huckleberries made a serious dent in our morning mileage we only made about 8 before ten. But there were so many and they were so big and delicious. Ate so many.

No views at all today. Just trees. But the forest smelled like sugary pine and sun ripened huckleberries. It was magical. I wish I could capture that scent and be able to relive that smell whenever I wanted.

Ankle is doing well. Tape job is definitely bringing more confidence back into my step and I trust it a bit more.

At the end of the day Emily got to a ways a ahead of me and the trees were dark amd spooky and I started to smell some kind of animal and got a little freaked out but I came around a bush and the animal I smelled was Emily waiting for me!

Here is what I ate today:

Brownie - 500
18 Rabbits granola bar - 200
18 Rabbits granola bar - 200
Kashi bar - 140
Nature valley protein - 190
Kashi bar - 140
Snickers - 250
Snickers - 250
Protein bar - 280
1 cup of Hummus - 150
Cheese it's - 190
Oil packet -120
3 cups huckleberries - 150
2 oz Aged Gouda Cheese - 200
8 Oreos - 320
1 box Annie's Macaroni and Cheese - 800
Hot chocolate - 200

Total: 4280 calories

Which I think is about right, I wasn't full or hungry after all that, just satisfied. 

Day 106

2040.7
24.75

 We woke up in a cloud. Soaked!

Good scenery today. Lakes and ponds amd rivers and lots of views of Mount Jefferson. We were right under it! Something about that mountain makes me want to learn some technical mountaineering skills amd climb it. I don't feel like a summiting kind of person, I think I enjoy following streams down canyons as far as I can and walking around mountains and looking up at the peaks. But for whatever reason Jefferson makes me want to scale it. It's a beautiful mountain.

Camped with Mountain Dew and FedEx and Roam

Day 105

Camped at mile 2016
18 miles walked

The Lily's made us an awesome dinner of pesto pasta and grilled zucchini in some kind of delicious cilantro lemon sauce and fresh tomatoes and mozzarella and basil.  So good and everything I ever wanted.

The next morning we slept in a bit and got to the trail at around 10:30. We crossed the 2000 mile marker and had caprisuns and fruit snacks. Party like it's 1999.99?

There are some pretty sweet pointy peaks around which makes it feel like Washington is getting close!

Ankle is holding up and doing well I just have to walk a little slower and be extra careful.

Day 104: Nero near Sisters

 4 miles
1981

 Creepy deers staring me down.

 Stopped at an observatory that pointed out the names of the mountains you could see from here.

Em's roommates parents' graciously picked us up for a day off at the their cabin in near Sisters. Time to ice the ankle, shower and rest. Only 660 miles left! We ran in Coppertone again and had root beer floats for breakfast!!