Day 113

PCT Miles: 0

Total Miles: 2149.3 (3438.9km)

I had breakfast at a nice artsy coffee shop nearby, where I met some hikers who were on the exact same situation as me: they had arrived two days ago and now they didn’t know what to do.

Me and another hiker even went to the post office as soon as it opened to try to retrieve our boxes back to no avail: the packages were already on their way.

After breakfast I went back to the post office and sent the last two boxes (what could I do?). I had to decide what to do now. Physically, I was ready to start hiking. But I knew I couldn’t start hiking without knowing more about the conditions ahead. Remember: 1) Don’t die; and 2) Make wise decisions.

I decided to take a zero. I booked the inn room for one more night and tried to slow down a little and analyze my options. I was (and am) feeling absolutely frustrated with these fire closures. Now, I have packages all over the place with food that I won’t need and I have to find a way to retrieve them. Also, what am I going to do? Should I wait more? Should I take a bus to Portland and enjoy a few days off? Should I just skip the next 150 miles (I need to find a ride)?

I spent the afternoon listening to music, podcasts, audio books, drinking beer (non-alcoholic) and doing absolutely nothing else. I know Clara (who started the PCT with me) is arriving here in Cascade Locks tomorrow. I’ll wait and discuss the situation with her and her group.

Now, time to watch some Olympics…