Euphoric. That's the feeling I got as I saw the "Welcome to Oregon" sign today just before noon when I finally finished California. Euphoric, but also relief and accomplishment as well. 106 days on the trail and this is the first night I'll be spending somewhere besides California. I'm not going to lie, it feels weird.
The day started out somewhat normal if not as early as I usually get going. But after yesterday's obscenely difficult climbs, I needed the little bit of extra rest I gave myself. I had 8.8 miles to go before I reached Oregon, and I wanted to get there in the morning. I ended up being successful, but had several stops along the way to hydrate, wash clothes, etc. Every once in a while you just need to stop and do the chores.
As it turned out, I got to the border barely before noon. I snapped some photos, signed the register, enjoyed the moment and feeling of accomplishment, and then kept hiking. I ended up going about 19 miles into Oregon and tonight I'm camped in the shadow of Mt. Ashland. The psychological boost from getting to Oregon paid real dividends because I hiked 3.5 mph for the rest of the day! Tomorrow I have another 8.5 miles to go (all downhill) before I get to Interstate 5. That is where I'll catch my ride up to Medford to clean up, resupply, get my new shoes, and fix some equipment. I'm planning to be back out on the trail to tackle the remaining 900+ miles on Friday.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment