Oregon PCT 2016: Day 1

I started my second trek on the PCT on June 20th. I had already sent food to my 5 resupply locations and just needed to start walking. Rather than getting someone to drive me 6 hours south, I chose to take a greyhound bus from Portland down to Ashland on Interstate 5 and hitchhike to the nearest location on the trail.

The bus station was as great as a bus station usually is at 5 in the morning. There were a few interesting characters about. Other than that all was pretty normal and simple, although handling a backpack is awkward anywhere but on the trail. The ride was exciting. It was fun to look out the window to the east and imagine hiking back north on the trail! We stopped at a gas station for lunch in Medford and I was soon riding a city bus to the south-most point of Ashland. Someone picked me up as I was still walking toward the exit because I looked like a PCT hiker about to hitch hike. It was so nice of them and put me way ahead of my planned schedule!

Ridin' the bus!

Medford with Mount McLoughlin in the background

I was dropped off at exit 6 where Callahan's Lodge stood. This is a well-know resupply location on the PCT with a restaurant and accommodations. I was there there way earlier than I had expected and not completely sure what to do. Originally I planned to stay the night there and start the next morning... but I wanted to start the hike and it was still early in evening.

Found him climbing on my arm... I jumped.

Trial tent setup at Callahan's

I chose to have a nice meal and "practice" setting up the tent, something I had not done before the hike... oops. Afterward, I would decide if I felt like hiking. While eating I met Marina, a girl who was new to the trail and still getting her legs underneath her. She had heard of snow to the north and was hiking south. She looked tired and told me about her first days on the trail. I encouraged her the best I knew how.

Dinner!

Marina

After the meal, I was restless and excited to get going on the trail. So I decided to just go for it! I started off at about 6:30 pm. I really ended up leaving closer to 7 because I looked around for my old hiking stick from the Washington PCT in 2015... I had left it in the car when I hitch-hiked. Bummer. It was a beautiful evening though, and pretty cool once I got off the road.

Leaving Callahan's

Almost a mile on the road

Crossing under I-5

On the trail!

Amazing evening for a hike

Cool footbridge

The first day of a long hike like this is magical! It is exciting and a little scary. Anything could happen in the next couple weeks but I was there to experience nature in all of its uncertainty and on its own terms! The trail was pretty well shaded and wound east along the south side of the Ashland valley up toward Pilot Rock. I ran into a few day hikers but it was a quiet few hours of hiking.

Mount Ashland to the west

Heading up to the ridge

Pilot Rock ahead

One of many gates the trail passes through

Near Pilot Rock

As I tend to do, I shot a little higher than reasonable with my mileage goal that evening.  I had planned on hiking 7 miles to a campsite just beyond Pilot Rock. But with the time spent looking for my hiking stick and the slow pace I took while daydreaming, I only made about 5 miles before dark. So I took my first evening as an opportunity to try camping on the trail rather than in a campsite. After about 5 miles of hiking, I found a spot where the trail was wide and flat, set up my tend, ate, and slept.  I was on the trail again!

Evening light

There is something wonderful in the uncertainty of a first day like this one. The nervous excitement of starting something and not knowing how it will turn out is something I cannot get enough of. I feel so alive! I wish there were a way to feel that way during everyday life, but everyday life is often all about stability and repetition. This is a paradox: Everyone wants stability in their life but they also want spontaneity. We want to relax and be safe but somewhere in our hearts we also want to try, to risk, to win at a new game that we haven't rigged to be safe. To me hiking gives a feeling of authentic adventure. Sure, I have planned and brought gear, but I will walk an uncertain number of miles through a new place full of uncertainties. I cannot guess what it will be like but I can face each moment as it occurs. I wish I could share this wonderful sense of possibility with everyone I know.