D U N spells Finished!!!!!

Yeah I said it! I am FINISHED with the PCT. I am Thru Hiking, if you will. I arrived at the US Canadian Border in Friday the 17th of September 2010.  I got there with 7 other hiker friends; Psyco and Apricots, Shroomer, Wolf Taffy, Jonny Law, Missing link and Mike and we were all greeted by my loving and supportive partner Isaac, who flew out to see me. We all took pictures and drank many different alcoholic beverages that we had been carrying. Hooting and hollering and celebrating our accomplishment.

I just walked 2,650 MILES!!! Mexico to Canada in 4 months and 3 weeks.

I have come to realize (if I hadnt known already) that I love backpacking and living outside. I also know now that I love beds with sheets and pillows. I love cotton cloths and I especially love sitting indoors, looking out as it rains.

Heres to another adventure completed!

The first really clear day on 2 weeks

Marmot Family

Me hugging the Northern Terminus of the Pacific Crest Trail!!!

Skykomish, WA

I have walked 2480 miles since the mexican border, now I am about 180 miles from Canada. I will be there in 9 hiking days. With the end in sight I am both thrilled and pencive, thinking about the last 4 1/2 months, it has been terrific! Stehekin in 4 days and then the border.

I am ready to go back to living in a house with cotton sheets and pillows, wearing cotton clothes and showering with warm water and shampoo. not really looking forward to paying bills and working a 9 to 5 but I will be blissfully ignoring that till the last minutes of my flight back to the east coast.

The Rain of the last week has been brutal. Cold and wet and consistent. Basically impossible to stay dry. I managed for the last 3 days to keep the important things dry, long underwear and sleeping bag and pad. The etent has been soaked since day one and so has my not so water proof rain gear. I go to the Dinsmore's house yesturday and got dry and have been drying out my things. Will be leaving tomorrow and hopefully the rain will be finnished by then.

Fingers crossed for good weather for the rest of the trip.

Snoqualmie, WA

Got into town today at noon and am feeling great! so many wonderful sites in Washington already! I was astounded at the amount of wildlife I have seen up here. to date I have seen; rattle snakes, pika, mountain goat, elk, marmot and various amphibians and birds. Washington is definitely wetter than the previous two states but the clouds have made for dramatic photos.

I got heatstroke yesterday (it wasnt very hot) because I didnt drink enough water. I hiked 16 miles by lunch and ate a large meal while only drinking about one liter of H2O. The next section of trail was uphill in the sun and my body didnt take to kindly to me barreling up the mountain so I promptly got nauseous and dizzy. I through off my pack and laid down in the shade. 2 hikers came along, Uber bitch and Bristle cone, and made sure I drank water and was OK. then we proceeded very slowly up the hill, eating huckleberry's as we went, it was a very pleasant end of the day. I left them at the weather station they were planning on camping at and walked into dusk, to try and catch up to Shroomer and Wolf Taffy.

Dusk is the time to see many animals! I was startled by 2 elk in the middle of the trail, who when they noticed my presence crashed in opposite directions. Their shoulders were taller than me! later I ended up scaring 3 deer as well. the sunset was beautiful and I found my way to the dry creek where the boys had made camp. I thought Washington was going to be boring but so far it has been just as lively as the rest.

Here are some photos from Washington so far:

so good to be in the LAST state!

Cantrell for dinner

I dont know what kind of hawk

Mt. Adams shrouded

clouds coming in for the kill

I love the clouds

Starting the Goat Rocks wilderness

snow in August anyone?

the trail fallows this ridge for miles, it was great!

sudden sun rise in the trees

a Pika!

Mt. Rainer

big Hawk that I dont know what is it.

the view into Snoqualmie, Wa