Monday, July 30, 2018 – 15.70 miles

A hot night was followed by a sweltering day. The sky was hazy but that’s all right, because there were no views whatsoever, only forest walking. The dirt had a strange orange tint in the morning sunlight.

I was cross with my phone and using paper maps (that’ll show it) when I noticed that Timberline Lodge is at the base of Mt. Hood. I’m excited for Timberline Lodge, which has an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet (a PCT institution) and where the opening for The Shining was filmed, but… is the mountain covered with ugly ski runs…

In mid-afternoon, two hikers who I had first met near Bend passed me. Apparently there’s trail magic at the Joe Graham Campground five miles ahead and they were trying to get there by nightfall. I wasn’t up for another five miles, so I just walked until I found a campsite on a deserted road. Lots of animal trails around.

Is anyone interested in the fate of the fancy chocolate? ‘That’s the only thing that interests me in your entire journal,’ you say? The fancy chocolates melted together into one big mystery ball of different chocolate types and fillings, so that I never know what flavour I’ll hit when I gnaw on it like a rodent (the only way to consume it). While I don’t exactly feel antipathy towards the fancy chocolate, I feel very strongly that it isn’t proper trail food. It’s like someone bringing hot chocolate and whipped cream and chocolate shavings to sprinkle on top. It’s just too fancy.