Oregon

Great day! It started after a lovely nights sleep. Cozied up all together like sardines in a can we enjoyed the amazing starry night before falling asleep. Everybody was excited after getting up because today we’d be crossing the California-Oregon border! A very long awaited milestone.California has been amazing, absolutely great, but it was a long, long journey. Especially the Northern California section. Because there are many rough days, it’s hard to keep track on what you felt when exactly, but I’m pretty sure that I endured the most struggles on the Nor-Cal section. It really became a mental game, as the new experience of the start of the hike wore off, and we already passed through the gorgeous wonders of the desert and the high Sierras. In the book Pacific Crest Trials by Author Zach Davis, the Nor-Cal section is described as the part where thru-hikers on the PCT might encounter ‘The death of the honeymoon’. A very noticeable decline in excitement and joy in the hiking. I definitely experienced it this way. But because I was mentally prepared for this likely scenario to occur, I was able to keep at it, one foot in front of the other. Surrounded by wonderful people we kept each-other going, ever hiking North. I could not be more pleased with the great group of friends with whom we crossed the border today. Finishing this tough stretch makes for a great mental reward. I feel very grateful.

Peter Hochhauser, an Austrian PCT-hiker from the class of 2016, made an amazing video of his PCT Journey, which you can find on youtube under ‘this is not a beautiful hiking video’. I highly recommend it if you want to want to be taken along on his adventure in the wild. In his short film he states about reaching Oregon: “A new state, new energy”. I very much expect this to be true.

There were twelve miles left out of camp today to the border. With only one day left to town (Ashland) our packs were light, and we flew down the trail. After a brief stop at a very old cabin (built 1935),we headed out again.

And sure enough, we then finally arrived at the border! The seven of us gathered next to the sign. Standing next to each other in a perfect line, we counted down… and simultaneously crossed the border. We made into Oregon! Cheers and hugs all around, after which a bunch of beers were cracked open. Such a wonderful moment to share with my buddies. Almost 1700 miles through Cali, to finally arrive here!

Everybody chilled out in the shade a couple of feet into Oregon land to grab some lunch. After about an half hour there was another uplifting moment. As I mentioned in previous posts, we’d run into Scout and Frodo around the town of Etna (and I bumped into Frodo yesterday too). Scout was hiking with friends who would complete the PCT after chopping it up into several sections. Arriving at the Oregon border would be the official end for them. Since so many of us stayed with Scout and Frodo at the beginning of the trip, it was really special to meet them once more today, of all days on trail, the exact day we reached the border. Such an interesting thing how these encounters along the trail happen. It just seemed very right. We chatted a bit more, and everybody was in a great mood. Then, after a long lunch, we hiked out. The first miles into Oregon. And I already felt a difference in my energy. Light. Relieved. The second half of the day flew past, and it’s been the earliest I’ve made it into camp in days.
We’re once more cowboying next to each other on an old abandoned road, which runs a couple of feet above the trail. The milestone of reaching Oregon has been the talk of the day. Almost makes us forget that we passed the 1700 mile marker today too. And now there’s only 14 miles left into Ashland tomorrow, which everybody is also really looking forward to. What a great, great day!

Got a feeling that it starts today
Got a feeling I can get it my way
Feeling like it’s so much brighter now
‘Cause I’m making sure I get it right

Loving every little bit of sunshine
Throw my hands in the air and move the clouds

And I say

It’s such a colorful world
It’s such a colorful world
So much more than black and white
Don’t be afraid to let it shine
It’s such a colorful world…

Such a Colourful World – Max & Simon