August 7, 2012 - Showered with Cash

Day 52
Saddle between Pilot Rock and I-5 tow Ashland
Elev: 5200 ft
Miles: 20
Trip: 881

 I would have said you can't put a price on feeling clean, but Callahan's Lodge disagrees, putting that price at exactly $21. For $15 I got a hot shower (with fluffy towel, lotion and soft robe) and for $6 I got to see the washing machine turn my clothes into thick brown soup then rinse it all (maybe) away. There are no showers at Crater Lake, so I justified the expense by calculating that I'm actually paying $15 for 15 days worth of showers. It just so happens I only get to take one shower in 15 days.

Our plan now is to go straight from Crater Lake to Bend without resupplying - a total of 160 trail miles. That seems daunting, especially when just the 100 miles of food that I have is giving me back spasms. But I do want to cut down on our town time - save money, save time and get a fuller "wilderness" experience. Andrew thinks we can do it, so I'll keep trusting him. He hasn't let me down yet.

"The child's philosophy is not to despise a bubble because it bursts, but to immediately get to work blowing another one."

Shaggy says:

   Today was pretty good. I felt really strong again. Lauren was feeling strong too. We made it all the way to Callahan's Lodge, some 16 miles by 2 pm. All our packages that we sent ourselves arrived. Lauren got new shoes, socks, and gaiters. I got chlorine tablets and a kilt to hike in. Never thought I would own a kilt. But it is extremely comfortable. Allows air to circulate, and should last much longer than the running shorts I seem to destroy every 500-800 miles.
   We enjoyed a good meal at Callahan's lodge too. Its really a great place to refuel, right beside the trail. I think a person could really hike this trail without ever getting more than a couple miles off the trail to resupply. That would save a lot of time and money. Time seems to be the most important of all though.
   I hiked with a man named Gourmet today for a few miles. We talked about how coming to the end of the trail has different meanings for different people. For some, its exciting to finish the trail. They have families, loved ones, apartments, and jobs to go back to. For others, they want to drag this experience out. They don't have much to go back to, or perhaps nowhere to call home. I peersonally am  in the middle. I am excited to start a new chapter of my life. Not looking forward to finding a job, getting into a grind of life. I am excited to start something new, once again.

At Callahan's, sorting through our food package. My sad face could be for many things: we'd just paid $15 for those towels and the hot water that goes with them; my food was distressingly heavy, even without the bread package that had molded in the mail; and my new shoes hadn't arrived in the mail (they finally arrived right after I ate a delicious dinner that wiped this frown clean off)

Pilot Rock, a popular destination for local climbers.

A beautiful open-air campsite, and one of our last. Several giant-ant bites to the arms and loud mosquitoes in the ear made us question our commitment to "cowboy camping", romantic as it is.