150 Homes, Part 11: Passage to Washington

Mile 2144 to 2407

The fires continued to dog us as we crossed the Bridge of the Gods from Oregon into southern Washington. Trail was closing behind and ahead of us, forcing us to skip a total of two hundred miles.

However, our greatest antagonist was not the fire, or the bears, but the mice. They worsened dramatically as we ventured north, growing far bolder. The little buggers ate through almost all of our tents in this section, leaving us paranoid about any hint of rustling in the night.

 

 

 

 

 

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Night 141, mile 2163.7: Here's our tent site next to the lovely Rock Creek in southern Washington. In the foreground is Betty's pee rag, a necessity when toilet paper is strictly limited (one roll has to last a week) and must be packed out when used. #pct2017 #pctclassof2017 #150homes

A post shared by Betty And Tim Cameron (@bettytimhikes) on Sep 6, 2017 at 10:42am PDT

 

 

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Nights 142 and 143, mile: 2177.4: The Trout Lake Valley Inn is a superb little motel in the tiny town of Trout Lake. This was an unplanned stop, but we're very happy to be here. Every room gets a teddy bear and every bath has a rubber ducky! #pctclassof2017 #pct2017 #150homes

A post shared by Betty And Tim Cameron (@bettytimhikes) on Sep 6, 2017 at 10:52am PDT

 

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Night 144, mile 2229.9: Southern Washington still has its share of waterless stretches, and the deep undergrowth means the diminishing thru-hiker bubble ends up clustered around the same tent sites. We shared our spot with a couple who could snore for England, but the delicious water from a nearby spring made up for it. The woods were lousy with huckleberries. We celebrated Arry's birthday on trail with ultra-light fancy accessories and a spring water toast. #pctclassof2017 #pct2017 #150homes

A post shared by Betty And Tim Cameron (@bettytimhikes) on Sep 11, 2017 at 9:28am PDT

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Night 145, mile 2256: Arry and I had ended up several miles behind the group after they rejoined the trail at a different road, so we hiked a 26-miler in an effort to catch up, finishing at an improvised spot halfway between official tent sites. There are few viable rough camping spots in Washington due to the dense undergrowth. We choked down a deeply unappetizing chicken pasta dinner and slept fitfully: sometimes camping alone can feel a little creepy. #pctclassof2017 #pct2017 #150homes

A post shared by Betty And Tim Cameron (@bettytimhikes) on Sep 11, 2017 at 9:38am PDT

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Night 146, mile 2277.3: after traversing the scrotum-clenching Knife Edge in deep fog, we reached this tent site just as the rain started coming down. Cue an early night in damp tents as Rescue Bird, Arry and Cal struggled to get set up before their inners were drenched. We cooked in our vestibules that evening. #pct2017 #pctclassof2017 #150homes

A post shared by Betty And Tim Cameron (@bettytimhikes) on Sep 11, 2017 at 3:31pm PDT

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Nights 147 and 148, mile 2292.3: thanks to the White Pass trail closure, we ended up in Seattle with Rescue Bird, killing some time and exploring the town. Our motel provided a complimentary breakfast at a nearby restaurant. The experience was somewhat ramshackle, but the fancy coffee glasses made up for it. #pctclassof2017 #pct2017 #150homes

A post shared by Betty And Tim Cameron (@bettytimhikes) on Sep 11, 2017 at 3:50pm PDT

 

 

 

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Night 149, Mile 2397.8: Our camp spot at Gravel Lake was filthy due to the ashen soil that lies everywhere in this part of Washington. It was a chilly night: September is rapidly advancing, and soon there will be snow. We ate our meal in the gathering dark then snuggled in the tent until we were warm. #pct2017 #pctclassof2017 #150homes

A post shared by Betty And Tim Cameron (@bettytimhikes) on Sep 17, 2017 at 5:50pm PDT

 

 

 

 

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Night 150, Mile 2407.8: Our tent site in the middle of the Spectacle Lake peninsula. Another group of hikers cut us off from the mainland, but they dared not venture past the Neutral Zone and into our territory. And well they did not, for we would surely have stolen their fire and made an example of their heads. #pct2017 #pctclassof2017 #150homes

A post shared by Betty And Tim Cameron (@bettytimhikes) on Sep 17, 2017 at 6:10pm PDT

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