Day 17, 2022 - The Sprint back down and the Push to the Finish. All done with California!

June 16th

Paradise Lake and Marble Mount

Back in North Bend, I didn’t really sleep much at all. I had the truck all packed and ready to go. I wanted to leave about 0400 to head back to California to pick up Runningbird and I felt exhausted. I went to bed last night just after 7PM and dozed for a couple of hours. I wasn’t sleeping so I got up about midnight and took the shower I was going to take later in the morning, had some SleepyTime tea and did some crossword puzzles. I tried to sleep again and just dozed and finally gave up and got up about 0300. Packed the ice chest, took Beau for a walk by the light of my headlamp, made a coffee and we were driving out of town by 0400. We made good time and got through Portland just ahead of the morning commute.

About 0700 I started watching for Runningbird’s tracks on SPOT so I would know how I was on timing. I was to pick her up in Seiad Valley somewhere between noon and 1600. Her tracker was still showing no activity. Beau and I made a couple of pee stops at rest areas, a coffee stop at Starbucks, and about Ashland a Subway stop to get Runningbird her veggie foot long. Finally there was a track and an “I’m Okay” message but far from the place where she had spent the night. I was well behind the pace and needed to get a move on. Not long after crossing into CA on I-5 and going through the agricultural check point there is a rest area. This is also the start of highway 96 heading west. While the speed limit for most of this road is 55MPH, its hard to do that speed for more than a minute or two before you had to slow for each of the many 35MPH or 25MPH turns. Beau wasn’t whining and didn’t look like he was going to hurl so I did the best I could. Most everyone in these parts throws up a “howdy” wave to oncoming traffic as they blow by, otherwise its both hands on the wheel.

Ole from Norway Big Burn Keep Out!

About a third of the way along this highway is the town of Klamath River, population 160. There were a few guys sitting on the side of the road hitching and I saw there backpacks. I quickly pulled over just passed them and could here through the open back window “are you kidding me, is he pulling over”. Turns out they had been sitting there for hours with no one stopping. We through their gear in the bed of the truck and they squeezed into the back seat with Beau. “Big Stick” and “Happy” were from Germany and “Rocket” was from northern Washington. They had jumped ahead from Etna as they were avoiding doing the section Runningbird was just finishing. They were so thankful to get the ride and Beau was sprawled out, belly up, on their laps loving the attention. I let them out in front of the Seiad Cafe and store where I was to meet Runningbird and they went in to load up on a big breakfast before getting on the trail towards Ashland.

The timing was perfect as Runningbird had only just arrived there a few minutes before and was hanging out with another new friend “Ole” from Norway. The two of them took a few minutes to exchange contact information and we chatted briefly before we loaded Runningbird’s gear in the back and headed up the backroad towards Etna. Peggy was so clearly overjoyed to have finished up the PCT in California and to sink her teeth into the Subway sandwich. The last four days out on the trail after heading out from Etna Summit were brutal. The snow, steep angle of the slopes, staying with the trail when you couldn’t see it, and all the downed trees where difficult and exhausting. It was clear why so many hikers were skipping it and jumping ahead. Runningbird said she and Ole were great support for each other to get through it.

Arriving back at the RV park Peggy headed straight for the showers, thank goodness. There was plenty of food to be consumed and a small bottle of champagne to celebrate. She was cut up, banged up, and totally exhausted. Our plan had been to stay here the night then drive up the highway a few hours to Medford and stay at the KOA where we had stayed before and enjoy the pool. We scratched that plan. We drove quickly into Etna to grab a couple of things, chatted briefly with a few folks who wanted to hear about Runningbird’s adventure then back to the trailer. We decided we would try to get a good sleep (we didn’t have to try very hard) and leave in the morning and drive straight through to North Bend.

It’s kinda nice listening to the rain fall on the trailer when you know the people you care about are safe and warm and dry inside.