[pct-l] Try again . . .

[JOHN F PATTERSON]

Yikes - maybe read better below ? 
   I ' m resting and having some water toward the the bottom of trail 435 - a ' chute ' that is somewhat of a mess with winter blow downs , etc . , coming down out of Indian Springs ( Mt Hood section Barlow Pass to Cascade Locks . . . ) Along comes a , ' commotion ' .  I turn and they are by me ; chatting and carrying on a conversation at full voice .  Barely seem to see me ( at 6 ' 1 and 220 . . . )  
   " Way . . . wait a minute ; Hey , I ' m Rafter Jack - you thru hikers ? " 
   On they sweep but the second guy calls back , " Yes ! " " Well , did you come from Mexico ? " Clearly they had - gaunt and I didn ' t see any packs but they acted - spoke , ' through hiker ' .  Barely caught there names - first names only was all I got .   
   Well I hadn ' t seen but four people that day and we through hikers can have our usual ' buddy ' chat . No , they were here and gone . The second fellow did say they were headed for Cascade Locks , that they moved about three miles per hour and that a sign some back said Cascade Locks was 14 miles - in response to my quick ( and somewhat, ' trailing ' questions . )  
   On they swept and I felt irritated ; who are they to not talk and be in such a hurry ? Through hikers talk to each other and I was more on less in the ' club ' wasn ' t I -  having through hiked the A T in 2002 and hiked from the Mex border to S Lake Tahoe in 2004 on the P C T and despite my being three score and ten I held my own out there and further we were all going north ? 
   Harrumph . I had fantasies that these guys were anxious to get to the bar - especially the first fella and made them fully not O K before I was done . Too , I thought to attempt the 14 miles even though it was mid afternoon . but stopped at 7 1/2 Mile Camp . 
   The next day I was in the Post Office , by chance and chatting with the Postmaster ; he pointed out his trail register . I looked . There they were : Joe and Scott . Then I saw the last names . Oh my / Oh my . . . two and two now made four - it was Scott and Joe going for the record and there I am attempting to slow them down and then getting irritated - incensed - that they wouldn ' t stop and shoot the breeze with a stranger ! . Yikes . 
   I had to laugh . Had to really laugh ! 
   Sorry guys . Owe you one . 
                         Rafter Jack