[pct-l] Thru-Hikers

[JSmithFam@aol.com (JSmithFam@aol.com)]

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
       On Saturday (8/17) I drove the dusty road up to Windigo Pass (map D8)
and had the good fortune of bumping into several thru-hikers. The first ones
came in off the trail around 5pm and by 8pm there were nine. My two ice
chests and several grocery bags of goodies didn't last very long. Everyone
stopped there for the night and it was a fun ad hoc gathering. Here is the
list of hikers:
       "Thor" Thor Vandehei
       "Sawbuck" Chris Widmer
       "Flying Dutchman" Robert Kruyt
       "Ranger" Joseph Newton
       "Seaweed Sally" Marybeth Berberick
       "Moonshadow" Jackie Cupples & dog "Sierra"
       "Phantazmo" (aka Phantom) John Oldford
       "Lights Out Larry" Larry Hillberg
       "Fire Marshal" Khee
       Everyone looked good and was going strong. The afternoon had cleared
for them and as several pointed out it was the first significant smoke free
time for them since Castella! No one had seen a southbound hiker yet.
       By 9am the next morning I was the only one at the pass with the hikers
long gone for the remaining miles over to Shelter Cove. I drove to Bend,
restocked with goodies, and drove through Sisters out to McKenzie Pass. I
parked right ontop of the PCT and as I was checking out the great view and
miles of lava fields I saw a hiker coming in from the south and another from
the north. They meet just a few feet from where I stood next to my VW. They
were Gerad Dean-northbound and High Plains Drifter (Eric Lofgren)-southbound.
The day was sunny and not too warm so we just sat on the trail for an hour or
so.
       The hardest part of the weekend was watching the hikers as they headed
out and disappeared around the next bend in the trail. The Class of 2002
seems to be doing quite well.
Jerry