[pct-l] PCT on the Brain

[Bighummel at aol.com (Bighummel@aol.com)]

I flew into Portland yesterday from Boise, Idaho and the clouds hid the great 
volcanoes from me and my family's view.  However, as we sat there in the 
Portland airport, the clouds cleared a bit and when we took off we flew straight 
at Mt. Hood to start.   The huge flanks of Mt. Rainier could be seen 
disapearring into the clouds to the north.  The incredible Columbia River gorge cut a 
huge canyon across the landscape from the east.  Mt. Adams was obscured and as 
we turned south before reaching Mt. Hood, the mountain (Hood) was mostly 
visible and bathed in the deep colors of the late sun, glorious and imposing.  The 
plane headed south nearly on top of the PCT and I thought "Oh, man, here I go, 
focusing so much energy and fanatism upon this trail".

But then, I pulled the in flight magazine out and there, on the cover, was 
Punch Bowl Falls in Eagle Creek.  

I realized that my fanatism is not fully on the trail, but on the incredible 
physical wilderness of mountains, rivers, streams, waterfalls, wildlife and 
people.  

Strider