This morning Tabasco, Phantom and I were slow to get up. Finally we got ourselves organized and began packing up. Phantom had many in-town activities going, so Tabasco and I ate breakfast with Teal, Pancake, and Wildberry at Peter’s Inn. We then walked over to the Packwood library for an unplanned, but needed, hour on the internet. From there we went back to the room to finish packing and checkout. We got out of the room a little after noon, said goodbye and good luck to Phantom, who was about to hitch up to White Pass to continue north.
We began the continuation of our road walk around the Goat Rocks section of the PCT. Thankfully Steve and Mijanou had given us a great USFS map of the area, showing not only the PCT, but forest service roads. We were on Highway 12 a couple miles out of town, then turned onto Forest Road 21, which would be our trail for the next 26 miles. About three miles up the gravel, wooded road, I had a brainstorm. Why not call Debi, my sweetheart, who had the day off from work? Maybe she could drive up from Portland, pick us up on the gravel road, then we could spend another night warm and dry in Packwood and she could return us to the forest service road tomorrow morning.
Great idea! So I called Debi, and she decided she would come up to get us. Yea! We started to slack pack and hide our packs to get more miles in, but thought about it, then decided it wouldn’t be a good idea, if for some reason, Debi didn’t make it or a bear got into our packs. We made it 17 miles from town when Debi arrived on the gravel pot hole laden road in the middle of the forest.
We made a rock cairn where we stopped hiking on the road, so we could resume at the exact spot tomorrow morning. I was cold, but fortunately not too wet, though we had a few sprinkles on the hike. We drove to Packwood, back to the Inn, checked in, then got some dinner at Peter’s Inn. Our evening was very enjoyable and once again I was happy to be dry and warm and to spend quality time with Debi. Today’s weather: intermittent clouds and sun, sprinkles, low 38, high 55. Today’s road miles: 17.0; equivalent trail miles: 15.0. Cumulative mileage 1703.2.
