My journey has taken a jump. I jumped from mile 1,157 to mile 2,144.  Why jump over 987 miles?  Because I’d like to hike the whole PCT this year, and don’t think I can make it to Washington before the winter snows. 

So Turtle and I jumped ahead on Amtrak to the Oregon/Washington border and will begin the morning of July 23. We expect it to take 31-35 days to reach Canada and then have to decide if we go back to Donner Pass and hike north through California and Oregon, or back here to hike south through Oregon first. We’ll defer that decision for now. 

It took a couple of days to receive our boxes and maps, but now we’re set to begin. The first leg of the state is a big one: 147 miles!  There isn’t any town between here and the Kracker Barrel at White Pass. The Kracker Barrel is also the Post Office, where I pick up my next box of food. A real small town. 

It begins with the “Bridge of the Gods”; the bridge over the Columbia River that is the border between Oregon and Washington. A rather scary bridge as it is an old two lane bridge with no  pedestrian lanes. You share it with buses and trucks. 😳 

I expect there to be little to no cell service through most of Washington state, but I will update when I can. The next chance may be hwy-12, White Pass in 10 days. 

Pictures!