August 3

2148-2157

We Linger in town putting off the final state, and leg, of our journey.  We are excited to be done walking, yet also dismayed to end our summer and return to our day to day responsibilities. We cannot be frozen in time, on this hike, forever. Our hotel allows us to check out at noon so we stay in bed watching the Olympics.  

I had not prewritten any journals, I had just left notes, so it took me hours to organize pictures and write 7 entries.  Luckily, there is a really nice brewery in town for us to linger at.

Our last stretch was through a very rural and off grid part of Oregon without reliable service or Internet connection. All our resupply points were at Backcountry fishing lodges. At the brewery I see the pack of one of my friends from the Continental Divide trail on the wall.

Eventually we leave town, crossing the grated span of the bridge of the gods.

 You can see the hundred feet down through the bridge as you are walking over it. Halfway over the bridge, we cross into Washington State.

Bridge of the Gods is Named after a historic mudslide that dammed the Columbia river and allowed native Americans and early due trappers to cross the treacherous depths of the river. The bridge was built in the same area of the previous land bridge.

This is the lowest elevation we will be on our whole trip, at about 100 feet above sea level. The benefit of this is that, the trail is framed by loaded blackberry bushes.

We hike about ten miles climbing through viewless, humid forest. This makes me sad. I Pack out a double bacon cheeseburger from town, and eat it for dinner. That makes me happy.