PNT - Bonaparte Lake, WA to Oroville, WA

Day 28 - Bonaparte Lake to Wilcox Trailhead  Daily Mileage: 26

Even though I didn't have to worry about packing up a tent, it still took me a while to get rolling in the morning, and didn't hit the trail until 7:45.  The climb up Mount Bonaparte wasn't too exhausting, but about halfway up the blowdowns started and just made the morning miserable.  These were probably the worst blowdowns I have encountered on the trail so far.  Wow, they were terrible!  I had an option to take a longer, flatter route around the mountain, or a shorter steeper one with an option to summit Mt. Bonaparte, and had to choose the shorter one in case the trail didn't improve.  Nine more miles of climbing through downed trees, crossing over suspended logs, and getting showered in pine needles didn't sound like fun.  I'd planned to check out the lookout, but the clouds rolled back in just as I was nearing the summit, and I didn't figure it was worth it to make the extra half mile trip to the top.

Blowdown City!

In the end, it was probably for the best that the sun didn't really make a full appearance all day.  Some of the road walking could have been pretty hot.  To entertain myself, I started going through my music playlist and singing a song from an artist starting with each letter of the alphabet.  It may or may not have started with Abba.  I had made it through once, and was just finishing up George Jones' If drinkin' don't kill me, her memory will before the grade steepened enough that I couldn't sing and catch my breath at the same time.

The quiet road up and over Mt. Wilcox was very pleasant walking in the evening, and I ended up pushing on much later than I had planned.  A comfy place to set up the tent made for a great night's sleep.

Day 29 - Wilcox Trailhead to Oroville, WA  Daily Mileage: 20??

Possibly the nicest trail sign ever

I woke up early and hit the trail down Whistler Canyon and out to Hwy 97.  Though I had almost 20 miles to go, the trail down to the valley was one of the nicer ones I've walked all trip long, and I made great time. Just as I was approaching town, a lady pulled over on the highway to ask if I wanted a ride.  I declined, as I was only about a mile from town, but we got to talking, and she ended up telling me all about her daughter in school in Victoria.  In the end, she showed me a picture and gave me all her daughter's contact information so I could call and we maybe could get together.  I almost want to call this poor girl and tell her I'm sorry that her mother gives out her information to filthy hobos on the highway.

Similkameen River Valley

Anyway, I somehow rolled into town early and set up at the Camaray Hotel.  I downed my traditional 24oz iced tea and liter of chocolate milk and unpacked all my stuff to dry.  I'll be picking up a new pair of shoes here, and can't wait to get out of these filthy, smelly, beat up ones I've put at least 800 miles on.  The last two days of rain and wet vegetation didn't help, and my toes are finally starting to poke through.  I've been feeling every single rock for the last few days, and I'm ready for something more supportive.

I'm taking a full zero day here tomorrow before tackling the 200+ mile stretch before I get back to civilization on the west side of the mountains.  Tomato is planning on rolling into town tomorrow morning, so we'll probably hang out here and refuel.  Oroville is approximately 600 miles in, which is officially the halfway point on the PNT!  To celebrate, Tomato proposed the "half-gallon challenge", which is a half-gallon of ice cream in one sitting.  I don't think I can pull it off, but I'll definitely put away as much of a cheesecake as I possibly can before moving on.

Hurray for halfway done!

Adios Muchachos (Shoechachos?)