Oregon trail is the best trail

8/18

Camped thinking switch had passed me, but I had passed her last night. Woke up and packed up and she surprised me out of the woodwork. That made my morning. Good, she's not already in town! Walked 4 miles to Mazama village of crater lake. Saw Birdbath! Never thought I'd see him again. Had to wait til 10 am to get our packages. Switch and I had lunch at the restaraunt. It was okay food, but great company. Came back to the store where our stuff was exploded to see chupacabra! Also never though I would see him again. Washed my muddy socks in the sink of the shower restroom of the campground. Kinda rude. No one seemed to mind, however I clogged the sink with dirty water. I spent a good 2 hours cleaning my platapus water bladder and hose out with string and lemon juice. It's all I could think to use that they had at the store. I hadn't cleaned it the whole 4 months. Mildew started to appear. Got it pretty clean. Left pretty late in the day. Walked 5 miles to the rim village, where I planned on making dinner, loading up 4.5 liters and going. I didn't consider where I was, really. The day was just too spontaneous and cosmically aligned to question or plan anything. Arrived at the parking lot of crater lake, saw a rainbow over the lake and then lightning! A huge storm was dancing it's way towards us across the crater lake. The rainbow was there for longer than an hour ! 

Two European husbands and wives asked us what were doing and when we explained they laughed. I said

"It is funny but it's not a joke."

They asked how our relationship is , switch and I. We said great. I said "we get enough space."

In the rim village store, a man pointed at my spot device and said concerned "You're thing is blinking". 

We watched in awe as the storm rolled in, rainbow and lightning.

It feels so good to feel so good 

Lodge dinner got hot water

Stealth camped in the woods behind the employee dorm

8/19

1861

Hiked around the lake. Gorgeous. Felt like a real tourist. Flat hiking all day. 27 mile dry stretch.

Leaving crater lake, for the first time I felt SO FAR NORTH. It really hit me.

8/20

Highest point on trail in Oregon and Washington! Wooohooo! A little anticlimactic, and not that high. But still flipping sweet.

Hiked 32 lovely miles to crescent lake camp ground. Took the alternate Oregon skyline trail. Got really lost. 

Accidentally touched this killer tree. Hope I don't die. 

Family took me to what we thought was the trailhead. I camped at midnight. 

8/21

1912

Crescent lake campground. Slept in. Another family making bacon s'mores took me to the real trail head. Walked to shelter cove resort where I reunited with the one and only Dustbunny! And birdbath! And microwave! And others. Drank beers, enjoyed eachother and basked in the sun. 

Didn't leave til late. Camped overlooking this lake resort. With switch, dust bunny and birdbath.