Side Quest: Pacific Crest Road Trip (PCRT)

Day 99 - 8/13/25 - An Answer to my Pleas

Distance: 2 miles

Mile Start / End: 1288, 1379

Weather: Sunny, brutally hot again

End Location: Hat Creek

Lessons Learned:

I woke up early and ate a honey bun and drank coffee.

I wanted to say goodbye, but Crystal was still sleeping when I left.

My plan was to walk over to Caribou Crossing 2 miles away to get my resupply box I had mailed there.

As I was leaving, I saw one of the girls I had met yesterday.

They were still partying from last night and invited me in to join them for pizza and music.

Why not, lol?

They were all pretty spun out from lack of sleep and too many stimulants but were jovial enough.

I hung out there for an hour and then left.

I crossed the bridge, walked along the highway along the river to Caribou Crossing. It was already brutally hot out.

I arrived at Caribou Crossing around 10 a.m. and the store was closed permanently.

A guy saw me and let me in to get my package.

He said that the store owner had just up and left and he was trying to track them down. Apparently, they still had dues to pay.

As I sorted out my resupply in the scant shade, I got a text from Showgirl.

Somehow he ended up in Reno, rented a car, and decided to roadtrip up to Cascade Locks, OR for Trail Days (12 hours away).

To get out of Belden, it was a 3000ft climb through more burn scar, something I absolutely did not want to do in this terrible heat.

I asked if he could pick me up and he obliged, saying he would be there around 3 p.m.

My pleas for help were seemingly answered… in the form of a road trip with a friend.

To pass the time, I went to the river and swam.

I hung out in the sun and dried very quickly, so I swam some more.

I soaked my shirt and hung out at the ghost town store.

While I waited for Showgirl, I ate snacks from my resupply and caught up on texts.

Showgirl finally arrived. I hadn’t seen him in weeks, and I gave him a big hug.

It was great to see him again.

We left and made a plan to get milkshakes and food in Chester since there were no milkshakes or anything anymore at Caribou Crossing.

We went to a small burger joint and I got mini corn dog nuggets, mozzarella sticks, and a milkshake.

I also got Showgirl’s meal as thanks for saving me from the insanity of Belden.

While we waited for the food, I went across the street and got beers for later.

Car camping is awesome.

After we ate, we decided to take the scenic route through Lassen National Park.

The drive was spectacular and we stopped for a moment at the trailhead below Mt. Lassen.

We contemplated running up and bagging it but figured we would have to descend in the dark and that would make finding a campsite pretty hard.

So just kept driving and I looked on my phone for a good campsite.

We were basically driving along the trail and I was pleased to pass through the burn scars in a car rather than on foot, and with air conditioning.

We passed by some crowded campsites and decided to disperse camp near Hat Creek, a little further up but wouldn’t have to pay.

We accidentally passed Hat Creek but found an established campsite with few people and pulled in.

We wanted to have a fire and went back to a store for wood but it was already closed.

Then back to the campsite.

Then decided having a fire would be too much work.

We set up cowboy camp and drank beers and caught up.

I told him about my recent struggles and he told me about his recent adventures.

We were both tired and went to bed around 10 p.m.

Day 100 - 8/14/25 - PCRT, to Portland

Weather: Sunny then rainy

End Location: Portland, OR

Lessons Learned:

Woke up with the sun.

Drove to Burney for breakfast, went to Julio’s Diner and got a Mexican breakfast: pork omelette with hash browns, delicious.

Drove to Burney Mountain Guest Ranch to pick up Will and Cecilia.

They were doing laundry and hung up their stuff.

Then dove over to Old Station to give Gabe and Ellie some trail magic.

Brought them sodas at the Subway Cave and hung out and caught up.

Went through the Subway Cave and they resumed the trail.

We left and went back to the Guest Ranch for Will and Cecilia to collect their laundry.

We hit the road around 2:30 p.m., a 10-hour drive to Cascade Locks.

Stopped by the railroad bridge from “Stand By Me.”

Drove past Shasta and talked about summiting it.

Crossed into Oregon.

Everyone got hooked on the idea of going to Panda Express so we stopped at one for dinner near Ashland.

As we drove towards Cascade Locks, we thought about where to stay for the night.

Since I lived in Portland, I had a few friends there.

I called my buddy, Luke, and asked if we could set up our tents in his backyard.

He said of course and that he would leave the back door open so we could use the bathroom in case he fell asleep before we got there.

Perfect.

Will passed out and Cecilia sat in the back presumably editing videos (they have a YouTube channel).

I tried to entertain Showgirl as we drove the rest of the 6 hours.

He shuffled his music library and I showed him a few songs I thought he’d like.

We arrived at my friend’s house around 10:20 p.m. and my friend, with work in the morning, was already asleep.

Rain was supposed to fall throughout the night so we all set up our tents as quietly as we could and went to bed around 11:30 p.m.

Day 101 - 8/15/25 - Trail Days

Weather: Sunny during the day, rainy and stormy at night

End Location: Cascade Locks

Lessons Learned:

Waking up in my friend’s backyard was hilarious.

Dirty, smelly, and damp, I felt like one of the various homeless persons I’d seen walking around the streets of Portland when I’d lived here.

We packed up and as we were leaving around 8 a.m., Luke’s roommate RJ came out to say goodbye.

He told us to take some of the apples and peaches that were fruiting on the trees in their backyard (and that we were already eyeing) and saw us off.

I put on my tour guide hat and picked 23rd Ave for breakfast.

A street of cute shops and restaurants, I knew we’d find something.

We parked close to Pine Street Biscuits and decided to go there instead of a French bakery a little further down.

Food and coffee, delish.

After breakfast, we still had some time to kill (trail days started at 11 a.m.) so we drove up to Pittock Mansion.

We walked around the rose garden and back lawn.

It was too cloudy to see Mt. Hood but the view of the city from up there is always cool.

We left and made our way to Cascade Locks 40 mins away.

It felt weird driving through Portland again…

I’d lived here for 3.5 years and with currently feeling so lost, I felt home again.

At the same time, however, I also felt like I’d abandoned the city and myself: I had so many good friends and fond memories here that I left behind for pursuit of adventure, and while I had found new friends and created new memories, I couldn’t help but wonder what things would’ve been like if I had stayed.

As we drove, I pointed out various spots and waterfalls and reminisced on my time here.

Did I want to move back to the PNW when I was done with the trail? Or did I want to be closer to family in FL?

I played out what each of these scenarios would look like and weighed the pros and cons.

We parked in a field at Cascade Locks just after 11 a.m. and carried our backpacks and bags of food through the vendors and to the camping section.

We set our our tents and drank some beers and walked around the fest

I chatted with various vendors and said hey to some trail friends

Besides a new bag and sleeping quilt, I didn’t really need any new gear but it was cool to see all of the innovations and inventions

Someone had already created the hiking pole fishing pole

Showgirl and I chatted with Dan Durston

“So a rhombus?” I asked, sparking up a conversation about his design and innovation of his tents

After walking around and entering my name in some raffles, I got hungry and ordered a burrito from one of the food trucks

Ate burrito and drank beer at picnic tables

The banner from the beginning of the trail at Campo that everyone signed was there and I looked for my name but couldn’t find it

It started to rain lightly so went back my tent for rain gear

Bumped into Sara and Rox and hung with them for a bit

Then linked up with Showgirl, Will, and Cecilia by the tents and made a plan to meet up later at the bar

Showgirl and I had a brief convo at my tent and then went into town together

It started raining pretty hard and we made our way up the street ducking into places for shelter

We came across the Cascade Locks 50th anniversary terminus and took pics and then went in the Arcade Bar for a drink

Saw Richie and Powder there, we were giggling but said whaddup

Then went to the bar across the street and got more drinks

Played cornhole in the rain with Sarge and Deals and Showgirl, can’t remember who won but don’t think I did

Showgirl and I tried to play another game with Will and Cecilia but it got dark and we called it off

We drank beer and ate a random watermelon that was given to us

Chatted with other hikers and guys working the vendors

An extremely tall guy came over and disrespected our watermelon and then us after we told him where on trail we were

“Why are you so far behind?”

First off, fuck you

Secondly, I’m not on stilts like you, jackass

That was the start of my mood turning sour

As the night went on, I felt confused in a sea of unknown people

I went to get a drink at the bar and just felt like I didn’t belong

But I felt comfortable around the group I’d came with

After getting another drink, I went back out with the gang and we attempted to play “Cheers to the Governor” but I was sloshed and could hardly make it past the count of 7

Alex explained the idea for the bear can lobster aquarium that morphed into a dune-suit-like energy replenished to a guy who worked for the therma-rest tent and end with a brilliant catchphrase: “so we started with trying to pack out a lobster, and now we’ve solved world hungry!”

“You’re pretty fucked up aren’t you?” The therma-rest guy replied 😂

Will and Cecilia went to get drinks and food and Alex drank his beer, a beer the Will snuck in, a beer that they don’t sell at that bar…

A lady that worked there saw this and Alex and I swiftly got seen to the back door

Out in the dark streets and in the rain, I got a call from Will, who asked where we were

“We got kicked out” I told him

He said he had food and drinks for us so we went back in the front door and kept a low profile😅

Good wings and food

After eating, we left and went to the Barcade

The Barcade was popping

Dj, dancing, and so many people

I danced for a little but I was wearing my sunglasses and couldn’t see shit

And they kept fogging up so really could see shit

I played space invaders to relax but went home after a while, I was over it and wasn’t feeling very social

I walked back in the rain with Will and Cecilia and quickly jumped in my tent to seek refuge from the storm

I couldn’t sleep so drank a few more beers and watched Geordie Shore as the storm gained intensity

As party goers came back, I heard them stumble into their tent and even heard one guy puking😂

I went to bed a little after 1am

Day 102 - 8/16/25 - More Trail Days and Timbers’ Game

Weather: Sunny

End Location: Luke’s Couch

Lessons Learned:

I woke up early and with the sun.

With two broken zippers, I hadn’t really tested out the carabiner privacy system (CPS) in a storm yet and was pleasantly surprised with how dry my stuff was.

I was pretty hungover and after stretching a little, walked over to get coffee.

Showgirl had made it back to his tarp and figured I could be nice and wake him up with a cup of joe.

The morning was lovely and dewy and felt good to walk around the tents caffeinated and without the commotion of hundreds of other people.

Showgirl texted me and I told him I had coffee for him.

We met up and talked to some vendors together, did the saw pull together, and then went to the food trucks for real breakfast.

He stood in line for a breakfast sandwich and I stood in line for a breakfast empanada because it was shorter.

Richie appeared and joined me in the empanada line.

It was shorter and we got our food faster.

Ate with Richie and Showgirl and recapped the antics of last night.

“We were double-dipped,” Showgirl said 😂

The breakfast empanada was delish.

After breakfast, I walked back to camp to pack up and maybe do some yoga.

The hangover was really hitting now and I felt frantic, scattered, and generally unfocused.

My attention was divided amongst my various chores and I did each one inefficiently and in piecemeal.

My Portland friends were coming to Trail Days around 1 p.m. and I needed to have everything organized and on my back before then.

Feeling like I didn’t belong last night, I wanted to be with my people and had decided to go to the Timber’s game with my friends.

Luke said I could sleep on his couch rather than in his backyard.

But then I got the urge to swim and wash off so I walked away to do that and ran into friends along the way.

I saw a friend I started with on May 7th, Peter or “Bush Pilot.”

He told me how he and his girlfriend had broken up and she got off trail but he was still going strong.

He gave me a beer, and I said goodbye.

Then washed off in the river at a quiet little spot and dried off.

Saw a bald eagle quietly fishing on the Columbia River.

Went back to finish packing up, and when everything was almost put away, I stepped out to do some yoga and quiet my busy mind.

Lovely meditation in the sun and grass.

Finally finished packing up around 12:40 p.m.

And got a call from my friends saying that they were here, shiiiit, just in time.

Walked over to the vendor entrance and quickly found my friends, Brandon and Liam.

Also saw Friz (who had gotten off trail) but was busy catching up with my other buddies.

Introduced my friends to Showgirl, Will, and Cecilia and walked around the fest grounds checking out the tents.

Brandon had a barrage of questions, and I answered as many of them as swiftly as I could.

It started getting hot, so we went to the beer tent to drink and catch up at a picnic table.

A few other gals from work pulled up and joined us.

I told them all about the trail and what it was like living in the wilderness and hiking every day all day.

They told them about their lives and how things were progressing.

Their lives didn’t seem all that different, but that’s not a bad thing either.

I missed them and was happy to see them; this is just what I needed.

My other friends, Tyler, his gf Gab, Luke, and his gf Sarah, pulled up as well and joined the group.

I thanked them for letting me sleep in his backyard, and we both cracked up.

We continued to swap stories and drank beer and eventually decided to walk around and check out the vendors.

I told them I would show them the stuff that worked best for me on the trail.

Showed them the Durston tents and Jolly Gear shirts, but they weren’t as impressed as me.

“That’s Dan Durston!” I told them as they looked confused.

I guess since they hadn’t been living in his tent for the past 4 months, they didn’t appreciate his genius or presence.

Luke got a sun hoodie, and Liam got everything else 😂.

They both got those fishing pole hiking poles, and I told them I’d buy a beer to whoever caught a fish with it first.

The gang split up and most of them went to the brewery, but Liam wanted to shop more

As the buzz came over me, I decided I would at least get a new quilt and drop 2 pounds from my pack weight

I got the last Enlightened Gear 20° Quilt (16oz, $300) at a vendor and as we were going to the brewery decided to check out the hyperlite bags as well… bad idea

Ended up getting the Hyperlyte Junction 55L bag as well (30oz, $315)

I dropped $600 but also dropped nearly 5 pounds from my pack weight

This was also a good way to recommit myself to the trail

Being in a slump, having some skin in the game and having lighter gear reinvigorated my motivation to keep going the rest of the way

Liam kept shopping but I went to the brewery

I bumped into Bandit on the way there and he said he would join me

It would be nice to have some fellow hiker trash there amongst normal, good smelling people😅

Sat down and ordered beer and schnitzel sandwich

Ate and joked with my friends

Bandit told me that him and Sara had broken up as well

Sheeeesh, the trail is a tough place for couple😂

Almost every couple I met on trail, besides Will and Cecilia, had split up by now

Tyler and Gab paid for my meal and beers, love them and we left in Tyler’s new car… fancy 🤌

Tyler drove us to Luke’s car at an outlet and I went with Luke to his place to shower before the Timber’s Game

Drove to Luke’s, showered quickly, and changed into some of his timber clothes he gave me

Drank some white claws then ubered to the stadium

Sat in the Army and found Tyler, Bruce, Gab, Brandon and Sierra at the top

Not the best seat in the house but who cares

The Timbers played a good game against one of the best teams, Cinncinati but ultimately lost 2-3

My friends left in the final minutes to beat the bar line but Luke and I stayed for the late excitement

My mentality had changed…

I noticed my friends were very concerned with time but that I didn’t care as much

I’d rather watch the end of a good game and wait in line than miss the excitement

After a few close shots, Cinncinati regained possession and we decided to bounce in extra time, it didn’t look good for the Timbers

Watched the TVs close the exit and left when the game was done

Went to Marathon and there was no line

Played pool and drank

Some of Sarah’s friends, who I had previously met, pulled up and surprised her

They didn’t even recognize me with the beard and long hair and I reintroduced myself 😅

By the grace of god, Brandon and I won pool but relinquished our winner’s rights to whoever wanted to play

Took a tequila shot with one of the gals

Luke, Sarah tired and decided to go back home

Once home, I ordered a BOGO gyro deal on UberEats and showed them Geordie Shore

I organized my new bag and Luke said I could leave my old bag and sleeping bag with him

They faded and went to bed and I passed out on the couch before getting the food delivery

Day 103 - 8/17/25 - PCRT, Back to Mt Shasta

Weather: Sunny

End Location: Castle Crags Campground

Lessons Learned:

Woke up and grabbed the food on the porch from last night.

Made an espresso and nuked the gyro in the microwave to kill off any germs that might’ve grown overnight.😅

Showgirl texted me that he was on his way to pick me up.

Organized pack a bit, it would take some time to get used to it.

Showgirl arrived and we grabbed some more peaches and apples for the road.

Will had never seen the Pacific Ocean, so we decided to hit the coast on the way down.

We settled on Newport, OR, a spot I hadn’t even really been to.

After 3 hours, we got there and pulled up to a Crab Shack and got lunch.

Took oyster shooters, ate a crab burger, and tried some clam chowder - scrumptious.

Then we went to the beach to see the sea.

It was foggy, but after walking along the sand for some time, we finally arrived at the Pacific.

We took our shoes off and walked in the cold water.

Again, I felt at home, there are few things I love more than the ocean.

Its power makes you feel small yet part of something bigger at the same time.

And its waves, I missed surfing and finding a flow in the ocean’s curls.

As the water brushed against my shins, I felt cleansed from the remorse and regret that had preceded this trip.

I washed my hands and rubbed some water on my face as well to taste and feel its saltiness.

After everyone was properly chilled, we retreated to the sand and played with some kelp, using it as a sort of whip.

The guys had fun, but Cecilia kept her distance as we accidentally whipped ourselves on occasion.

“This is why women live longer,” I told Showgirl.😅

After a while, we left and drove down the Pacific Coast Highway.

As the fog cleared, the waves and beauty of the coast were revealed… what a beautiful drive.

I gazed out the window and mind surfed the swells.

I missed my blue longboard and riding the nose for as long as the wave would allow.

Eventually, we cut inland and drove back down towards Shasta.

Showgirl had to drop the car off in Redding tomorrow so I figured out the bus situation

It made no sense for Will and Cecilia to pay and ride the bus as well when we could just drop them off at the trail so got tickets for Showgirl and I

We stopped at another Panda Express for dinner 😅 and Cecilia and Will bought our meal for letting them avoid the bus

Showgirl got a coffee and he cranked out the rest of the 5 hour drive to Castle Crag Campground

To pass the time, Showgirl and I came up with prompts for PCT Bingo and discussed the wording carefully

We pulled in to the campground around midnight, set up camp, and all passed out

Tomorrow Alex and I would drive the car back to Redding and get back on trail, but side quest was over and the Pacific Crest Road Trip was complete.

It couldn’t have come at a better time.

Being with friends and off trail for a few days brightened my spirits and gave me time to get healthy again.

I felt ready to go back to the trail; I would apply more structure, routine, and discipline to every day and try to be the best I could for the rest of the PCT.