Eclipse

After checking out of Hotel Packwood (highly recommend this place, the woman who runs it is the sweetest and loves her hikers) we hitched out around 9 which ended up taking FOREVER because of road work. The person who offered us the hitch ended up deciding he couldn't take us the entire way because it was taking so long and dropped us off in the middle of the highway. Luckily there was another group of hikers just a few cars in front of us in the bed of a truck that let us jump in. Like I said, everything works out. The other hiker in the truck bed was section hiking with his daughter and they ended up reminding me of my dad and I. On the upside of taking so long we were at the Pass when the eclipse occurred and were able to borrow some glasses from the gas station to see it without blinding ourselves. After grabbing a fuel canister and a gatorade I proceeded to the trail. After a while I was able to catch up to the daddy/daughter duo and deliver the bottle I had been packing for them to replace their lost water bottle they had mentioned on the ride up. Good deed accomplished. 

The rest of the day was pleasant and we walked through a few meadows which were beautiful and green. FP and I camped in different places because I still had a ton of water and did not want to go off trail. I camped with a bunch of other people, some of which I had seen before. One person I actually bought my ULA pack from in Oregon! Though I hope she didn't notice that I no longer sported that pack.. whoops!