Mile 2084 - 2390

Eat, hike, eat, hike, eat, hike, sleep and then do it all over again. We're pressing hard to get to the finish line and Washington has proven to be quite a challenge both mentally and physically. To add, what many consider to be the hardest part of the entire trail is next. But we're up for the challenge.

As I'm writing this, we're holed up at Snoqualmie pass chating with fellow thru-hikers waiting out a storm and resting up. We're all tired, sore, hungry and just want to finish yet there's also that common anxiety about finishing this life and returning to our former ones. Its really hard to describe what we are all feeling.

We've been seeing a lot of people we haven't seen for months and meeting a bunch of new faces that seem to have appeared out of nowhere. It seems everyone is picking up the pace and rain is grouping us together. Met a mother and her nine year son for example who started a couple of weeks before us. Very few parent/child teams out here and we've all heard of each other thru trial talk, so it was fun for both of us to finally meet each other.

 Recognise this hotel? Give you a hint.

 It was a really neat place that was literally on trail. And also very cozy. Storm rolled in as soon as we got here so it was nice to have a warm place to wait it out.

 Old growth forest out of timberline.

                     Ramona falls.

Tunnel falls on the eagle creek alternate. The highlight of Oregon and possibly the entire trail. Absolutely loved this canyon giving a much needed boost in moral. Went into a tunnel behind these falls.

 Another trail angels house named shreks swamp. We didn't stay here long and moved on. But if you like to party, this is the place for you.

Washington!

 One of the few group camps we stayed at. We formed a hiking group for this section comprising of 'one gear', wing it, blossom, peru and I. Different dynamic traveling in a group. We move a lot slower but have lots more fun. Really enjoyed my time with them and they were nice enough to move at our pace.

                          Goats!

 Blossom knew about an off trail cave. Someone says cave and my ears perk up. Couldn't pass up on this side trip. It even had bats!

Mermaid pond within this cave.

 However, this cave was in the middle of nowhere. We were on a remote road in an even more remote parking lot. But there was one car in the parking lot about to leave...we frantically waved them down and got super lucky. 'Mr VW' and 'The Dr' had room for us and were nice enough to take us back to trail. Really fun guys who were exploring the area. Their kindness and generosity saved the day. Thank you guysl
...safe journeys on your adventures.

No better way to drink Rainer beer than in front of Mt Rainer.

This is the final stretch. Two more weeks and we'll be in Manning Park and our journey will be over but its harder than you might think. Sam and I are done, finished. We're exhausted and you might be thinking whats 250 more miles when you've already done 2300. Don't know why, but the closer we get the harder mentally its getting. Weve heard of people quitting less than 100 miles from the end, but we'll finish even if we have to crawl...now on to Canada!

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SAM:   Despues de sisters venia Government camp y Timberline lodge, y ahi mismo me entere que el exterior de la pelicula El Resplandor fue grabada alli XD era un hotel HERMOSO, pasamos alli un par de dias para dejar pasar la lluvia XD era super acogedor y con buffets. Definitivamente regresando algun dia que no este tan nublado para poder conseguir las vistas de Mt. hood, la montana en la que se encuentra y el que es el pico mas alto de Oregon, pero que no pudimos ver bien por la niebla.

al salir estabamos entusiasmados por las vistas que nos esperaban, casi todo el mundo nos hablaba de lo hermoso que es el norte de Oregon y de verdad lo fue, estaba lleno de cascadas y los bosques estaban intocados, osea, que nunca habian sido tocados por ningun elemento destructivo ya fuera naturalo humano y lo que llaman "old growth" que basicamente consiste en un bosque que basicamente ha crecido demasiado, por lo que hay demasiados arboles por asi decirlo, pero eso es lo que los hace bonitos.

nuestra unica vista de Mount Hood! aunque fue de la distancia pero seguia siendo hermoso.

Tunnel falls! en laultima seccion de oregon, el ultimo dia mejor dicho, nos tocaba un trecho de escenario que era completamente increible, estaba llena de cataratas y de miniacantilados que lo hacian absolutamente increible, una de mis partes favoritas del camino hasta ahora despues de las sierras, aunque ha sido mi primera experiencia con picaduras de avispas :( aunque son horribles pero es bueno saber que no tuve ninguna reaccion por lo que nos tranquilizo saber que no soy alergica a sus picaduras :) o al menos si lo soy, las pastillas antialergicas funcionaban demasiado bien XD

y llegamos al oh tan famoso puente de los dioses, o "Bridge of the gods" que es el puente que marcaba la frontera entre Oregon y Washington, cruzando el rio Columbia que cumple la misma funcion en la mayoria de su trayectoria, PORFIN EN WASHINGTON

Nuestra primera gran introduccion al nuevo estado fueron unas vistas hermosas del monte Adams, acampamos basicamente en la falda de el y es tan sobresaliente que aun podemos verlo 200 millas mas tarde, mi seccion favorita en washington (hasta ahora).

En Cascade Locks, nos encontramos con un par de viejos amigos y nos unimos con otra conocida a quien no habiamos visto en meses! y decidimos que caminariamos juntos durante un tiempo, y ha sido una experiencia muy placentera, aunque la diferencia en nuestros ritmos lo hacia algo dificil por momentos, pero nos dio a experimentar como es unirse por un tiempo con otros caminantes, y a mi opinion, como es el conocer toda la gente maravillosa que hemos conocido hasta ahora lo que hace que esta experiencia sea mucho mas que merecedora.

Wing it!, 1 Gear y Blossom, ha sido realmente increible poder disfrutar de su compania.

caminamos en nieve otra vez despues de muuucho tiempo.

tomamos un pequeno tour fuera del camino para visitar unas cuevas XD nunca vamos a decir que no a visitar cuevaspor mucho que cueste!

(thank you guys for taking us back to the trail! :D) tsl: gracias por llevarnos de regreso al camino! :D

Mount Rainier!

Ahora estamos en Snoqualmie pass, tan solo nos faltan 250 millas mas! T_T que falte tan poco es una de las unicas razones que me mantiene aun en pie, yo se que puedo, solo un poco mas!!