After spending a night near the Canadian PCT trailhead, I began my journey back to Chester, CA. It was where I resumed my northbound journey to Canada after I skipped the Sierra section. I have 650 miles left between Chester and Kennedy Meadows to complete the PCT.
From Manning Park to Bellingham, I hitchhiked. The first people who picked me up were folks who work at the Manning Park Resort. Colt, a young white guy driver and three women from Caribbean were driving to Chilliwack for their weekend. They blasted Caribbean music the entire way and I loved their music. They gave me a perfect transition. I didn’t have to talk at all and just stared at the scenery, swaying my body with the music. Colt offered to take me close the border so I could walk across. After I said thanks and goodbye, I walked to the border and entered the border office. It was the most relaxed and easy entering to the US I ever experienced!
From the border, I took three more rides to Bellingham where I picked up my brand new Salsa Warroad Ultegra from Fairhaven Cycles. My friend Koto drove from Portland to help me transport the bike to Seattle. When I finish the PCT, my plan is to come back to Seattle and take my bike up to Vancouver where the Pacific Coast Bike Route begins. I’ll ride from Vancouver all the way down to San Diego to complete the 4,550-mile hike and bike grand journey.
Koto gave me a ride to Portland and my friend Sandra hosted me for a couple of nights. They fed me amazing food and I indulged all kinds of great food in Portland. From Portland I took a bus to Medford, and from there another friend Aparna and her family gave me a ride to Redding, California.
I was little nervous to hitch a ride from Redding to Lassen and the next day from Lassen to Chester. I hanged out at the gas station, reading vibes of people and I asked a black woman for the ride. She said no so I kept people watching. Five minutes later, a car pulled over and it was her! “I’m going to Lassen. I can give you a ride.” She told me that she was going to a work retreat which she never attended even though she had many opportunities in the past. “I’m going to do something I never did and somebody needs a ride. I told myself this is meant to be so when I got to the ramp, I turned around to come get you.”
The next day, I again watched people, approached a few and then a white woman with a minivan. She kindly said, “I’m going there so I’ll get gas and come back to get you.”
I enjoyed conversation with both women and getting to know people whom I may never see again. I believe that the universe brought us together for whatever reason and I work to cherish these encounters. In Japanese we have a saying 一期一会 (ichigo ichie), meaning one life one encounter. You may meet this person only once so treasure every chance you meet people.
I was dropped off exactly the same trailhead where I was two months ago near Chester. As soon as I started, thunderstorms began which reminded me of hail and snow storms I had there two months ago! I hiked through two storms, passing the mid point of the PCT. If I walked from Mexico without skipping the Sierra, this would be the mid point. The next day, I passed a sign saying “welcome to the Sierra.” I was so happy when I saw the sign. I’m back to my home mountains! Everything seems familiar and as soon as I crossed the sign, water was everywhere. It reminded me of Nuumu Poyo, aka John Muir Trail where water is abundant to the point I no longer had to carry any except for a few spots.
I went back and forth between granite and andesite (volcanic) until the steep climb south of Belden. Once I reached the saddle, it became all granite and I saw alpine lakes. This scenery is very familiar too and I felt comfortable and ease knowing that I’m back home. I thought it may be little too late for wildflowers but I was wrong. Meadows are filled with flowers and pollinators were everywhere.
While I was excited about the flowers and taking my time to admire them, I saw 10 hikers passing by. That was the largest numbers of PCT hikers since Cascade Locks. Later I figured that they were trying to catch a ride with trail angels to Quincy and some are part of what’s called a “pack,” a hiker group that is formed on the PCT. I heard that the remnants of Hurricane Hilary would be passing my area. While most hikers left the trail and stayed at Quincy, I remained on the trail. One hiker said, “you’re brave!” Maybe and maybe it has nothing to do with bravery. I’ve dealt with all sorts of discomfort in my life like being detained behind the bars at Tijuana Immigration Office. I have led many expeditions in the past and I had no option to come out to town because of the challenging weather. My life taught me to sit with discomfort and make it as comfortable as possible with skills and knowledge. Based on my observations, the weather seems to be stable with a sign of normal low air pressure which would bring rain. I heard rain at mid night. In the morning, I waited for the birds to give me a cue since they would sing when the weather is improving. When I heard them, I started hiking which was little later than usual. It rained quite a bit in the mid morning but there was no wind. Walking in the summer rain is cleansing to me. In the early afternoon, the rain stopped and the sun came out. I thanked the weather god and appreciated the sun so much!
The next day was pleasant and a perfect hiking day since it was mostly overcast until the evening. The forest was saturated with water and I thought it would keep the wildfires away for a few days. I prayed for more rain to come. The fire has been on my mind since it could start anywhere in the Sierra. I heard from the other hikers that the PCT between Stehekin and the Canadian border was closed only three days after I reached Canada due to the fire. They were so devastated and I couldn’t imagine what it was like to be turned around after hiking all the way from Mexico.
At the same time they all had very good attitudes. As I inch my way to Kennedy Meadows, it’s a good reminder to appreciate this moment without getting caught up with a thought of fire and trust that everything will work out the way it is meant to be.
Appreciation: for so many people who helped me in the transition between Canada and Chester. Those include all the people who gave me a ride plus my dear friends Koto for being an incredible trail and logistics angel and making amazing food, Emily for hosting me for a night in Seattle, Sandra for hosting me in Portland, Aparna for the ride, Janaki and Uma for hosting me in Ashland and Graci for hosting me in Lassen.
Best learning: every little effort counts. After hearing about the Stehekin fire that started three days after I made it to Canada, I reflected on many little efforts I made to put miles each day. In this case, it paid off and I’m so grateful!
Challenge: be in the moment without a distractive thought of wildfires
Disappointment: when I heard from hikers who were turned away to reach Canada due to the fires, I was so disappointed as if it was my experience. I know what took them to get there, especially international folks. I’m disappointed that I messed up my southbound resupply that I have no paper maps! It’s hard to know my location based on the landscape.
Exciting moments: seeing the welcome to the Sierra sign, so many flowers, snow on the north slopes around 8,000 feet and a Pacific Tree Frog visiting me at night in my tent! I heard a tree fall only 30 feet behind me after I walked pass by it. So close! The forest god protected me. Thank you.
