The Final Frontier

Day 136 - August 19

Mile: 2144 to 2163.7 (19.7)

up/down: 5000/3800 feet

New trip bird: Black-capped Chickadee 

Washington: the final frontier. These are the adventures of Kingbird and Hummingbird. Their five-month mission: to explore strange new habitats, to seek out bird life and epic vistas, to boldly go where lots of other hikers have gone before. 

The Bridge of the Gods. A steel span bridge with see-through decking and no room for cars AND hikers. We hit it early hoping for minimal traffic and were mostly successful. The few cars coming at us slowed and moved to give us plenty of room. The wind was stiff so that was a challenge. The acrophobic Hummingbird didn't look down and scurried across like there was a breakfast buffet at the far end. I took lots of photos. And then we were in Washington. 

 

 

 

 

There is another heat wave in the Pacific Northwest. It was over 100F in Cascade Locks yesterday and supposed to be similar for a few days. It does mean dry hiking weather but also hot and humid in the forest. Add the climb from the lowest point on the PCT at near sea level back into the mountains, and the heavy load of grocery store food for a week long section, and we struggled mightily today. A creek and a flat spot at near 20 miles did us in for the day. No grand scenery yet, lots of forest and a few hazy views back toward the river. Hopefully that improves soon enough. 

 

 

We bagged one of our three missing regularly occurring northwest birds today when we got a Black-capped Chickadee. That leaves Varied Thrush and Three-toed Woodpecker to still find.