The PCT Talk is at the Chewelah Public Library on wednesday Dec 11th at 5pm.

Happy Trails!!!!

http://thelosc.org/home

PCT Talk/Slideshow in Deer Park - press release

Welcome to the first event planned where you can join me for an evening of stunning photos and stories from the Pacific Crest Trail.  I am hoping to put together similar events in Colville and Chewelah in the near future but this is the first one that came together.  Hope to see y'all there!!!!

When: Saturday Nov 2nd @ 6pm

Where: Church in the Wildwood: 5810 West Dahl Road, Deer Park

Snacks will be provided and please bring something to share if you can!

Please contact Laura at 509.844.6143 or talags@gmail.com with any questions.

Happy Trails!!!

http://thechurchinthewildwood.blogspot.com/

Last Steps North

WOOO-HOOOOO!!!

After months of walking every day, my journey to CANADA is complete.

The Northern Cascade Mountains were an absolutely stunning finale and easily rivaled the High Sierras in both remoteness and scale; a truly awesome experience. The weather had co-operated wonderfully for most of the Glacier Peak Wilderness and north of Stehekin but just a day before finishing a huge cold front came through and made sure to remind me what the great north is supposed to be like in the fall.  Cold, damp, and wet.  It is time to head back to civilization and start planning my next adventure!!!!

Please stay tuned for an announcement regarding the time and location of my Talk and Slideshow Presentation to wrap up the fundraiser for the Coleville Valley Animal Sanctuary.  It will be a fun evening of stories and incredible photos from the trail.  If there is anyone out there wishing for me to come talk to a community group, etc please feel free to email me at talags@gmail.com and we may be able to work something out.

Thank you again for following in my incredible journey!

Peace, Love, and Happy Trails!!!!!

~Beads

On the monument marking the US/Canadian border

Pisatan Wilderness

Stehekin, WA ~80 miles to CANADA

Washington is big, beautiful, and generally lacking of internet access. Apologies for such a short entry but I am lucky to even be on a computer in this stunning little town that is completely off the grid.  Nestled on the northwest shore of Lake Chelan, the only way to get here is on a ferry or on foot.  Cell phones do not work and the village bakery is the hub of news.  I have 80 miles to the border and another 8 until I reach Manning Park, a mountain resort close by and the center of celebrations for all the hikers whom find themselves out of trail to hike north.  This part of the trail through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness and Glacier Peak Wilderness has been absolutely incredible and stunning every day with beautiful weather.  With a small weather system coming in this weekend it should make things interesting and I may finally get a true taste of what the Pacific Northwest weather is like.

 Happy Trails and Peace and Love y'all!!!!!

Rough and wonderful

Greetings from Snoqualmie Pass!

Firstly, a HUGE THANK YOU to Dragonfly and Beaker who drive me form the airport back to the trail.  It was so surreal to leave PA in the morning, fly to Seattle, and be sitting around a campfire by dusk, surrounded by great friends and good vibes.

I've taken a few days off the trail before but I've learned that 2 weeks is is too much.  My feet are soft, my hips are bruised, and my whole body is sore.  With some foul weather expected in the area I've taken the opportunity to rest at the most awesome Mountain Mostel, a hiker hostel that just opened up here on the pass and a perfect place to relax away from Washington's finest storms.  If the weather man is correct it will be sunny and warm all next week, perfect for steps northbound through some of the most spectacular terrain on the trail.

Peace, Love, and Happy Trails!
~Beads

Short trip back to the REAL WORLD

Haha Konnie =-) Short posts are sent from my phone whenever I can't get to a computer to compose a full manuscript.  With the end in sight, I am back east for a short time for a family emergency.  Life doesn't always fit into a schedule.  I am super lucky to have been so far ahead of my original plan and now have plenty of time to finish the trail before the weather gets too cold, in theory.  I head back to the west coast tomorrow where 2 wonderful trail angels have offered to pick me up and drive me back to the trail, WOOHOO!!!  It is barely september yet and I have already heard a few hikers comment that fall is coming early in the Pacific NW this year... Pray to the weather gods for me.  I (only) have 320 miles to go, which will take anywhere from 2-3 weeks depending on how much I need to get my "trail legs" back.

Through Oregon I hiked 30 miles a day because the trail is fairly flat and easy on the feet.  With so little of the trail left and some of the most rugged terrain in front of me I decided to slow down and savor the last piece of my trip.  The huckleberries are just starting to ripen and they are everywhere along the trail. A great excuse to stop and graze with the bears for some yummy berries. YUMMM

Southern Washington has been absolutely wonderful.  Before Cowboy and I left Cascade Locks, we went to the Eastwind Drive-In for the biggest and tastiest $4 breakfast burrito we've ever seen.  In the brisk morning sunshine we frollicked across the Bridge of the Gods into the lush green mountains of southern WA.  Not long after skipping past the Trailhead we come across a white 5 gallon bucket with "Trail Magic" written on the lid.  We peal off the lid with smiles of anticipation to find it half full of VooDoo Donuts that were melted together in a mass of sugar that was hard to know what to do with.  Should we get our spoons out or just break off a chunk?  I may never see another bucket of donut soup again but it was sure a great welcome to WA!

Peace, Love, and Happy Trails
~Beads