August 30 Distance: 22.3 miles | Ascent: 2100′ | Descent: 2230′ Mile marker: 1132.4 Lunch: J – spaghetti mac with parm (B-), A – mac n cheese (B) Dinner: J – chili with orzo (B+), A – beef stew (A+) Waking up to the sunset is a great way to start the day. Less than…

August 29 Distance: 16.0 miles | Ascent: 2250′ | Descent: 1020′ Mile marker: 1110.1 Lunch: J – chili and rice (B), A – cheesy orzo (A) Dinner: J – taco (B+), A – sausage stuffing (A) We luxuriated in a real bed for one last morning. Sadly, we would have to get back to the…

August 27 Distance: 0 Mile marker: same as yesterday Lunch: J&A – deli sammies (A+s) Dinner: J&A – frozen pizza (A+s) Our day was full of errands and relaxer exploring. We started the day drinking our coffees slowly on the couch under cozy blankets – an absolute luxury. Then, we went to Etna Creek Outfitters…

August 28 Distance: zero Lunch: just snacks (A+) Dinner: J – crispy chicken sandwich (A+), A – chicken tenders and corn dog (A) Jason discovered something important today: the distance to the next stop is not as far as he had planned. This is wonderful news and much better than learning the opposite. It also…

August 26 Distance: 18.8 | Ascent: 2870′ | Descent: 3240′ Mile marker: 1094 Lunch: J – sausage stuffing (B-), A – chili and rice (B-) Dinner: J&A – cheeseburgers (A+, A+) Waking up at 4:30 am in a tent isn’t easy. It is a lot easier when there’s a special someone waiting and promise of…

August 25 Distance: 28.2 miles | Ascent: 5340′ | Descent: 5850′ Mile marker: 1075.2 Lunch: J&A – blueberry walnut oatmeal (A-, A+) Dinner: J – Indian curry (A), A – sausage stuffing (A+) We rose in the dark and had coffee on the ridge. The thunderstorms that were threatening last night had dissipated and we…

August 24 Distance: 21.9 miles | Ascent: 4440′ | Descent: 4280′ Mile marker: 1047.0 Lunch: J&A – mac n cheese with pulled pork (A, A+) Dinner: J – sausage stuffing (A), A – spaghetti mac (B) Due to the prior short night of sleep and yesterday’s challenging climb, we slept in a bit and enjoyed…

August 23 Distance: 20.5 miles | Ascent: 6280′ | Descent: 1860′ Mile marker: 1025.2 Lunch: J – cilantro pesto pasta (B+), A – Indian curry (A) Dinner: J – coconut carrot dahl (B+), A – cilantro pesto pasta (B+) When our watch alarms chimed at 3am, we rolled over, slammed our energy drinks, and started…

August 22 Distance: 21.2 miles | Ascent: 2610′ | Descent: 5630′ Mile marker: 1004.8 Lunch: J – mac n cheese and taco (A, B+), A – spaghetti mac (B+) Dinner: J – chili and rice (B), A – coconut curry dahl (A) After getting to camp in the dark last night, we slept in an…

August 21 Distance: 26.4 miles | Ascent: 3670′ | Descent: 5550′ Mile marker: 957.1 Lunch: J – tomato pasta (B), A – tomato pasta (B-) Dinner: J&A – the finest selection of protein/candy bars we had (C+) Only five-ish miles to California! Fortunately, the border was mostly downhill, so we had an easy morning getting…

August 20 Distance: 21.5 miles | Ascent: 4680′ | Descent: 2570′ Mile marker: 957.1 Lunch: J&A – rice and beans with summer sausage (A, A+) Dinner: J&A – rice and beans with summer sausage (A-, A+) The lodge had a breakfast buffet! We treated ourselves to some cereal and a bagel and juice! Jason also…

August 19 Distance: 32.1 miles | Ascent: 5010′ | Descent: 5450′ Mile marker: 935.6 Lunch: J&A – Mexican surprise (C+, C) Dinner: J – Thai red curry and spaghetti mac (A, A-), A – jambalaya (B+) We hit the trail by 5:30 am in the dark. As we walked in the dark, our headlamps caught…

August 18 Distance: 27.0 miles | Ascent: 2720′ | Descent: 4200′ Mile marker: 903.9 Lunch: J&A – mac n cheese with pulled pork (A, A) Dinner: J – unstuffed peppers (C+), A – taco (B+) We were expecting to wake up to a wet tent from the condensation near the pond. Pleasantly, the tent and…

August 17 Distance: 24.6 miles | Ascent: 3100′ | Descent: 2850′ Mile marker: 876.8 Lunch: J – jambalaya (A+), A – spaghetti (A+) Dinner: J&A – coconut carrot dahl (B+, A) Today was remarkably difficult. We both just felt tired. Perhaps it was the overcast sky, but the day seemed to just drag on. Or…

August 16 Distance: 20.5 miles | Descent: 2300′ | Ascent: 2630′ Mile marker: 852.1 Lunch: J – garlic mushroom orzo (B), A – red Thai curry (A) Dinner: J – mac n cheese with a beef jerky stick (A), A – unstuffed peppers jazzed up (B) We were surprised to wake up in the rain…

August 15 Distance: 0 miles Mile marker: 832.6 Lunch: J – spicy bacon mac (A-), A – black rice surprise (B) Dinner: J&A – supreme pizza (A+) We went on a boat tour around Crater Lake today! We got a pizza for dinner! It was a good day!

August 13 Distance: 26.7 miles | Ascent: 3190′ | Descent: 2910′ Mile marker: 815.0 Lunch: J – chicken taco (A), A – Korean beef (A) Dinner: J – apple cinnamon oatmeal (B), A – spaghetti (A) Today was probably our easiest day yet. Or at least it felt like it. Maybe we’re getting stronger or…

August 14 Distance: 13.6 Mile marker: 832.6 Lunch: J – chili and rice (A-), A – chili and rice, but a different batch (B+) Dinner: J&A – hot dog (A+) We decided to see the sunrise over Crater Lake this morning. That meant an early 4am start to the day. We made it to the…

August 12 Distance: 23.6 miles | Ascent: 3840′ | Descent: 3210′ Mile marker: 788.3 Lunch: J – chicken chili (A-), A – mac n cheese (A) Dinner: J – Korean beef (A), A – chicken taco (A+) Up at dawn by the lake. It was a pretty sunrise. We climbed through a wall of mosquitoes.…

August 11 Distance: 18.3 miles | Ascent: 2710′ | Descent: 2210′ Mile marker: 764.7 Lunch: J – spaghetti (A-), A – chili with rice (B+) Dinner: J – mac n cheese (B), A – apple cinnamon oatmeal (A) We spent the morning trying to figure out what to do with Jason’s old broken pack. No…

August 10 Distance: 18.2 miles (+1.2 off trail) | Ascent: 2280′ | Descent: 2830′ Mile marker: 747.6 Lunch: J – spicy mac (B-), A – chicken soup (A+) Dinner: J – chili with rice (A), A – spicy tomato pasta (B) Today was pretty uneventful. We woke up early at 4:30am. It was our first…

August 9 Distance: 25.2 miles | Ascent: 2640′ |Descent: 2310′ Mile marker: 729.1 Lunch: J – black rice surprise (D+), A -.tomato orzo (A) Dinner: J – mac n cheese (A-), A – chicken chili (A+) We decided to count northbound hikers we crossed paths with on the trail today. Counting infrequent and irregular events…

August 8 Distance: 25.9 miles | Ascent: 3030′ | Descent: 4120′ Mile marker: 703.9 Lunch: J – tomato pasta with pine nuts (C+), A – masamam curry (A) Dinner: J – chili and orzo (A), A – mac n cheese with peas (A+) We camped just north of a restricted area yesterday, meaning we weren’t…

August 7 Distance: 18.9 miles | Ascent: 4090′ | Descent: 2150′ Mile marker: 678.0 Lunch: J – garlic mushroom couscous (C+), A – chili orzo (B+) Dinner: J – tomato orzo (B-), A – spicy mac (A-) We walked across a lot of lava rock today! It was not so smooth sailing, but the views…

August 3 Distance: 29.9 miles | Ascent: 2650′ | Descent: 4100′ Mile marker: 588.1 Lunch: J – unstuffed peppers (C-), A – tomato pasta (A) Dinner: J&A – pulled pork sandwich and pancake This is what I originally wrote as I knew I was falling asleep in the tent: Three trail magics appeared to us…

August 6 Distance: 22.1 miles | Ascent: 2380′ | Descent: 4030′ Mile marker: 658.7 Lunch: J – Thanksgiving (B+), A – garlic mushroom orzo (B) Dinner: J&A – spanakopita and potstickers (A) Early start to the day! Up at 5am and out the gate by 6am to make it to the Big Lake Youth Camp…

August 5 Distance: 24.2 miles | Ascent: 4700′ | Descent: 4060′ Mile marker: 636.6 Lunch; J – chicken parm (A+), A – biscuits and gravy (A) Dinner: J – biscuits and gravy (A-), and cheese tomato shells (B-), A – Thanksgiving (B+) Trying to recover from the prior night of poor sleep, we slept in…

August 4 Distance: 24.3 miles | Ascent: 4640′ | Descent: 2230′ Mile marker: 612.4 Lunch: J – chicken stars soup (B+), A – spicy bacon mac (B-) Dinner: J – Mexican surprise (C), A – chicken parm (A+), shared at Lake Olalie lodge – Chef Boyardee ravioli (A+) The day started fairly slow. We didn’t…

August 2 Distance: 15.2 miles | Ascent: 4360′ | Descent: 2300′ Mile marker: 558.1 Lunch: J&A – salad, fruit, mashed potatoes, pork chops, tomato soup, steak tips, mac m cheese, sandwiches, a waffle, cookies, brownies, baked brie tarts (A+) Dinner: n/a The sun is rising later every day and we’re nearly ready for headlamps when…

August 1 Distance: 25.0 miles | Ascent: 6050′ | Descent: 4280′ Mile marker: 545.3* Lunch: J – Thanksgiving (B+), A – jambalaya (A) Dinner: J – spicy mac (B-), A – Thanksgiving (A) We were told that Oregon is flat. That we’d cruise for miles and miles without tire or wear. Yet, today was our…