Date: August 30, 2017
Miles: 9.6 miles (15.4km), from Timberline Lodge to Sandy River at mile 2,103.9.
Health: Feeling really fresh, motivated, and well rested.

I wake up late, around 8 am, and hear the others are already up. It was hard falling asleep last night as I haven't done any kind of physical activity for the past couple of days. My body is so used to hiking long days that just walking around town and doing city chores is not enough activity to tire me out.

Indigo makes us all a really good breakfast and as Kenny plays us some Ween on the stereos, we pack our gear and start heading out. Today we need to get from Bend to Timberline Lodge at Mt. Hood. As the trail is closed due to wildfires, Kenny has graciously offered to drive us there. It's about two and a half-hour drive one way.

Rico keeping an eye on us while we pack the car.

We load all five of us, plus our gear, into the car and start driving. The air is really bad today. There's no visibility and the smoke is hurting my eyes.

The drive goes by quick and we soon start seeing the shape of Mt. Hood between the smoke. As we get closer the air suddenly clears up and we see blue sky. It feels so good to be able to properly breathe again.

The Timberline Lodge is famous among thru-hikers for the all-you-can-eat breakfast and lunch buffet. We missed the breakfast but after the drive from Bend, we're all ready for lunch. The Lodge is also famous for being the place where they shot some of the exterior shots for the movie The Shining.

As we drive up to the lodge the place looks amazing! The massive wooden building stands right below Mt. Hood with views towards the mountain, and down towards Mt. Jefferson far in the distance. I'm so glad that the air is clearer today and we can see the views around us.

The random tourist I asked to take a photo of us didn’t think our dirty feet should be included in the photo.

As we go inside the lodge, we discover it's built like a maze. On the way here I messaged with Cannonball and Storyteller and I know they're both here, I just can't find them as getting anywhere is like a miniature puzzle. Eventually, I pump into Storyteller on one of the many staircases and we hug and exchange trail stories. She's heading down but tells me Cannonball is right up the same staircase.

I climb up and find Cannonball sitting there. She’s wearing her headphones so I get to surprise her. I've missed these two for so long. They've left me messages on the trail registers along the way and we finally caught up.

Cannonball and Storyteller have already eaten so they stay back while everyone else heads towards the lunch buffet. We get our table and just a quick glance towards the food selection tells us this is going to be pretty awesome.

Getting ready to double our weight at the lunch buffet.

For the next few hours, we stuff our faces with all the delicious foods and deserts the restaurant offers – it's so good! Having the hiker hunger really comes handy at places like this.

After lunch, we wander around the lodge for a while and then Kenny needs to head back to Bend. We thank him for his help and say our goodbyes.

We should get back on the trail as well but none of us want to leave this place so soon. A day doesn’t feel like enough time to enjoy the lodge and I really want to come back here again. Preferably during winter!

To get the most out of the Lodge we go get drinks at the bar, play some table tennis, goof around with the axe from The Shining and just wander around the place.

The tempo of our hike has changed a bit and this allows us to spend a little bit more time in places like this. Due to all the fire-closures and having to skip around them, we went from being in a rush to get to Canada before winter, to having more than enough time to comfortably make it.

We've all realized that in less than a month this epic adventure is coming to an end and as that happens, we all need to go back to our regular lives. While for the past four months I've dreamed of nothing but reaching the monument, now, as it's getting closer, I don't want the hike to end so soon. I want to keep this adventure going, seeing new places every day, and spending every single moment of the day in the beautiful wilderness. And most of all, I want to keep having fun with all the wonderful people I've had the privilege and pleasure to share this trail with.

I know that once we reach the monument and have our celebrations, we might have a few days together in Vancouver, and then everyone slowly but surely starts heading back to their homes. Some of us go back to Europe, some to Australia, and most to different states around the US. And I'm going to miss all these people so much.

When you hike with someone day in and day out for months on end, you get to know them on a deeper level. You see people at their truest selves, at their weakest moments, when they’re absolutely exhausted and tired, and at the highest of their highs. And you have nothing but time to talk all day. You feel a different kind of connection with the people you hike with than you could ever form with anyone in normal life.

Sam, Indigo, and LL enjoying the setting sun.

But now it's time for us to get back on the trail. Cannonball and Storyteller stay back at the lodge and we meet either later in the evening on the trail, or at Cascade Locks the day after tomorrow. Indigo, LL, Sam, and I head back on the trail.

The trail follows around the base of Mt. Hood and it's really easy to walk on. We make quick miles and run into a lot of day and section hikers along the way. The scenery is beautiful and the trail well-graded, no wonder there are so many people on the trail.

We wanted to do a little over 10 miles to the Ramona Falls but run out of daylight and decide to camp just under a mile short along a gorgeous river, looking up on Mt. Hood. We set up for the night, eat dinner and tell stories until it gets dark and then fall asleep under the starry skies while listening to the sounds of the river.

I'm going to miss moments like these.