Day 128:(16 miles)
mile 1815 – 1830.5 (Mazama Village)

In fortunately there are no pictures to share with today’s trek into Mazama.  The phone is deader than dead.  We are hoping that actual 110v power source through a direct feed (ie. a wall socket) will revive it like an AED does for ones heart.  Again nothing spectacular to report, with the exception of meeting a really nice couple (Dennis and Linda Phelan) who are finishing their section hike of Oregon.  They are a little older than us and are strong and determined.  Once they get to retire, they plan to maybe tackle California.  The trail wove across some rocky terrain with ridge line views where we could see and smell the still smoldering fires that dotted the horizon and created a hazy “fog” in the narrow valleys and canyons below.  As we dropped lower, the trail became soft and sandy, and lined with tall thin pines.  And…it would not be the PCT without a ridiculous, and seemingly unnecessary, climb to get to our resupply end point, Mazama Village, so we climbed, just so we could go down… into Mazama Village. 

Once there, we picked up our resupply, ate a lot of homemade cookies thanks to Mike and Carol, did laundry, jump started my phone again, showered, ate non rehydrated food at the restaurant, yogied a campsite, and sat in on a Ranger interp talk for a little bit.

Day 129: (13 miles)
mile 1830.5 – 1843.5 (Crater Lake Rim)

Now today was cool.  After mailing my old pack home at the post office, we made our way up to the Crater Lake Rim.  I had been there once before, and it had just snowed, so seeing it without snow and hiking the rim trail was new for me.  Paul on the other hand was just as in awe as I was the first time I saw it. 

Looking back toward Crater Lake Village

Wizard's Island

The weather was perfect, and of course the lake was as photogenic as ever.  While at an overlook, and the last place to use a “civilized” toilet, we met a family whose daughter “recognized” us as PCT thru-hikers by our Z-rest pads hanging off our packs. 

They had just come back from a river rafting trip on the Salmon River and were taking the time to catch Crater Lake.  They asked us lots of questions, and we talked for quite awhile.  Best of all, they supplied us with some trail magic in the form of beer…FINALLY we actually get a beer.  The day is getting even better.  We finally had to break away so we all could get on to where we all needed to go. 

Thw tip of Mt. Thielsen in the very back

The rim trail did its best to follow the rim of the lake as closely as it could, and eventually dipped down into a valley of sorts on a heading toward Mt. Thielsen.  We walked to where the pedestrian PCT meets the “stock” PCT and located the two gallons of water Mike and Delaney had stashed for us earlier for this waterless stretch.

They had attached a snack, but based on what remained of said snack (Snickers), there is one or more fat dumb and happy chipmunk in the forests of Oregon.  We found a flat place to camp, which in Oregon is really not difficult or remotely challenging, for which we are grateful. 

Our site however, greatly annoyed a doe who circled us for hours, feeding and staring at us like “Of all the places in the forest, you had to plop your butts in my feeding spot.  “Thanks a lot you two legged, hump backed freaks.”  Once we zipped up our tent, she brought the rest of her friends around to stomp and huff around our tent.  After awhile they tired of their “reindeer games” and departed loudly, after which, we were able to sleep soundly.