So another section hiked. 4 days - 77 miles / 123,2 km from Shelter Cove to Lava Lake ( our hitchspot for Bend). We got sooo lucky with our hitch this morning!  The trail always provides! Nice lady, dogs, Vanagon Westfalia, breakfaststop in Sisters with "to die for donuts" and coffee. Omg, life could not be more excellent!! Bend meets us with REI, new shoes bought and shipped up trail, hamburgers and milkshakes, Facetime with loved ones, resupplying, laundry and motelroom. Beds! Shower!! Yes!

​

The days just pass so quickly! This last section has been good! Streams, creeks and lakes all the way.

The first two days out from Shelter Cove was easy trail, we pushed a long first day; 24 miles/ 38,4 km, and I was completely beat. Struggling with pain in my left foot and painful blisters, but I somehow managed and almost crawled into camp that night. But when shoes are off, tent are up and food is in the stomach and you have a cup of hot chocolate in your hands in front of the fire; everything is forgotten. 

Hiking on stiff as grandma' the next morning after a breakfast in mosquito-hell. I am listening to music while warming up aching joints and trying to numb the blisters. After a half hour the body feels great and ready for a new day! Hiking through the forest overwhelmed by happiness laughing and talking. After lunch we find an excellent lake to swim in and it feels sooo good!!

That night we camp on a small peninsula out in a lake, almost no mosquitoes - ahh.. Peace. We inflate our sleepingmats and float on them on the lake. Bliss!

Hiking on. Snow. Snow. Snow. But our meeting with the mountains in Three Sisters wilderness just resets our tired minds and fills us with awe. Breathtaking view of the South Sister. Wow! That just pushed the mental breakdown in under the bed. We smile and share the energy from the magnificent view of the gentle giants that has seen centuries. 

We soak our feet in cold streams and hike on through fields of red and yellow wildflowers. We camp on an open field in between the Sisters and snow and can't sleep just because the sunset glows on the mountains and reveals hidden secrets. Then the night covers us in a million stars and I feel warm and thankful in my sleepingbag.

Up at 5:30. Ah! I feel happy and strong. Hiking on through sunny snowfields and into the most amazing fields of lavastone. Tough climbs but you have to climb to see! What a view! I have no words. Giants in the horizon ; Mt. Washington, Three fingered Jack, Mt. Hood. I can't describe how I feel. It is just pure awe and happiness. 

It makes me extremely happy to experience this together with these wonderful people. I love them so much. We're such a great team. We care for each other. We lift each other up if someone is down. We laugh, we smile, we sweat, we talk about serious things, we talk about ridiculous things, we eat, we suffer, we enjoy, WE LIVE!!! Every day we live every minute to the fullest. Thank you life and trail for giving me this gift. My heart is full.