Hey followers, I'm in Sisters, OR, about 160 miles from the WA border! This past week has been really spectacular as we came through the Diamond Peak, Three Sisters, and Mt. Jefferson wilderness areas. We've spent much of our time walking through really beautiful and rugged lava flows, with towering peaks overlooking us. The scenery here has blown me away and I just gotta say I really love the Cascades! Wildflowers and huckleberries line the trail, making the hiking so incredibly pleasent. The mosquitoes have been thick and so annoying, but hopefully they will start to die out as we get later into the season. Spent the week hiking with Boots, Bubbles, Happy Meal, JimBrick, Wiz, and Buttercup. They've all been great company and I really spending time with them all. So about 1 week and I'll be in WA, which is just so exciting! Ready to complete this adventure and come home. I miss all you
guys at home, much love! -Headbanger

Hey follower, I'm camped tonight on the rim of the beautiful Crater Lake! Watched the sun set and will wake up to an awesome sunrise. This is a priceless campsite and I am stoked to be here. Love this stuff!

Hey followers! That's right, I'm now in an entirely new state, Oregon! I have to say, it still looks quite a bit like northern California, but it feels different ha. California took 3 1/2 months to get through and I hope to be through Oregon in 2 weeks or less, what we call "The Oregon Challenge". Cali blew me away with its diversity and beauty, and took me for a ride I will never forget! But now I move on to the much gentler state of Oregon and soon after I'll be home in Washington. I've spent much of the week hiking with Happy Meal and Boots and will probably continue on out of Ashland with those dudes. Next stop will be the very awesome Crater Lake, which I am super stoked about. It hasn't been easy battling returning knee problems, sickness, and poison oak rash, but I'm lovin this trip anyway! Thanks so much for the comments and encouragement guys, even though I can't always reply,
I read them and they are such a boost. Keep following, I'm coming home!

Hello followers from the huge town of Castella, CA! Nah, just kidding it's actually nothing more than a Post Office and Gas station on Interstate 5, right outside Castle Crags State Park. This last week has included some really amazing volcanic scenery, proof we're now in the Cascades! We saw geysers and a boiling mud lake, as we skirted around Mt Lassen in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Then the view changed to Mt Shasta as we head west to skirt around it's base. WOW, what an impressive mountain Shasta is! It has been incredibly hot everyday here and the long climbs in and out of valleys seem to take all day. Also the poison oak is everywhere along trail and I dance to avoid it. I did however manage to catch up to Holden, but have once again lost him after a few days of hiking together. I've been keeping a fairly steady pace of about 30 miles a day and even had a 46 a few days ago when
we continued on to hike the waterless Hate Creek Rim at night! I'm tired but still pushin. -Banger