Stehekin to Canada

BACKSTORY - Part 2, The last push

No rooms...none.  I actually drooped over, and put my head on the counter as disappointment washed over me.  It couldn't be possible...after the rain, the snow, the knee...I have never wanted a hotel room so bad in my life. The clerk said "nope" and cheerfully went on to the next customer.

We had, once again, managed to arrive at a "town stop" on the busiest tourist day of the year.   We were in Stehekin and everything was booked for the next 2 days...everything but a few tent sites in he town's campgrounds.  Still, the weather was beautiful.  So, we pitched our tent and begun our usual routine...find the post office, do laundry, sort the resupply box, etc.

Routine it was.  We had done this many times by now, it was how we prepared for the next part of the journey.  "The next part"...what would the next part be this time.  At this point we had no idea if any of our preparations would matter... if Shiny's knee didn't improve...well, it might be the end of our hike.

We sat on a park bench, on the shore of Lake Chelan.  A light breeze ruffled the waters surface.  My mood was now much improved with a little time, a good weather report, and a few pastries from the Stehekin Pastry Company.  We sat, staring out at the lake and mountains beyond, munching quietly our cinnamon twists.  It was time to make a plan.

There were two things...two big "ifs" that had to be considered.  Shiny's knee and the weather.

The biggest problem with the knee seemed to be the swelling.  If we could get that to go down, we might have a better idea of whether she could hike another 88 miles.  Sigh...that's all it was...80 miles to the border, and another 8 to Manning Park Lodge...4 days of hiking...so close.

The weather...neither one of us relished the idea of dealing with more rain and snow.   The first report we saw at he post office looked promising...partly cloudy with only 10 to 20% chance of precipitation predicted for the next 5-7 days.  I was still skeptical.

So, the plan.  It was Friday afternoon.  We decided that we would stay in Stehekin through Sunday night...two and a half days.  In that time, we would monitor the knee and keep checking the weather. Monday we would make the call...hike out...or not.

Shiny spent the next two days eating Ibuprophen like a chipmunk and icing her knee.  Almost everyone knew us and our story by now...hikers, locals and tourists.  Many stopped to talk, ask questions and offer encouragement.  One woman gave Shiny her knee brace.  

The EMT at the ranger station looked at the knee, gave her some advice and a bandage for compression. 

Saturday:  We had breakfast at the resort coffee shop, a quarter mile from our tent.  "Hey", Shiny said, "my knee didn't ache from the walk."  It was an improvement from yesterday, but still badly swollen.

We ventured out to the bakery for lunch.  There was a shuttle.  

Pig Pen, Paul Bunion, Kentucky and Sanford bid us farewell and boarded the shuttle back to the trailhead.  Karma was the only one of our friends left in town now.

Sunday:  Shiny's knee was still improving.

The resort owner informed us that there would be a room for us tonight.  She gave Shiny some Epsom salts from her own supply.

It was back to the bakery again today for lunch.  Karma was there. We ate together and bought him a pastry for he trail.  He was leaving today...he would be the last.

About Karma...  We awoke this morning to the sound of his flute wafting up through the trees from the lakeside.  We had heard that flute many times on the trail.  It always lifted our hearts and freed our minds.  As we sat at lunch, he was wearing his well-known cap of feathers.  Shiny had always admired his collection and, had been trying to find a Blue Jay feather to replace the one she lost back in California.  He knew this, and had been trying to find one for her ever since.  

Leaving on the Stehekin shuttle

Monday:  We would hike out today.  The weather report showed a solid 5 days without rain.

Shiny's knee looked almost normal now.  She had spent most of yesterday in the hotel room resting and icing after her Epsom salt bath.

Stehekin was closing up for the winter.  Shuttle service was down to once-a-day, the tourists were all gone and the resort staff were finishing out their last few days of work.

We ate our last breakfast in the coffee shop and boarded the shuttle.  We were the only ones on it.  45 minutes later we were on the trail.

Our plan was to hike 16 miles the first day, about that the second day, and as far as Shiny's knee would allow after that.  We packed enough food for six days, in case we had to take it slow.

She continued to improve.  We ended up hiking 17 miles the first two days and 23 the next two.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect.  It was partly cloudy, warm sun, crisp autumn air and the occasional mountain breeze.  

We were now regularly walking through brilliant fall color...blueberry bushes of every hue and Larch trees. The latter were a new experience for us...deciduous pine trees, wow.

PB napping in the warm autumn sun

On day 2 we caught up to Pigpen, Sanford, Kentucky and Paul Bunion, napping on a hilltop. They were taking it slow, savoring the last few days of he journey.

About Paul Bunion... We had only crossed paths with PB, and never really hiked with him.  Our first encounter was way back in California, somewhere around Lake Isabella.  For whatever reasons, we had never quite connected with him,  never really tried...our loss.

Five days ago, as Shiny sat on a picnic bench in despair, knee aching, waiting for the shuttle into Stehekin, it was PB who sat with her...listened...encouraged her..."don't give up, you can still make it."  Thank you PB...She didn't give up. We made it

Wednesday:  We would finish tomorrow...wow...tomorrow!

We were hiking alone again now.  We wanted it that way, wanted to experience the last of our journey...just the two of us.

About an hour before we reached our last campsite of the trip, a day hiker passed us going the other way.

"Is one of you Shiny"?  He asked

"Um...yes."

"Cool, you have trail-mail up ahead...about a half an hour"

"Wow, ok, cool".  This was new.  

We hadn't had "trail-mail" yet.  This was when someone you knew left a note under a rock in the middle of the trail.  It was from Karma...remember the feathers? It was for Shiny.  It was a blue feather in a zip-lock bag.

Last day...23 miles. We new we were close.  We rounded the corner of the last switchback and Shiny stopped.  She was crying.  She was staring at the monument...the end of the trail.

Another third of a mile...a huge camp fire.  There was Paul Bunion, PigPen, Kentucky and Sanford...clapping...cheering.  

We were done.  We had made it.

SHINY & HALF-DOUBLE SIGNING OFF...