Robert Francisco

Just dropped Rolling Thunder off at Amtrak. What a great two weeks.

Our last day on the trail was perfect as we hiked through Jefferson Park which is undoubtedly one of the nicest pieces of the entire Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail. The weather was perfectly tranquil, the snow navigation was tricky, the terrain a challenge, and the friends and memories simply beyond incredible.

After lunch, I picked up my pace and headed for a finish line that now represented a starting line; I wanted to be alone, needed to be alone with my thoughts – what a hike, what a year and a half of my life, what a surprising and altering (albeit not what I expected) experience.

One short mile from the end my trance was broken as I was startled by a day hiker – no a thru-hiker – my friend Weed. Weed had drove up from Vancouver Washington to congratulate us our hike; you can not buy that for all the money in the world. We walked to the end of my PCT hike together while sharing a connection that only thru-hikers understand.

How about we go to the mineral hot springs, have a huge dinner, and then go for a soak (naked naturally)? How about we do that…..Times have changed.