Beastmode

I’d like to kick off with a: “Happy birthday brother Stino!!”

This morning was slow going. The shop was open and they had coffee. So I had to indulge. There was a lot of talk about different approaches for the upcoming stretch. Some talked about doing big miles, others to carry on with the pace they’d been hiking at. It would be a little more than 50 miles to the Timberline Lodge, which is a popular restaurant at the slopes of Mount Hood. There was even talk on trail of doing the stretch in one go. Or at least within 24 hours, possibly catching a couple of hours sleep, only to hike out in the middle of the night again.
I hadn’t really thought about any of it, and just wanted to make up my mind as I went.
Hike your own hike.

As soon as I hit the trail around 0900 I felt my legs were strong today. Real strong. I flew across the trail, and caught up with the others at the first water source. Everybody was taking it easy, but I had really been enjoying the flow in which I’d been hiking and the fast pace that I was able to maintain. After quickly filling up my water-bottles, I left the others behind and started cruisin’ again.

I hardly stopped throughout the majority of the morning and early afternoon of hiking. The terrain was mostly gently sloping downhill, with the occasional mellow climb. It was not till 1430 when I sat down to have lunch that I checked my progress. I’d hiked 20 miles already! This is when my mind started to wander to the possibility of making it all the way to the Timberline Lodge…
It would be a brutal commitment.
A crazy long day.
51.3 miles total.
It would be painful.
But a part of me was very excited by the idea to test the capabilities of my body and mind at this stage of the journey. And I was feeling good. It was probably the strongest I’ve felt on trail after having hiked 20 miles already.
And so I told myself I was going to hike all the way to the Timberline Lodge.

With over 30 miles of ground left to cover, I thought about how I would schedule my breaks. When I would allow myself to rest. I checked the elevation profile and knew that I was in for quite the challenge; the final 9 miles of the stretch, the trail would ascent 3000 feet continuously.
After lunch, around 1500, I set out…

It wouldn’t be for long that I reached the water-source at which I had planned my next break. I sat down and collected more water as the sun was setting quickly. Just as I was about to hike out, Big-Bro caught up with me.
He too was aiming to go all the way to the lodge, but at the time was not sure yet if he’d try to get some sleep along the way or head to Timberline in one go.
I said goodbye and was soon hiking through the night. After a couple of miles I arrived at the creek, stopping for water that would have to last me for the following 16 mile dry stretch (including the ascent).
By now it was pitch-black, and my surroundings were quite spooky. I crossed this bridge, which I believed would lead me to the end of the world…

After collecting and filtering water, I had 18 miles left to go.
It was a little after 2000 now.
The trail led me into the dark woods, and to block out any suspicious noises that might startle me, I listened to music. With the beam of my headlamp only lighting up the trail in front of me, I imagined that this was probably how Harry Potter must have felt when wandering through the Forbidden Forest…
I thought about the fact that I was all alone, in the middle of this dense, pitch-black forest, so far away, at the other end of the world. My mind would go places, and it required serious willpower to not scare myself.
I kept it together pretty well I’d say.

Around 2200 I stopped to get a bite to eat and to put on warmer clothing. As I was sitting on the trail, now not listening to music, I did not feel totally at ease in this big dark world. The thought of hearing footsteps approach through the darkness was unsettling. Nobody showed up though.
I ate half of my meal, saving some for later, knowing that I’d still have a lot of hiking left. I had arrived upon the part of the stretch with the ascent.
It was rough going, and the minutes crept by slowly. Every once in a while I stopped for a moment to catch my breath, and I found myself thrilled once I learned that I had less than 10 miles to go.
Out of the double digits.

Fully aware that I would be subjecting my body to a level of strain which it had not yet experienced, I tried to feel as well as I could if there were any aches acting up. Which of course was the case; my body was already screaming for rest. The only thing that slightly worried me, was a burning feeling in my right ankle that flared up every once in a while. It was not getting to be a real pain though. So I kept hiking.
Still listening to music it became midnight, and my sweaty shirt was now cooling down my torso. I was wearing my windbreaker and woolen beanie too, but was just a slight away from being uncomfortable.
In my mind I’d broken the night down into chunks of 6 miles, and had the optimistic idea that I could make it to the lodge around 0200.
At 0130 I realized that that was not going to happen…

My headlight had grown more dim during the final hours, but it was still casting enough light on the trail to distinguish rocks and tree-roots, keeping me from tripping. At this stage I couldn’t be bothered to take off my pack, and dig up spare batteries anyway. The tedious task seemed unbearable.
With only three miles left, my body was now screaming for me to stop. Every muscle in my legs hurt.
I came across the spring and filled up another water-bottle (I had still one liter left) for the night to come. It took me about 300 feet to realise that the added 2 pounds of weight were just not going to happen. I emptied the bottle I’d just filled, telling myself I would drink tomorrow.
I kept pushing on, knowing I was getting closer now. Except it seemed I really didn’t get any closer at all. The trail got crazy steep, and all of a sudden I was out of the forest. Fully exposed now, heavy winds were beating my tired body, and I was getting cold fast. Yet I maintained the same mindset in regards to my puffy as I had before with my spare batteries; I could not be bothered to get it out of my pack.
I just kept on pushing through.
To add to the grind, the last 1.5 miles, the trail disappeared and now I was climbing through a wide sandbox of mushy, loose sand. It was horrible.
My progress was now tauntingly slow and I could not believe that the PCT had kept this terrain for last.
But then again, after all I’ve experienced so far, I should have known better.
At last I made it over the sandy climb, and I found the trail again, changed into heavenly flat rocky terrain. I checked my maps. I was really almost there now..

And after what seemed like eternity, I finally found myself in the shaded section of trees along the ridge, looking down on the lights of the Timberline Lodge, which hugged the hillside only couple hundred feet away. I found a flat spot near the other campers, and pitched my tent. I crashed on my sleeping pad. Exhausted. I checked the time. It was 0315.
Not wanting anytime else, I just lay there on my back, looking at the ceiling of my tent, blissfully resting my beaten feet in the comfort of my warm sleeping bag.

I had done it. 51.3 miles in a single session. What a brutally and invigorating challenge. I was really so very happy I’d made it. Not only because I could rest my shattered body now, but because I set myself a goal.
A very challenging goal.
And I’d managed to achieve that goal.
Mind over matter.
What a night.

Transmission third world war third round
A decade of the weapon of sound above ground
No shelter if you’re lookin’ for shade
I lick shots at the brutal charade
As the polls close like a casket
On truth devoured
A Silent play in the shadow of power
A spectacle monopolized
The camera’s eyes on choice disguised
Was it cast for the mass who burn and toil?
Or for the vultures who thirst for blood and oil?
Yes a spectacle monopolized
They hold the reins and stole your eyes
Or the fistagons
The bullets and bombs
Who stuff the banks
Who staff the party ranks
More for Gore or the son of a drug lord
None of the above fuck it cut the cord

Lights out!
Guerrilla Radio

Guerilla Radio – Rage against the Machine