It’s Cameron. I’m checking in from the road. I’ve lost track of how many days straight I’ve been camping. Right now I’m blogging this from the top bunk in a friend’s RV.
My Dad and I left the Oregon Coast two days ago. We threw all our gear in the truck, including two bikes, and golf clubs. We almost brought the cataraft, but we have a full plate. Did I mention my father loves buffets? You know we went to Izzy’s Pizza already.
On day one we hiked 4 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail near the popular attraction Three Fingered Jack. It’s in the Cascade Range in Oregon. The forest there was scorched in the 2003 wildfire. It’s a beautiful wasteland. Dusty, but boasting epic views of mountains all around.
I would have taken pictures on our first hike, but my iPhone 4S got wet and fried the day we left. It was in a case, but soaked up just enough dew from inside my tent to fail. I should have put down a tarp. My bad. $300 later, I finally got a new 32 GB Apple iPhone today at Verizon wireless. I had to have a camera on our trip.
Tomorrow we will leave Redmond and enter the forest surrounding Mount Jefferson to begin backpacking. We’re squeezing in a round of golf at Eagle Crest also. They have the best real grass, outdoor mini-golf course. I’m gonna get a hole-in-one.
I’ve been to Whole Foods, REI, Dick’s, and other outfitters, so my backpack is loaded. I have plenty of food for three days on the PCT, plus of course my sleeping bag, tent, and the rest of the camping essentials. This week I picked up a Kelty sleeping mat, and a Jetboil stove. Now it’s time to rest. Thanks for following the Survival Bros blog. More from my trip soon. It’s almost 1 AM where I’m at. Night.
Update: I tried to be lazy today. It was 95 plus degrees in Redmond and Bend today. My first priority was to stay hydrated. I chugged more than a liter of coconut water this morning, plus a Dutch Bros coffee my dad brought back.
We ended up golfing The Greens at Redmond today. It’s well maintained and challenging. We played 9 holes and walked. It was hot! I thought about following my ball into the water hazard. I only lost one.
After golf I went out on the town in Redmond. I sifted at the Goodwill thrift store and found a Zen Garden, a great bicycle fender, and a book on juicing vegetables and fruit!
Then I found a huge antique mall! I could look at collectables all day. I checked out silver and copper coins, old toys, and priced other oddities. I found a Buddy Lee doll, and a hand painted sign offering pony stud service by Champ. I took a quick photo.
The weather is wild in the Bend area. You can see snow on the mountain peaks, but it’s sweltering. It’s dusk now. My buddy’s dog and I have been looking out the window at the flashes of lightening. The thunder is tremendous. Growling like my belly after a workout. And the lights are flickering. There was another bolt! It’s the Wild West out here.
I still have to pack my backpack for our 3 day hike starting tomorrow. Right now my gear is scattered around the RV. I will get to it after I stretch more. I feel ready to charge The Mount Jefferson wilderness, but there will be more challenges ahead. Really our trip is just about to start. More soon.
Survival Bros by Cameron McKirdy 