Oh the Oregon Coast Trail is simply magnificent! We have been out for three nights and are loving every minute of it.  It is a beautfiul trail that leads us to gorgeous beaches and through rainforesty mountains. 

Haystack Rock

One thing we love about the beaches is that every other family we run into has a dog =) There are a ton of happy dogs everywhere, running free and meeting other happy dogs. 

Our second night on the trail- a shelter- woohoo!

Yesterday we walked through Cannon Beach and picked up some more food. Cannon Beach has a couple really amazing art galleries and we had a great time taking a look before we continued on our hike.

At low tide, both humans and fun-loving dogs can cross the cape

Today we are in Manzanita where we will return to beach walking on our way past Tillamook, home of Oregon’s famous dairy-heirs.

…and sometimes our backyard looks like this!

 We hope to get a new camera battery soon  so we can send more beautiful pictures, but for now we will keep updating with the Blackberry! Thanks for following,

-heather and stephen

Hello everybody! We made it to Olallie Lake.  We were hoping to find a ranger station, but apparently it closed a couple years ago. We had read a few days before that people heading north from the California/Oregon border were forced to turn around within one-hundred miles because of the condition of the trail from the abundant snow.  We spoke to the new owner of the under-renovation cabins in Olallie, and she explained that the roads just miles from the lake were closed because they still sit under two feet of snow and no one can get up there. We knew we should gather more information before carrying on, so we hitched into the town of Detroit to rest up, dry out, and research the latest trail conditions.  Being that it was the 4th of July weekend, the small town of Detroit was extremely populated, filling up all the campsites and both of the motels. With nowhere to stay, we decided to hitch to Salem, Oregon.

Three people about our age picked us up from a street corner.  They were absolutely wonderful. We had a great time talking to them for the hour or so trip. Two of them work at a beautiful hotel called The Grand Hotel Phoenix, and they hooked us up with a luxurious room at a very low cost.  We thanked them a ton and I really hope they know what it meant to us!

The Grand Hotel has up to date computers (hooray!) and we have been able to look up quite a good bit of information.  More and more people are leaving the PCT this year, and many are trying to find their way through the snow.  One major problem, especially in Oregon and Washington, is Pacific Crest Trail Association volunteers who normally drive to different parts of the trail in spring to re-establish the trail from the previous winter have not been able to do their job.  They do not have a way to get the the trail to maintain it.  Another problem is some of the lodges that would be used as re-supply have not even been able to open.  What a year for the trail!

We were hoping to skip to the next dry section on the trail to get some decent miles completed and then tackle the parts we missed when a little more of the snow melts.  However, there seems to be no dry trail left. The reports are the same everywhere: a prolonged rainy season has delayed both the coming of summer and the melting of the late and heavy winter snow.  But wait! We have a temporary solution that we are really excited about. Anyone heard of the Oregon Coast Trail?  I hadn’t until two days ago, but I am loving everything I learn.

The Oregon Coast Trail (OCT) runs the entire length of Oregon, about 400 miles.  It follows the coast and leads its hikers through sandy beaches, rocky cliffs, and historic waterfront towns.  We got the idea from a couple who seem to be sharing our predicament.   Check this out : http://www.trailjournals.com/jimandwendy .

So we will hike through Oregon on the OCT instead of the PCT. We should finish in about a month. We will then check out the new conditons of the trail, and hopefully find a good place to jump back on! We are thrilled that at least for a month we are out of the snow, and in sight of the magnificent Pacific Ocean. We will be on the coast for my birthday! (July 15th, and all I could ever wish for are BlinkLove donations =) !

I accidentally left my camera battery and charger at Timberline Lodge, and it has not been reported to their lost and found so we will be short on pictures until I am able to get a new one- sorry.  I will try to upload pictures from my phone, though! We should have more service on this trail and be able to keep in touch more easily.

Well thank you sososososo much you guys for reading our posts, and especially for your comments! They mean the world to us.

Keep being awesome- we really miss you,

heather~ and bOdi

100% of BlinkLove donations go to the aid of animals in need and donations are always tax-deductible. Every little bit helps.

Learn to Blink, Share the Love.

=)

“Lost for good?” Though I gave it little attention, this thought did bounce about in my head. Oh, where to begin…

The slugs are as big as your hand! AAAAh!

Oregon is beautiful, green, and alive. I finally began to feel confident again about our place on the trail as we began hiking from Cascade Locks. The trail much reminded me of my favorite parts of the Appalachian Trail, and I was almost skipping along despite the weight of my pack. We hiked 17 miles our first day, and 23 the second. We had a tough river crossing and a steep 6 mile climb, but other than that the trail was simple and beautiful. Some snow here and there, but nothing we couldn’t tackle. Our third day, yesterday, we planned to do 7 miles into Timberline Lodge. We would eat a hot meal, buy some more food, and continue on our way to Ollalie Lake.

We knew we were going to be confronted with more snow, but we could not have imagined the state of the trail. I barely want to type this for I have no desire to relive the day again in my mind. Yet, at the same time, this is our blog, our journal, and I want it to be honest and personal. I want to remember everything. So here goes: The snow started off in patches, and did not seem to be a big deal. The trail is well marked and pretty easy to follow. Then suddenly, it was gone. Snow covered everything.

We have been through this before so we just continued hiking up, since we knew we were supposed to be climbing 2000 feet. We climbed and climbed and climbed, until the clouds finally began to break and we caught a view of where we were heading- directly up Mt. Hood. We turned to the right and began looking more desperately for the trail. The next several hours we searched and guessed where we needed to head. I get dizzy just thinking about it. We had eaten all of our protein bars at this point and only had dehydrated meals left. We were bushwhacking and grabbing on to trees to keep from slipping down dangerous slopes. We were post-holing to our waists.

It is one thing to climb a mountain as a thru-hiker. You are already worn thin from previous hiking and too little food. You see the top and you know you have got to go for it. You get yourself excited by imagining the view from atop, and the muscle you will build along the way. As you begin your climb, you feel the weight of your pack more than ever before. The mountain drains you physically. The mountain drains you mentally by reminding you of all the climbs you have made so far, and how many more you have left to do. You start to think about how you will be doing this exact same thing everyday for the next five months. You begin to question why you are doing this to yourself? Finally you are at the top, and what do you do? You keep going. Climbing mountains are tough as a thru-hiker, but climbing the same mountains covered in snow is a completely different world.

Oops!

My first fall in the snow was on the second day. I slipped, hit rocks, and had to grab onto thorns to keep from sliding further down the mountain. The third day, my body would have wished for this simple fall over and over instead of what it endured. We were relieved to find the trail, but celebrated a bit too quickly. After being lost in the snow for several hours, we had to cross a freezing cold river. Stephen just left his socks and shoes on given that they were already soaked through from the snow. We crossed the river and headed up the trail- less than 4 miles less to Timberline Lodge. Oh, but who would have known, the trail was completely demolished. Avalanches and mudslides have destroyed this section of the trail. We had absolutely no choice but to leave the trail and make our own way up the next 2,000 ft climb. How frustrating! We began heading straight up, once again. By now though, our bodies were tired and we were very hungry. We did not want to stop to cook a meal, because we knew we could eat at Timberline Lodge and we did not want to waste a nutritional dehydrated meal. We did not know what sort of re-supply there would be at the lodge, and we still had about 50 miles to Ollalie Lake. Plus, we just wanted to get inside and be warm and safe!

My mind was still racing with motivation but my body was having trouble keeping up. As I pushed off from a small pine tree and hustled up the steep incline to the next small tree, I noticed I was breathing heavily- but wasn’t that to be expected? Yet when I reached up and grabbed a hold of the next tree I gasped for air and no air came. Oh no, not now…but yes, an asthma attack.

I have exercise induced asthma and had three asthma attacks on the AT. Asthma attacks are not a big deal to me. From my experience, they are only a problem if I panic during them. I learned from the first few that I do not need to panic, I just need to keep my mind calm and wait for the air to come. I had warned Stephen before the hike and a couple times since that I might have one, and not to worry. I sound like I am dying and tears stream down my face, but I know what I need to to and I do it. So during the attack I was not scared for my life, but just like every other one, I did feel like I was fighting for it. I knew I would win and be fine. The downside is they completely, and I mean completely wear me out. So after some Albuterol and a few minutes of normal breathing, I tired to get going again. I had no choice, I was hanging from a tree on the side of the mountain. And that was my breaking point. After the attack I just felt like I had nothing else in me and fear took over. I looked down. If I fell, I was not going to stop. If I was lucky I would hit the last tree I used as a hold, but it was too small to keep me from continuing to fall down the side of the mountain. I just hung there, trying to make my next move, trying not to let the fear conquer me and set me off balance.

Have you ever been climbing and reached higher than you felt comfortable? Have you ever been bungee jumping? This is the fear I was experiencing. The fear right before bungee jumping. I know it very well. I am afraid of heights and I have bungee jumped three times, sky diving twice, hang gliding, paragliding… I enjoy these sports because I face my fear, but all the time knowing I will be okay. The difference yesterday was that I did not know I would be okay. It was the same fear but without the parachute, without the harness, without the ropes. It paralyzed me. Stephen crawled down as much as he could and tried to steady himself so he could give me a hand. I had no choice, it was literally go for it or fall. So I gave it everything I did not have left and met Stephen’s hand. He helped pull me up to the next tree and we kept going.

This is what it looked like when the trail disappeared, before it got steep.

Luckily I became a little delusional after that which made everything appear easier. I could keep writing pages, but to sum it up we just kept climbing in the snow. We cut across a mountain we just knew had to be in the direction of the lodge. We were getting much closer when suddenly we came to a glacier canyon. This was most devastating. We had to go up even more of Mt. Hood to get around it. We walked straight up in less than 30 degree weather. This was Stephen’s breaking point. He began stopping every five steps to encourage himself to hike five more. We did not want to stop to eat because it was so cold and we felt like we were really close. Yet once I started seeing spots and almost fell over, we knew we had to. We stopped, cooked a meal, tried to warm up our toes, and then kept climbing. We knew we were close, for we were now higher than most of the ski lift. We hiked to the top of it, and saw the lodge at the bottom. We literally ran down to it. HOOOORRRRAAAAYYYY!!!!!!

We do not want to go back out there =( Since the lodge is literally on the trail, we knew it would typically be a place most hikers would stop for a night or at least a meal. Yet we also knew that no one had done what we just had. There were no footprints and the trail was literally impossible to walk on. We asked at the front desk if they had seen any thru-hikers. A man said yes, he had seen one. We asked which direction the hiker had been heading and he said, “I don’t know. He was really out of it and I could not tell from where he had come.”

So my big question is- where is everybody else? A couple hundred came out this year with the intention of hiking the entire trail, where are they? Are they battling though the Sierras? Did they just skip that section and they are in northern California with sunny skies and green hills? Did they go home?

Where is the trail?

I have been researching on the Pacific Crest Trail Association website and Trail Journals. Seems to be that almost every south bounder, if not every one, has aborted their hike or headed to another part of the trail. A lot of people have gone home saying this is simply not the year to hike the PCT. Some people are attempting southern Oregon. Some have skipped the Sierras and are trying out northern California. One person who chose this route documented,”The most experienced mountaineers were not making it through the Sierras, so we are skipping this section and heading north”. Yet reading more, some folks are fighting through the Sierras as we speak. There are reports of multiple avalanches and of course, very difficult water crossings. One that really gets me is, “He told me he crossed a river, pack over his head and water up to his armpits- the man is six foot four.”

So I have to say I feel better knowing that almost every other hiker is as dumbfounded as we are, all over the place and in search of anywhere in decent shape to hike some miles. Time is crunching on all of us. We have decided not to stress about miles, but to just do as much as we can every day and hope that this year brings a late winter. We want to be home, but we will not give up. Charles is our motivation right now, and he is the picture that stands for the thousands of homeless animals and people around the world. We know what it is like to be cold. We know what it is like to be hungry. We know what it is like to wish to be inside with someone to take care of us, or at least to tell us we will be okay. We have put ourselves further out of our comfort zone than we could have imagined, and we keep doing it in hopes to raise awareness for those who do not have a choice. I do not know what the end of our PCT story will be, but I do know we will not stop until we have given it everything we have left, and then some more.

feather

We miss you Prince Charles!

You can’t always predict the weather. And no one predicted snow as low as 5,000 feet in late June, even in Canada. So it came as quite a surprise to arrive at Manning Park, British Columbia and start hearing first word of trail conditions. Before leaving for the north terminus of the trail we checked and double checked weather conditions and trail reports. All predicted that we would be walking under sunshine and at very comfortable temperatures (75, 80 degrees sounded good) following a late snow storm that was beginning to melt.

It is starting to seem a little silly and a bit cliché but guess what! The area around Manning Park, down through the Northern Cascades and the state of Washington, was not finished with winter. While we were on a plane or a bus headed that way, the warm temperatures vanished and the snow started falling again. The night-time temperature dropped to the 20′s and the first few hikers that had set out were already turning around.

6/19/10:     “From Manning Park– Expect snow patches around 4500 feet or above. Above 5000 there is only snow and the only non-snow camping available is between tree wells. Temperatures did not leave the 30s and it snowed for the 3 days straight that we were there. Snow baskets on trekking poles are necessary as well as tents for snow, extra warm clothing, and any other snow equipment that you are comfortable with. Conditions are not expected to improve much soon as there are thunderstorms and more snow predicted every day for the next week.
We are aborting a southbound hike and are going to be going to somewhere in California where there is not as much snow.”

This is the kind of report we have challenged in the past. We heard similar warnings before climbing Mt. Laguna, Mt. San Jacinto, and Mt. Baden-Powell. In those cases, however, we were following tracks and hikers were all around helping each other to navigate. Here in Canada, there is no one. It was also easier hiking those mountains because, despite the snow, the weather was warm. Yet up here it is still snowing and temperatures are not climbing out of the 30s. We have decided that is not only too risky for us but especially for Cowboy Charles.

So we decided, because of the extreme and unusual conditions of the PCT this year, that Charles is better off in the safe hands of the people of North Carolina. He has arrived happy and healthy and Stephen’s dear sister, Teresa, was kind enough to pick him up on late notice and will foster/fall in love with Cowboy Charles over the next couple days. Heather’s mom will be picking him up on Sunday and taking him home to wonderful Winston-Salem. Who wants to meet him?!

As for us, we will continue knocking out miles where the weather allows until we’ve covered it all. Today it’s off to Portland, Oregon where we’ll hike south through the state and into California where the *sigh* snow covered Sierra Nevadas await. Our plan is to hike back to where we left off, and hitch a ride back to our car. Then we will drive up to Washington and knock it out as the final leg. More to come, especially pictures!!!

Remember 100% of your tax-deductible donations go towards helping animals in need, just like Cowboy Charles.

Bodi Jefferson and Dreamer

Oh Cowboy Charles…

Blink’s Team is in Vancouver and tomorrow we will set out from the northern terminus of the PCT.

And just before we got on our on plane, we put Cowboy Charles on a plane set for his newest destination. As you all know, we felt we had gotten really lucky having found a home for our little friend just hours before he was set to fly to North Carolina where he would have to charm his way into a forever home. The technichian at his veterinarian visit had promised to adopt Charles with the knowledge that his only other option was to fly out the next morning at 8:00 a.m. So, it created quite the pickle for us when we got a call the next morning at around 10:00 a.m. from the vet tech saying “You need to come pick up Charles right away.”

We will never know for sure why Charles wasn’t welcome but the excuse we recieved was a stretch. Charles was found with a slight heart murmur. It’s the kind of heart murmur that the veterinarian originally described as “no big deal” and the Humane Society of Pasadena said would “most likely disappear as Charles grew out of it with age.” So it seemed strange to us that we picked him up again because “he has a serious heart condition that will require surgery and medication.” That opinion of a “serious heart condition” was again rejected by the same veterinarian when he spoke to us away from the vet tech and again said “no big deal.” A matter of cold feet we suppose.

It was a shame Charles couldn’t settle in to a happy home there but we were also happy to know he was safe with us. So that must beg the question ‘where is Charles now?’

With such short notice, and our first plan to fly him to NC foiled by cold feet, we had very few options. We could try to fly him to NC again. That would mean asking for huge favors from people who have done too much already- like driving through L.A. traffic to LAX and taking a dog through airport security- as well as asking Charles to take an 11 hour flight in the basement of a cargo plane. Everyone has been through too much for that.

The other option was to turn Cowboy Charles into a tried-and-true PCT hiker!

Guess.

My instincts tell me Charles is destined for stardom as a professional hiker. He is full of good energy and optimism. As the newest member of Blink’s Team he will be a fantastic diplomat for all the lives out there who were rescued or still need rescuing. He will be the brightest  beacon of hope for less fortunate animals until they too find a safe and happy place to love and play. We are even beginning to think he may be the true identity of that mysterious little pup in the Blink’s Hike logo.

Welcome to Blink’s Team, Cowboy Charles Mojave Blink.

-Mr. Stephen Bode Jefferson Warren Dunn (the names are adding up)

Stay tuned for pictures and stories about this little fur-ball of joy as he hikes the PCT (southbound!)

WOOPS: THIS POST HAS BEEN EDITED TO REFLECT BREAKING NEWS! If you read it once, read it again because its a whole new story!

If you are anything like me, then you have honestly enjoyed the updates from Heather and Stephen as they searched to find their doggie friend, Charles, a proper home where he could live safely and happily…

Before they could say their final goodbye to Charles though, as they thought that the vet that they had visited would be able to give him a good home… Fate twisted again and Charles got on a plane headed out of California, (the “humane” society could only say for sure that Charles would get 5 days before being euthenized… So he surely wasn’t headed there)!

Stay tuned to find out where Charles ends up as this story has yet to end!

Before boarding the plane in his new carrier, the Blinkers sent back some of the most adorable photos that you might ever hope to see.

Check out Charles in his 15 minutes of fame! Feel free to leave comments!

Spreading Blink Love all over the planet!

The Blink’s Blog readers have poured in with touching accounts and donations alike to remind us why this blog is not only worth reading, but worth supporting the causes for which Heather & Stephen risk their lives daily. Thank you readers and supporters… YOU ROCK!

The list of supporters continues to grow and Blink Love has recently received some very generous donations from those listed below!

• Ms. Louise B. Pollard
• Ms. Sandi Buley
• DeWitt Kierstead in honor of Drake Flynt’s Birthday
• Various Donors who generously gave at the Woofstock Festival’

Just in case you missed some of the comments on this blog, there is an all-star list of posted below.
The Blink Team seems to make friends wherever they go… and it is amazing to watch as these friends become supporters and leave messages of hope here on the blog.

Enjoy, spread the word, and keep the comments rolling!

-Allie

Sandi on June 10, 2010
“So why am I reading the post? Well, there are many reasons. First off, I’m happy to know Heather & Stephen are safe & sound and still on their journey. I love seeing the pics (that snake looked huge!) and it’s so interesting to hear how they get thru challenges like snowy peaks, etc. I’ve cared for my autistic stepson full time for the last 24 years and recently he got his very own house with a staff, so I’m just beginning to realize that there’s a whole world out there waiting for me to explore . I’m not sure I’m feeling quite adventurous enough at the moment to embark on a 6 month hike… but it sure is great to live vicariously thru Heather & Stephen and I feel inspired by their determination. I’ve been a member of Best Friend’s Animal Sanctuary for many years so I’m very much interested in helping animals and I love the charity aspect of the hike. So all in all, you guys are a true inspiration to this 43 year old empty nester who’s just beginning to test the waters of adventure in her own life . Keep up the good work and thanks for keeping us posted! Much love & good thoughts to you both!!”

Seagrass on June 12, 2010
“I read this blog because Heather Kierstead has showed me that angels exist in this world. She has taught me how to love everything and everyone. And she has taught me how to find something special about every single animal I meet. She inspired me to adopt a little kitty.
She is the most amazing cowgirl alive and she just so happens to be my best friend. Oh yeah…Stephen Dunn is her perfect cowboy.”

Maia on June 10, 2010
“Reason 1: I support this cause (by reading the blog) because I feel it represents young people taking responsability for what is theirs. This world, these animals & these people are yours!! I love the fact that you want them to be/ feel better and that you are getting involved.
Reason 2: I read this bolg because i like adventures out in the wildlife!
Reason 3: I also read it to know more about these two crazy characters i’m keen on.
Reason 4: i like how is written.
Besos! Chauuuu!!”

Paula on June 11, 2010
“I read the blog because it reminds me of what is RIGHT in the world. These are 2 of the most amazingly positive people I know that not only really LOVE all animals, but care so much about everything and everyone. I really enjoy hearing about the latest experiences they are going through, and the fact that they update often is great. In a world where too many people are out for only themselves, it gives me such hope to see people like Heather and Stephen trying so hard to make a difference in the world. I have to bow to the BLINK LOVE CREW!!! They have touched the lives of so many people, and if you have not had the fortunate experience of meeting them, I do hope you get to one day… THANK YOU for the great updates Stephen and Heather! I MISS YOU GUYS SO MUCH. I care because the organizations that are benefitting from this incredible and sometimes dangerous hike (Forsyth Humane Society, FurEver Friends, and Best Friends Animal Society in Utah), are 3 of my favorite non-profit groups. I remember several years ago, a little girl was missing in North Carolina for a day or more, when a stray dog found her after she had fallen into a well. Even though the dog saved this child’s life, the county decided the dog was unadoptable, and he was scheduled to be euthanized. Best Friends stepped in and took this dog to their sanctuary where he could live out the rest of his life in a great environment. There are many wonderful stories from all of these organizations about the lives they have touched and the great work they are doing. Each one of these organization are not just about finding homes for the many unwanted animals, but are big in EDUCATING the public, and making this world a better place!!!
What’s the big deal? One of the messages that the Blink Love crew is trying to get out is to give back…..Where most of us cannot go on an adventure like this, we can all do something. Get out and volunteer to help those less fortunate; blog with Blink Love (I’ve heard that they really like it when people blog with them); if you can spare a dollar or more, donate to Blink Love. Instead of giving a gift to someone that has everything, consider making a donation to Blink Love, and send a nice card stating that you made a donation in honor of them. It’s easy, and will make such a difference in the lives of so many.”

DeWitt on June 14, 2010
“My heart is in my throat over what has been written here – I second it all! As Heather’s mom, I like to know what she’s up to… But I also forget who is writing as I get caught up in their fantastic tales. Living in the wilderness is sooo not what i would like to do and I read to try and get a smidgen of understanding about why they like it. It’s all too amazing to me! I love the photos and videos and think Allie is doing a great job with the site. Thanks very much to you all!! And so much love to Cowboy Stephen & my Feather”

Well I would be lying if I denied that tears are hiding right under this tough complexion of mine.  My oh my, I have done this a hundred times, but he really got me.  I have been fostering since I understood what the word meant, always keeping in view the bigger picture.  Knowing how I was helping the animal overall, and not getting hung up on my own selfish emotions when letting go.  But anyone who meets Charles is reminded of true and unconditional love. He loves everyone and everything, and can’t help but show it every second.  I remember telling my family on the phone, he is like the joy of a laughing baby, yet that is his consistent aura. It just doesn’t fade.

So we took Charles to the vet, a much more professional atmosphere than we found in Lancaster. We had even more tests done and he passed to get his health certificate in order to fly.  The next step was buying the $250 ticket and sending him to NC in hopes of finding a good home there.  We were checking out when a vet tech started asking us more about him. She was amazed for all that we were doing for him despite not planning to keep him.  She is also a professional dog walker and said that one of her everyday clients just said she was looking for a small male dog.  She just knows that Charles will be perfect for her. She then assured us that even if her friend does not want him, she would love to keep him herself.  She has been looking for a dog for her son and she thinks he would be perfect.  Haven’t we been telling you he is?

She asked if we would give him to her.  We both felt really good about it (the unselfish parts of us=) ).  During our visit we learned that Charles’ baby teeth on the sides did not fall out when they were supposed to which is around six months of age. He still has many of them and they need to be pulled so his adult teeth can grow in. This vet also guesses that Charles may be closer to four years old, rather than two.  The fact that he does not have a microchip or collar, is not neutered, and did not have proper dental care convinces us even more that he was abandoned and not accidentally lost.  All the staff agree, especially because people very often abandon their animals in the desert.  We feel very comfortable signing over ownership to the vet-tech for many reasons, but one of them being because she is very adamant about have him neutered and all his dental work performed.

So, it is a happy story. We will go back to the vet tomorrow to bring Charles some food and find out which home he will go to forever (the vet-tech or her friend). We left her about 10 business cards in case she loses 9 of them, in hopes we can continue to get updates about our sweet cowboy prince. We are SO THANKFUL to everyone who helped out with this.  Anyone who offered a hand to Charles or even encouragement to us made this so much easier and we really really really appreciate it.  We love you guys.

We are both a little choked up, but know we have done the right thing.  We are setting out for artichoke hearts and a glass of wine, in celebration of Charles and in hopes of soothing our own hearts a little.

We fly to Canada on Saturday, just preparing and eating as much as we can before then.

More updates to come, heather~

Hello everyone!!

We have had quite a few questions about Cowboy Charles.  If you haven’t heard yet, he is the nicest dog that we have ever met.  He loves everyone and everything. He has ears that express each emotion. He is a small white terrier mix, and now that he is shaved you can see tan spots including one in the shape of a heart.  It is to be believed that Cowboy Charles was abandoned in the desert. Charles has the look in his face of  excitement and (I do not think i am practicing anthropomorphism here) sheer gratitude.

We have not been sure exactly what do with Mr. Charles. We heard Ojai had a really good humane society. Stephen has friends there so they picked us up and let us stay at their house.  We had a great time visiting with them- how often is it there are four guys with incredibly beautiful and harmonizing voices passing around a trumpet and guitar?  I was completely in awe of their talent and felt so privileged to have the time to spend with them. Yet unfortunately, the humane society in Ojai would not take Charles because we have not had him for 30 days.

We thought it would be good to fly him home, knowing we could eventually get him in to the Forsyth Humane Society whom we know and trust.  Also, the magnificent Sherri Nielson has offered to take him in a least until we return.  The reason we have been hesitant is because he is only 9.7lbs, and it would be a very long flight.  I called Best Friends Animal Society for advice.  They said they do 80% of their animal transportations by air, and not to worry.

We have continued to try to find a place for him here.  Once again cousin Peyton and Amy have come to the rescue, saying they could watch him short-term if needed.  It has been great having options and we SO THANK the people who have stepped up to help us out.  In one hour we are taking Charles back to the vet.  This time we hope to get a health certificate the appropriate paperwork for him to fly.  Stephen and I leave for Canada Saturday, and if we decide to send him, Charles will board a plane early tomorrow morning. Until then friends in this area are still eagerly looking for anyone who may be interested in keeping him! We will definitely know the final plan soon and promise to keep you updated =)

Much love,

heather~

Hello everyone!

The hiking has been beautiful! We had the wonderful spoil of visiting two hostiles- the Sauphley’s and the Anderson’s.  Piano, horses, healthy and happy dogs, good people…They made the last 60 + miles fly by. We are at 518 now, crossing the 500 mile line was awesome!

We have a lot of news for you…Lately Stephen and I have been discussing the idea of flip flopping.  Flip flopping is skipping a section of trail, and hiking in the opposite direction to return to the place where one left the trail. Where and why would we do this?  We would do it before reaching the Sierras, catching a plane up to Manning Park, Canada.  We would then hike southbound until we reached the point of the trail we left. We want to do this because this has been a HUGE snow year for California and the Sierras are loaded.  As a result of the abundant snow, snowmelt will cause the river crossings to be more difficult than ever (you can find some videos hikers made during previous years on youtube).  A little reasearch showed us that river crossings are always dangerous in the Sierras and have caused most hikers to lose their balance and even get swept away and pulled under.   Hiker “NO Pain” who attempted the area last  year told us, ” These rivers aren’t even on the map, as they are entirely made of snow melt. You can not go around them, the only way to keep going is through them.  You have to keep a good pace or else the water will pull you under. It pulled me under anyway.”

So! That was last year with a very low snow average can you imagine this year?! This is what mainly makes southbounding sound so appealing, and many hikers are talking about it.  People on the PCT flip flop every year, but I will not be surprised if the largest number this year chooses to do so.  Other advantages are we can skip out on some of the fall rain in Oregon and Washington, and we will finish a lot closer to where our car is making it that much easier to return to good ole’ Winston-Salem.

Now for the story you are seeking from this post title! We were hiking along yesterday morning about 7 miles out from Highway 138.  We passed a man going south, and I asked how he was doing. He said he was feeling sad, because he just had to leave a puppy behind. He had found the dog in the desert and carried him along for three days (people often abandon their dogs out in the desert) .  He said he had to leave the little guy at Hikertown, a hostile just off the trail at Highway 138), and was worried about him.  He did not want to leave him, but he said he had to because the dog is not strong enough to do the trail, and the man is from Europe and would not be able to take him out of the country anyway.  We were planning to re-supply and stay in Lancaster instead of Hikertown, but we told him we would stop by and check on the dog. 

We walked pretty quickly and arrived at Hikertown in a couple of hours.  We opened a gate and found shade and water.  The hiker had told us to find Bob, and when we did he showed us to the abandoned dog.  The little white fluff ball ran up to us and jumped in Stephens lap, licking him as much as he could.  I asked Bob what they planned to do.  He informed me that the owner, Richard Skaggs, would be back tomorrow but they had to get rid of the dog.  He told me one of their rooms had four 4 week old kittens, who’s mother had just left a few days ago. ( I offered to help get these kittens to a rescue but he plans on keeping them all).  There were already two other dogs and they couldn’t take this one on too.  I checked on the kittens, who thankfully look to be more about 8 weeks, and walked around the rest of the hostile.  I was followed by a good number of chickens everywhere I went and spent some time with an old skinny and sweet black dog.  We eventually picked up the pup and started hitchhiking to Lancaster.

We were able to make it to Lancaster getting two rides, both of which were interesting, but the second one surprisingly more so then the first.  The woman who picked us up for the second leg of our hitch  talked a good bit about some very odd things and then fell on the subject of the pound near by. We do not know what all to believe from everything she said, but here is what she said, “I worked for the pound near here for a while, about 5 blocks over to the left. People don’t work there ’cause they like dogs, they work there ’cause they hate dogs.  They can’t wait to put ‘em to sleep or have one start running away so they can shoot at it.  They even dissect ‘em there…” Not that we were thinking of it before, but there is no way we are taking this adorable white terrier mix to the pound. It also made me even more grateful for the pound we have in Winston-Salem, as I know a couple of the people who work there and they are wonderful.

We wanted to take the pup to the groomers to get him looking fresh, but first had to be a vet visit.  We asked that they scan him for a microchip and the answer- negative.  This fact and give that he also is not neutered leads us even more to believe that he was actually dropped off in the desert and not somehow lost.  The vet commented on just how nice and sweet he is =) .  He also informed us that he has a slight heart murmur, but he expects it to get better without any medical care.  It is something that will need to be checked on in the future.  Other than  that and a few dreadlocks, he is perfect! He  weighs about 9.6 pounds and is estimated to be around two years old. The vet said he is not good at guessing breeds, so we are sticking to white terrier mix.

Anyone who has the chance to meet this dog is privileged.  Things so familiar to us seem quite foreign to him.  It is as if he has never seen a mirror before.  The first time he noticed the full length in our hotel room, his whole body shook with excitement.  He started vigorously wagging his tail and jumping up, trying to meet this dashing young dog before him. Of course we grabbed the camera and have a little video to show you which you can see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eG7lZkBBs_M

One he began to trust us even more, he started rolling over and now does so every time I reach to pet him.  Oh, he is splendid!  So what now?  =) We are working on that…We certainly can’t bring him with us.  He is very small and what researchers call “bait” for mountain lions and coyotes.  Plus, we experience some pretty harsh conditions that it would be unsafe and unfair to put him through. With our flip flopping plan, we are bound to be at an airport soon, and we could send him to someone (My parents!?! Forsyth Humane Society, Best Friends?). I have always hated the idea of flying pets, however I feel better flying him knowing exactly who he is going to other than relying on the good faith of people I meet in this area. 

More more more to come, love you all so much!

heather~