The end of Oregon and PICTURES at last

I am at the Hood River Library gazing at the Columbia River and Washington!  We made it into Cascade Locks on July 3rd, just in time to hook up with our friends, the Wilsons.  They picked us up at the bottom of the amazingly lovely Eagle Creek, a section of trail off the PCT that includes amazing waterfalls (including one that you walk behind).  Since leaving the spectacular Timberline Inn on Mt Hood we hiked on actual (i.e., no snow) trail for three days.  It was wonderful to finally feel that thru-hiker strength propelling us miles down the trail each day.  We have not been able to add photos to this blog, but now I'll give it another try and with success:

Jay on June 7th, on discovering he forgot his warm hat got to change his trail name from Jayhawk to Captain Underpants as he donned his drawers upon his head.

We enetered the Sky Lakes Wilderness full of commitment to finish our hike.  The Gods must love us.  Last year we flip flopped all over California avoiding the snow.  This year the California passes are clear and Oregon is buried with one of the coldest Junes on record.   

What does that mean?  SNOW

OK so I got the pictures on here but they are in reverse order.  So check the date stamps.  and I will try to clarify the captions!  This is the end of one of many glissades through the area.  Jay loved it.

Jay has his first Banana Split in Hood River Oregon, where we spent time with our friends, the Wilsons.  This banana split has been consumed after long time on the trail.

We took an alternate route to Cascade Locks down a beautiful canyon called Eagle Creek.  It is full of waterfalls, even one that you walk behind!  A boy and his dog are depicted here.

Kevin doing John Muir

VOLCANO

Mountain with powerlines -- an entry into our list of "true" nature photography.

Coolest bridge yet over Sandy Creek.  

Ramona Falls, minus the fifty tourists who are there as well.  Nice photographing trick.

What Flower is this?

Or this

The Cascades

flowers?  

A sense of what our Mt. Hood hike looked like while doing it.  Surreal.

Kevin enjoying a cold one at the amazing WPA project, the Timberline Inn at the top of Mt Hood.

oh yeah MORE SNOW and this time it's glacial

Kim from Main Street Tours in Medford rescued us three times as we were trying to get started on our NoBo trek.

Here we are at Eagle Creek, just from the falls that you walk behind.  Hence, Jay looks freaked.

Bear grass