July 29
Mileage 10
Mile 2145 to mile 2155

Sleeping so hard working our way down eagle creek along the narrow slick path waterfalls pouring into clear long pools forest canopy overhead and suddenly we’re at the parking lot. The trail goes up above I-80 we’re almost to town, I feel elated. In town it’s 9 a.m. the pizza shop is closed but there’s a little shop with white benches- isn’t this where Cheryl Strayed got the icecream cone at the end of the book? It’s hot inside, fan blasting in the corner. I get a salmon burger and a massive amount of fries. Everyone’s food is huge and cheap, a couple of southbounders come in and order soft-serve swirl icecream cones that are, I shit you not, two feet tall.

Resupply at the grocery store and then we walk across the bridge of the gods- the gorgeous Columbia River Gorge, grate below our feet leading way down to nothing, wind blowing so hard I have to clutch my hat on. Holding my groceries with my other arm, traffic driving past. A whole line of us. We’re in washington now!

Twinkle’s roommate’s parents, Maryjo and Chris, meet us and drive us to White Salmon, WA, where they live. Their house is a mansion. Three showers, soft white carpet, plush couches, beautiful cats. A regal pitbull and a kitchen made of marble and brushed steel. We sit on the deck in the long light and Maryjo feeds us chips, guacamole, washington cherries. There’s a cooler of beer on ice. I take a shower in the tile bathroom, water coming from every wall. Fancy conditioner in my hair, let it sit a long time. Our laundry tumbles in the dryer. Everyone is drinking and laughing, I sink into a leather recliner upstairs to blog. I’m so behind! No hanging out for me.

For dinner Maryjo makes us lasagna, warm potato salad, marinated chicken, arugala. Dessert is blackberry cobbler and icecream. Thank you Maryjo and Chris!!! There are three guest beds, I collapse late into a narrow twin one, neat bedspread makes me feel like I’m at my grandparent’s house. Cat dances on my face. I sleep.

Photos on instagram