Last day in the Wollawas

I woke up at 7 and boiled some water for tea and warm powdered goats milk. I ate my breakfast and packed up camp. I filled my camel back and two Nalgenes and was on the trail by 8.
I decided to hike down West Lostine river, and that meant that I would need to climb up over a pass. I made it to the ridge at 8:40 and was down to the other side by 9:15. I walked along the bank of Miniam lake and was impressed by the size and beauty. I passed a few hikers that all made mention that I had made it an early start. The silence of the trees and the singing of the birds entertained me for most of my journey. As I approached the end of the lake, a couple that had just finished bathing were dressing and caught slightly off guard by me, the silent single hiker. I would not have noticed except that they audibly reacted to me. They were fully clothed, but just barely.

I then decided that I wanted to hike at a pretty fast clip, just to see how fast I could hike. I moved my sleeping pad to a more strategic location on my pack and started moving. I made it to copper creek trail and saw a family there at 10:33 and was at my car by 11:25. I was alone in the parking lot and actually found a beer in my trunk that I had forgot about. The best part is that it had stayed cold from the chill of the night before and not having direct sunlight on it. A COLD BEER! I changed clothes and snacked a bit as I cleaned my car. A few forest service workers came along and asked me about my trip. It was nice to have a conversation. I drove into Joseph to wait for my friend to come out of the wilderness.

I walked around downtown and looked at the little shops. I then drove over by Wollawa lake and found a public park/swimming area. At the park there were many families, sunbathers, a woman playing her guitar softly on a picnic blanket, and a group of high school kids swimming with inflated innertubes. I soaked my feet for a good thirty minutes and then went back to town. I then sat outside the bowling alley and watched a movie on my laptop as I borrowed their wi-fi network in the shade of their building. I then found a small bakery and ate a cookie and found that they had live music in the evening.

I went back and forth between town, the lake, Chief Joseph's grave, and snoozing for most of the afternoon. As the sun began to go down, I decided to go to the lake and enjoy it at dusk. I played my guitar in the stillness and had one audience member. An old man took a folding chair into the water and listened to me as he drank a beer.

I then went back to town and listened to the live music from 8-10. At ten I drove by where I picked up the book and my friend Talia was there. They were finishing up a bbq. I was given a plate of food and I shared with all present my dino bones and other rocks from my travels. As I went to leave, they invited me to stay in the bunkhouse. It was nice to have a mattress for the first time in over 25 days. I hung out with the forest service workers and it was like being amongst my brethren. I wish I could have spent more time there.

I woke up early and started by drive back home. I stopped in Portland to visit my friends and have food. I finally got home at around 6 pm for the first time since June 28. What a great vacation.