Day 5

A glance at the time put me a rush.  Ryan is a 'wake and good to go person.'  Me, I need an hour and it takes me longer to warm up, thankfully I took that hour to wake up.  I am so grateful for his family putting me up for a few days.  A parent may get frustrated with their kids but, they get those little rewards of snuggling and seeing them grow that I'll never experience.  I may get the sweeping vistas of mountains hard climbed which another may not, you may see it as a photo but, never know the earned experience.  Somedays, as people, we envy the other way of life, however I'd turn this into the reason why we all need to share life together, to have friends of many ages and marital status, kids too.  We, as a community, learn and contribute to the greater of the fullness of life.  We need each other.

After being dropped off at PDX Union Station, I went in search of breakfast. First coffee of the day is to open the eyelids and the cup of cereal I eat is to keep it from revolting.  Found a shop or two but, nothing opens until I'd have to dash to the train.  I grabbed an over priced 50 cent danish from the station instead.  I'm good now until Seattle.

Rolling out of Portland, I glue myself the looking out the window, a teardrop rolls on the cheek, the right kind of tired.

So I get into Seattle, moments later after getting on the bus to Yale St, it gets cut off. The other driver just tags the bus, no injuries. Bawh, more delays... the bus driver still drops me off at the destination.

So I get to REI, walk in without being questioned like my store would, ask the fellow in the backpack dept if he had any roughly 50 litters by Osprey.  He pulls out a black and burnt orange pack.  Before I stuff my stuff into it, we check my pack size.  I'm in between small and medium torso.  I transfer gear from one to another.  It rides nicely, the small is a bit scant for the shoulder pads, the medium nails it.  I walk a bit around the store, make my purchase and leave.  Did I tell you this is the second pack I've gotten while on a long distance trail?

One item down, three to go. Next coffee, non-Starbucks.  Check, across the street, and done.  Next get out to my friend's place.  A fellow at another bus stop told me about the local transit app.  I put her address in my phone, followed the instructions, and over shot the stop because I got distracted looking up points of entry to the PCT.  Getting the right stop, her place was a quick 5 minute walk. I see blocks on a map and groan.  Utah's blocks are on the range of hundreds of feet.  Seattle could fit 3 into 1 of Utah's.

She stuck her head out the door.  She hasn't changed in 8 odd years.  I honestly forget how long it's been.  Another shoeless home, no worries, clean,  and well kept.  We chatted a while.  She'll see what can be done to help me get back to the PCT.  Being a nurse, she works long hours, to top, a commute of near an hour.  She disapears to bed.

I hang, sorting, poking at the purchase, thinking how is this gona hold?  It rode well as I walked the streets of Seattle, belt on and off.

Glancing at Craig's PCT Planner, I think if I jump in around White Pass even as late as July 24, I'll hit goal and not have to worry about being short on time.  More thought is needed. Now, I'm the babbler of tired.