hmm...........this could be interesting

Day 100, Mile 1731.2---Alright so i would like to be writing from inside my tent right now per usual but i am not. And it is not night time, and i am not in my lovely sleeping bag. I am just 5ish miles outside Ashland. Wait, let me start from the beginning which is definitely worth mentioning. We had another great half day at the resort that is Chuck and Julie's home. We got eggs benedict cooked for us, more internet time, more TV time, more food time, more good times. I am really glad i got the opportunity to meet them and stay at their great place. I know Icebag and Don't Panic did not want to leave, they drug their feet as long as possible. Icebag and myself got dropped off at the trail around 4:20ish and Don't Panic was headed back to the hostel for another night. We hiked less then 2.5 miles and came upon two girls having a picnic of sorts. We talked for a while and one of the girls said she was interested in doing the PCT next year. Long story short we decided to not do our miles, and they decided to go get beer and meet us up the trail about 2 miles to camp. We walked the two miles and came to Pilot rock trailhead. As we looked for camping spots a guy came down the trail and told us how amazing it is up at the top. It was quickly apparent that he was on something. He told us a story about college kids taking everything he had along with his car keys ::gesturing to the parked sequoia:: and then told us it was all good cause he found diamonds ::showing us handfuls of broken safety glass::. Then he got on a motorcycle that was parked there as well, apparently his too, and started it up. He told me he could get me a job in Huntington Beach when i get home and gave us his card, his name was Jesse. It all didn't really add up, he was from Minnesota, he had a place in HB, two vehicles worth about 50k combined parked at a trailhead in Oregon, and according to him he had been there a week. He told us to use anything we could find in the car and go camp halfway up Pilot Rock trail at a really good spot. At this point i am wondering where the bodies are. Then he says there is a fire dance in the plaza in Ashland tonight, if he happens to come back for the car he would like to take us to it and then bring us back. After he left we looked through the car. It seems he is who he says he is, the majority of the tickets in the car have the same name anyway. So after some deliberation we decided not to further our part in this guys life story and exited stage right. Dirt road right to be exact. We are hoping to catch the girls on the road below and go camp further down the road which actually meets back up with the trail. I know i might be skipping a mile or two but i would rather skip 3 and live to hike the rest. So, all of that to say, here we are sitting on the side of some dirt road hoping to see the ladies before Jesse. Man this post sounds like i am the one on drugs, but its all true, unfortunately. Wish me luck... although by the time you read this the ending will already be written. Thought of the day; i am learning to be opportunistic and go with the flow out here -but the current situation is not all that encouraging at the moment. Song of the day; none. Craving of the day; another bowl of granola with blueberries on top and then some banana gellato.

JWC on the PCT