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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (July 24, 2019)
Wednesday, July 24, 2019 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 17 VENTURES! NTRY AND BEYOND Adventure travel in many forms ters Country dancing at Angeline¾s. Super <Class of »17 was certainly a they¾ve made it thus far, NOBOs desert, and SOBO¾s will have camp helped more than 1,300 300 ect- thru-hikers gratis and is expect- ing to host even more this year. Thru-hikers rely on the kind- ness of everyday people to act as trail angels, picking them up ass, at McKenzie or Santiam Pass, n or dropping them off in town ice, driving them to the post office, are Hike-N-Peak, the hardware d to store, or wherever they need lock go. Local hiker Blanche Tadlock has been a trail angel for the nior last four years. As a senior hiker who has backpacked the on, majority of the PCT in Oregon, Tadlock knows firsthand the kers practical needs of thru-hikers ken and often senses the unspoken ones. ers! “I love meeting thru-hikers! arn As a fellow backpacker, I learn rks a lot from them on what works and what doesn¾t,= she said. e- “Often they need encourage- ment and a listening ear. I¾m still in touch with many I¾ve helped in past years.” Others at Sisters Community Church caught Tadlock¾s passion for help- ing thru-hikers and this year a group of eight couples has joined Tadlock as trail angels. Phone numbers are listed at PCT trailheads and online t to help thru-hikers get rides to and from town and deal wit with special requests like finding a dentist or recommend- ing a r restaurant. Since some thru-hi thru-hikers may be on a tight budget budget, trail angels may let them c camp on their lawn, and offer laundry and a shower shower. Any Anyone can be a trail-angel but the there are obvious issues to consid consider before you offer a ride o or assistance to anyone you don¾t know: First, are they indeed a thru-hiker? Ta Tadlock said it is easy to sp spot a true thru-hiker, <They¾ve got the look and the gear. They¾ll be in shape, very dusty and dirty dirty, usua usually wearing a sun hat or b bandana, hiking poles atta attached to their back- pack and most don¾t wear bo boots, choosing instead (st (sturdy and lightweight) trail-runners.” Mary Bartholomew (T (Tinker, Los Angeles, C California), said “Thru- h hikers have the most c compact setup. If some- o one has a bulky setup, OM/HIKERS NCOLLINS.C LLINS, PAUL CO UL PA SY t h e y h a v e n ¾t b e e n TE PHOTO COUR Susan Waymire of TravelStore offers 30 years of industry experience to plan adven- turous trips of a lifetime. With her personal travel expertise, she can offer you trips to faraway places, draw- ing off of her own extensive travels. Many of her clients are looking for unique adventures such as the Galapagos, African safaris, or hiking trips to Europe. However, there are those that want more organized journeys such as river cruising, fall foliage trips and tropical destinations. Wherever you want to go, she can handcraft an itiner- ary to meet your travel needs. Adventure comes in many forms with Waymire’s services — they can be physi- cally challenging or simply a change from the ordinary destination. Waymire offers concierge-level service and she can help clients create elements in their travel they never thought of: luaus, snorkel trips, and privately guided tours. And she provides her travelers with a Pocket Travel App which allows them to organize all of their travel itinerary at their fingertips within their smartphone. Waymire can help you organize that trip of a lifetime so you can focus on the experience itself. PHOTO COUR TESY PAUL CO carrying it for weeks/months.” If you want to be sure you are talking to a thru-hiker and not a day-hiker or homeless person, ask clarifying questions that any true thru-hiker could answer without thinking. Are you SOBO or NOBO? What was your start date? Where did you start? (Campo, California on the Mexican border [NOBO], or Manning Park in British Columbia [SOBO]). Do you have a trail name (few won¾t)? Over 99 percdent of thru- hikers are wonderful people. That said if they make you feel uncomfortable just walk or drive away. If you are convinced they are a thru-hiker ask them how you can help. If it sounds reasonable, a trip to the post office maybe, great! A trip into Bend? Only if you have the time, gas and will- ingness. Often thru-hikers may offer to pitch in for gas. Sometimes a person may only be a trail angel for a few minutes, offering a ride from Ray¾s Food Place to the post office. The pleasure of meeting a LLINS, PAUL NCOLLINS.C OM/HIKERS thru-hiker, finding out how they came all the way from Sweden or China or one of the dozens of other countries to arrive at this moment makes for wonder- ful connections and insights. What¾s it like in their country? What do they think of their thru- hiking experience? Is it different than expected? How have your interactions with Americans been so far? The language bar- rier may slow the conversation a bit, but showing and extending hospitality to our foreign guests has its own rewards. If from another state, what do they think of Oregon? What did they do to save up funds for this thru-hike? What will they be doing post the PCT? On this unique human migra- tion, costing a thru-hiker thou- sands of dollars and five to six months to complete, offering to participate in a small but impor- tant way in helping someone realize their dream is the real payoff. It may even inspire your own future thru-hike. Pack Y r Ba ! I ’ll plan y r ip a life me! RECENTLY PLANNED CUSTOMIZED ITINERARIES: • Alaska and Baja Small Ship Cruising • African Safaris • Galapagos Islands • Hiking In Scotland & the Italian Alps 30 Years W ldwide Travel Experience! Luxury, Adventure & Cruise Specialist istt Concierge-Level Services, Pocket Travel Apps. SUSAN WAYMIRE CTC, TRAVELSTORE 541-719-8997 Susan.W@travelstore.com m