Day 3

I arrived at Callahan's - a lodge just outside Ashland Oregon. I will now regale you in the past few days happenings-
My dad dropped me off at the border about 4 or so. We walked to the border and stepped on California soil then said our goodbyes. Just then a thru hiker came up the trail- he had started in Mexico and was already 1600 miles into his hike! I talked to him for a bit while we walked along the trail. He was very experienced- he had already completed a couple other PCT thru hikes! Eventually I stopped to look at a nascent blister and got it all patched up. He kept going and was just out of sight. The trail ran through a thick snowbank so I decided to go above the snow on the right side. I saw Charlie's footprints head straight through the snow then they went right and off the lower end of the snowbank. I decided to keep hiking up because I thought the trail went to the summit. I took out my map and wasn't satisfied with an exact fix of my location. I walked around a ridge through thick brush to find a better vantage. I still wasn't able to justify myself on the map so I headed back to the original summit. There I found a summit registry- basically a 'I was here on X day with so and so and we saw something cool" notebook for everyone who climbs the mountain. I noticed that the notebook stated the location, so I used this to figure out my path. It was getting late so I set up camp near the summit and went to bed.
I wanted to look at my map again because I was pretty hazy the day before. I had climbed up to several thousand feet above the elevation I was used to- only about 200 feet above sea level. I was also dehydrated and exhausted from keeping pace with a very fit hiker! With some good rest and water and food in me, I surveyed the area. I quickly realized my error and got on the trail shortly after. I made really good time, reaching almost 10 miles before I took a long break. As I was sitting by a creek resting and eating, a trail work crew came up and I offered my assistance. They were helping to improve the trail prior to an ultra marathon event with a 50 mile race and a 50km race. I helped build a crossing so runners and hikers would not damage the area near the stream crossing. I made camp just before nightfall. I had walked about 15 miles or so.
Today, I got an early start too. I met a section hiker headed south. He was from Eugene and had hitched the whole way down! We wished each other well then went our separate ways. On my way towards Ashland, the pct goes next to a highway. As I was looking for the way back onto the pct at one of these junctions, a car pulled up and stopped next to me. A guy asked me if I was hiking and I talked to him for a bit- he was a reporter for the local newspaper so I gave him some information then got my picture taken. After that, I hiked to Callahan's. I arrived at 1230 having completed about 10 miles.