September 29
Mazama Village is closed for the season, damn, I was really looking forward to breakfast and stealing all the syrup. No laundry or shower today.
I saw elk! So big! There was a whole bunch of them and they plowed through all the branches when they saw me.
I hiked up to the Rim Trail, which is the PCT alternative. It’s a big climb, because it’s a volcano. It’s a lake inside an old volcano. There are other baby volcanoes inside the lake. It’s really neat. I guess I’ve never been here before.
And it’s cold! The cafe and store were jam packed. Very good people watching. I noticed a few cute queer girls working behind the counter. Is that just Oregon? I got a lot of cookies and coffee and made myself a nest upstairs next to an outlet. The wifi was maddeningly slow but I made it work. Anyway, it made me have almost a real day off. I walked about 5 miles in all. I know they’re a little picky about camping along the rim of the lake. I’ve heard rumors about rangers using heat sensors to find stealth campers. And then handing out $500 tickets. Probably just a rumor but still. I won’t try camping on the rim.
