Finding Kindness

A sign announcing all you can eat fish and chips for $9.99 unfailingly catches the eyes of long distance hikers. We pulled in to Wally’s Drive-in to take advantage of the deal before starting the second half of our journey from Chinook Pass. While the fish and chips were great, the restaurant provided additional forms of more lasting nourishment.

Our server Jessica had an aura of kindness about her, both in her usual duties and in doing us the favor of filling our water bottles. She reminded me of all the kind people we met while walking across the country and that kindness abounds, something I preached during that hike. I shoved that reality in the back of my mind for the PCT, focusing instead on the remoteness and beauty of this trail.

“Kindness” is like “trouble” or a good many other things. If you look for it you will find it; in the finding you will be uplifted. I’ve decided that one thing this hike needs, for me if not for anyone else, is more attention to the kindness that surrounds us. Like the kindness of Jessica.

Or the kindness of Bill and Karen, the hosts at Kachess Campground. I informed them that we had an Access Pass, entitling us to a 50% discount because of Cindy’s disability. When they found out the nature of her disability they waived our fee and brought over two stacks of firewood to use.

Or the kindness of the parents of the thru-hiker K2, who we met first north of Ashland and just now north of White Pass. John and Cindy were supporting their daughter through her final state of Washington; we met those two out day hiking soon after we met their daughter. Later, as we waited at Route 12 for our friends to come by, John and Cindy brought us cold drinks, gave us information on the fire situation down south and transported our packs for us to the Village Inn.

Or the kindness of the National Guard mountain unit gathered near the Village Inn after an outing in the backcountry south of White Pass. This unit provides a service for hikers in general, such as with their ground to air support while fighting forest fires. We watched them from our room’s porch having fun throwing two retiring guards in a pool. Ben and Josh from the unit took notice of us and our packs; they later brought over several steak dinners. Later they provided a goody bag of Mountain House dinners, Cliff Bars and MREs.

Ben and Josh

Amazing how much your spirits are lifted when you focus on the kindness around you. Time to refocus a bit on that aspect of our journey. There was another message delivered at Wally’s Drive-in; another cause for spirits to be uplifted. More on that next time.