Summer of 2014 was a challenging year for me as a runner. In my attempt to cross Oregon and Idaho I encountered several obstacles. First, there was a massive forest fire on the Pacific Crest Trail which would have required a nearly 100 mile detour on forest roads. If I had been on my own schedule that would have been fine but with a support crew on a tight timeline and my family expecting me back home I couldn't afford the detour. Instead, I decided to get shuttled west to the coast and continue my northbound trip due west from where I got off the PCT. On the coast I was trying to follow the Oregon Coast Trail, a loose network of short beach sections joined by busy segments of Highway 101. Getting from the beach to the highway proved difficult at times, navigating inland marshes and rising tides. The traffic on the highway and narrow shoulder were also harrowing. Don't worry, it made for some great filming! However, halfway across the state I stepped off the road in mid-stride to avoid an oncoming RV at a spot where the shoulder completely disappeared.
