2023-06-16 46 -122

Location

On the shoulder of state highway 504, just northeast of Toutle.

Participants

Michael5000

Expedition

After the total loss of vehicle in 2023-05-01 45 -119, I fantasized on the theme of replacing it with a new high-mileage vehicle that could also handle rough roads and easily accommodate a bicycle, and maybe even improve on it with such modern features as turn indicators that still worked. Then, at some point, I realized that by dint of my historical diligence, thrift, hard work, and -- more to the point -- insanely good luck, I could do exactly that. And so it is that last weekend I took possession of a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid "Woodland Edition," a semi-sentient expedition vehicle with the provisional name Bright Blue Gravitas.

This was its first use in pursuit of a hashpoint. After wrapping up the work-week, I made the familiar slow crossing into Washington state and then continued about 50 miles north to the little berg of Castle Rock which, as I discovered in 2022-05-14 46 -122, has a nice little running trail. 4.21 running miles later, I headed east towards the little village of Toutle, last visited on 2022-06-11 46 -122. The rough-road capabilities of the new vehicle weren't really put into play; all I needed to do was pull over on the shoulder of Highway 504 -- the road up to well known local volcano Mt. St. Helens -- and wander a few steps off into the forest.