It’s tempting fate to publish a day by day plan for my transect of the state, but here it is.
I’ve included photos below of the terrain we can expect to see in each day of the walk. Unless otherwise noted the photos below are from the intrepid rhall, and you can see all his photos on the map here.
Most days will include only 10-15 miles of walking, but towards the end there will be some longer ones
Sun 9/11 – Wed 9/14: Columbia River to Ellensburg
I’ll be starting on the west side of the old railroad bridge, and spend the next 3 days walking up the 30 miles to Ellensburg, mostly through the Yakima Training Range. This will be the hottest and driest part of the 2016 walk, and really the only section to join me if you want to see some country too rough and dry for agriculture. Two nights of camping followed by the soft bed and warm shower of a hotel room.
Thurs 9/15 – Sat 9/17 Ellensburg to Suncadia
We follow the Yakima river for 30 miles from Ellensburg up to Suncadia near Cle Elum. It won’t be quite as verdant in the fall as this early summer photo shows, but it’s a beautiful and rich country. Two nights of camping, then an evening with my friends Curt and Kelli.
Sun 9/18 – Wed 9/21 Suncadia to Fall City
60+ miles in 4 days up and over the Cascades will require stepping up the pace a little, but the trail is good and the 2-mile tunnel under Snoqualmie Pass cuts off some of the climb. After 3 nights of camping, we will certainly need a good shower, and my friends Jay and Liza above Fall City will provide.
Thurs 9/22: Fall City to Bellevue
John and Susan’s place in Bridle Trails is the destination, but it will take about 20 miles of walking around the top of Lake Samamish to get there.
Fri 9/23: Bellevue to Green Lake
I had hoped to walk across the new 520, but it will not be open to pedestrians until next year, so I’m going to need to get creative. Perhaps a kayak from Kirkland to Laurelhurst? One way or other I’ll be sleeping in my own bed Friday night.
Sat 9/24: Green Lake to Golden Gardens
Since I started in the waters of the Columbia, its fitting that I should end on a Puget Sound beach, and current plans are for a paella cookout in the late afternoon at Golden Gardens in northwest Seattle. I’m hoping that all my friends can join me.
Washington Transect 
Last week we stood on a hill in Palestine looking out over the Israeli settlement of Tekoa. I think it’s feisty too.
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Thanks John!
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Neat “plan” David. How did you come by all those pix along the trail. Did you already do a drive through the route?
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Liz: I found them on Google maps. People had uploaded them via Panoramio. When your sister saw this post she said “Now everyone knows what it looks like they won’t bother to follow your progress!”
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Hahaha. I don’t know about that, but they may rethink which part of the trip they will join in on. ;/ However, I was imagining you walking those long stretches of nothing. I suspect you could come into a deeper inner settling that might be quite profound.
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I knew you would appreciate that. It’s those long stretches with little vegetation and unlimited sky that I’m looking forward to the most. I’m hoping for simplification and calm out there. Hopeless romantic I know!
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I am tired of visiting beautiful places with crowds of people. Where is the most desolate rural route? I will be your mule. Just walked 24 miles through ice cold water and slots, so this should be a nice change! Logistics will be most challenging for those trying to join you. How to get on the route, and for crying out loud how to exit gracefully when we can’t take it any more. Have you plotted nearest airports along the way?
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I like your grit sir. I can envision you flying low and doing a food drop before landing you plane at a stony strip miles away and perhaps biking to join me. Anything is possible!
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