As I headed north on the Pacific Crest Trail I had to cross a number of creeks. Some presented a minor obstacle though mostly they were not worse than swollen streams. As mentioned in my entry several days ago about my arrival into the Crater Lake National Park these creeks were my water source- nicely chilled water at that being pure snow melt rather than spring fed.
 Despite all the snow the backcountry became bone dry for the most part and the trails dusty; the soil is mainly volcanic ash and pumice and the water drained straight through it. I describe in my entry below the walk through the blackened trees where there had been a forest fire. Here the wildflowers were those like the myriad of Wild Lupines that grow in drier conditions.
 Where the creeks make their channel there is a concentration of wildflowers that thrive in the water and along the banks flourishing as they do in wetter habitats.
 On my last day in Oregon I was hiking back south on the PCT. I met a thru hiker heading north and I joked "Canada's that way, you're heading in the right direction". We had a brief chat and as we parted he turned to me and asked "Is there water ahead?" I confirmed that he would cross some creeks where he could replenish his supply.
 As I walked away the thought occurred to me: is that not the most fundamental question one human being can ask of another? We have air to breathe. If we have water we can live and all the other fundamentals like food and shelter can follow.