We are back on trail and after 22 miles my ankle is doing pretty well. We passed by Linda and Randy’s porch and we’re invited for coffee during the morning showers. The rain stayed with us for all of our 15 miles, so at 6:30 we arrived at Dan’s barn on RT. 12 and decided to stop for the night. It sounds like we know these people well, but you get to know the trail angel around the corner or the coffee-for-donations hangouts miles in advance. News of the upcoming trail is written in guides or quickly carried by passing hikers. Some folks are legendary in the trail community.
After we spoke with Dan and got the rules of the house, I headed back to the trailhead with trowel and tp to dig a cathole. Girls get to use the house, guys get to use the woods. I barely made it through the meadow into some trees and passed some animal’s scat along the way. I wondered about it, but there was no time to investigate–I was on a mission. So, I dig, I squat, I get settled, and I hear something large behind me lumbering in my direction…
…It’s a heard of cows, all poking their heads into my little patch of trees. One in particular, now named Momma Cow, got right in my face to sniff me. So, I hung out for 20 more minutes, made friends with most of the herd, and went to retrieve Kylie and introduce her to my new friends. We get to hike by them tomorrow morning on the way out. I hope Momma Cow remembers me.
