Cow standoff. The cow won. I went off trail to get by.
AZT Map Miles 633.0
Miles Hiked 622.7
Elevation 3,993 feet
Miles Hiked Today 13.0
I did join Tim, the camper mentioned in yesterday’s post, at his campfire. He offered me beer or tea. Nope. I took the tea. It was so good. The elevation was high, so it was cold. The fire and hot tea made it bearable. Funny how the little things bring joy when you have been in the wilderness for so long.
We talked about everything and nothing. It was nice socializing. The only other time I’ve had that kind of interaction was during the few days Dawn, Moon Juice and I camped together. Before I headed back to my tent, Tim gave me a care package. The soda and candy were gone as soon as I got back to my tent. A banana was breakfast and an apple was part of my lunch. It all was so good!
The trail wasn’t too difficult today. The biggest climb was 600 feet in the afternoon. I did make my target for the day. I’m camped at the Italian Trap Trailhead. My navigation app says my total ascent for tomorrow is 4,600 feet. Only the Grand Canyon beats that. I was able to make a campground reservation at the Grass Shack Campground. It’s 13 miles away. That will be quite a stretch to reach it, but I’ll have to. I’m hiking in a national park, and camping is permitted only in approved campgrounds.
