The Following is a True Story

I got up at 6:30am to go hiking, alone, and along the way I picked up a hitch hiker. I promise, this is 100% true.

Disclaimer: The explanation behind my morning is significantly less exciting than the opener implies. But I sound like a total bad-ass if all you read is the first sentence, so there you have it.

I woke up about 5:30 due in part to my leg hurting and my pain meds wearing off, and in part due to the sun being up. I tossed and turned and tried to go back to sleep and finally gave up and got dressed a little after 6. So at 6:30 I decided to go check out the trailhead I’d driven past a few times. I put on my shoes, grabbed the keys, and left a sleeping Mitch unaware I was gone.

I had gone about a mile from the campsite when I saw a girl on the side of the road, waving at me. I pulled over and noticed she was wearing sandals, a skirt with leggings, and a light jacket. It was in the mid 50’s. I rolled down the window and she asked if she could have a ride to the nearest store and I said sure. We chatted about things and it became quite evident she has some mental health issues. But she was a sweet girl, and she called me pretty, said she liked my hair and my car and my music, and compared me to an angel- not a bad way to start the morning! 

We talked about the power of kindness and how a small gesture can make a difference and how kindness is someone everyone can show- big or small- without costing a thing. We drove about 10 miles to the store, on my way to the hiking trail anyway, and she thanked me profusely as I dropped her off. I’m not sure how she was planning to get to the store in her flimsy sandals so early on a Sunday morning. And I hope she made it back home (to her parents house, as she informed me) safely. 

I continued on my way and went for my hike. The trail was a very steep incline of switchbacks up to the ridge, but luckily what goes up also comes down. As I came across a few forks, I followed what I hoped would turn into a loop. The map was rather unclear about the trail, but since there were two trailheads leading from the parking lot, I figured they had to meet up. At one point the trail split again and I could see to the bottom of the left fork- a lovely creek with a bench. It was also the steepest hill I’d ever seen. I walked about 15 feet down, looked at the remaining 150 or so, and decided I had no desire to climb back up that hill and the trail appeared to end at the creek, so I turned around. I took the right fork and switchbacked down; only to end up at the bottom of the hill next to the creek anyway- turns out the trail continued just around the corner and out of view from the top.

Overall my hike was only about 1 mile and took 30 minutes, but I was alone on the trail and got to hear the birds chirping. And I ran into several snails, which always remind me of my friend Ingrid, so all in all, a successful morning. I headed back toward camp, stopped for coffee, and woke Mitch up to get ready for his morning flight and to tell him my tale of hiking and hitchhiker pick ups.

 Some Wild Blackberries I saw along the trail.

Quite possibly the worlds largest dandelion!