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| Old Cabin |
Much of what I had to look forward to today was a lot of road walking until I got to Pie Town. As that was my goal, time on the graded dirt didn't really bother me. I knew I could make really good time. Emerging from the woods on the descent from the slopes of Mangas, I entered open flatland dotted with sage and juniper. Some conic hills ahead of me looked like ancient cindercone volcanoes, while the bluffs of Alegres Mountain to my right stood out prominently against the horizon. If I'd been an indian here in ages past, I might have made it one of my holy places. To me, it seemed to have a mystical quality about it.
Two wonderful animal sightings to report. First, a small group of 13 elk came single file onto the road from the left, then one after the other took a great leap over the barbed-wire barrier on the right side of the road to continue their journey into the open range. Second, I saw what at first I thought was a coyote skulking in the sage, but as I got closer, my impression changed. I remember thinking, "That has to be the biggest coyote I've ever seen!" Then it dawned on me that what I was looking at was a lone gray wolf. Holy cow, that was awesome.
Speaking of cows, there are plenty of free rangers out here. Well, relatively free. At times, barbed-wire fences paralleled both sides of the road, but judging by the relative state of disrepair in some sections I have to question their effectiveness. At one point, a group of three wandering the road ahead of me panicked at my approach and tried to get back over the fence. The first two did a fairly decent job (I never knew cows could jump---at least not that high), but the third fell flat in its attempt and got caught up in the wire. Thrashing about, I thought I'd be forced to give it some aid. Fortunately, it finally extricated itself and joined its two companions. Man, cows can be absolutely stupid at times. Can't they ever stand nervously by the side of the road and simply let a guy quietly walk past? Later on, I met a cowboy crew that was repairing a section of fencing. One of them mentioned that fence repair was a job that was never done. As soon a they got one section back up to snuff, they'd have to move on to another.
Clouds drifted overhead the entire day. From time to time they'd gather to form a band that would scatter some precipitation in the form of rain or a little hail. Nothing persisitent, just enough to keep the temperature from climbing too high.
At one long bend in the road, barking dogs set up such a ruckus that I feared I was going to be attacked by a huge pack of mongrels. I saw some loping my way but they were stopped at a gate. Good Lordy, I'm glad I didn't have to fend them all off. When I looked at my maps some time later, I realized that they weren't all Cujo's offspring. The true story was that I'd passed the Animal Rescue Center which does it's best to take in abandoned or abused animals and give them a new leash on life as it were. Rather than being attacked, I may have been in danger of being licked to death.
Some time between three and four I made it to my destination----Pie Town. However, how would I recognize the Toaster House, my stopping place. How indeed?! Perhaps the house with the iron gateway adorned with an assortment of old toasters fit the bill. The greeting sign at the front door left no doubt. I tentatively knocked, but when nobody answered, I gently opened the door and called out, "Hello, anybody home?" Again, nobody answered. I was about to retreat to wait on the porch, when I noticed the info in the dining room/kitchen area. Nita had raised her family here, but now that the kids were grown, the house had basically been turned over to hikers and other adventurers. It was strange to be in an unfamiliar home with free reign. The only things asked in return for such lovely lodging was to act responsibly and make a donation to defer the cost of utilities. I took a peek upstairs and saw packs and gear, obviously some other people were staying here. It was the same when I looked in a downstairs bedroom. Oops! Had I arrived and there was no room at the inn? The final bedroom, which I called the star room for its celestial motif on the ceiling, appeared unoccupied, so I dropped my pack and made myself at home.
First order of business--- laundry and a shower. After washing off the trail dust, I took up residence at the kichen table for a leisurely dinner of peanut butter and jelly tortillas. Suddenly, the side door opened and some of the other occupants entered. I was gobsmacked when I realized one of them was Why Not (Nancy Huber), I hadn't expected to catch her so quickly. The other two people were D.J. and Kerrie, a retired couple from British Columbia, who are on a seven-month bike trip, first of the Continental Divide and then looping back down the West Coast. We sat around that table for hours swapping stories of past adventures and present concerns. It was quite entertaining mixed as it was with a good dose of laughter. Shroomer, Why Not's hiking partner, arrived rather late because he was busy submitting an article about, and photos of, his CDT experience to his local internet newspaper, Martinez.Patch.com.. He's written regular reports about hiking for them before and this is a natural extension of that. Must be very dedicated to spend zero days on the project and carry his laptop in his pack!!! Anyway, the soiree broke up late. I believe we would have kept on talking into the wee hours if not for the fact that people are leaving tomorrow. Bedtime at 11 P.M., well after hiker midnight. YAWN!
29 Miles
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| Cindercone |
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| Pioneer Palace |
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| Nita's Toaster House |
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