AsI was contemplating leaving Pine, trail angel Becky from Tonto Basin near the Roosevelt Marina texted me and told me she would be up at Pine and would like to take me out to lunch, so after packing up and saying goodbye to Kate, I went off with Becky for a delicious lunch of three empanadas made better by sharing great conversation. She dropped me back at the trailhead just before noon, and I was thrilled to discover that the trail was much easier hike than it had been. Even though I got a late start, I managed to hike 14 miles that day. I was quite tired by the time I made camp, but also satisfied with my accomplishment.

The next day I made friends with the 50-something year-old hikers who were camped near me. This was their first thru hike, although they were accomplished hikers. It was fun to leap frog with them all day, although by evening I pulled ahead and haven’t seen them since. I expect I might run into them again since I’m taking at least one zero in Flagstaff.

I was surprised to find as I walked along through some magnificent Ponderosa pine forest that I was actually a little bored. The hiking was fairly easy and the scenery was pretty consistent, so to make matters a little more interesting I decided that since I was planning to get water at a cow tank about a half mile off the trail, I would cut cross-country to return to the trail rather than doing an out and back. It’s always a little scary to me to get off trail but I love the feeling of accomplishment I get at seeing that my map and compass skills still get me where I need to go.

The cow tank I went to was actually a very large pond with blue heron, killdeer, ducks and a falcon as well as lots of elk and deer. Because it’s so far off the trail, I don’t think many hikers go down to it. En route, I did meet two scruffy looking older men in camo with rifles, riding an ATV. But rather than being scary, they stopped and asked me if I needed any water. It was a great reminder, not to be afraid or to judge anything by the exterior.

After spending a night in the middle of the national forest miles from the trail, I made my way back in the morning, using map, compass and gps. I connected back to the trail exactly where I was hoping to be!

I enjoyed my sense of accomplishment. But I was also aware that things were changing and I was getting another lesson from the trail not to judge things by my first contacts.

The ground in the woods I had been walking through, which up to now had been mostly covered with pine needles and rocks, was now starting to sprout the ephemeral spring flowers. In ground that looked fairly barren, there were now pink flowers sprouting. I saw some purple and yellow flowers, as well as some white ones, and I realized that I had hastily judged these woods. Even though these spring flowers won’t last for long, they are there all the time under the surface. And it reminded me that when I meet a person I need to take the time to really see what’s underneath their surface behavior. When I do, I can usually find a way to make a real connection.

Once again as I hiked on towards Mormon Lake and my next resupply, I sent gratitude out into the world for the lessons the trail was teaching me