I woke wet and damp. It wasnt dew, but something finer, and once I got out of my tent I could see what it was. A fog had covered the surrounding mountains and its humidity must be the cause of the wetness. I got up, packed up, and hiked out of the KOA.

I hiked up and into the fog and it was delightful! At first I thought it would be irritating, but it wasnt cold and the wind wasnt howling. I hiked on and up into a landscape that held large rocks with formations that reminded me of a creek bed.

I saw a coyote stop me, leap from his morning rest spot and take off, tearing up the hill. It was some of the better wildlife I had seen so far! I kept snaking through the mountains. Up and up I went until I was fully engulphed by the cloud. Once I peaked the ridge, I could hear a roar from a road below. I wasnt exactly sure what highway it was, and I couldnt see it, but I could hear it through the thick blanket.

I decended further until I could make out the road and the valley below with the trail leading to it. Soon I met Apineglo, a bearded man in a kilt, from Canada. He was a funny guy and didnt have trouble pirting out obsenities, like water from a spigot. WE trekked on, chatting together and soon safter hiking through a tunnnel, beneath the road we saw incredibe area of rocks that were molded by water and air.

We kept treking in snapping pictures left and right before climbing up the hill on the other side and heading further towards Auga Dulce. WE passed Vasquez Rocks, a pklace with incredible formations. It so happen to also be a site where part of Blazing Sadles was filmed!

After the rocks, we walked a few miles by road into town. WE sat together chatting on while eating breakfast at an open diner. I headed over to the grocery, grabbed my resupply, and headed towards hiker heaven. Once there Sidetrail gave me the rundown of the place. They had laundry, shower, charging stations, computer to use, tv and a ton of movis, plenty of space to camp, and even trimmers to cut your hair if you needed! It was pretty awesome!

After making a quick Lyft run to REI, I returned triumphant with a new pair of shoes, new baselayer, and new sox! Fresh clothes and a shower, it really is the little things in life! Later that night I grabbed some wood and a bunch of us started a fire in the pit. One of the guys who volunteed at the place came over asking if we had asked for permission. The logs and an empty pit was more than permission for me, but then and there I was named Fire Marshall. Apparently I was in charge of extingushing the flame at the end of the night and I could tell anyone to go to bed. Hahha, laughs ensued and people joked about making it my trail name. It wouldnt be the first, and im certain not the last.